Swindon Town summer signing Billy Kirkman has made a loan switch to National League South outfit Weston-super-Mare on a deal until January.
The young defender who arrived this summer having impressed Swindon for his performances in the Cymru Premier for The New Saints and Aberystwyth has made the move to the sixth tier in search of more playing time.
Kirkman is yet to make his competitive debut for Town but was included in the matchday squad for the first four games of the season.
He will join up with Weston in their pursuit of promotion to the National League, they sit fifth in the sixth tier but have won their last five games in what has been a very quick start to the season.
The 20-year-old is the second Swindon player to make the move to National League South after Pharrell Johnson joined Truro City last week, who have also made a strong start to the new season.
Swindon are looking to get some of their younger players more experience through loan moves into Non-League to help them be prepared for stepping into the first team.
Mark Kennedy said: “I wouldn’t say that there is a pressure but it is really important that we get the young lads out there and playing.
“With one of the young lads we have agreed for them to go out today and I spoke to them and said ‘We rate you highly, we value you, but staying and sitting and training with me every day and the group of players will help in some way but if you marry it up against going out on loan and playing football week in, week out – it is chalk and cheese.’
“The player who goes out and plays on loan and experiences what a games programme looks like will be on another level in 12 months time.
“I was saying to him that what we want to get to a situation in six or 12 months time that when people’s contracts are up or they move on and we go, ‘That is absolutely fine because Henry [Port, Head of Media and Communications] is ready.’
“I am saying Henry as an example because he is sitting next to me, but Henry would be ready to go whereas if he stays in with us for the next six months then he is not going to be anywhere near where he needs to be."
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