PAUL Bodin believes Town’s youth team players can flourish under new manager Danny Wilson, tipping a handful to become reserve team regulars by the end of the season.

Since his arrival in Wiltshire on Boxing Day, Wilson has held individual meetings with Swindon’s coaching staff to get across his ethos and philosophy on how he wants the County Ground outfit to run, both on and off the pitch.

And Under 18 boss Bodin has been buoyed by what he’s heard, especially when it comes to the development of the stars of the future.

“We had a meeting yesterday, one on one, which was good and he told me what he expects of the club as a whole - how he wants the profile of the club raised, and more professionalism and discipline as well,” revealed the Town legend.

“It was all very encouraging, and he had a lot of good things to say about the youth set-up as well. He knew all about it and how well we’ve been doing, which is nice to hear.

“Hopefully some of the players can get a chance in the reserves now because there’s a few like Jamie Taylor and Kurt Hammonds who are playing really well but can’t even get a look-in in the reserves.

“They need games and need to be making an impression, and the manager need to see them in a higher level than youth football. Hopefully under Danny that will now happen.”

Sean Morrison, Callum Kennedy and Ben Joyce have all seen first team action this season, while the likes of Chris Allen and Lloyd Macklin have been on the fringes of breaking through.

And Bodin believes that, with Wilson’s ideology on how the game should be played, it means all departments at the County Ground will be singing from the same hymn sheet.

“Danny was a great player and a fantastic passer of the ball and that’s what he seems to encourage his teams to do,” he said.

“On the youth side, we spend a lot of time encouraging the kids to pass the ball and setting up drills to help them work on this, but then sometimes in the past the first team have maybe gone a little bit long ball.

“That can be detrimental to what we are trying to do, so from a development side that is great for us.

“Things are going to change from how they have been. Maurice (Malpas) was perhaps a bit laid back, but Danny knows he has to make an immediate impression both on and off the pitch.

“He has to stamp his own personality and philosophy on the club and he will make a big impact.”