BILLY Bodin would welcome a temporary move away from Swindon in a bid to secure a regular run of first team football.

The forward, often described by his Wales Under-21 boss Brian Flynn as ‘having the potential to be a long-term successor to Ryan Giggs’, has made just two first-team appearances for Town, both coming under former boss Danny Wilson.

Bodin has had to be content with playing for the reserves while Paul Hart has been in charge and that position looks unlikely to change before the season is out, with the 57-year-old keen to have experienced heads on the pitch as the Robins battle against relegation.

Bodin has no qualms with that decision but with his contract at the County Ground up next year, he is desperate to go out on loan to get some senior football under his belt, whichever league Swindon find themselves in next season.

He told the Advertiser: “It is a bit frustrating (not to be involved in the first team), but given where we are in the league we need the strongest team out every week, so you can’t really be playing youngsters in the position we are in. I just have to keep going and try and get my chance.

“I have another year on my contract after this season. Even if I am not playing then I will try to look to go out on loan, get some games under my belt and try and force my way into the first team.

“I wanted to go on loan this season, but we need as many players as we can due to where we are in the league, so I will just keep training and see how it goes.”

While his career at Town is perhaps progressing a little slower than he would have liked, Bodin is happy with how things are going at international level after the 18-year-old earned his fifth Wales under-21 cap on Tuesday, coming off the bench in the 1-0 win over Andorra.

Flynn clearly sees a lot of potential in Bodin, given his comparison of the youngster to Giggs.

But Bodin took a more pragmatic view on his international development, adding: I think Gareth Bale is the next (to replace Giggs) there to be honest! If I keep impressing then hopefully I will get a chance with the first team in a few years.

“I am going away next week to Spain to play the Basque XI, so hopefully if I impress (Brian Flynn) there I will get a few more starts for the under-21s and progress from there.”