MARTIN Ling has expressed an interest in becoming the next manager of Swindon Town, but the former Leyton Orient boss will not put his name forward while good friend Paul Bodin is also in the running.

The 44-year-old, who played over 150 games for the Robins during the early 1990s, has been out of work since being dismissed as Cambridge United coach back in February.

Ling’s knowledge of the lower leagues is second to none and he is keen to make a return to management in the near future.

But with Bodin – a player who Ling played alongside at the County Ground for four years – currently in charge of the club, he will not submit a formal application for the position out of respect for his long time friend.

He told the Advertiser: “It is a position that I would be interested in, but the person currently in charge is a close friend of mine and if the job was not to go to Paul Bodin then I would be interested.

“I have been Paul’s friend for a very long time, when I was manager of Leyton Orient he did a lot of scouting work for me, so my interest is only there if he is not in the running.

“I usually speak with Paul a couple of times a week and we both played a part in a successful period for the club.

“It has been a rollercoaster ride for Swindon over the years, but their relegation this year surprised me.

“They need to get some stability.”

Ling’s most successful spell as a manager undoubtedly came during his time in charge of Orient, where he guided them to promotion from League Two back in the 2005/06 season.

He then established the club in League One and was heavily linked with taking the Swindon hotseat back in 2008, before the board eventually decided to appoint Danny Wilson.

“Swindon is a club that is very close to my heart and League Two is a league I know all about,” continued Ling.

“With a large number of players out of contract in the summer there is a great chance there for someone to put their own stamp on the team.

“I have watched Swindon a number of times this season and I have seen their strengths and weaknesses.

“That knowledge of Swindon means I am probably one step ahead of a number of others in that respect.”

Ling, like Bodin, is a great believer in utilising a club's youth system and at one stage during his time at Orient, half of his squad was made up of home-grown talent.

And he believes that is a route Town should explore next season, whoever the board decides to put in charge.

He added: “In my opinion Town have not had enough youth players coming through, that is nothing to do with the youth system at all but because managers in recent years have not given them a chance for one reason or another.

“I very much believe in utilising the youth system and when I was manager of Leyton Orient, at one stage 12 of my squad of 24 came from the youth ranks.

“Swindon needs to get back to its roots and for me that means bringing through the youth players into the first team.”