22-07-2025
Bodin 'always wanted' Swindon return and explains 'questionable' club choices
Billy Bodin said that he has always wanted to return to Swindon Town after re-joining the club he left 13 years ago.
The son of Swindon legend Paul Bodin came through the academy ranks at Town and made 16 senior appearances before being sold by Paolo Di Canio to Torquay United at age 20.
Since then, he has gone on to make almost 400 appearances for a number of clubs, becoming a regular in the Championship and League One.
Among those various clubs have been stints at rivals Oxford United and Bristol Rovers, but despite having played for those clubs, his love for his boyhood club never waned.
Speaking to club media, he said: '[How important is it to rekindle the bond with the supporters?] Massively.
'Obviously, a few of the clubs on my CV are questionable, and I know that a lot of the fans will give me a bit of stick. Even my own brother-in-law gave me a bit of stick for a few years.
'It is part of football, and during my career, there have been certain opportunities that I couldn't really give up.
'But Swindon was always a place that I wanted to come back to and play.
'It is amazing to be back, and when I did leave, this was always somewhere that I wanted to come back to at a certain stage of my career. Thankfully, after speaking to the manager, it seems like the right fit at the right time.'
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During those 13 years away from Wiltshire, Bodin picked up three promotions, including regrettable ones with Rovers and Oxford.
Now, he said that he intends to help Swindon get out of League Two, as he did back in the 2011/12 campaign.
He said: 'I think I have had four promotions in that time, along with a lot of good seasons, but I have also had some bad ones with injuries and not playing as much under certain managers.
'I have gained a lot of experience in all different aspects, and that has made me the player that I am now.
'Hopefully, we can achieve something good this season, and there is only one aim in mind, and that is promotion.
'I have a lot of experience and I can help the young lads, but also bring creativity, and I would like to think some goals.
'As long as I can help the team in any way I can, if that is going towards promotion, then it is fine by me.'
