Swindon Town: Sam Ricketts feels special 'affiliation' to club

Sam Ricketts has played over 400 matches in his career so far

Sam Ricketts has said he has a special affiliation with Swindon after joining the League One promotion-chasers on loan until the end of the season.

"My family are all from Swindon so I have always kept an eye on them," he told BBC Wiltshire.

"It is easier when your family here and have an affiliation to the club."

The 33-year-old defender has not played a competitive game for Wolves since November and was made available for loan in January.

Ricketts, who captained Wolves to promotion from League One last season, added that his grandfather was especially happy about his decision to play for the Robins.

The Wales international watched his first ever football match at the County Ground - a League Cup quarter-final tie between Swindon and Crystal Palace.

"I also made my debut here, although it was for Oxford," Ricketts continued.

"My granddad even told me he thinks he's one of the few people alive to have watched Swindon play Grimsby in the 1930s in a big FA Cup game. He played truant from school to come and watch it and got caught when his picture was in the paper.

Sam Ricketts captained Wolves to the League One title last season

"My granddad has been the biggest influence on my career. He is the reason I can use my left foot so well.

"For him, living 10 minutes away from where I am going to be playing, he will be able to come and watch me play again.

"He used to come to every match but he is getting on a little bit and cannot make the journeys, so it is great he will be able to come and watch a few games."

The full-back, who won promotion from League Two with Swansea and later played in the Premier League for Bolton and Hull, believes his experience of playing throughout the Football League will give third-placed Swindon an extra edge in their push for promotion to the Championship.

"I've been around and I was captain of Wolves last year when we got promoted," he added.

"I know this league very well so I am just trying to bring some experience to what is a very good young team to get us promoted.

"The quality of football has to be applauded, for such young players to play that way and remain focused on that, even when things do not go your way.

"It is very easy to resort back to what is a typical British, old-fashioned type football and get it long, which a few teams in this league do, but to have the confidence to continue playing the way they do is their biggest strength."