Jack Bycroft said that time out of the Swindon Town line-up in recent weeks has helped him to reflect and improve.

The goalkeeper started each of Town’s first eight games of the season in League Two but was taken out of the side by former head coach Mark Kennedy in favour of Norwich City loanee Dan Barden, who played each of the subsequent six games.

Following Kennedy’s departure, interim boss Gavin Gunning opted to bring Bycroft back in to start against Gillingham as the ten men of Town snatched a late point.

After the game, Gunning said of the decision: “It was nothing. Dan has done well but it was time to bring Jack back in.”

Bycroft was on the bench for the first time in his senior career during these games and he believes it has been positive for his development.

He said: “If I am honest, looking back at it, it [coming out of the team] is probably something that I needed as a reality check.

“Spending time out and not playing for the first time in my career, really, basically sat on the side and it has given me that hunger to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

“It is one of those things where, especially playing for Swindon, I have got zero interest in not playing.

“I just want to do well with the club, with the fans, and with the boys, so it has been good for me.”

Kennedy was keen to stress that he saw Bycroft’s improvement as a player and in his work ethic since he had dropped out of the side.

He said earlier in October: “I actually singled out Jack to the group after the game because his standards since he has come out of the team have been so high.

“They were really high when he was in the team but since he has come out it has stuck out like a sore thumb.”

Bycroft said that during his time on the sidelines, he has been looking to improve many things about his game to get himself ready for a return.

He said: “For sure [I have been working on things], I think that different styles of coaching suit different styles of play.

“I have been just generally tidying things up and nipping things in the bud to make sure that I keep improving as a player on my all-round game.

“It has been nothing specific but I have been working harder.”