BILLY Bodin is disappointed that he will likely miss a promotion party with Swindon, but is determined to do all he can to secure a new deal at his hometown club by proving a success at Crewe.

The forward had anticipated playing a part in the Robins’ end-of-season run in but arrived at the County Ground last Thursday to be informed he would be joining the Railywaymen for the remainder of the campaign.

With his contract up in the summer, Bodin is a little anxious about where his long-term future lies, but plans to do all he can to impress while at Crewe and convince Swindon he is worth a new deal.

“I hadn’t been involved in the squad recently, so my head was down a bit but the move was a bit of a surprise,” Bodin told the Advertiser.

“Swindon are my hometown club so I would love to stay, but I have not been offered a contract yet and that is a bit worrying.

“But I have got to prove myself now. I am focused on Crewe and helping to get them into the play-offs and then hopefully Swindon will offer me a new contract.”

Bodin could hardly be joining a better to club to aid his development, with Crewe boasting a reputation of turning promising talent into highly-sought after players.

The likes of Rob Hulse, Danny Murphy and Robbie Savage all made a name for themselves while at Crewe, while 18-year-old forward Nick Powell is the current big talent at the Cheshire side, and is tipped to make a big money move to the Premier League in the summer.

“Nick is a great player,” added Bodin. “His touch is fantastic and from the goal he scored against Swindon you could see just how talented he is.

“I think the average age at Crewe is just 22 so it will be great to be a part of a young squad.

“They bring through a lot of young, promising players and that can only be good for me.”

Bodin is clearly highly regarded in the lower leagues, with Torquay boss Martin Ling having lauded him on a number of occasions this season, while Crewe boss Steve Davis was also singing his praises after securing his signature.

“It is nice to hear managers say what they have,” he said.

“The manager here has just asked me to express myself on the pitch while I am here.

“Crewe are a good side and they play good football.

“We have a few tough games coming up but my focus is on helping them get into the play-offs and hopefully I will still be able to celebrate a promotion this season.”