Goalkeeper Conor Brann aiming to play more games in 23/24

SWINDON Town goalkeeper Conor Brann has targeted a run of games this season after playing his first full 90 minutes in a year on Tuesday.

Brann was in goal for a youthful Swindon as the League Two outfit lost 2-0 to Hellenic League Corsham Town at the Southbank in a pre-season friendly.

That rare outing was the 20-year-old’s first since he penned a two-year contract – with the option of a third – in September 2022.

Although the Irishman has been in Wiltshire for almost 12 months now, a freak accident after Town’s 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Stockport County last November greatly reduced the amount of time he has spent on the grass with goalkeeping coach, Steve Mildenhall.

But assessing the progress he has made regardless – plus looking ahead to what he wants to achieve this season – Brann knows playing games will be the key to any personal success in 2023/24.

He said: “I’m progressing well, but I still have so much more to go. I’m still only young, and with Mildy [Steve Mildenhall] now, I’ll keep progressing and we’ll see what happens this year.

“I obviously need to play games – this was my first game in a year, which is a long time – but I think I’m doing well.

“The experience of the first team is good for training, but if you’re not playing games then you need to go and do that.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m hopeful I’ll get some game-time somewhere, so I just need to work hard every day, impress, and see what happens.”

Brann’s start against Melksham was his second appearance under manager Michael Flynn following a brief cameo against Swindon Supermarine earlier in pre-season.

The young stopper has been thoroughly impressed with Flynn’s training sessions so far and says he has demanded standards be raised by everyone as Town strive to carve out a positive season.

Asked about his early impressions of Michael Flynn, Brann said: “Very good. The standards he’s brought in, all the lads are listening to.

“He’s been really good with us, and with the knowledge he has to share, all the boys are taking it on board.

“This season, we want to do well and we have to do well. We want to get promoted – that’s what [Flynn] wants, and that’s what all the boys want to.

“He’s very straight forward, his standards are high, and he wants everything to be done right. If it’s not, he’ll tell you, but if it’s done right then he’ll applaud you – that’s the good thing about him.”