LEON: I HAD TO MAKE RETURN
LEON Britton believes he could still perform in the Championship for Swansea City, but would struggle with the day-to-day rigours of fulltime football.
The Swansea legend has came out of retirement to sign for JD Welsh Premier League outfit Llanelli Town until the end of the season.
In an interview with former teammate Owain Tudur Jones on S4C’s Mwy o Sgorio football series, Britton also revealed that his friend Lee Trundle, who plied his trade at Stebonheath Park last season, was a big influence in his decision to sign for the Reds.
Britton, who is 36, said: “I believe ability-wise I could still play in the Championship.
“It’s just more the day in, day out of training.
“Every day was taking its toll on my body and that was a big reason why I retired.
“But with Llanelli it was a case of wanting to get the boots back on and the fact that we’re not training every day, so it’s a bit less demanding on my body.
“It’s just about getting back out there and wanting to play really, and so I signed for Llanelli. “
The midfielder made his Llanelli debut in a 2-1 home win over Llandudno.
And Britton’s vast experience is likely to prove vital in the next few months as Andy Hill’s side battle to avoid the threat of relegation.
They sit one place off the bottom of the Conference after the mid-season split.
“I’d enjoyed my time away from football, but I was itching to play again,” said Britton. “Speaking to everyone at the club, what they were offering suited me down to the ground.
“Myself and Trunds are both club ambassadors for Swansea so I work very closely with him, we’re good friends. Of course, he had a great impact at Llanelli and I spoke with him and he couldn’t speak highly enough of them.
“We did talk about potentially coming back together to play in January.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t sign but he couldn’t say anything but good words about the club, so that helped me make my decision.”