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FORMER County Ground midfielder Ian Herring insists there is life after Swindon Town, as he targets a return to the Football League with Blue Square Premier outfit Salisbury City.

Herring played against some of his old Town teammates in the Wiltshire Premier Shield final at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium, which the Whites won 1-0.

Lining up for Swindon were outgoing Robins Andy Nicholas, Kaid Mohamed and Sofiene Zaaboub, all of whom will be looking for a new club this summer.

Herring was part of a Robins cull himself in 2003, having made just eight first team appearances, but the man known affectionately as Spud' insists Nicho & Co could do much worse than dropping down into the Conference.

He said: "A lot people think non-league is a bad place to play, but when the pitches are good towards the start of the season there's a lot of good football played.

"There is a lot of money around in non-league as well, so it certainly wouldn't be the end of the world.

"The majority of the squad at Salisbury are full-time now, training four days a week.

"I don't think there's too much of a gulf between the Conference and the Football League. You can see that by the way that Hereford have gone up again."

Herring is close friends with Nicholas and another Town outcast Michael Pook, who has been told by boss Maurice Malpas he will be a "squad player at best" next season.

But far from seeing the County Ground exit sign as the end of their professional journey, Herring insists it is just the beginning.

"I think you've just got to keep your head down and not give up," he said.

"You see a lot of lads of my age or younger that drift out of the game completely, and it's very difficult, especially if you have to combine your football with work.

"But you just have to keep trying, and hopefully you will get noticed like I did with Salisbury. Now I'm back playing full-time football."

When the curtain was brought down on his brief County Ground career, Herring moved quickly to secure his future with Southern League Chippenham Town. It's a decision he has no regrets over, claiming the Bluebirds picked him off his feet and handed him a football lifeline.

"The first summer is difficult and for me I didn't like the idea of going out on trial here, there and everywhere," admitted Herring.

"Looking back, maybe it was the wrong idea maybe it was the right idea.

"I was at Chippenham a bit longer than I would have hoped for, but what that club did for me was to stand me in good stead for the future.

"Now I'm with Salisbury and it feels that the club is really going places. I'm looking forward to next season already."

n ANOTHER ex-Town man enjoying life in the non-league game is Chris McPhee.

The striker, who spent a spell on loan at the County Ground two years ago, missed a penalty but then scored Ebbsfleet's winner as the Kent side defeated Torquay 1-0 in the FA Trophy final at Wembley on Saturday.

10:30am Monday 12th May 2008

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