The story behind Walsall defender Aden Flint's breakthrough at Swindon

While Flint might not have started his career at the County Ground, it was Swindon who offered him his break in the Football League in 2011. 

Flint had made his first footsteps into the game with hometown club Pinxton in the eleventh tier of English football, before joining Alfreton Town in the National League North. 

Humble roots

Even then, Flint juggled his burgeoning footballing dreams by working part-time tarmacking roads. But that would all change after three seasons at Alfreton had helped him catch the eye of clubs in the Football League.

Ex-Swindon chairman Andrew Fitton helped bring him to the club over 14 years ago in what eventually turned into quite the battle for his signature. 

"We saw Aden a few months before we signed him and he was playing in the same side as Danny Wilson's son," Fitton recalls. 

"Danny went up and had a look at him. He was always cautious so he came back and said we don't need to rush.

"Then you know what happens, the same thing happened with Charlie Austin when we signed him. 

"All of a sudden everybody was after him and the same thing was true with Aden. John Ward was at Colchester and suddenly got his eye on Aden so we had to move a bit faster.

"So instead of signing him for nothing, we ended up paying money for him."

Winning over Paolo Di Canio

Flint made just three appearances for Swindon, before spending the remainder of the season back on loan at Alfreton, something which had been pre-agreed between both clubs. 

But there was still a great degree of uncertainty over whether Flint would make the cut when returned, especially once former West Ham United striker Paolo Di Canio took the reins at the County Ground.