Jason Scotland says that it was his army training when he was younger that stood him in good stead for his football career

Scotland made his return to the Swans line up yesterday in Kris O'Leary's 0-0 testimonial draw with Premiership new boys West Brom - looking to get back on the trail that saw him grab 29 goals last season en route to the League One title. the golden boot and the supporters player of the year.

A summer recruit last season, Scotland made an immediate impact at the Liberty Stadium with his goal scoring antics although he also took his fair share of criticism from the supporters, some of whom accused him of a lack of effort despite his impressive goal tally.

And he has expressed on more than one occasion that he would like to held in the same esteem as Lee Trundle at the Liberty showing his desire to succeed and something that he is determined to do this season.

But he has revealed that it was his army training that has helped him along and he tells today's Wales on Sunday  “I was playing for the army team back in Trini, Defence Force.

“But you had to be a soldier to play for the club so I went through six months’ training to become one.

“And it was difficult. You were a soldier first and a football player second, so you would do things like weapon duty overnight then have two or three hours sleep before you were on the training ground playing football.

“I remember what all that stuff was like so it makes me appreciate what I’ve got even more now.

“It was hard, but you did what you had to do. I didn’t come from a well-off background, everybody struggled and did their best for their family.

“That makes a lot of players from Trinidad & Tobago appreciate what they’ve got.

“Hopefully I will be back to normal because there’s huge competition.

“But I had the fans singing my name last year and I want to hear them singing again all this season.”

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