TIMI Elsnik believes he will end the season a more rounded footballer than he started it despite the ultimate failure of Swindon Town to achieve their League Two goals this term.

The Slovenian midfielder, who will turn 20 on Sunday, has made 27 appearances for the Wiltshire side after being signed by former Town chief David Flitcroft on a season-long loan alongside Derby County U23 teammate Kellan Gordon on the final day of the transfer window last summer.

Although his appearances have been sporadic since the arrival of Phil Brown - he started the new manager's first two matches, but has made once brief substitute stint against Yeovil this month since - Elsnik still looks back on the campaign with fondness.

Gordon's shoulder operation has ensured that his stint at the County Ground has come to a premature end, but his colleague hopes he can still feature in contests at Colchester on Saturday and at home to Accrington on May 5, despite Town's play-off ambitions having been crushed last weekend.

Elsnik scored a long-range stunner for Derby's U23s, who despite the 3-1 defeat to Leicester on Monday night retained their place in Premier League Two Division One.

He told RamsTV: "I've been there (Town) a full season now and I've really enjoyed it.

"I think it really helped me a lot, to understand first team football and what you have to do.

"With all the fans, management and media it's just a different kind of pressure and it just prepares you as a player for, in my case, Derby.

"That's where I want to end up, that's my goal.''

He added: "It's the mentality. You see how much it means to some players in the first team because it's their job and their families live off that, so it's just different to academy football where sometimes you play well, but have lost the game, but everyone is still happy that you played some good football.

"When you play in the first team sometimes it doesn't matter how you play, if you get the three points, that's the main goal.

"You have to do everything you can just to get a win, put bodies on the line and just sacrifice for the team.

"Even if you don't feel comfortable, just do what you can to help the team. That's the biggest thing I've learned.''

Elsnik missed two months of the season from November after sustaining a hamstring injury in the 2-1 win at Yeovil and despite his lack of recent Town action he added: "I think it's been a very good loan spell, I've had loads of games.

"I had little problems with injuries in the course of the season but I think I've done well.

"We have two more games with Swindon and hopefully I'm going to get some minutes there and we just have to finish strong.''