LEAVING Southampton may have been a kick in the teeth for Brian Howard - but then simply being spotted by the Saints in the first place was a painful experience.

The left-sided midfielder, who is rapidly staking a claim for a striking berth at Swindon, comes face to face with his former employers at the County Ground tonight.

Despite failing to make the first team breakthrough at St Mary's, the Winchester-born Howard has absolutely no regrets about the way his career is panning out.

He said: "While you want to make the first team at a big club, I don't regret coming to Swindon one little bit.

"Things have gone from good to better and long may that continue."

However, there are clearly some 'painful' memories of life with the Premiership side still lurking.

Howard, 21, said: "I was about 10 years old and playing for my school in a tournament sponsored by Southampton.

"You know, the sort of thing where they send a couple of players along to present the prizes.

"We got to the final but I got injured and was carried off before the end.

"As I was getting stitches put in my mouth, two scouts from Southampton, including (academy coach) Stewart Henderson, approached my dad and asked me to go down for a trial.

"That was it really. I was at Southampton then until I was 20."

Having failed to press his claim for the first team on the south coast, Howard headed for the bright lights of London and Chelsea.

If he thought that was the last he'd see of Southampton, he was wrong.

He said: "Funnily enough, the first match I played for Chelsea when I went there at the back end of the 2002-03 season was against Southampton reserves.

"We lost 1-0 but I had a good game. Reserve coach Steve Wrigley told me I'd been Chelsea's best player.

"Then just after I'd been sent off for Swindon last season I bumped into Gordon Strachan in Southampton. He put my arm around me and told me how well I'd done, so it was nice to know people at Southampton are still following my progress."

Although neither points nor cup progress is at stake tonight, Howard - who scored four goals in 23 starts plus 14 as a sub for the Robins last season - admits it will be hard not to play at full throttle.

He said: "I find it difficult not to take games at full belt, whether it's a league match or a five-a-side.

"I know I've nothing to prove but you always want to come off the pitch having had a good game."

Howard has played up front for Swindon in pre-season, though he was on the left of midfield when he netted in the 2-2 draw at Bristol Rovers last Saturday.

He said: "I had brand new white boots on so there were a few comments flying about along the lines that I'd better play well.

"After about 10 minutes I just swung my right foot at it and it's flown in. They're usually one a season efforts so I hope I haven't used it up in pre-season."

Tommy Mooney left Swindon to join Oxford during the summer - leaving Howard to stake his claim for a starting place up front alongside another former Chelsea youngster, Sam Parkin, who has been linked before with Saints.