Luke Rooney has branded his move to Paolo Di Canio’s Swindon from Gillingham as an opportunity he “couldn’t possibly turn down”.

The winger arrived at the County Ground from Gillingham on Tuesday for a reported six-figure fee, penning a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Wiltshire outfit.

And Rooney revealed the lure of manager Di Canio and style of football being played by the Robins proved incentive enough to entice him to the Gills’ League Two play-off rivals.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity that I didn’t think I could ever possibly turn down,” he said. “Obviously with the club being such a big club and the manager was a massive influence too with what he’s done in the game.

“I had a fantastic time at Gillingham and I can’t speak highly enough of everyone at Gillingham FC, particularly the manager and the players. I got on with the players and, even more particularly, the fans – I had a good bond with them and they took to me from the start.

“That part of it is very sad, to leave a club where I completed my youth football, but it was too good an opportunity to turn down.”

Picture by Jack Gracie