Caddis will captain Scotland Under-21s against Austria on Tuesday

Swindon Town wide man Paul Caddis says he would still prefer to be playing for Celtic but had to leave his boyhood heroes for the sake of his career.

The 22-year-old, who had made only 24 appearances for Celtic, moved to League One outfit Swindon this summer.

"If I was good enough to play at Celtic every week, I am not going to lie and kid everybody on, I would rather do that," Caddis told BBC Scotland.

"But first-team football is first and foremost at my age."

Caddis, who can play right-back or as a winger, was speaking ahead of captaining Scotland's under-21 side against Austria on Tuesday.

There's life after Celtic and I have witnessed that by moving down south Scotland Under-21 captain Paul Caddis

"It was tough in one way obviously," he said. "For me, I was always a Celtic fan. I had been there for a good seven or eight years.

"Maybe I was just not good enough, but the last two or three years at Celtic, I was not really moving anywhere.

"I was getting older and the years were going on and it was time for me to go and play."

Caddis had looked like breaking into the Celtic side under Tony Mowbray, but after the manager was sacked and Neil Lennon took charge, he was sent on loan to Dundee United in February.

He played 11 times for the side who finished third in the Scottish Premier League before Swindon manager Danny Wilson secured the signatures of himself and Celtic team-mate Simon Ferry in the summer.

"I was happy enough for Danny Wilson to show interest in me at Swindon and I am enjoying it just now," added Caddis, who has made four appearances for the League One outfit.

"It is good to be playing regular football and I am just enjoying my football at the moment.

"There's life after Celtic and I have witnessed that by moving down south and obviously going to Dundee United on loan."

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