SIMON Anderson has returned to the Wildcats fold for the remainder of the English Premier League season.

Anderson, 39, becomes head coach Ryan Aldridge's assistant, leaving his role as head coach of Oxford in the National League to join Aldridge and Gareth Endicott.

The Swindonian was involved in a similar role with former coaches Daryl Lipsey and Ken Forshee and worked with Endicott at Premier League Wightlink Raiders last season.

"We have been looking for the right bench coach for a long time," said Aldridge.

"The role needs someone that I can trust to do the job right, someone I can work with on a daily basis and whose perspective and insight I respect and can talk things through with.

"I have seen all of this in Simon while working with him over the past few months in our Community programme. We see the game a similar way and work well together.

"I first asked Simon to take on the job before Christmas and I appreciate that it has been a tough decision for him to make, leaving his current club where he has been doing well.

"The professionalism, careful consideration and diligence he has shown has been impressive and I am looking forward to working with him on Wildcats issues.

"Having Simon on board will make us stronger".

Anderson's first game on the bench comes in a tough double-header for the Wildcats.

The team are away on Saturday at Basingstoke for a 6.30pm face-off before welcoming the Slough Jets for their first visit to the Link Centre of the season in a 6pm face off on Sunday (January 17).

Tickets are on sale now from Link Centre main reception, by telephone on 01793 445566 or online through the Wildcats' website, www.swindonwildcats.com.

Meanwhile, player-coach Aldridge will serve an eight-game ban that will keep him out for the majority of January fixtures.

The 31-year-old has been handed the suspension following a disciplinary review after his altercations with Romford import Jozef Sladok in Swindon’s 7-4 win late last month.

On Saturday, the Wildcats suffered another blow in their bid to make the play-offs as Basingstoke Bison sealed a 4-3 overtime victory at the Link Centre.

And they were also beaten 3-2 at Slough Jets last night.

An early powerplay for the Wildcats failed to open up the scoring, but the Jets captain Blaz Emersic connected with a chip from Paddy Ward to give the hosts first blood.

Cats fought back, creating plenty of traffic in front of their opposition's net, with Aaron Nell bagging the equaliser on a powerplay.

It was all Wildcats in the final third of the first period but a speculative poke from former Wildcat Ryan Watt with 15 seconds to go saw the Jets retake the lead. Frantic action from the offset in period two saw Raimonds Danlics beat the Slough netminder Michael Bowman, only for Sam Waller to clear of the puck off of the goal line.

The Jets quickly moved down to the Cats goal where Emersic scored his second. Jason Cassells was the next Wildcat to get on the scoreboard, picking up a rebound to take the scores to 3-2 at the end of the second.

The third period was scoreless after near misses and great defending on both sides.

Man of the match for the Wildcats was netminder Geoff Woolhouse.

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