Swindon Town’s George Cox said that he would recommend that any young player takes the opportunity to play abroad.

The 25-year-old spent five years in the Eredivisie, making more than 100 appearances in the Dutch top flight after leaving Brighton.

Cox said that playing for Fortuna Sittard and FC Volendam was perfect for his development and he would recommend any young player takes the same step.

He said: “I think as a young lad in a big academy, going to The Netherlands is the best step that you can take.

“From 20 to 23 or 24, it is the best step because you see so many lads get swallowed up when they go to League Two or the National League.

“I have got so many friends that were at big clubs like Chelsea, Brighton, and Arsenal and now they are not really playing anywhere.

“I think that if they made that step then they would probably have much better careers than they have at the moment.

“Culturally it is not a massive difference, everyone speaks English so it is really easy and it is also up the road, you can get one flight and it is 40 minutes to be back home. It is nothing.

“It is very different in how they see football, it is a lot of possession-based, it is not so direct and physical and at that time it was probably the best thing for me.

“I have lads message me all the time about it, especially at Brighton, asking if it is a good step and I would always recommend it.”

Cox added that some of the experiences that he was able to have by playing in the Dutch top flight were incredible, as well as some of the world-class talents he was able to come up against.

He said: “Those games are always the best ones [against Ajax or PSV Eindhoven] and I think the best ones to show yourself against the best players.

“I played against some incredible players, so it is a great experience, and you are doing it playing in front of 50 or 60,000 people, as well.

“I would say that the best player I have probably played against is [Mohammed] Kudus at West Ham, he was probably the best on the day.

“But while I was there I played against some big names, during a friendly I played against Robinho, which was a pretty good one, although I would say Kudus is the best.”