ON-LOAN Swansea City striker Matthias Verschave has revealed that he would like to remain at Vetch Field next season.

And the 23-year-old, whose loan spell from Paris St Germain ends after next week's FAW Premier Cup final, hinted that he could be part of Swansea's Third Division challenge.

"I will go back to Paris after the season. I would really like to stay at Swansea, but I don't think it will happen,'' said Verschave, who scored his first Second Division goals in midweek.

"I like the city and the people, but I have another year on my contract at PSG and I don't think they want to sell me.

"But you never know, and if things changed I would be happy to play for Swansea next season.''

The news is a boost for manager John Hollins, who is sure of having only one striker, Steve Watkin, at the club next season.

International pair Giovanni Savarese and Walter Boyd are both out of contract in the summer.

"I know John (Hollins) has had talks with all the players and obviously we are going to have to release some,'' said Swans assistant boss Alan Curtis.

"Matthias has looked sharp and did really well on Tuesday and if he and Gio were to stay it would certainly increase our options.''

Frenchman Verschave has scored four goals since joining Swansea along with Nicolas Fabiano at the end of January — twice crucially in the Premier Cup and twice against Brentford this week.

"It was a bit strange arriving here from PSG where the team is full of internationals, they play in front of big crowds and the facilities are excellent,'' he said.

"PSG is a big club, and coming to Swansea we had to change the way we work.

"But it was easy to settle here as everybody at the club has been so friendly and nice to us.

"The fans have been good too. Before we were relegated they supported us well, and afterwards they still cheered us.''

Verschave and Fabiano are available for Swansea's final Second Division match against Cambridge United at the Vetch tomorrow (3pm).

Compatriot David Romo is also in contention after leaving the field with a hamstring strain against Brentford.

Jason Smith may return to bolster Swansea's defence nearly two months after he was carried off during the win at Stoke.

Lee Jenkins has recovered from a dead leg and Jason Price from flu.

Hollins is aiming to get most of his squad fit for Tuesday's Premier Cup semi-final first leg with Merthyr.

He will certainly be without long-term casualties Bari Morgan and Ryan Casey, as well as Watkin.

The former Wrexham striker had an operation on his wrist yesterday and will miss the remaining games.

Swansea:
from Freestone, Howard, De-Vulgt, O'Leary, Smith, Bound, Todd, Cusack, Jenkins, Fabiano, Romo, Coates, Phillips, Roberts, Savarese, Verschave, Boyd, Mumford, J. Jones.

Cambridge:
To be announced

Swansea manager John Hollins has a full-strength squad to select from as his side welcome Cambridge United to the Vetch Field.

With the Swans already relegated to Division Three, Hollins may decide to ring the changes in order to give some of his beleaguered side a weekend off.

The Welsh side took out their frustration against Brentford on Tuesday as they hammered the visitors 6-0, but Hollins is unlikely to stick with the same squad and may give some of his fringe players a run out.

Midfielders Stuart Roberts and Gareth Phillips are in line to be promoted from the bench after impressing as substitutes in the Brentford clash, while youngster Andrew Mumford could also be given his chance.

Cambridge manager John Beck has no new injury or suspension concerns ahead of his side's final game of the season, but he may give some of his younger players a run-out.

The Us travel to South Wales safe in the knowledge that their Division Two status is preserved for another season after Bristol Rovers' defeat by Wycombe in midweek.

Tom Youngs will again be forced to miss out because of an ankle injury and Beck admits that could leave the door open for his up-and-coming stars.

He said: "I'm very pleased that we are safe but we'll treat this match like we treat every game. Now we are safe we might give some of the kids a go."

Talks of the Swans' Midfield ace Stuart Roberts making a move to Premiership outfit Southampton have been refuted by John Hollins.

The Swans boss said he has been planning for the up-coming pre-season, and the player is to be part of his plans.

Hollins denied that the out-of-contract Midfielder is poised to make a move to Southampton.

But, the boss who is wanting to keep the player at the Vetch conceded that he has not yet made his mind up over any new deal.

Meanwhile, defender Steve Jones was still training at the club this week despite being released from his contract only seven days ago.

Romo's Division Three hopes

David Romo is hoping that Tuesday's 6-0 annihilation of Brentford at the Vetch can be the catalyst for a Division Three promotion campaign.

Romo was directly involved in three of the goals which clinched the French star the accolade of man-of-the-match before being withdrawn with a slight leg strain.

Romo said: "While it's too late to save our season it's great to play like that and show people what we can do.

"I was disappointed not to score, but it's very important that I also set up goals for the rest of the team."

The Midfielder said he enjoyed playing alongside both his fellow countrymen Matthias Verschave and Nicholas Fabiano.

The Frenchman added: "We work well together and we have a good understanding, it's just a shame it didn't happen for us during the season - but if we play like we did against Brentford next season who knows - we could be promoted by Christmas!"

John Hollins is confident of life next season in Division Three, because he is now in a position to make improvements to the squad. Hollins said: "We've gone down and that's all there is to it, but it's not like I've got 29 players who I'm stuck with, because they are all on longterm contracts - next season's squad will be smaller with plenty of quality. "Because the squad is smaller, the new owners should be able to add to it." Hollins, when planning ahead commented: "I think that people may not look beyond this season's relegation, the place is actually in a healthier state than when I arrived and I'm in the position to make improvements now." The Swans boss added: "I inherited someone else's squad when I got here and though we won the title with them, people forget they'd finished fifth bottom two years previously." Picture: Hollins planning for next season

Swans boss John Hollins is believed to be lining up a summer swoop for Torquay's former Barry Town striker Eifion Williams. The hitman has netted nine goals for his team in all competitions so far in this campaign - to put him top of goalscoring table at the club. The 26-year-old has made 26 appearances for Torquay this season, where he mainly played alongside fellow striker Tony Bedeau. Swans management team will be keeping an eye on Williams when he runs out for for Torquay's clash with fellow relegation contenders Barnet on Saturday. The chances of the move will significantly improve if Torquay make the drop from the Football League to the Nationwide Conference. It is expected that a five figure sum would be required to tempt the hitman away from the Devonshire outfit. Picture: Williams a summer target of Hollins

Swans star sad to leave after wrangle over contract

SWANSEA City defender Steve Jones says he has been given a raw deal after failing to secure a contract at Vetch Field.

The 30-year-old former Cheltenham full-back says he was close to signing a new two-year extension at the club in the past few weeks but was told by manager John Hollins that he was unable to sign because the club was up for sale.

He said that reports that he had refused to sign on the dotted line were not true and that he was sorry he was having to leave the club at the end of the season.

Jones was one of the back five which was the foundations that last season's success was built on and thought he deserved something back from the club in the form of an improved deal.

He said he went to discuss his future around Christmas time just before he underwent a hernia operation.

"A few of the lads who did well last season had already sorted out contracts," he said.

"I was offered a year's deal then but I said no because I thought I deserved a bit more.

"I had the operation, got back into training and went to see the boss again and I was offered an improved contract until the end of the season with another two years on top with an improvement on wages.

"But I had an idea what other players were on and I though I deserved a little bit more.

"'I turned it down, went back to see the manager again and he came back with an improved offer which I still turned down."

Jones said he was injured again in January, this time with a dead leg which got worse and decided to discuss the contract again with Hollins as he knew he would be out for a while.

"I was told I couldn't sign a contract because I was injured" he said. "I came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to get any more money and was basically happy with what he offered me but I thought try and push for a bit more because you always try and get the best you can.

"I said I would sign a contract but I was then told I wasn't fit and to wait until I got fit.

"I played against TNS and got injured again. This time I went to see the boss the following week and I was told there was no contract because the club was up for sale.

"As far as I am concerned, there was a contract to sign. I was willing to sign it but that's when it was taken away from me because the club is up for sale."

Jones said he was not angry with the club but did feel harshly treated because he felt he earned a new contract.

"They offered me two years which I was happy with but the money wasn't right. But I thought I would cut my losses, get security for a couple of years and I would sign.

"I am disappointed because the contract has now gone.

"People say I have turned down a contract and I am not being faithful to Swansea but that's not the case."

Jones signed from Cheltenham in 1995 and during that time has suffered some horrendous injuries including a broken leg and broken jaw but still forced his way back to play for Swansea.

"I think I deserved more because I have given a lot to this club," he said.

"Perhaps the person who pays the wages thought I was asking for too much but I don't think I was.

"I have given a lot to the club and I think they should have given me at least a little bit back.

"I have been here coming up to six years and if I had got the contract for two years it would have taken me to eight and I might be looking at a testimonial.

"I am sad to go because I have got a lot of friends here.

"People say maybe I should have signed earlier but why shouldn't I try and get a bit more? Perhaps it has backfired on me I don't know but I just have to get on with it now."

Jones said he would miss the roar of the home crowd at the Vetch when he he leaves at the end of the season.

"I really liked playing for Swansea, especially the home games," he said.

Swansea avenged their LDV Vans Trophy defeat with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Brentford, including two goals for on-loan Mattias Vershave.
The home side took the lead after just three minutes when David Romo crossed for Vershave to head in at the near post.
Romo created the second on 11 minutes when his corner was met with a header by Nick Cusack but blocked on the line, before being forced home by Kristian O'Leary. Brentford's best chance came just before half-time when Darren Powell's curling 20-yard shot hit the junction of post and bar.
But The Swans put the game beyond Brentford three minutes after the restart and again it was Romo who crossed, but this time it was Cusack who headed past Paul Smith.
On 55 minutes Jonathon Coates belted home The Swans' fourth and 11 minutes later Vershave headed in his second from fellow Frenchman Romo's cross. The biggest home win of the season was sealed when an Andrew Mumford free-kick was nodded past Smith by defender Chris Todd.

Swansea 6 - 0 Brentford

Relegated Swansea turned in a stunning performance to give their fans some late-season cheer.

Inspired by Frenchmen Matthias Verschave and David Romo, Swansea ended a run of four defeats to record their biggest league win for 10 years.

It was sweet revenge for February's Vetch Field exit at the hands of Brentford on the London club's road to the LDV Vans Trophy final at the Millennium Stadium.

Not since 1991 had Swansea hit a team for six in the league when they won 6-4 at Bradford. The same year, Swansea also whipped Rotherham 5-0 at Vetch Field.

Putting six past Brentford last night, was even more surprising since goal scoring had been a problem all season for John Hollins's team.

Sadly only 2,002 were there to witness it - the club's smallest crowd of the season.

Two-goal Verschave led the spree with the other goals coming from Kristian O'Leary, Nick Cusack, Jonathan Coates and a first league strike for teenage defender Chris Todd.

Swansea, making five changes from the team beaten 3-1 at bottom club Oxford, never looked back after taking the lead on two minutes.

Verschave cut Brentford's tall de-fence down to size with a superb individual performance.

The loan striker from Paris St Ger-main scored his first league goal as Swansea struck twice in 10 minutes.

Verschave got his first after two minutes heading in a corner from French team-mate Romo who had such a big influence in the Swansea midfield.

Romo floated the corner and although Tony Folan saved Cusack's header, O'Leary was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

Cusack put Swansea further ahead three minutes after the interval after Matthew Bound had headed on a Romo corner.

Swansea got their fourth on 55 minutes from the best move of the match involving Cusack, Verschave and Romo before Coates struck a superb shot from the edge of the box.

Verschave whose only previous goals came in the FAW Premier Cup got his second on 66 minutes, heading a cross from Romo into the far corner of the net.

To complete a remarkable goal-scoring performance, Todd headed a free-kick from substitute Andrew Mumford beyond the reach of Smith after 79 minutes.

Swansea City manager John Hollins believes his playing squad is in a healthier state now than when he first arrived at the Vetch three years ago.

Hollins watched his Swans lose 3-1 at bottom club Oxford last Saturday but said last night, 'It's not all doom and gloom here.

'When I joined the club there were 24 players here all tied down on contracts. But now we're in a position to release a lot of players and make changes.'

Fifteen Swansea players are out of contract in the summer and Hollins said, 'We've gone down and that hurts but it's not as if I've got 29 players that I can't get rid of because they're all on long contracts.

'The squad will be made smaller - but there will be plenty of quality in it. And because it's smaller it means the new owners, whoever they may be, will be able to add to it.

'I think the place is in a healthier state than when I first arrived although most people won't view it that way because we've gone down. It depends which way you see it - is a glass half full or half empty?

'I think the squad is in better condition now because I am in a position to make improvements. When I first came here I inherited somebody else's players. We won the championship with those players but the club also finished fifth from bottom with them in Division Three.'

Added Hollins, 'I'm already planning for the pre-season. We're not sitting still. We're working. Being relegated hurts, but we've got to get on with it.

'We've had a lot of injuries and to key players like Jason Smith and Steve Jones. If you look at our usual defence (Roger Freestone, Mathew Bound, Jason Smith, Michael Howard and Steve Jones) they have only played together eight times this season.

'They were together for the first five games. We lost only one of those matches and kept a clean sheet in four of them.

'We're all geared up to challenge for promotion next year. I will have players here who know how to get out of the Third Division.'

The Swansea manager also dismissed reports that Wales Under-21 winger Stuart Roberts is poised to join Premiership club Southampton.

'I've spoke to Stuart. He's not decided whether to sign for us and he's not decided whether to leave. He's not made up his mind yet. Of course I'd like to keep him because he's a talented young player,' said Hollins.

The Swansea manager will continue to run the rule over his younger players in the last two matches of the season, starting against Brentford at the Vetch tonight.

'We're trying to play as many of the young players as we can so we are able to assess them. Now that we're no longer battling to stay up we can do that.'

Defenders Jason Smith, Steve Jones and Kris O'Leary, who have all been sidelined recently with ankle injuries, could be in contention for a place in tonight's line-up, so too could midfielder Damian Lacey who has been out with a foot injury.

Asked his view's on Saturday's disappointing result at Oxford, Hollins replied, 'We played well in the first half.

'But in the second half we were giving the ball away in bad areas and we made some poor decisions. But that game is gone. The next one is tougher because Brentford are no slouches. 'I'm happy with my players' commitment. They are trying hard to get back into games. Against Wrexham last week we conceded what was an offside goal after four minutes, but I felt we should have had a draw.'

SWANSEA City were expected to release more players today as John Hollins looks to reshape his squad for next season's Third Division challenge.

But after letting experienced defender Steve Jones go last Friday, the Swansea manager said it would be youngsters who would now be leaving.

"It will be younger players who are released," confirmed Hollins, who met with some members of his squad yesterday afternoon.

He was due to see more players today, before revealing who would be leaving the Vetch.

Hollins admitted releasing players was one of the toughest aspects of a manager's job, but insisted it would improve his squad.

"When I joined the club there were 24 players here all tied down on contracts," he explained.

"But now we are in a position to release a lot of players and make changes. The squad will be made smaller but there will be plenty of quality in it."

As well as Jones, Hollins let 19-year-old defender Kristian James go last week.

Another youngster who will be out of contract at the end of the season is Stuart Roberts.

The 20-year-old winger has been linked with a number of moves away from the Vetch but said over the weekend that he wanted to stay. Hollins, though, suggested the player had not yet made up his mind.

"I have spoken to Stuart. He has not decided whether to sign for us and has not decided whether to leave. Of course I would like him to keep him because he's a talented young player."

Amid all the speculation about this summer's Vetch Field departures, Swansea's last two Second Division games have faded into the background, but Hollins has set his players a new target ahead of tonight's home clash with Brentford. (7.45pm).

"I would like to win two games and finish above Luton in the table, then go on to win the Premier Cup.

"I would also like to get some of our bigger players back to fitness before the season ends. Tonight I shall try a few more players."

There is a good chance that one senior player, Kristian O'Leary, will return for tonight's game after injury, but fellow defender Jason Smith is not quite ready for a comeback, nor is Michael Keegan.

Brentford will be without striker Mark McCammon, who scored in the 3-2 win at the Vetch in the LDV Vans Trophy on Valentine's Day.

Swansea:
(from): Freestone, Howard, Bound, O'Leary, Todd, Price, De-Vulgt, Cusack, Fabiano, Romo, Jenkins, Roberts, Mumford, Coates, Phillips, Verschave, Boyd, Savarese, Watkin, J Jones.

Brentford:
To be announced

The Swans' on-loan French midfielder from Paris Saint Germain, Nicolas Fabiano, has been selected for his country's Under-21 squad.

Fabiano has been called up for two end-of-season competitions.

The annual Toulon tournament takes place between May 23 and June 3 and is followed by the Under-21 World Championship in Argentina between June 9 and July 7.

Fabiano leaves the Vetch at the end of the season.

With boss John Hollins conspicuous by his absence after Saturday's 3-1 defeat, it was winger Stuart Roberts who spoke for the side.

"The gaffer called us a 45 minute team and that's right," he said.

"Yes, we scored here today but conceded three bad goals - the story of our season."

Roberts has been the subject of much transfer talk and gave his shirt to Swans' fans after Saturday's game.

But he denied it was a parting gesture. "I just wanted to show how I appreciated them," he said.

"I'd love to stay here. I love the place and I want to talk to the people at the top as soon as possible to sort out a new deal when mine runs out in the summer."

The Swans have appointed Dorset-born Charles Hammond as new promotions manager to take over from Phil Chant.

Chant has left for a job with the fund-raising department of the South Wales Air Ambulance.

The new man has worked in Neath for the last 15 years.

He spent 12 years working in telecommunications, a post which saw him travel widely.

In 1986 he moved into a financial services position, an area he has remained in since.

Hammond is married with three girls and formerly represented Dorset in athletics, while he was a keen rower with Christchurch Rowing Club for a number of years.

SWANSEA CITY winger Stuart Roberts is ready to commit himself to the club and wants to sit down and talk about his future at Vetch Field.

The 20-year-old Llanelli-born product has been one of the bright spots in an otherwise dark season and was one of a number of promising youngsters watched by Premiership scouts during the 3-1 defeat by also-relegated Oxford at the Manor Ground on Saturday.

But despite a number of rumours linking Roberts with Southampton, Sunderland, Sheffield United and Queen's Park Rangers, the youngster says he is happy to stay at the club he loves.

"I have never said I wanted to leave," said Roberts, whose contract runs out at the end of the season. "I love it here and I would like to sit down and discuss my future at the club soon. Maybe that will be this week."

Roberts took off his shirt at the end of the game and threw it to the 200 or so travelling Swans' fans who made the short trip to the Thames Valley.

It was a great gesture, but the Welsh Under-21 star said it was not a goodbye present to the fans.

"No it was not like that," he said. "It was the last away game and I just wanted to reward the fans for their loyalty this season. They have been superb all through despite the results and they deserved something at the end of what has been a very disappointing season."

Roberts said he could not point his finger to one main reason why the club has slipped back into the Third Division but said that consistency over 90 minutes was the main key to their downfall over the past months.

"It was very disappointing," he said. "At half-time we went in quite happy we had the better chances, but in the second half it got worse and overall it was poor.

"The gaffer said we are a 45-minute team and we have got to carry that through to 90 minutes."

Roberts put it down to lack of confidence that the team cannot keep it going matches when on top as they were for periods at Oxford on Saturday.

"It's not nice to be called a 45-minute team. We have been down the bottom for a long time and that has hit our confidence. We have got two games left and we need to win both of them."

Roberts said there was good and bad to come out of the drop back to division three.

"In a good way youngsters like Andrew Mumford and Chris Todd have come through but in a bad way we are back in the third division," he added.

"But the spirit in the camp has always been good and we must carry that into next season. It's important that we get a win or two from the last two games to carry forward and give us some confidence."

Stuart Roberts pledged his immediate future to the Swans last night by declaring, 'I would love to stay with Swansea City, I am content at The Vetch.'

Alongside Giovani Savarese, Walter Boyd, transfer listed Jason Price and a plethora of other professionals, Welsh Under-21 star Roberts is out of contract with the relegated Swans this summer.

And there were real fears that the 21-year-old Llanelli-born attacker, currently tracked by QPR, Sheffield United and Premiership Southampton, would seek pastures new - the gesture of hurling his Swansea shirt to 200 travelling Swans fans at The Manor on Saturday, perhaps an indication.

But Roberts, one of Swansea's brightest prospects for years said, 'There has been a bit of talk about me moving, but I will be sitting down with a few people at the club next week to discuss my future.

'I threw my shirt to our fans at the end of the game to simply cheer them up. They haven't had much to smile about all season, yet have remained very loyal.

'The kit manager won't be happy about it, but I don't care. If I have made somebody laugh it would be worth paying for the shirt myself.'

But the maturing Roberts has been only partially content with his own performance since August.

He said, 'I can't smile too much about my displays because I would have liked to have scored more goals - I am still learning so much about the game.'

And the Welshman lashed team-mates and himself for providing '45-minute displays' for most of the season.

He rapped, 'We were poor at Oxford, who can dispute it?

'The Gaffer (John Hollins) has tagged us a 45-minute team and I think he's got it spot on.

'It's time we put in a full 90 minutes. We have got home games against Brentford and Cambridge over the next week to make sure we do just that.'

And Roberts is convinced a couple of successive victories are needed to boost waning confidence for the two tough legs ahead with Merthyr Tydfil in the FAW Premier Cup semi-final early next month.

He said, 'The way things are at the moment, Merthyr must be fancying their chances against us - we are not exactly striking fear into anybody.

'But we are desperate to win the FAW Premier Cup - at least it will salvage something from this very disappointing campaign.'

Swansea made three changes to the line-up which dipped against Wrexham in the Welsh derby last Tuesday.

The experienced Roger Freestone returned in goal, Jason Price to midfield and Giovanni Savarese to attack but that didn't stop the Swans going down 3-1 against the divison's bottom club.

Swans boss John Hollins again threw in the kids - over half the starting XI aged 21 or under.

Swansea started brightly and Oxford goalkeeper Richard Knight was pulling off a breathtaking save from Welsh Under-21 international Stuart Roberts after only 48 seconds.

But the rock bottom U's - with a paltry six previous League wins since August - were ahead after just nine minutes as Manny Omoyinmi steered in.

The Swans, though, maintained a high-octane start and were level just 15 minutes later. Matthew Bound chipped a cross for Price to bag his fourth of the season with a venomous volley.

Resurgent Swansea upped the tempo - the busy Roberts again troubling Knight before Savarese and Andy Mumford unleashed fizzers. But the Swans then crumpled twice inside a minute around the hour mark to gift Oxford the three points.

First 17-year-old Jamie Brooks celebrated his full League debut by lashing in a loose ball as the defence froze.

And then Joey Beauchamp sent over a left-side corner for Matthew Murphy to bludgeon his seventh of the campaign.

Premiership side Southampton have admitted their interest in Swans and Wales Under-21 international Stuart Roberts.

Roberts, who is out of contract in the summer, was under the watchful eye of former director of youth development at The Vetch, Malcolm Elias, who now works for Southampton.

Despite the 3-1 defeat at The Manor Ground, Roberts seemingly impressed Elias, sparking talk of a possible summer swoop.

Indeed, Elias admitted his interest to the press. He said: "I am looking at Stuart Roberts and Jamie Brooks of Oxford. We have been watching them for some time, tracking their progress."