Hull boss Brian Little is not expected to change a winning formula for his side's home clash with Swansea. The Tigers recorded an impressive 3-1 victory against Rochdale on Tuesday and Little will name the same starting 11.

Little confirmed that Michael Reddy, who has completed a one-month loan deal form Sunderland, would have to settle for a place on the bench.

Gary Alexander and Lawrie Dudfield, who are in impressive form, will retain their places. Swansea City boss Colin Addison has a hugely depleted squad.

Striker Mamady Sidibe is still struggling with a hamstring injury, as is midfielder Nick Cusack. Argentinian summer signing Nicolas Mezzina is out with a knee injury and ligament trouble means Jason Smith will also be absent.

Addison is expected to name the same side which gained a point in the 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe.

"It's no secret that we have plenty of injuries, eight at the last count," said Addison. "But football goes on and we've got to get on with it - and we will."

The Swansea boss added: "I was delighted with the display at Scunthorpe. Myself and Peter Nicholas (assistant manager) were pleased with the attitude and application and now we have to take it on against Hull.

"They were one of the pre-season favourites, have spent plenty of money in the summer and have a very experienced manager. It's going to be tough."

"But we want to continue our improvement and build on Tuesday's performance. Let's hope we can."

Nathan Tyson will continue his loan spell at The Vetch after being told that his foot injury is not as serious as first feared. Teenage striker Tyson, on loan from Reading, has played two games for The Swans since joining on loan at the end of August.

There were fears that he had broken his foot against Plymouth last week but x-rays revealed that this was not the case. The 19-year-old suffered severe bruising but could be back in action within a week.

Tyson is hoping he can impress Reading boss Alan Pardew by putting in some impressive performances and grabbing a few goals for The Swans over the next fortnight.

UEFA give English verdict

Swansea have been told that they can only qualify for European competition if they do so through the English system.

Representations had been made to UEFA to allow Welsh clubs a route into the UEFA Cup through the Welsh Cup, but UEFA general secretary Gerhard Aigner has now stated that they can only enter the competition through either the Premiership, the FA Cup or the Worthington Cup.

Aigner said: "We have reached an agreement with Wales where their clubs can qualify for the UEFA Cup or even the European Cup through the English pyramid system."

UEFA have ruled that Welsh clubs such as Swansea, Cardiff and Wrexham cannot qualify through the Welsh Cup as no club is allowed to represent two different countries in Europe.

The Welsh FA have therefore agreed reluctantly not to re-admit the Nationwide clubs to the Welsh Cup.

The FAW said they were still awaiting confirmation of the news, with general secretary David Collins saying he was "very surprised" there had been no direct response to the meeting he held with UEFA earlier this year along with Cardiff owner Sam Hammam.

Addison delighted with point

Swans manager Colin Addison was delighted to pick up his first point in charge of the team in the 2-2 draw at Scunthorpe last night. "It was an excellent game - very entertaining, I think we created the best of the chances but couldn't finish them all off," revealed Addison. "I'm pleased though, as it was a good performance against a good side."

He continued: "It was so good to see us bounce back from Saturday's bad home defeat by Halifax - we knew we'd be stretched and it's a hard place to come, but we could have won with the chances we had.

I was just pleased with the performance and the commitment we showed."

CRIMINAL charges have been ruled out against police officers, after a football fan was crushed to death by a police horse.

Terry Coles, 41, of Morriston, Swansea, died in hospital after being trampled before the Third Division Championship decider between his team, Swansea City, and Rotherham United, at Rotherham's Millmoor Ground in May last year.

South Yorkshire Police and the Police Complaints Authority launched investigations into the tragedy, which happened as the horse was being ridden towards rival fans who were throwing missiles at each other.

The PCA later appointed Chief Superintendent Javid Akhtar of West Yorkshire Police to look into Mr Coles's death.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said, "We have been informed by the Crown Prosecution Service that there will be no criminal proceedings against police officers."

The mounted officer involved was not suspended from duty.

SWANSEA were left kicking themselves as they spilled crucial points at storm-battered Glanford Park last night.

Goals from Jon Coates and John Williams inside the opening 25 minutes had looked to put the Swans on course for their first victory under new manager Colin Addison.

But a couple of startling strikes from Martin Carruthers and Steve Torpey inside nine first-half minutes wiped the smirks off Swansea faces.

And there were plenty of scowls at the whistle as Welsh under-21 international Gareth Phillips was dismissed in the first minute of stoppage time for elbowing Scunthorpe's Richard Kell - his second bookable offence.

The injury-hit Swans showed just one change from the side who dipped to Halifax at the Vetch Field 72 hours earlier, ex-Llanelli youngster Andrew Mumford in for hamstring victim Mamady Sidibe.

Welshman Stuart Roberts, still on a weekly agreement with Swansea, moved to partner ex-Cardiff man Williams in attack - Addison's army selecting a 5-3-2 strategy.

Brian Laws' Iron, sitting alongside the Swans in a comfortable mid-table slot, showed a couple of alterations to a line-up that had a creditable 2-2 draw at Rochdale last Saturday.

In came former Southend hit-man Carruthers - linking with ex-Vetch favourite Torpey up front - Russell Wilcox returning to central defence.

Heavy rain was falling at kick-off and the Swans were almost washed away as Scunthorpe swept forward confidently in the opening five minutes - Welsh international stopper Roger Freestone making a series of smart saves, particularly from Scott Brough and Torpey.

But Swansea were in front after eight minutes. Williams held things up and Roberts released Coates whose sublime kick floated over the flat-footed Tom Evans.

And the Iron wobbled again five minutes later - Swans destroyer Matthew Bound their unlikely tor-mentor. The former Stockport defender anguished as Evans brilliantly beat his 25-yard rocket around the post and then looked on as another fizzer flashed inches wide.

But Swansea were sailing on 28 minutes. Raven-haired Roberts profited as Wilcox and Mark Jackson dithered, the youngster squaring for Williams to net with consummate ease. Scunthorpe were bravely levelling as they bagged two strikes by the 40th minute.

On 31 minutes they grabbed a spectacular lifeline. The bustling Torpey split Chris Todd and Kris O'Leary, Carruthers advancing before beating Freestone with a vicious drive.

And five minutes before the break the Iron punctured Swansea again. Ex-Manchester City star Peter Beagrie, belying his 35 years, launched the perfect left side free-kick for Torpey to power into the net.

Both sides could have nicked it in a at the end, Scunthorpe's Beagrie hitting the woodwork.

Then Phillips disappeared in a red mist at the whistle.

Swansea threw away a two-goal lead against Scunthorpe tonight, and Gareth Phillips was sent-off in the final minute of the 2-2 draw.

Jon Coates gave The Swans the lead with a 30-yard lob and John Williams doubled the advantage 16 minutes later before a 30-yard drive from Martin Carruthers and a Steve Torpey header following a Peter Beagrie free-kick made it 2-2 going into the interval.

Scunthorpe piled the pressure on throughout the second-half and emotions boiled over, with Phillips shown the red card in the final minute after picking up a second caution for a high tackle on Richard Kell.

The Swans started brightly and deserved their two-goal lead, but after conceding the two goals Colin Addison's side shut up shop and played for a draw.

Despite the defensive second-half performance, Swansea had the best chance to seal all three points. A cross from goalscorer Williams in the 65th minute put Stuart Roberts in the clear but his touch was poor and he fired wide. Scunthorpe had most of the possession in the second-half but it was not until the final 10 minutes that they put real pressure on Roger Freestone in the Swansea goal.

Beagrie hit the cross bar with a 35-yard effort in the 82nd minute and it was the midfielder who fired a cross goalwards a minute later only to be denied by a goal-line clearance.

MIKE Lewis has shown his support for the Swansea City Supporters Trust — by joining up.

The club chairman filled in a membership form and paid his £5 fee before last Saturday's game with Halifax Town.

Lewis's signature pushes the total number of supporters trust subscribers closer to the 500-mark. Around £8,000 has been raised in three weeks since the launch.

And the Trust has today announced the date of its first annual meeting.

The main aim of the meeting is to announce the newly elected committee to take the Trust forward for the next two years.

Trust spokesperson Marilyn Croft said today: ‘‘All Trust members will receive a newsletter this week to update everyone on our progress.

"Nomination forms will be sent out to all members by September 26. Any member wishing to stand for election needs to return the form in the envelope provided.''

‘‘A lot of hard work was done leading up to the launch and it hasn't stopped there,'' explained Mrs Croft.

‘‘Unfortunately the Working Group has naturally lost people along the way and those still involved are working away behind the scenes to gain investment and organise the annual meeting.''

The annual meeting will take place on November 21 and the new committee will be unveiled.

‘‘We will also be using the meeting as a thank you for all the members who have shown their faith in us and we will be having entertainment and some sort of buffet.''

The committee will consist of 15 people, members will vote in 11 and 4 more will be co-opted on within a month of the annual meeting.

Meanwhile, the Trust's website, at www.swanstrust.freeserve.co.uk, is set to undergo a major revamp.

Anyone interested in signing up should write to Swansea City Supporters Trust, PO Box 314, Swansea, SA1 7YB.

MATTHEW Bound is expecting a battle royal at Glanford Park tonight when Swansea City resume their rivalry with Scunthorpe at Glanford Park.

The last time the two sides met, Brian Laws's men came out on top over two legs in the Third Division play-off semi-final.

Bound was in that team and said it is never easy to go to places like Glanford Park and get a result but was keen to set the record straight tonight.

"It's a massive game as is Saturday's against Hull,'' he said.

‘‘Scunthorpe is miles away but we have to make sure we are tuned in straight away and are prepared to get stuck in.''

Bound has been skippering the side in the absence of Nick Cusack and said he was disappointed with the performance on Saturday.

He thought that nerves may have got to the players in the 2-0 defeat at the weekend against Halifax.

‘‘I think the lads were a bit tentative,'' he admitted.

‘‘Everyone was out there trying to impress the new management team and maybe nerves sometime got the better of people.

‘‘But we have got the first game under the new team out of the way

‘‘We didn't perform brilliantly on Saturday and conceded to sloppy goals.

‘‘We have to get back on track immediately and I am sure that Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas will make sure that we do against Scunthorpe.

‘‘Saturday's game is now in the past and we have to relax and look forward to tonight.''

Mamady Sidibe added to the striking problem by pulling up with a hamstring strain against Halifax.

It has now been confirmed the big Frenchman will be out for at least a month but Bound reckons that will be a great opportunity for another player to shine.

‘‘We obviously have a few injuries,'' said the big defender. But that's what the squad system is all about.

‘‘It gives other players a chance to come into the side and show what they can do.

‘‘Hopefully we might find a surprise package coming out of that situation who can do something for the team.''

Bound was expecting a tough game tonight but was determined to get something out of the long trip north.

‘‘It will be tough,'' said Bound.

‘‘Places like Scunthorpe always are.

‘‘Obviously we would like to win but a draw would be a good result and we will be going all out to get for at least that. ‘'

NICK Cusack has told his Swansea City team-mates to put memories of their Scunthorpe play-off nightmare to bed at Glanford Park tonight (7.45).

A hamstring injury means the club skipper misses the first return to the ground where Swansea hearts were broken in 1999.

Protecting a 1-0 lead from the first leg, Cusack's men slumped to a dramatic 3-1 defeat to send Scunthorpe to Wembley and consign Swansea, under John Hollins, to another season in Division Three.

Now Cusack is hoping Swansea can exact revenge for that result and at the same time start the Colin Addison era rolling. "There's a bit of a history between the two clubs," he said. "With a one-goal lead we should have finished the job off there two years ago, but we were slack and they eventually sneaked through. A bit of revenge would certainly be nice."

He added: "It's going to be a test of character for everybody. We've had two poor games plus of course the change of managers and the vital thing is that everyone pulls in the right direction for the club.

"We've got to stop the rot because we all want to do well. There are no bad apples at this club."

Cusack returned from a hamstring strain as a substitute in Hollins's final game in charge last Tuesday, a miserable 3-1 defeat at Plymouth.

But the 35-year-old aggravated the injury at Home Park and was forced to watch Addison's equally-disappointing opener against Halifax.

"We let in some soft goals in both games and we need to make it tough for teams to score against us again.

"I think against Halifax the players were so keen to impress the new manager that they got a bit nervous and things didn't come together, and it will take time for the new management team to get across the way they want us to play."

As well as Cusack, Addison will be without Mamady Sidibe at Glanford Park. The French striker will be out for at least a month with a hamstring injury.

Fellow strikers Steve Watkin and Nathan Tyson also miss out, but could recover from their respective knee problems in the next week.

Meanwhile, winger Ryan Casey has recovered from long-term ligament trouble and has been sent on a month's loan to Merthyr.

Scunthorpe central defender Stuart Thom is doubtful for the game against Swansea at Glanford Park. Thom played just 45 minutes of the match at Rochdale on Saturday before coming off with a badly gashed leg.

But manager Brian Laws has better news with Lee Hodges, who came on as a substitute in the 2-2 draw at Spotland. The influential winger came through his first game following a knee operation and could make the starting line-up.

New signing Richard Kell could also make his home debut.

Injury-hit

Swansea striker Mamady Sidibe is sidelined with a serious hamstring injury. The Frenchman was stretchered off during Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Halifax and is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

New boss Colin Addison will also be without on-loan Reading forward Nathan Tyson, who faces a long spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, while Steve Watkin is still out with ligament damage.

Midfielder Gareth Phillips has a bout of 'flu and is struggling to recover in time, but Addison remains confident his side can turn around their dreadful start to the season.

NEW Swansea City boss Colin Addison admitted changes may have to be made to his squad after disappointing defeat in his first game in charge.

The former Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo manager watched his new players slump 2-0 at home to Halifax, then hinted that new blood could be the key to success at Vetch Field.

"It may well be the case that we have players coming in and going out," said the 61-year-old.

"We may look to strengthen areas that we think need strengthening. We may have to duck and dive and wheel and deal."

Lee Harsley's two breakaway strikes handed Swansea their first league reverse of the season at Vetch Field, in front of just 3,794 fans.

Both goals came after slack defending, while up front Swansea again lacked a cutting edge.

To add to their attacking troubles, Frenchman Mamady Sidibe was carried off with a hamstring problem which could keep him out for six weeks.

And after three defeats in seven league matches, Swansea lie down in 14th place in Division Three, already nine points behind leaders Rochdale.

Even so, Addison, who arrived at the Vetch last Thursday after John Hollins's dismissal 24 hours earlier, remained upbeat about the task ahead.

"We never said it was going to be easy and we know we've got plenty of work to do," he said. "But Addo and Nicholas have never ducked a challenge and we aren't going to start now.

He added: "It was a very disappointing performance. We conceded two sloppy goals and we can have no complaints about the defeat.

"Of course we would have liked a better result, but it was the first league game together for myself and Peter Nicholas and the players and we certainly learned a lot.

"We didn't pass the ball. We never got our football flowing. We would have liked to have got it wide and played more openly, but we cleared the air with the players afterwards. There were no big downs and no throwing cups around."

Addison must dig deep for front players at Scunthorpe tomorrow night, with Sidibe's hamstring injury leaving John Williams as the only available striker.

Swansea will hope to have Gareth Phillips fit for the trip to Glanford Park. The battling midfielder was substitituted on Saturday because he was suffering from tonsilitis.

JUST a quick one for those who seem to hold the view that the League of Wales is even better than the Nationwide League.

That, only through that route, can Welsh clubs be offered the riches of the Champions League.

That Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham should come back in.

That they hardly put Welsh football in a good light by going out of the Worthington Cup in the first round.

Well if that little lot really is the case, one quick question: why is it, when managers and players in the LoW are offered the chance to go into the Nationwide League, they jump at the chance?

From Barry, the LoW Champions League pace-setters, we have seen Tony Bird and Dave O'Gorman join Swansea City, Eifion Williams leap at the opportunity to sign for Torquay and Luke Staton up-sticks to join Darlington.

When it comes to managers, Gary Barnett left to become Jan Molby's No2 at Kidderminster.

And Peter Nicholas didn't exactly hesitate when the Swans came calling last week.

Could it be, even accepting the wonderful carrot of Europe, that the prospect of going to places like Luton, Hull and Plymouth before proper crowds are a darned sight more attractive to Messrs Nicholas, Barnett and co than playing at Rhayader, Oswestry and TNS Llansantffraid week in week out?

I'm not being disrespectful to that trio. Nor am I having a go at the LoW.

I'm just putting things in perspective in football terms.

Surely no-one who really understands their football can dispute what I'm saying.

Can they? Nico and co certainly agree, judging by their actions rather than their words.

COLIN ADDISON sat in the main stand at the Vetch to watch 15,000 fans roar on John Toshack's Swansea City team as they drew 3-3 with Graham Taylor's Watford.

The date was March 4, 1978. It was Toshack's first home game in charge.

And Addison, whose Newport County side once drew a gate of just 800, turned to Ronnie Bird sitting next to him to say: "What have I done? This should have been me."

On that occasion, Addison turned down the chance to become manager of the Swans.

"I was offered it before Tosh. The rest, as they say, is history," smiled Addison.

Twenty-three years on, Addison is finally in the Swans managerial hot-seat.

They are in the bottom division again. They are struggling again.

The chances of doing a Toshack again and taking the club to the top of the Premiership are nil.

But Swans owner Mike Lewis believes if anyone can provide the passion and enthusiasm to drive the club forward once more, Addison is his man.

Ably assisted, of course, by his No2 Peter Nicholas.

As he took up his new post, having turned down job offers in Spain and the Middle-East, Addison immediately reflected upon that wet March night 23 years ago.

"I was Newport County manager at the time and we were in the top four, having rescued ourselves from relegation the previous year," recalled Addison.

"Richard Ford, my Newport chairman, knew nothing about this, but the Swansea chairman Malcolm Struel telephoned to say he wanted to have a chat.

"We met twice at Baverstocks, the big hotel on the outskirts of Merthyr, and he offered me the job.

"Not only was it a great financial offer, Mr Struel told me Swansea had youngsters like Robbie James, Alan Curtis, Jeremy Charles, and made it clear the future was bright.

"I thought hard about the job offer, but in the end said no. Maybe I bottled it because I was inexperienced, I don't know.

"Mr Struel then approached Tosh, he came in and did a truly remarkable job.

"But often I wondered privately to myself, `If only. . . that could have been me'. Never more so than that night against Watford, when I turned to Ronnie and said, `I might have made a mistake here'."

They say everything comes to those who wait. But Addison could not really have expected to become Swans boss 23 years on after a managerial career which saw him eventually arrive at The Vetch via West Brom, Derby, Celta Vigo, Atletico Madrid, Cadiz, Merthyr, Scarborough and Yeovil, among others.

"I'm 61 and didn't think I would get another Football League chance," he said.

"But things happen so fast in this game. I've turned down chances to join clubs abroad recently - when Swansea came in, I couldn't get here quickly enough!

"It's a great challenge, a fantastic opportunity for me. And I would hope to do the job well enough to ensure that it is perhaps my last in football."

Only Bobby Robson, I would guess, is older than Addison in modern-day top flight British management.

But don't read too much into Addison's age. He may be 61, but he looks 41. More importantly, he retains the youthful enthusiasm which saw him lead Hereford to that famous FA Cup win over Newcastle and, a few years on, rescue Newport County in conjunction with Lewis.

At the time Lewis was commercial chief, Addison became manager and County were in 92nd place and looking certain to go out of the League.

"We played Southport in my first game and had a crowd of 820," said Addison.

"By the time we played the decisive final game with Workington, that crowd had grown to 8,020 - and we won to keep our League spot," enthused Addison, as if it had happened yesterday.

"Fantastic days. That match for me was every bit as high on the feel good factor for me as Hereford beating Newcastle.

"Mike and I each moved on to bigger things. He became commercial chief at Tottenham: after turning down Swansea, I became Ron Atkinson's No 2 at West Brom.

"But here Mike and I are together again for a new challenge. And if we're as successful as we were at Newport, we won't be complaining."

Addison is one of those managerial figures, like Toshack funnily enough, who has a greater reputation abroad than he does at home.

In Spain, he won promotion to the Spanish Primera Liga with Celta Vigo, took Atletico Madrid into the UEFA Cup, rescued Cadiz from relegation. In Kuwait he won a League title.

"I've always said `Out of sight . . .' That's how it goes in football," says Addison.

Last year, though, he took Yeovil to within a whisker of promotion from the Conference.

Rushden pipped them on the last day of the season and the Yeovil chairman really soured the season by stating that if Dave Webb was in charge, Yeovil would have made it.

"That was scandalous," said Addison, who insisted the experience had not put him off management.

"I had just given the club the greatest season in their history; their highest fin -ish, a great FA Cup run, made them £250,000.

"For the chairman to say what he did really hurt. It was totally out of order.

"I'm a proud man and I don't need people like that around me. I resigned and wondered what the future held.

"But I rested well in the summer, I became refreshed and I was raring to go.

"There remained very few jobs I would take. I was offered scouting roles, assessors roles. But I just felt I wanted to be right in the thick of it.

"That is why Swansea City is a great opportunity for me - a GREAT opportunity."

Addison would not be drawn on what he expects from his team, maintaining: "Too early to say. I've got to spend some time here and assess everything and everyone.

"You can't change everything in 10 minutes in football and I'm not going to put pressure on myself by saying, `We'll be in X position on December 1.'

"But we've seen in the not-too-distant past where this club has been. Obviously it is a city and a club with a lot of potential. We will be working our socks off to make sure we move onwards and upwards."

Swansea City ..............0 Halifax..........................2

THE one thing Colin Addison didn't expect to hear in his first match in charge were slow handclaps, chants of "What a load of rubbish" and his team being booed off at the end.

The only thing missing were calls of `We Want Hollins Back', but that would indeed have been stretching things a bit too far.

Two breakaway goals by Paul Harsley condemned the new Addison-Peter Nicholas regime to defeat in a desperately disappointing opener which saw the Swans barely threaten the Halifax goal and many fans stream out in disgust before the final whistle.

Let's look at the postives for Addison first. His team were so lack-lustre yesterday - against a pretty ordinary Halifax side, it must be pointed out - that things can only improve for the new manager.

On the negative side, Addison said when he became manager that he knew little about the Swans squad - well he will have learned plenty about them yesterday. And, on this evidence, not much of it good.

He will have learned there is no belief in the side, little in the way of leadership and conviction, noone can score goals, there is no depth to the squad and it is probably going to take even more hard work than he first anticipated to turn things around.

Addison will also have learned that in Stuart Roberts the Swans have a little gem, on whom he needs to use his silver tongue and somehow persuade to remain at the club. The Swans need a spark from somewhere - only Roberts can supply it at present.

Yesterday he was the only player to threaten and was so head and shoulders above anyone else in the Swans team that when the sponsors named Roger Freestone as Man of the Match, the fans laughed in disbelief.

It was one of the few things they had to smile about though, a disappointed Addison ackowledging: "This was a very poor performance.

"We conceded two sloppy goals which put us under pressure, we never showed any composure, never got our act together."

But, in typical Addison fashion, he asserted: "It is only one game. We will come back from this. We've cleared the air in the dressing room, no teacups were thrown around, and on Monday morning we will pick things up again."

Knowing Addison, you can expect some wheeling and dealing in the transfer market in the next few weeks, even if it only means loan signings, as he looks to reshape a squad which can address some of the problems I've highlighted.

What made the result and the performance so desperately disappointing was the fact that before the game, there was such a buzz of optimism around The Vetch.

Invariably Addison received a rapturous ovation as he took up his position in the Swans dugout for the first time and we settled back, we presumed, to watch a Swans side freshly pumped up by Addison and Nicholas really go for the jugular from the first whistle.

It just didn't happen. The Swans struggled, looked disjointed from the start, were second to the ball, lacked conviction. Even Roberts, who started in a right wing-back role, spent most of the early action in his own half, rather than getting up to supply Williams and Sidibe with the service they needed.

It was amazingly low key for a team with a new manager and it came as no real surprise when Halifax took the lead in the 25th minute.

Jones broke from deep and was supported by Harsley, who he put away. Harsley rounded a wrong-footed Todd too easily and made no mis-take in side-footing his shot past a helpless Freestone.

It could so easily have been 0-2 shortly afterwards when Todd was caught out of position from a quickly taken Mitchell free kick, Jones broke clear but Freestone managed to fingertip his goalbound effort just past the post.

When the Swans were gifted some sort of semi-opportunity, courtesy of Halifax being taken back 10 yards at a free kick after some backchat to the referee, they wasted the chance. Coates carelessly tapped the ball to Bound when he wasn't ready and before Bound could line up his shot properly, a Halifax defender was up to block it.

That just about summed up the opening half-hour, but the Swans' woes seemed to increase after 38 minutes when Sidibe collapsed with no-one around him and had to be stretchered off with hamstring trouble. He's out for up to six weeks.

Addison brought Mumford into midfield, Jenkins moved to wing back and Roberts was pushed right up front. Immediately he looked more menacing and, soon running right at the Halifax centre backs, drilled a left-foot shot centimetres past the post.

This was it, we thought. An inspired Roberts followed by an inspired Addison half-time team talk would really fire up the Swans in the second half.

Those hopes were dashed within 54 seconds of the restart when a deep Williams throw was gathered by Halifax goalkeeper Butler. Within seconds Halifax were up the other end of the pitch as Harsley took advantage of slack marking to make it 2-0.

There was no way back after that for the Swans, although Roberts at least tried.

He hit a left-foot drive just past the post, and had a header stopped by Butler who also thwarted the Welsh Under-21 star with his follow-up effort.

Coates had a shot stopped, while in the 90th minute Roberts hit another rasping drive which

But, by and large, it was huff and puff. And, knowing Addison and Nicholas as I do, it won't be good enough for them.

Expect a change in personnel at The Vetch in the next few weeks - this time on the playing side, rather than the management.

There is a rebuilding programme to be done. Addison and Nicholas will H A V Edoit. didn't go in.

WAS during a one to-one conversation I had with John Hollins at the end of last season when I realised he had lost the plot down at Swansea City.

We sat face-to-face across a table in the Vetch boardroom as I broached the subject of whether he should go as manager.

Hollins positively bristled. Thumping his fist on the table, Hollins replaced his normal genial smile with a stern look to say: "You tell me one good reason why I should."

Before I could reply, or rather as I tried to, he inter -jected to thunder even more firmly: "Go on, you just tell me one single reason."

He was remaining as Swans manager, he knew Division Three inside out and his team were definitely going straight back up.

At least that was positive, I thought, as I drove from the Vetch.

But then reality hit me. Even accepting the upbeat talk, I knew it simply wasn't going to happen.

There are times in football when you need change for change's sake.

And Swansea had reached that point because the team under Hollins had got into a rut. But he couldn't see it.

To this day, I still believe Swansea had a good enough team to sustain their Division Two place last season.

When they were 11th in the table, just before the controversial sacking of chairman

Errr. . . John, you had just taken a team to relegation, the fans were calling for your head, it was questionable whether you were getting the best out of the players.

In for a penny, in for a pound, I thought. I tried to raise each issue, in a diplomatic way, but Hollins was having none of it. Steve Hamer, there seemed no reason to dispute my view.

Hollins lost his confidant in Hamer and from there on it was downhill faster than even the great Franz Klammer once managed to go on his skis.

Hollins did work to a limited budget. But, particularly with players like Giovanni Savarese, Roger Freestone, Matthew Bound and Stuart Roberts around, it was questionable whether he was getting the best out of the men under his command.

A fresh face was needed; the fans, disillusioned with the manager, were demanding it.

There was talk of bringing in Leighton James to fire up the team on a short-term basis.

It would have been good for a while, but didn't happen.

And still Hollins kept going on about how unlucky his team were, how when they got that elusive win others would follow, how they would avoid going down.

That elusive win didn't come - the Swans only m a n a g e d eight throughout the whole season - and Hollins did indeed take his team down.

His after-match Press conferences became a bit of a waste of time among the more sceptical Welsh scribes.

It got to the stage when you knew there was no point asking questions because the reply would always be the predictable one.

You could write it before Hollins even said it.

"We played well; we'll turn the corner when we get that win."

And still the Swans kept losing.

Giving that sort of message to the Press was fine - PROVIDED the players were getting a different, more realistic, one.

Whether they did, you can judge for yourself.

Swans boss Colin Addison has sent young winger Ryan Casey out on loan to League of Wales side Merthyr Tydfil for a month.

The 22-year-old has been out of action since January with medial cruciate ligament damage and a broken shin. But despite having got himself back to full fitness, he is desperately lacking match fitness ahead of his first-team return.

This has prompted Addison to send Casey on loan to Penndarren Park in a bid to step up his comeback: "It's purely to allow Ryan to get some games under his belt," confirmed assistant manager Peter Nicholas. "He's been missing for some time, and he is fit to play, but feeling a bit rusty, so Merthyr are giving him the games he needs," he told the club's official website.

New Swans boss Colin Addison was quick to admit that Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Halifax was far from the ideal start to his time in charge.

"We conceded two sloppy goals which put us under pressure, but we didn't show composure and didn't get our act together," he said. "However, it's only one game and we'll be back. We had a good dressing-room chat and we'll pick things up again."

Addison is facing something of a striker crisis ahead of tomorrow night's trip to Scunthorpe United - Steve Watkin and on-loan Nathan Tyson are both out injured, whilst Mamady Sidibe tore a hamstring on Saturday and could be out of action for up to six weeks.

Chairman Mike Lewis has attacked the fans who stayed away from the home debut of new managerial partnership Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas.

The Swans lost 2-0 at home to Halifax on Saturday, and there were less fans to welcome in Addison and Nicholas than turned up for what proved to be John Hollins' final game in charge at the Vetch.

Lewis said: "I'd estimated 5,200, so it was extremely disappointing. You have to ask yourself what the moderate fans want to be convinced back?

People wanted managerial changes and loan players - we've done both, and you have to ask yourself if the public react like that to a new management team, has it been worthwhile?"

He added that he didn't regret the change however, saying that the pair had only two days to prepare for the game and were well aware of the restrictions on money for players.

"It's just disappointing that borderline fans haven't supported the change so far," he added. "It's poor support for what we're trying to do here. Those staying away are making the problem worse."

Colin Addison received a hero's welcome on Saturday as he took charge of The Swans for the first time - but was booed off after the 2-0 defeat.

A lacklustre City were comprehensively out-fought, out-thought and out-played by Halifax, and the positive buzz that had welcomed the new manager was long forgotten at the final whistle as the The Vetch Field faithful made their displeasure felt.

A disappointed but up-beat Addison said: "This was a very poor performance. We conceded two sloppy goals which put us under pressure, we never showed any composure, and never got our act together."

But Addison added in Wales on Sunday: "It is only one game and we will come back from this. We've cleared the air in the dressing room, no teacups were thrown around, and on Monday morning we will pick things up again."

New Swans boss Colin Addison has spoken of how impressed he has been with the Swansea players since he took over at The Vetch last week.

The former Atletico Madrid boss has only been at the club, along with his assistant Peter Nicholas, for a matter of days but has been instantly struck with how positive the players have been despite all the major upheavals at The Vetch recently.

Addison said: "Their attitude has been excellent, it really has, and I feel that each and every one of them, like us, is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead.

"We are not going to make a lot of changes though, it would be wrong to do that. We've seen what the players involved can do, so it might just be a case of changing systems and formations in order to get it right.

"We've tried a few ideas out in training, and the players have responded in the first two sessions to what we are looking to do, so it's all positive at this stage.

And he added on the club's official website:"It's a new challenge for me, and a new start for the club. Heads have been down recently but it's time to pick them up, and try to build a bit of confidence back."

Colin Addison has said one of his first priorities at The Vetch will be sorting out the future of out-of-contract winger Stuart Roberts.

The Welsh Under-21 international is on a week-to-week contract, and Addison said: "Stuart's a very talented player, but his future needs to be sorted out.

"We'll try and get something sorted out as I like players to be settled.

"If he wants to play for the club then he should sign a contract - it's as simple as that."