Swansea striker Stuart Roberts looks almost certain to have played his last game for the club as he is set to move to Wycombe.

Manager Colin Addison's problems do not end there as Mamady Sidibe will definitely miss the visit of Leyton Orient after a heavy challenge during the midweek defeat to Brighton in the LDV Vans Trophy.

However, on-loan Reading forward Nathan Tyson is back in contention after being cup-tied in midweek. Damian Lacey and Steve Watkin both face late fitness tests after returning to training.

Injury woe

New Leyton Orient boss Paul Brush has a string injuries to contend with for Saturday's game.

Brush is looking to end a five-game losing streak, and will blood several youngsters in the absence of key senior players.

Scott Oakes faces a long lay-off with a suspected cruciate ligament injury, and goalkeeper Ashley Bayes is still recovering from a shoulder problem.

Matthew Joseph is doubtful with sore ribs and strikers Gary Fletcher (thigh) and Neil Gough (ankle) are both set to miss out. Long-term casualties Matt Lockwood and Iyseden Christie remain sidelined.

SWANSEA City could face a mass player exodus over the next week if no investment comes into the club.

Around five senior stars could be on their way out of Vetch Field unless a cash injection arrives to pay the wage bill.

Fears have been sparked after yesterday's disappointing meeting between Swansea's squad, two club directors and the Professional Footballers' Association.

Colin Addison's players had hoped assurances over their pay, due in 11 days' time, would have come from crisis talks with Swans chief executive John Shuttleworth and financial director Martin Burgess.

Instead they were told wages could not be guaranteed and that the club needs to trim the 26-man playing squad if it is to survive.

"We were looking for assurances that wages were going to be paid at the end of the month," said Swans skipper and PFA representative Nick Cusack.

"Unfortunately we did not get them so the meeting was a disappointment.

"The club have said they need to move players on if they are to manage finances.

"The worrying aspect now is that we'll lose four or five players when we're struggling in the league anyway, but the club says there is no alternative."

He added: "I would like to make it clear that until this situation arose the players were very happy. They wanted to continue to play for Swansea City, but with what's happened they are very worried about their futures."

Shuttleworth, who was brought in nine days ago by chairman Tony Petty, said he was hopeful wages would now be met.

"We cannot offer any guarantee to the players but I am confident now that we'll be able to pay them this month," he said.

"I think it's fair to say the word sacking was not the best to use last week. We made it clear the club's finances were not strong enough to fulfil our contractual obligations to some players.

"Perhaps we didn't present the situation to the media in a clear way for everyone to understand.

"That has helped to fuel some of the angry feelings from fans we all know about and in that respect an apology is due to those fans."

Swansea could still be given a PFA loan to cover wages, though Shuttleworth insisted Petty was hoping to secure Australian investment.

The fear is that any investors will see fewer players and a smaller payroll as a prerequisite for their involvement.

Swansea City players have made a heartfelt plea to the supporters not to desert the team in its hour of need.

As part of their protest against the recent player cuts announced by new owner Tony Petty, the fans are considering boycotting Swansea's next home matches on Saturday and Tuesday.

But Jason Smith, one of the seven players told by Petty that the club would no longer pay their wages, said their support inside the ground was vital.

In a message to the fans, he said: "I understand you find it hard to stomach that by coming along you're putting money in Mr Petty's pocket.

"But please come to support the lads. We really want you there. We need a couple of wins."

Guarantees

Smith was speaking after representatives from the Professional Footballers' Association met the squad and club directors to discuss the current crisis.

Despite Thursday's meeting, there are still no guarantees that the players' wages will be paid at the end of the month.

Chairman Petty has returned to Australia where he hopes to attract investors.

Club chief executive, John Shuttleworth, said there was a 60-40 chance that the necessary money will be raised.

"There are parties other than those in Australia that I'm talking to in terms of bringing in funds," he said.

"There are people who have indicated to me that they don't wish their identities to be known.

"At the moment, their interest hasn't been reported in the press and they've specifically requested that that remains the case."

Transfers

The PFA have said they will loan the club enough money to pay the players' wages if necessary.

But they also stressed that the club must sell players in order to survive.

Shuttlewroth admitted accepting such a loan from the PFA was a last resort.

Earlier this week, Swansea accepted a £100,000 offer from Wycombe for their promising winger Stuart Roberts, and the PFA said more such transfers are vital.

TONY PETTY yesterday admitted Wycombe Wanderers have got themselves a bargain by signing Stuart Roberts for just over £100,000 and the Swansea City owner said, "I had to sell at that price."

Wales Under-21 winger Roberts, widely acknowledged as the Swans' best player, was undergoing an extensive medical in London last night and should seal his £102,500 move to Adams Park this morning.

Petty has been accused of giving the 21-year-old starlet away since Llanelli-born Roberts is tipped to become a £2m-plus player in the future while Swans manager Colin Addison believes it is only a matter of time before `Robbo' wins his first senior Welsh cap.

But Petty, speaking from his home in Queensland, Australia, said, "When Wycombe offered £100,000 please don't think I said `thank you very much' because I didn't. But this was the best fee I could negotiate.

"It's an excellent deal as far as Wycombe are concerned and it's money Swansea City badly needs.

"Of course I wanted to get more for Stuart but Wycombe were the only club in for him. If there were one or two others then we would have had a chance of getting a bigger fee.

"The money we'll get from this sale we'll be going straight into Swansea City Football Club. It's money that will help the club because it's losing £80,000 a-month.

"It will go towards bills and wages. The frustrating thing is that it won't change a lot. It will be eaten up in five minutes."

Roberts has scored five goals for the Swans this season, including a stunning half-volley in last Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Southend - a match that now looks like being his Swansea farewell.

The Roberts transfer has been seen as the biggest give-away by a Welsh club since Cardiff City received £300,000 from Sheffield United for Nathan Blake in 1994.

Recently described by Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill as the best winger in the Third Division, the player has been on a week-to-week contract at the Vetch since the summer after failing to agree a new contract with the Swans.

The departure of their leading goalscorer has come at the worst possible time for the Swans who are just three points off the bottom of Division Three and in danger of being sucked into a dogfight to stay out of the Nationwide Conference.

"We've got to lose seven or eight players and selling Stuart is the only real solution for the club at this time. I know his loss will be a blow to the team but we've got to get the finances sorted out," added Petty.

"When I took over at Swansea the club was close to going under. A number of players are on contracts that we cannot sustain. Their wages are too high for the Third Division.

"We're not the first club to sell a player for low money. I can think of a lot of other clubs who have done the same thing.

"I remember Robert Lee when he was at Charlton. Newcastle made a £700,000 bid and Charlton accepted it. That was an absolute steal.

"But don't forget, Stuart had the final decision on whether to leave the club or not. I didn't."

Roberts will not sign for the Chair-boys in time for their match against Bristol City at Ashton Gate tomorrow but he could make his Wanderers debut next Tuesday, against Colch-ester United at Layer Road.

Wycombe manager Sanchez, described the Welshman as "one for the future" and added, "Stuart has plenty of time to develop and become an integral part of the side.

"I'm asking the supporters not to judge him on one performance. He has plenty of skill, the kind of player who will become a favourite here.

"He's got bags of potential and we're buying into that potential."

SWANSEA City players have failed to receive assurances they will be paid at the end of the month.

Talks aimed at finding solutions to the club's financial crisis took place yesterday between Swans officials and a delegation from the Professional Footballers' Association.

The meeting was arranged after chairman Tony Petty's drastic cash-saving purge at The Vetch last week which saw seven players sacked and a further eight offered reduced wage contracts.

The PFA told Swansea it had an obligation to honour contracts and it was hoped a solution would be found to the club's desperate financial position.

But Swansea finance director Martin Burgess and chief executive John Shuttleworth yesterday told Brendan Batson and Clive Whitehead from the PFA they could not guarantee paying players' wages.

Club captain Nick Cusack - at the meeting as the players' PFA representative and a member of the union's executive committee - said, "We wanted an assurance that players' wages would be paid at the end of the month but I'm afraid we haven't got it.

"The club has said it does not currently have the funds to pay the play-ers but is looking at ways to do so.

"I understand Mr Petty is looking at establishing some funding from Australia and the club has said that it must raise money by moving more players on."

With the sale of Stuart Roberts bringing the club a £100,000 boost, it now seems inevitable more Swansea players will follow him out of the door.

"Unfortunately it looks like the club will have to sell to be in a more manageable position," said Cusack, who was one of the eight players asked to take a drop in wages.

"It is a worrying thing for me as club captain. We are in a desperate position at the foot of the table and the last thing we want to do is lose our best players."

Should Swansea fail to raise money by selling players or from potential backers in Australia, the PFA is ready to step in with a loan to pay players' wages - providing Swansea can guarantee it will be repaid through money the club receives from the Football League's central fund.

"The PFA will now await information from the club regarding what its financial position is," said Cusack.

"But the PFA cannot simply hand money to the owners of the club unless there are guarantees it will be re-paid. The bottom line is that players' contracts must be honoured and the owners of the club must run it on the basis that wages are paid in full.

"The club must meet its obligations and the crunch will come at the end of the month when the players are due to be paid."

STUART Roberts sent a message of thanks to Swansea City's supporters before heading off to finalise his £100,000 switch to Wycombe today.

And ahead of a stringent medical in London, the Llanelli product promised to make regular returns to the Vetch Field.

Roberts agreed a three-year deal with Adams Park boss Lawrie Sanchez on Tuesday having spent the last four months on a week-to-week deal at Swansea.

The 21-year-old striker was told by new chairman Tony Petty last week that no long-term deal would be on offer for at least 18 months.

If, as expected, he proves his fitness this afternoon, Roberts will be a Wycombe player by tomorrow.

"The fans have been great to me since day one and I want them all to know that I appreciate that," said the former Welsh Under-21 international.

"They have supported me over the past few months when it's been difficult for me and I can't thank them enough. I'm going, but I'll be back. Everyone knows how I love this club and I'll still be around to catch as many games as I can."

Roberts will be sorely missed by Colin Addison as well as Swansea's fans. He has been the star performer at the Vetch this season and leads the scoring charts with five.

"It's a sad day for me but I hope everyone understands the reason why I'm moving," added Roberts.

"I'm not jumping ship. It's a tough decision I've made after thinking long and hard and taking advice from many people, including all the squad.

"At the moment I don't have security on a week-to-week contract and it has been made clear to me that there is little likelihood of that changing.

"If I broke my leg on Saturday, what would my position be then?"

The rest of the squad travelled to the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel outside Cardiff today to discuss last week's contract breaches with the Professional Footballers' Association.

PFA deputy chief executive Brendan Batson was also due to meet Swansea's financial director Martin Burgess and new chief executive John Shuttleworth.

Meanwhile, Mamady Sidibe has suffered another injury setback after making his first start for a month on Tuesday night. The French striker needed 12 stitches in an ankle gash and could be out of action for a fortnight.

Loan striker Nathan Tyson netted a hat-trick for the reserves last night as they beat Llanelli 4-2 at Stebonheath Park.

Richie Appleby also scored, while Steve Watkin and Damian Lacey both played 75 minutes to move closer to a first-team return.

FORMER Swansea youth team manager Ron Walton believes winger Stuart Roberts is worth three times more than the amount Wycombe Wanderers are paying for him.

Walton - himself a victim of chairman Tony Petty's cash-saving cutbacks at the Vetch Field last week - said the Second Division club had got themselves a "steal" in Roberts.

"In today's market I would've thought Stuart is worth at least £300,000," he said.

"He is a former Wales Under-21 player who is only going to improve over the next five years and I wouldn't be surprised if Wycombe sold him on for something like £2m."

Twenty-one-year-old Roberts has agreed a three-year contract at Adams Park and will sign on the dotted line if he successfully completes a medical in London this morning.

Swansea have negotiated a sell-on clause as part of the deal and will receive an additional sum should Wanderers clinch promotion to Division One this season.

Llanelli-born Roberts - who has been on a week-to-week contract at the Vetch since the summer - was reluctant to leave the club he has been with since the age of nine.

Though he had the final decision, Roberts felt he had little choice but to leave given the Swansea's desperate financial state.

But it is arguably the biggest giveaway by a Welsh club since Nathan Blake left Cardiff City in 1994 to join Sheffield United for what turned out to be only £250,000.

Walton, who was last week shown the door by Petty after 18 years with Swansea, is in no doubt Wycombe have got a bargain in Roberts.

"Stuart is a very good player with a big heart and an old head on his shoulders," he said.

"I remember he started with the club when he was nine, stayed until he was 13, spent a year away looking at other clubs and came back when he was 14 to join Swansea on schoolboy forms.

"I know the supporters will be very disappointed to see Stuart go - especially for only £100,000 - and they will be thinking it is another nail in the coffin."

Walton said he was hoping to speak to Petty when the businessman returns from Australia next week.

"I had six months remaining on a rolling contract and I would like to think the amount of time I spent at the club will stand me in good stead for compensation.

"I don't want to have to go through the rigmarole of solicitors and that kind of thing but I will if necessary." Walton is discussing his situation with the Professional Footballers Association which will meet with Swansea players and club officials today to try to resolve the crisis at the Vetch Field.

Petty has rejected two bids from a consortium of businessmen and Swansea supporters who want to buy the club off him.

Fans, angered by his actions, are planning a second march through Swansea City centre before the match against Leyton Orient at the Vetch on Saturday. The parade will start from Castle Square at 1.30pm.

SWANSEA striker Stuart Roberts will this week join Wycombe for £100,000 subject to a medical.

The highly-rated 21-year-old held talks with Wycombe manager Lawrie Sanchez yesterday and has agreed a three-year contract at Adams Park.

Swansea have negotiated a sell-on clause as part of the deal and will receive an additional sum should Wycombe win promotion from the Second Division.

Vetch Field boss Colin Addison is sorry to see the ex-Welsh Under-21 international go, especially at such a low price.

"He is worth a lot more than that but it's out of my hands," he said. "I said a week ago when Tony Petty told me about the deal that it was not enough and it was cheap. It's just a shame things were not better here financially so he could stay. I would have loved him to work with me and Peter Nicholas for a year."

Roberts has been Swansea's star player since the new management team arrived at the club just over a month ago.

He currently leads the scoring charts with five goals and Addison forecast a big future for the Llanelli-born youngster.

"I have worked at Atletico Madrid, Celta Vigo and elsewhere in Europe and I can tell you this kid can go all the way.

"I wish him well. He's a smashing lad and has got the desire and the ability required."

Addison said he did not know where the fee received for Roberts would go.

TONY Petty has rejected an increased offer of £50,001 to oust him from the Swansea City boardroom — and he insists he will be back at Vetch Field next week.

The bid was made yesterday afternoon by the same mystery consortium who offered £10,001 for his 99.15 per cent share of the club on Monday.

And though Petty is prepared to discuss the sale of a controlling stake in the club, he says he intends to retain a significant proportion of shares and to continue as a director.

David Morgan, a consortium co-ordinator along with Tony Davies, lodged the original bid on Monday afternoon with Swansea's financial director Martin Burgess.

John Shuttleworth, the chief executive appointed by Petty last week, contacted Morgan yesterday and asked if the Londoner could phone him from Australia.

"I had a half-hour conversation with Petty yesterday afternoon," said Morgan. "He rejected the first bid so I offered £50,001 as I was told to do by the consortium.

"He rejected that as well and would not be drawn on what sort of figure he would accept.

"He is prepared to discuss the sale of a 56.5 per cent controlling share of Swansea City, but he says he will hold on to the rest and continue on the board. He wants to stay involved with Swansea."

Petty insisted everything he has done since taking over as chairman from Mike Lewis two weeks ago has been in the interests of the club.

He promised Swansea would not drop out of the Football League and even predicted promotion next season with him involved.

And he said the only reason he returned to Australia last Wednesday just hours after sacking seven players and reducing the contracts of another eight was that his daughter was ill.

"He does not realise what people think of him in Swansea, he thinks it is just a few people involved with the internet and the Supporters' Trust who are opposed to him," added Morgan.

"I tried to explain to him what the reaction has been, but he insists he will be back in the city some time next week."

COLIN Addison showered praise on players and fans alike following last night's 2-1 LDV Vans Trophy defeat by Brighton.

And the Swansea City manager predicted a bright future for his side if they can produce repeat showings in the Third Division.

"The players were absolutely magnificent and the crowd were as good," said Addison after Lee Steele's late goal stole victory for the Seagulls. I do not know what we have to do to win. I think somebody up there must not like us, but I am not going to start feeling sorry for myself.

"I told the players in the dressing room, if we continue to play like that we will win more matches than we lose, it's as simple as that."

There were impressive displays throughout the Swansea side last night and Addison refused to single out any individuals after the game.

And despite a fifth defeat in eight games at the helm, he insisted spirits in the camp remain high and that a change in fortunes is not far away.

"I thought we absolutely battered them in the first half and I was delighted with everybody.

"The mood in the dressing room has never been a problem and long may that continue because I demand good attitudes and application.

"Now we just have to keep going, keep believing and we will turn it round."

Addison is likely to be without Mamady Sidibe for the league meeting with Leyton Orient this Saturday as the French striker needed 12 stitches in ankle wound suffered last night.

Gareth Phillips was also replaced, but only because of illness.

More than 1,000 supporters of the crisis-hit club marched through the city centre last night in a show of force.

But organisers insisted this was just the start of a campaign to oust club chairman Mr Petty.

"This is going to carry on until we drive him from the club," said Tony Davies, of the newly-formed Supporters' Trust.

"It is a fight until the end."

Fans repeatedly chanted ‘We want Petty out' during last night's short march from Castle Square to the ground.

A similar protest is planned before this Saturday's match against Leyton Orient.

Anger has been growing against Mr Petty since last week when, days after taking over the club, he sacked seven players and offered eight more new contracts on reduced salaries.

Earlier this week a packed public meeting at the Patti Pavilion in Swansea was told Mr Petty had received an offer of £10,001 for the debt-ridden club from a consortium made up of businessmen and the Supporters' Trust.

It later emerged that the Australian-based Londoner had rejected this bid and a separate offer of £50,000.

It is understood that Mr Petty, who is rumoured to be flying back to Wales next week, is looking for around £1million to quit the club.

But Mr Davies said Mr Petty should look again at the offer on the table.

"You can see by the response of the fans that he shouldn't set foot in the Vetch again," he added.

"The message we are giving is that the fans love the club and if he messes around with it then they won't tolerate it.

"I'm very pleased with the way the protest went and I couldn't have asked for more.

"They all stood up in the Patti Pavilion and now they are here again.

"These are the people who want Mr Petty out," he added.

Swansea City..........1
Brighton.................2

Swansea : Freestone, De-Vulgt, Howard, Todd, O'Leary, Bound, Phillips Romo 45), Cusack, Sidibe (Appleby 64), Williams Coates. Subs not used: Cole, Keegan, Mumford.

Brighton : Kuipers, Watson (Virgo 45), Crosby, Pitcher, Rogers, Steele, Jones, Lehmann, Melton, Wicks, Pethick. Subs not used: Packham, Marney, Wilkinson, Hammond.

Referee : Ray Olivier (Sutton Coldfield)

Attendance : 2,851

Booked : Pethick 72, Appleby 90

Scorers: Coates 9, Lehmann 45, Steele 88

MAN OF THE MATCH
All of them

MANAGER Colin Addison was right when he chose not to pick out any individual for special praise afterwards.

A fine display from all involved in the light of recent events.

AT least Tony Petty's arrival in South-West Wales has been good for something.

Swansea City last night responded to the dramatic events of last week with their best performance of the season and defeat was not deserved.

United by the body blow dealt to the playing squad by the club's controversial new chairman, Colin Addison's side produced a committed and at times very accomplished display against Second Division pacesetters Brighton.

And not only were the team inspired, the support they received was magnificent - from an impressive crowd of 2,851 for an LDV Vans Trophy first-round tie.

The last time Vetch Field was as noisy was April 2000, when nearly 11,000 packed in to see Swansea seal promotion to Division Two.

A vociferous opening was to be expected, of course, because of the feelings stirred up by Petty, the protest march beforehand and the rally calls issued by Addison and his players in the build-up to last night's game.

But the volume levels remained high throughout after Swansea took an early lead and proceeded to outplay their more fancied opponents.

The tone had been set before kick-off as the players continued in the same vein in which they had left off at Southend.

On Saturday, just four of the 14 yellow away shirts taken to Roots Hall made it back again after the players' impromptu gesture to fans at the final whistle.

After taking the field last night, the starting 11 joined in a chain of arms to salute the home support.

The Vetch faithful responded with a resounding cry of ‘We want Petty out' - a chant which was repeated at the end and every few minutes during play.

Even the songs on the Tannoy before the game and at half-time — such as ‘This town ain't big enough for the both of us' and ‘I'm still standing' — were more than a little pointed.

If Petty does, as he says he will, choose to return to the city, you get the impression that the reception he receives will be more hurricane than storm.

Last night Swansea so nearly lifted a little bit of the gloom currently hanging over the club by upsetting the odds — albeit in a much-maligned competition against an under-strength Brighton side.

The emotion was almost tangible when Jonathan Coates put the home side ahead after just nine minutes.

Big Frenchman Mamady Sidibe had made a nuisance of himself down the left before Coates took over and fed Michael Howard.

Rather than playing in a deep cross, the young wing-back slipped the ball back into Coates's path just outside the box.A neat first touch saw off Matthew Wicks's lunge and the 26-year-old midfielder clipped the ball into the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Coates, accompanied by most of his team-mates, raced to the North Bank in celebration and sent a buzz round the ground.

After the sweet goal, the home side produced some attractive stuff up until half-time and deserved to extend their advantage.

Instead, after Matthew Bound and John Williams were foiled by Dutch keeper Michael Kuipers and Coates had stubbed a shot when clean through, they went in level.

In injury-time, another Swansea charge was repelled and Brighton broke away smartly.

Robbie Pethick centred from the right and German striker Dirk Lehmann swooped to nod past the flat-footed Roger Freestone.

Yet again, Swansea's leaky defence had been undone by a header, a problem which must be addressed.

The second period was less spectacular.

Bound's testing header was deflected wide before midfielder Richie Appleby came closest to winning it for Swansea.

On as a striker in place of Sidibe who needed 12 stitches in an ankle wound, he smacked the bar from 18 yards after Howard's alertness at a free-kick had put him through.

Swansea faded a little towards the end and were let off when Lehmann spooned over an open goal with 11 minutes left.

But just as extra-time loomed, Lee Steele did find the empty net after Freestone had tipped Wicks's shot onto the crossbar.

Another disappointing result for Addison was sealed, though he will be pleased it did not come in the league.

And he can take great heart from a fine display — one which was produced, as they will all have to be from now on, without the player-of-the campaign to date Stuart Roberts.

Indirectly, the new chairman had a hand in what was good about last night.

The danger is that his impending return will have further direct, adverse effects on the club and that things will take a turn for the worse once again.

THE consortium of Swansea City supporters aiming to buy the struggling Third Division side insisted last night it would fight to remove chairman Tony Petty - despite the businessman rejecting their improved £50,001 offer for the club.

Having already rejected an initial £10,001 bid, Petty turned down the consortium's second offer after discussions over the telephone yesterday from his base in Australia.

Petty - who angered Swansea supporters last week by sacking seven first-team squad members and offering eight other players reduced wage contracts - told the consortium he is unwilling to sell more than 51pc of his share in the club.

Negotiations between the two parties continued up until Swansea's first-round exit from the LDV Vans Trophy after a 2-1 defeat by Brighton last night.

Tony Davies, chairman of Swansea City Supporters' Trust, said, "Mr Petty has told the consortium he wants to stay involved with the club.

"He said he believes Swansea will avoid relegation this season and then get promoted next season.

"He is expected to return next week but the supporters have sent him a very clear message that he is not welcome back here.

"Whether he returns depends how thick-skinned he is. But what is certain is that we are exploring every avenue to take the club off Mr Petty's hands and give it back to the supporters."

Hundreds of angry Swansea fans shouted "We want Petty out" as they went on a march through the city centre in protest before last night's match at the Vetch.

It followed a mass meeting at the city's Patti Pavillion on Monday where fans learned of the consortium's bid and were encouraged to contribute to a share fund established by the trust to buy into Swansea City.

"The situation at the club is a shambles," said Swans supporter David Hawkins.

"It has taken us all completely by surprise - there was no sign of anything like this happening at the game against Rochdale last Tuesday. "Surely someone like him (Petty) would have looked into the club's finances before he came here."

Former Swansea chairman Steve Hamer added, "I'm horrified by what has happened to the Swans.

"I believe Mike Lewis has betrayed the club and the people of Swansea

by doing a deal of this nature.

"Tony Petty has delivered a bomb at the Vetch Field and then disappeared back to Australia. I think he should just hand the club over with all its running costs and debts to people who want to run the club."

As the consortium considers its next move, Brendan Batson from the Professional Footballers' Association

will visit the Vetch Field tomorrow to speak to players and club officials in a bid to resolve the crisis.

Offering Swansea a loan to pay the players wages is one option which will come under discussion.

One player affected by Petty's cash-saving purge - Stuart Roberts - was missing from last night's line-up after spending the day at Wycombe Wanderers to discuss a possible £100,000 move to the Second Division club.

Some supporters had called for a boycott but that failed to materialize as almost 3,000 fans - down on last week's league game against Rochdale but a decent crowd for the LDV Vans Trophy - turned up last night.

The Swans made their exit from the competition despite putting on another strong performance and taking an early lead.

With Roberts missing, Matthew Bound came back into the side after missing Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Southend to ponder his future. Gareth Phillips and Frenchman Mamady Sidibe were in the starting line-up at the expense of Richard Appleby and Andrew Mumford.

Swansea took a deserved lead after nine minutes when Jonathan Coates latched onto Michael Howard's left-sided cross and tucked the ball past Brighton goalkeeper Michels Kuipers.

The Swans looked comfortable with their lead until Brighton drew level on the stroke of half-time when Robbie Pethick crossed to the near post and Dirk Lehmann sent a glancing header past Roger Freestone.

Brighton snatched the winner after 77 minutes. Matthew Wicks put a shot past Freestone but saw the ball rebound off the underside of the bar. With the Swansea 'keeper lying beaten, and Lee Steele slotted in a right-footed shot to send Brighton through to the next round.

SWANSEA City boss Colin Addison has appealed for a further show of fan loyalty ahead of tonight's LDV Vans Trophy clash with Brighton.

After a difficult few days for the club, Addison was delighted with the supporters' response at Southend on Saturday.

And he has urged the Vetch faithful to get the turnstiles clicking when the Second Division leaders arrive tonight.

"We would like to thank the supporters once again for the magnificent support they gave us on Saturday," he said, "and we ask for more of the same tonight. We know it's a difficult time for the fans just like it is for us, but we say please come along and get behind us.

"We have all got to stay strong because it's a challenge when you are in a hole like this.

"I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the people who have phoned me and sent letters of support in the last few days."

Swansea's chances against high-flying Brighton have been dealt a significant blow by Stuart Roberts's decision to head along the M4 for talks with Wycombe over a possible £100,000 move today.

As well as his 21-year-old top scorer, Addison is without loan striker Nathan Tyson as Reading do not want him cup-tied.

There is good news, though, with Matthew Bound, one of the ‘sacked seven', returning in defence and Gareth Phillips restored to midfield after a two-game ban.

Addison added: "A few clubs have been on the phone asking about Matthew's situation and Rushden & Diamonds enquired about a loan.

"I've told him I'm not letting him go on loan at the moment and he will play tonight. His attitude has been first class.

"Considering all that's been going on, all the boys have been in good spirits. We are all right.

"For me personally I would like to get that first home win tonight.

"It'll be tough. Brighton are a good side with a quality player in Bobby Zamora up front, but we'll give it a go as we want to go as far possible in this competition."

SWANSEA'S players were given heroes' welcomes at a crisis meeting of supporters last night.

More than 1,000 fans turned up to vent their anger at chairman Tony Petty and in support of the squad hit so hard by his actions.

Fourteen players were present, along with former assistant manager and Supporters' Trust president Alan Curtis, on a rousing night at the Patti Pavilion.

Club captain Nick Cusack, one of those offered a reduced contract last week, spelt out the determination to fight Petty's dramatic cost-cutting measures and to secure Swansea's long-term future.

Flanked on stage by his club-mates, he stated: "In all my time in football, I have never seen anything like like last week's events. To see the faces of the lads next to me here was heartbreaking.

"And with the Professional Footballers' Association in our corner and you, the supporters, backing us, we will ensure Swansea City, the club we love, will never die."

Curtis added: "Like everyone else, I was stunned by last week's events, and credit to the players, they have responded magnificently.

"But we have stop to this fella from Australia who is trying to destroy the club. That cannot happen."

Along with Cusack, eight of the 15 players who had their contracts breached by Petty six days ago were present — Matthew Bound, Jonathan Coates, John Williams, Damian Lacey, Michael Keegan, Richie Appleby and Kris O'Leary.

Stuart Roberts, who is set for talks with Wycombe today, was also at the meeting.

PFA representative Cusack revealed the union are due in Swansea on Thursday to meet players and directors.

They have had contact with the club, hence the decision taken yesterday to pay players' wages at the end of this month.

"It's plainly obvious what Mr Petty has been up to in the last couple of weeks and we are here showing defiance," added 35-year-old Cusack.

"The turn-out speaks volumes. The passion for the club is tremendous and people have come here tonight to save the club. That's the issue here.

"The players certainly don't want the club to die. We love the club, and obviously the fans think the same."

Meanwhile, a statement issued from Vetch Field has stated that Petty, chief executive John Shuttleworth and former chairman Mike Lewis will not be at tonight's game with Brighton.

SWANSEA-BORN footballing legend John Charles joked about helping his home city club through its crisis after picking up his CBE.

The world-famous player was at Buckingham Palace to pick up his honour.

Afterwards he said: "My only real regret is that I'll be 70 this Christmas.

"It's a bit late for a comeback but maybe I could help the Swans in crisis."

Charles, who is in remission after a cancer scare, was capped 38 times for Wales and also played for Juventus.

When he met the Prince of Wales he reminded him of how the Queen once visited him at the Turin club in the 1950s.

Prince Charles smiled as John explained: "Your mum was visiting Turin and came to the training ground. We had a lovely chat."

He also took home a giant Red Dragon Welsh flag given to him outside Buckingham Palace by London-born David Halford, who was evacuated to the Valleys during the Second World War.

Mr Halford, now fixtures secretary of the London Football Association, said: "I saw John as player-manager at Merthyr. It was towards the end of his colourful career but he still had that world class.

"This latest big honour should have come years ago and many football people believe he should have been knighted."

Charles and his wife Glenda returned home to Bradford from London last night proudly carrying his CBE (Commander of the British Empire) insignia.

WINGER Stuart Roberts may have made his farewell Swansea City appearance in Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Southend.

Roberts is travelling to Wycombe Wanderers this morning to discuss a move to the Second Division club after Swansea chairman Tony Petty agreed a £100,000 fee for him.

The Wales Under-21 winger insisted he would not abandon the Swansea ship after last week's devastating events when seven players were sacked and a further eight were asked to accept huge pay cuts.

Said Roberts last week, "For me to leave now while the club is in this state would be a big shame. I'm a local boy and I've got a love for the club."

Roberts - on a week-to-week contract at the Vetch after rejecting an improved deal in the summer - has the final choice but may feel he has to leave to secure himself a permanent deal and ease the financial crisis at Swansea.

Club captain Nick Cusack said Roberts's team-mates would not hold a grudge against the winger if he left.

But Cusack said he thought Roberts was worth more than the £100,000 Wycombe have offered for his services.

"For such a tremendous prospect I think Stuart has been undervalued," said Cusack.

"But that is what happens when a club alerts the footballing world to the fact it is in financial difficulties - other clubs offer totally unreasonable fees for your players.

"Stuart has had an offer and I think under normal circumstances he wouldn't go and we don't want to see him go because he is our best player.

"But I've told him that he has to do what is right for him. How can you blame a young kid for moving when the club (Swansea) are not able to offer him any security?"

There is no doubt that Llanelli-born Roberts has been Swansea's best player this season, scoring five goals including a stunning strike against Southend on Saturday.

Rotherham wanted Roberts in the summer but the York-shire club could not meet Swansea's £250,000 valuation while Birmingham were also keen on him.

His absence will be felt tonight when the Swans face high-flying Second Division side Brighton in the LDV Vans Trophy at the Vetch (7.45pm).

Matthew Bound is in line for a return after missing the Southend game to ponder his future.

Lee Jenkins is still ruled out with a knee ligament injury but Gareth Phillips returns to the squad after suspension.

"People don't tend to get excited about the competition until it reaches the latter stages but we have to take the game very seriously," said Cusack.

"It's going to be tough because Brighton are firing on all cylinders at the moment but I think we are a good side if we play to our full potential."

Swansea are hoping for a good support tonight after 220 fans made the long trip to Southend at the weekend.

"The fans were tremendous on Saturday," said Cusack.

"This is a difficult time for the supporters but I hope they will continue to back us because we desperately want the club to survive and move up the league." Swansea City squad: Freestone, Howard, Todd, Cusack, Coates, Appleby, Bound, Williams, Romo, Jones, Sidibe, De-Vulgt, Keegan, Tyson, Healey, Draper, O'Leary, Phillips.

SWANSEA City chairman Tony Petty is today pondering a £10,001 bid for a club he bought just two weeks' ago.

The offer was made late yesterday afternoon by a consortium of six businessmen wanting to invest in the club and wrestle control from Petty.

News of the offer was revealed last night to more than 1,000 Swansea fans who packed into the city's Patti Pavilion to listen to plans drawn up by Swansea City Supporters' Trust aimed at saving the cash-strapped club.

The SOS meeting was called after the devastating events at the Vetch Field last week which saw Petty sack seven first team squad members and offer eight other players contracts with huge pay cuts.

Disgruntled Swans fans had their say on the crisis by questioning the trust and being offered the chance to become members.

Tony Davies, one of the trust members who helped form the consortium, said, "After a meeting in Swansea this afternoon, the consortium has offered Mr Petty £10,001.

"The people involved in this meeting are all local businessmen and Swansea City supporters.

"My advice to Mr Petty is to take the offer and never show your face in Swansea again."

Last night, at least £1,400 was raised towards a share fund being established by the trust to buy back Swansea City.

Members of Supporters Direct, the government-backed organisation which helps football clubs in trouble, were also there.

Trevor Watkins, who helped save Bournemouth Football Club when it was experiencing similar financial difficulties five years ago, told Swans supporters, "What you have done tonight will send a powerful message to the owner of your football club - that you are not going to accept what has happened and you are prepared to fight it.

"But you have got to be prepared to be fully involved and put the effort in.

"Get together and make sure your club is where it should be and is being run by the right people."

London- born Petty jetted to Australia last week after delivering the shock news to the players.

He is expected to return this weekend, by which time the consortium should know whether he has accepted their offer to buy the club.

Many of the players affected by Petty's cash-saving purge turned up for last night's crisis meeting, including captain Nick Cusack and winger Stuart Roberts who is today discussing a £100,000 move to Wycombe Wanderers.

Meanwhile, Swansea fans are expected to turn out in force again before tonight's LDV Vans match against Brighton by marching from Castle Square in the city centre to the Vetch Field.

FORMER Swansea City chairman Steve Hamer today refused to rule out a possible return to the club.

Hamer, sacked by ex-owners Ninth Floor just over a year ago, has spelt out the importance of securing the crisis club's future.

"Swansea is in my blood," said Hamer, who has been linked with the mystery investors' meeting taking place in the city today.

"It's a bit premature to talk about consortiums right now because this guy, courtesy of Mike Lewis, has all the shares.

"I would not say whether I would rule out a return to Swansea or not. But if people in Swansea are putting something together I am prepared to help in any way I can, though I would not support this man (Tony Petty) receiving any money for his shares.

"At the moment it's about rallying the Swansea flag. It's vital for the city the club prospers and retains its league status.

"If a community loses it's club, something goes with it. A real big club has yet to disappear, though it nearly happened at Burnley and Hull, and it would be awful if Swansea were the first.

Meanwhile, a more recent former chairman, Mike Lewis has been warned by police to keep a low profile in the city.

Since Petty, his successor, wielded the axe on Colin Addison's playing squad, Lewis has received abusive telephone calls and threats.

And at Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Southend, he came in for a barrage of criticism from Swansea fans.

But defiant Lewis has taken the stick on the chin and insists there is a lot supporters do not know about goings on at the Vetch.

"I understand why the fans are angry and I think I would have felt the the same if I had been outside the club," he said.

"But the full facts will come out one day, and all I am saying to those fans is that there are circumstances they do not know about.

"Even if the changes made last week are unpalatable, I had no option. I could not hang on much longer. We could not wait for an American interest because he wanted three months to look at the books.

"The club is now owned by Tony Petty. I transferred all the shares to him to get the club sorted financially. Only time will tell if that was a good move. I have been in the game 27 years and this is the worst crisis I have been involved in.

"Mr Petty has decided this is the way through. If he had not come in I would probably be still there today and maybe I would have taken a different route.

"But the people who are now saying they are interested in buying the club would not have come forward.

"Mr Petty has used his own methods of dealing with the problems and maybe I should have done that. I would not have been popular with the fans but I am not now anyway."

With Petty away in Australia and Lewis in the directors' box at Roots Hall on Saturday, the latter faced the brunt of the fans' anger at last week's dramatic cost-cutting measures.

And the vociferous, 220-strong section of Swans fans rarely let up during the 90 minutes.

"You would not be human if you did not feel something but they had no one else to point the finger at," added Lewis.

"In the absence of the new chairman I am going to get criticised and I understand why they have not taken to him favourably.

"I did consider staying away but I do not duck a fight and I just felt with Mr Petty not being at the game, I am responsible for the club. I would have been criticised if I had stayed away."

He added: "I knew all along there would be drastic action under the new chairman and you could not trim many others of the club, though I did not know which players or what exactly would be involved.

"The players account for 80 per cent of the payroll so it was an area to look at. I told Colin Addison to try to shift five players when he arrived, but the market was not conducive."

SWANSEA striker Stuart Roberts will travel to Wycombe tomorrow for talks over a possible switch to Adams Park.

Cash-strapped Swansea have agreed a cut-price £100,000 fee for their most prized asset with the Second Division club.

Wycombe boss Lawrie Sanchez was in touch with the 21-year-old this weekend.

Roberts has been easily Swansea's best player so far this season but is on only a week-to-week deal because of the club's financial problems.

Only last week, the former Welsh Under-21 international insisted he would not be forced out of the Vetch by controversial new chairman Tony Petty.

Meanwhile, a meeting of possible investors in Swansea was due to take place at a secret location in the city today.

The meeting has been arranged by two, Tony Davies, of the Supporters' Trust, and David Morgan.

"David and I were approached last week to coordinate a meeting to get a possible consortium together," said Davies.

"I can confirm that it will take place today and as and when there are any developments an announcement will be made by the parties involved."

Swansea supporters will meet tonight at the Patti Pavilion (7.30) to discuss their concerns over the new chairman.

Tomorrow night, a peaceful protest march against Petty will precede Swansea's LDV Vans Trophy clash with Brighton at the Vetch.The march, from Castle Square to the ground, starts at 7pm.

For further information contact Tony Davies on 07866 650363 or David Morgan on 07836 283033.

YOU would have been forgiven for thinking it was the end of the season when the final whistle went at Roots Hall on Saturday.

Before heading for the dressing room, half a dozen Swansea City players trudged to one corner of the ground to applaud the 220 or so Welsh supporters who made the long trip to Essex.

There is nothing extraordinary about that, but as well as the usual clap above the head, Nick Cusack and Co removed their yellow shirts and threw them into the crowd.

The gesture, normally saved for springtime and football's final day before cricket takes over the back pages, was a poignant one.

Speaking afterwards, captain Cusack explained it was a thank you to the faithful fans for sticking by their team after last week's astonishing events at Vetch Field.

Despite watching Swansea slump to a sixth defeat of the season, they outdid the 3,000 home supporters with songs either in support of the team or in opposition to those who run the club.

As expected, Tony Petty, who was and still is away in Australia, and Mike Lewis, who was in the directors' box at Southend, came in for untold abuse.

Swansea's new chairman and the man who handed him the reins nearly two weeks ago are enemies number one and two after 15 players' contracts were torn up last Wednesday.

It's hardly surprising. Petty's amazing attempt at cutting costs has left all facets of the club reeling and the city in shock.

Even so, talk among fans before Saturday's game of triumph in the face of adversity did not seem unfounded at half-time.

But in the first match after the storm, the Swans were eventually washed away on the English seaside.

Petty has knocked Colin Addison's already struggling squad sideways, and under the pressure of a surging second-half display from Southend they fell apart.

The Swansea manager, as surprised as anyone by the new chairman's actions, said last week he had never experienced anything like it in his long football career.

And despite all his experience, Addison could not rally his beleaguered players sufficiently to produce what would have been a morale-boosting result.

All the traumas of last week seem to have taken their toll. After the game, the normally media-friendly manager issued a very brief statement about the game and refused to take questions. He can be forgiven.

"It's been a long hard week," he said. "We had hoped for a better performance in this game, but we didn't get that.

"The result was justified. Over the 90 minutes Southend fully deserved it and we've got no complaints.

"The team talk in the dressing room took two minutes maximum. It's not a time to be critical and I am not going to start doing that.

"We had hoped for a better result but it was not to be."

At the halfway stage, things had looked pretty good for Addison's side, which included seven players whose contracts were breached last week with one more, David Romo, on the bench.

A sleepy opening half hour was only livened up when Jonathan Coates, one of those offered a reduced deal, fired a 20-yard drive against the foot of the post.

Michael Howard, another facing a pay cut, blazed a volley wide before the two left-footers combined to put the Swans ahead shortly before the break.

Coates held off challenges from Leon Cort and Barrington Belgrave before squaring to Howard in the penalty box.

From an awkward angle, the 22-year-old wing-back guided the ball under keeper Darryl Flahavan, a cool finish from a man with just one previous league goal.

Southend came close to equalising at the close of the half and it was an indication of what was to come in the second period.

Caretaker manager Rob Newman's side did not relent after the break and eventually got their reward.

A header from Tesfaye Bramble, brother of Ipswich defender Titus, levelled the scores after the impressive Mark Rawle had exposed Swansea on the flank.

Scrambled clearances saved Swansea on a couple of occasions and the visitors looked like clinging on for a draw with 10 minutes to go.

But a controversial penalty put Southend ahead and sparked a late goal rush.

Coates was adjudged to have pulled down Bramble in a crowded area and Kevin Maher stepped up to send Freestone the wrong way.

After last week's drama, Swansea appeared frail and were crushed in the closing stages.

They succumbed again four minutes later as Belgrave spun and shot spectacularly into the top of the net from a corner.

From nowhere, Stuart Roberts broke away and fired a fine half-volley to give Swansea a lifeline.

But before there was a chance to think about an equaliser, Southend again ripped through Addison's injury-hit defence. Bramble broke clear and was only denied by Kris O'Leary's clumsy challenge.

Referee Clive Penton, sticking to the letter of the law when a touch of leniency would not have gone amiss, brandished the red card before Maher gave a repeat performance from the spot.

Swansea's battered players, uncertain about their futures and now languishing in 20th spot in the Third Division, threw off their shirts before setting off on the long journey home.

It is not, of course, the end of the season, but most involved with Swansea City hope it might just be the end of a very short era in the club's history — and that by their next league game, new owners with a new outlook are in place at the Vetch.

SOUTHEND United caretaker boss Rob Newman sympathised with Swansea's beleaguered players after their 4-2 defeat at Roots Hall.

And the 37-year-old former Norwich defender should know how they feel — he was at Bristol City when they slashed players' wages back in 1982.

With the club on the brink of extinction, the Robins were forced to reduce a number of senior squad members' pay packets by 75 per cent.

A junior professional at the time, Newman was not affected by the cuts because his pay was so low anyway, but he remembers just how difficult it was for his team-mates.

"It's a traumatic time for players because you do not know what's coming next," he said.

"At the end of the day, it is your livelihood that is at stake and it makes it difficult to concentrate on the pitch.

"The owners are asking you to give 100 per cent for the club and yet they are going to take something away from you.

"I was lucky at Bristol City because I was being paid peanuts, but it was very tough for everyone.

"They were dark times, but we turned it round — and look at Bristol City now."

And Newman, who could take charge of Southend permanently after Dave Webb's resignation last week, is confident the future is bright for Swansea.

"Just like Bristol City, Swansea is a big club and I am sure they'll come through this," he said.

"Swansea have got too much history and it's too proud a club to go out of existence.

"They have also got fervent supporters. All the ingredients are there and people will not let Swansea die.

"By the sounds of it, their best option is to get rid of their chairman and get somebody in who loves the club.

"I am sure someone will go in there. They are very difficult times at the moment for Swansea but you always find that someone comes in at the eleventh hour to sort things out."

VILIFIED ex-Swans chief Mike Lewis last night revealed he has received threats and his marriage has broken up after his brief spell in charge at The Vetch.

Lewis, like Tony Petty, has become one of the most hated figures in Swansea after passing on the club for £1 to the man who has immediately announced the swingeing cutbacks.

But Lewis insists he DOES plan to go to Tuesday night's LDV Trophy match with Brighton at The Vetch - although it remains to be seen whether police advise him to stay away.

"I've seen things written about me and I've had words directed at me. But I'm not going to hide - I'm going to go into that directors' box with my head held high," he insisted.

And he cited the break-up of his 13-year marriage as an example of his commitment to the Swans.

"Football cost me my first marriage when I was commercial chief at Tottenham. It's cost me my second at Swansea," rued Lewis.

He went on: "At Spurs I was desperate to prove I could be a success, but like any other Welshman in London I had to run that bit quicker to make a point.

"I started to ignore things at home and I paid a heavy penalty.

"It's happened again down here. My three years at Swansea meant I was away from our home in Reading so often and things were not easy.

"I'm in the middle of going through a divorce and it is deeply upsetting.

"But I'm very resilient and trying to hang on to my self-belief."

Lewis was put in charge of the Swans by controversial former chairman Neil McClure with one brief: Find investors and stop the club going into administration.

The fans were initially optimistic after Lewis announced he had sold out to Petty.

But the optimism turned to pessimism, dismay and finally outright anger as news began to come out about Petty's savage cutbacks.

Lewis, who brought Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas to the club, admitted the cutbacks were probably heavier than the new manager expected.

But he maintained: "They were aware of the business situation when they came here. They were immediately directed to offload at least five players.

"So what's happened won't have come as too much of a shock to the pair of them. That said, perhaps the cuts have been deeper than Colin expected."

Despite what has happened, though, Lewis is standing by his decision to hand on the club to Petty.

"We had interested parties from America and Yorkshire, but Tony Petty's offer was the only one on the table which made sense to me," insisted Lewis.

"If he hadn't come in and hadn't taken the action he has done, we would be unwrapping the white flag and sticking the pole up.

"I feel sympathy for the players because I'm not in too dissimilar a position myself, although they'll probably take a different view of it to me.

"But Swansea City FC is more important than Mike Lewis, Tony Petty or any player. And those players need to realise that if he had not acted, they would have been out of work by Christmas anyway."

Quizzed about the stick he had received, Lewis said: "For a while I started to ask myself if I had done the right thing. I've had a few sleepless nights.

"But I intend to go to the Brighton game and hold my head up. Doubtless I'll get stick, but it won't be the first time.

"I can remember when Swansea fans threw pies and spat at me. But I stood there and argued my case. Neil McClure

"I actually went into the Harry Griffiths bar at the ground and spoke to the disgruntled fans head on.

"They may not have agreed with me at the time, nor will they agree with me over this, but I don't want to come across as an uncaring, gin-and-tonic-swilling board member.

"I don't want people to believe I've done a cheap old deal with some man who's got no interest in football.

"It's a black time for Swansea City. But there's a saying - `Before the brightest dawn there's always a dark cloud.'

"Hopefully this is the start of a new era because Tony Petty's ideas must be given a chance to succeed."

For once, the result was secondary and Swans' club skipper Nick Cusack's emotion at the whistle in Essex was equal to any championship triumph.

The 35-year-old Yorkshireman had led the charge at Roots Hall as he and his Swansea team hurled their shirts to their 250 followers who had made the draining 600 mile-round trek to seaside resort Southend.

The fans would not be happy returning on the M25 and probably didn't feel tempted to dine on Southend's famous jellied eels, but ex-Fulham favourite Cusack's words would have certainly raised their flagging spirits.

After a torturous week, when new Vetch chairman Tony Petty axed or tweaked 15 or the 27-man first team squad's deals, Cusack's declaration of "we won't let this club die" meant everything.

Choking back his tears, the veteran midfielder - who slotted in at the back against the Shrimpers because of Matthew Bound's absence - has pledged to lead his Swans forward in Tuesday night's home LDV Van Trophy clash with Brighton.

He said: "We've come to Essex today and fulfilled our contractual obligation. Now we expect the club to fulfil theirs by honouring our deals.

"I believe the world of football is watching our situation. I know there are many lower division clubs waiting to see what happens with us. I've been informed by the PFA that our contracts are legally binding.

"It wasn't easy coming into this game with so much uncertainty. As lads with mortgages and families, we are finding the whole situation very difficult.

"But I want to assure everyone that we will be giving it everything."

Paying tribute to the Swansea fans in Southend, he said: "They were absolutely magnificent and didn't stop singing all the way through the game. The lads went over to them at the end to give them their shirts - it was the least we could do."

And Cusack added cryptically: "We might have the directors after us now - let's hope it doesn't bankrupt the club!"

A fourth league win of the season for the Swans was perhaps the stuff of fairytales - especially after the last torturous 72 hours at the football club.

Yet, after Michael Howard had rifled the Swans ahead on 39 minutes, anything had looked possible.

Tes Bramble brought everything into sharp focus on 57 minutes and as three more Shrimper strikes in the last 10 minutes ripped home, reality was brought to bear.

Kevin Maher added two from the spot and Barrington Belgrave notched a beauty in between. Stuart Roberts' late consolation on 86 minutes was just that.

And there was a sting in the tail for the Swans as defender Kris O'Leary was red-carded a minute from time after hauling down Bramble in the box.

But strained Swansea boss Colin Addison said: "We came up here looking for a good performance but it was obviously not to be.

"I didn't bother with a long team talk. What I had to say took precisely 30 se conds. I thought the boys were motivated enough - they certainly didn't lack any effort out there."

Even Southend caretaker boss Rob Newman added his support to trouble-torn Swansea, saying: "Swansea will definitely be okay. They've got to be. I'm confident that somebody will come into help them at the 11th hour.

"Seeing their situation reminds me so much of my time at Bristol City as a youngster.

"Things looked really black for them back in 1982 when eight of their players had to rip up their contracts for the club to survive in the old Fourth Division. But survive they did - and Swansea can take great encouragement from their example now."

Ex-Norwich midfielder Newman blinked in disbelief when informed that Swansea chairman Petty was contemplating the Vauxhall Conference with over seven months left of this season to run. He sneered: "If that man is already talking about the Conference, he should be replaced. He is certainly not the right man for the job!"

Alarmed fans and business leaders are ready to rally round crisis club Swansea City by putting together a rescue package to stop the Swans from sinking into oblivion.

The move, being coordinated by The Supporters Trust, follows the swingeing cutbacks made by new Swans owner Tony Petty.

They have issued a terse message to Petty: Give us back our club.

Already Supporters Trust chiefs have put together an action plan which mirrors similar moves at Chesterfield and Lincoln where fans took control of clubs who were also heading towards administration.

Their People Power move would give the Swans the feeling of being run by the local community, in the short-term at least, and would guarantee professional football in the city.

Wales on Sunday

understands that Trust chiefs are lining up some significant financial backing from "name" business figures within the Swansea area, who have become alarmed by Petty's actions.

A leading football figure, who understands how to run a football club, is also being approached.

Swansea City Council are also being urged to play their part.

But first the fans need Petty to agree to hand over control, just days after he purchased the Swans for a token £1 from Mike Lewis.

The Supporters' Trust plan to pile on the pressure in the next 48 hours.

Tomorrow night they are holding an open meeting at the city's Patti Pavilion (7.30pm) where fans are expected to turn out in huge numbers to express their disgust at what Petty has done and their support for him to hand back the club immediately

Trust officials are also organising a march from Castle Square to The Vetch before Tuesday night's LDV Vans clash with Brighton.

Their action plan is being put together after Petty followed his warning about cutbacks in a Wales on Sunday article last weekend by sacking seven players and telling the others to take 70 per cent pay cuts.

Most of Colin Addison's men travelled to yesterday's Division Three game at Southend, despite the horrendous off-the-field problems.

Matthew Bound looks as if he will join Rushden. But Roger Freestone has put off a move to Premiership Bolton and Stuart Roberts is resfusing to join Wycombe in the hope that people power carries the day.

A Supporters' Trust spokesman said: "Fans are unanimous in their utter condemnation of Mr Petty and are concerned about the future of the club.

"The very existence of professional football in Swansea is at risk.

"His actions are extreme, without thought and totally unnecessary.

"We condemn the sackings and treatment of the players. The fans support the staff, be they players or back-room people." The spokesman went on: "This is a crisis and we urge Swansea fans to turn up at Monday's meeting to help our club's very existence.

"Support is needed otherwise relegation out of the Football League, the loss of our ground and the eventual loss of our club will become a reality.

"As a top 20 city in the UK, it is imperative that we continue to have professional football in Swansea. We call upon businesses, our council and supporters to unite behind one cause - rescue our club."

Petty has gone back to Australia and could not be contacted last night.

He is said to be ready to stand for the equivalent of English FA chief Adam Crozier's role with the Australian Football Federation.

Representatives from the PFA, the players' union, arrive in Swansea tomorrow to try to sort out the mess.

They are thought to be ready to give the Swans a bridging loan to cover players' wages, with the money being paid back to the union via pools and TV money Swansea receive from the Football League.

But Petty holds the key to everything - although it remains to be seen just when he is next seen in Swansea. If he is!

FORMER Vetch chairman Mike Lewis last night explained why he gifted trouble-torn Swansea City to Australia-based corporate raider Tony Petty.

The former Tottenham commercial specialist handed over the keys of the cash- strapped Swans to tough-talking Londoner Petty 10 days ago. In a desperate bid to stem the club's weekly losses of £20,000,

Petty, who has made a fortune from ailing businesses, altered the contracts of 15 Swansea players. Backroom boys Ron Walton and Glan Letheren have also left in a bid to square the books for alleged future backers Brisbane Lions FC.

Meanwhile, Lewis, who seized control of the Swans after cutting a bizarre £1 deal with Ninth Floor PLC in July, is now public enemy No1 in West Wales. He is even believed to have been told by police that his safety can't be guaranteed in Swansea.

But Lewis, 60, remains defiant, saying: ''Petty will be the saviour of the Swans. There were five main parties interested in the club and his proposals were the most viable. Anything he has promised so far has been delivered on time.''

And Lewis insists he received no golden goodbye from Petty, 42, to quit. He said: "It's been claimed I received £200,000 - that's rubbish. I left because I felt I was hitting my head against a brick wall.''

FORMER Swansea boss John Hollins is being lined up for the vacant Brighton job. Seagulls supremo Dick Knight is believed to have had secret talks with close friend and ex-Vetch chairman Steve Hamer over the 55-year-old Londoner's suitability.

Manager Mickey Adams quit Brighton last week to become Dave Bassett's deputy at Leicester City. Wealthy businessman Knight is keen to find a successor quickly and is believed to have sounded Hamer out over Hollins.

The move could be excellent news for cash-strapped Swans who are subject to a £200,000 compensation claim from Hollins after his sacking last month. Hollins' older brother, Dave, played for Brighton in the Sixties.

Hamer believes Hollins would be an excellent choice, saying: ''John might be in his middle 50's, but he has got the mind and outlook of a man 20 years younger and I've told Dick Knight that.

"Brighton have talked about draughting in a man with youth, but Hollins is definitely the man for the club - and he wants the job.

"For two years John did an excellent stint at Swansea. He is a superb coach.''

IT all fell apart for Swansea late in the game as they conceded two penalties and had a man sent off. Swans boss Colin Addison fielded seven of the 15 men who had had their contracts slashed by new club chairman Tony Petty 72 hours earlier.

There were returns for youngster Leigh De-Vulgt and Kris O'Leary but star centre-back Matthew Bound was a notable absentee, electing to stay at home in Wales.

The Shrimpers included Tesfaye Bramble and Leon Cort at the start - brothers of Ipswich's Titus and Newcastle's Carl, respectively.

Michael Howard put Swansea ahead on 38 minutes but the Swans were indebted to goalkeeper Roger Freestone for preserving their advantage in first-half stoppage time, saving well from Rawl.

HT:Southend 0, Swansea 1

The Shrimpers drew level on 57 minutes, former Boston marksmen Rawl raced past De-Vulgt, O'Leary fatally misjudged and Bramble shot into the net from 10 yards.

The Swans were soon creaking again and Kevin Maher put Southend ahead from the penalty spot. Barrington Belgrave made it 3-1 after 83 minutes, though Stuart Roberts hit back quickly for the Swans.

The comeback was short-lived, however, and a Kristian O'Leary professional foul on 90 minutes saw both the Swansea player sent off and Maher convert his second penalty.