By John Burgum - Evening Post
The Football League are setting up a commission of inquiry to investigate the reasons behind the postponement of Swansea City's home match against Chester two weeks ago.
The Third Division fixture was called off at the llth hour after Swansea's safety certificate was withdrawn when the back-up generator failed.
Although this week's match against Rotherham went ahead without any problems, the League are unhappy with many aspects of the Chester affair, not least the lateness of the postponement.
The League, still awaiting Swansea's written explanation, have already told the club that there will be a full-scale hearing at which Swansea could be fined or even docked points although the latter course is unlikely. No date has been fixed for the hearing, but the inquiry team will be brought together as soon as the League receives a full report from Swansea.
"We have written to the League explaining that we are awaiting the engineer's report. We are also waiting for other reports. Once we have collated them, they will be sent to the League," explained Swansea chief executive Peter Day.
While Swansea sweat on the outcome, manager Alan Cork is away on a four-day scouting mission searching for a striker to replace the injured Aidan Newhouse.
With no fixture this weekend, Cork is making the most of the break to size up likely candidates after getting the go-ahead from the Swansea board.
Cork is also looking to bring in another defender, almost certainly a full-back.
Swansea have confirmed that their Boxing Day fixture at Torquay has a 12.15pm start while the Vetch Field visit of Barnet on Sunday, December 28, kicks off at 3pm.
By John Burgum - Evening Post
SWANSEA City are planning to offload several players ln a bid to give Alan Cork more room to manoeuvre in the transfer market.
The decision was expected to be rubber-stamped at today's board meeting attended by the manager who went into it with a long list of questions about players and the future of the club.
Although Swansea recently made eight players available and say there has been little interest in them, Cork admitted for the first time today that he has several on the staff who are surplus to requirements.
"I've got too many players and I need to shift a few out if I can," he said.
"The players I'm talking about are the ones who are not going to figure in the first team. At this level you have to have every player in your squad who is going to play in the first team at some stage. I've got too many who are not. It's not a slight on them not being good enough. I simply have too many," added Cork.
The manager went into the meeting attended by chairman Steve Hamer, vice-chairman Neil McClure and chief executive Peter Day heartened that there is more money available for new players.
That news was delivered at a meeting of supporters held prior to last night's match against Rotherham which ended 1-1 in front of the season's smallest League gate.
"There is money available for players and if we sell someone I would hope to plough any transfer cash we receive back into the team," Mr McClure told the fans.
Cork is bound to be encouraged by that commitment but he will also want assurances on other key issues like the much-hyped plans on a switch to Morfa and moves on a reserve league to help his under-employed players.
"I just want to find out what is going on. As for the playing side, I'll inform the board on what direction I feel we should take and, hopefully, we'll go from there," he said.
By John Burgum - Evening Post
SWANSEA City are ready to confront high-ranking Rotherham at Vetch Field tonight (7.30) by giving their players a massive vote of confidence.
Although Alan Cork has not revealed his plans, it seems certain that he will ask the players who performed so superbly at Shrewsbury to provide a repeat display.
But Cork is under no illusions about the enormity of the task facing his players as they continue to claw themselves away from the Third Division basement.
"Rotherham are no mugs. They are a good side who have run into form and it will be a really big test for my players,"
Seventh placed Rotherham are the second highest scorers in the division with six goals in their last two matches, but their record at the Vetch is poor. They have not won in 11 visits and have not scored since a remarkable 4-4 draw in 1978.
Past records will not count for much in Cork's eyes. It is really about how his team performs on the night and how they follow up that impressive 1-0 win at Gay Meadow.
"If we can play the same way we did at the weekend then we will be in with a chance. Hopefully we'll give the fans something to shout about as we did , at Shrewsbury," said Cork.
Swansea newcomers Matthew Bound and Charlie Hartfield make their first Vetch Field appearances alongside Nick Cussack who has slotted smoothly into midfield since his bargain £15,000 move from Fulham.
Rotherham will be without injured top scorer Jason White and former Swansea defender Alan Knill who starts a three match ban.
By John Burgum - Evening Post
SWANSEA City plan to exorcise their Vetch Field ghosts tomorrow night with a performance to offer hope of a brighter future.
The visit of in-form Rotherham provides Swansea with the platform to end a three-month wait for a home win.
"Our home record is very poor and we have to start000 putting it right if we hope to achieve anything this winter," said Alan Cork. But the manager insists that he has not been lulled into believing that his struggling outfit have turned the corner on the evidence of one encouraging display.
"The trouble with Third Division players is that there is no in between. They are either very high or very low," said Cork.
The 1-0 win at Shrewsbury broke a seven-match sequence without a victory but it was the performance which suggested that Cork and his players are getting it right.
"We have been working towards that goal and it's nice when it all comes right, but the mentality of players is that they feel they have done their job and might not have to work so hard next game.
"It does not work like that, which means I am going to have to get them going again tomorrow and remind them of the standards they set at Shrewsbury and must maintain," added Cork.
Former manager Jan Molby could be in trouble with the club who sacked him over weekend remarks claiming Swansea would not be in such a mess if Doug Sharpe had remained as chairman. "Jan is still getting paid by us and if we find that he is in breach of contract we will not shirk our duty," insisted chairman Steve Hamer.
Mr Hamer and the Silver Shield owners also came under fire in a broadside from another ex-Vetch manager, Micky Adams, who insisted fans had been duped by the new owners.
"It's a lot of sour grapes and I'm suspicious about the timing, especially as we are due to meet supporters' representatives before tomorrow night's game," said Mr Hamer.
"This story is more than five weeks old, yesterday's fish and chip paper. Micky is just trying to deflect from his own massive problems at Griffin Park," he added.
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