ROBERTO MARTINEZ has his fingers crossed that the curse of the captain's armband fails to rear its ugly head at Swansea City again this season, writes Andy Rose.

The Spaniard has retained the captaincy under new boss Kenny Jackett.

And he is hoping for better luck than the first time he was handed the honour under former boss Brian Flynn.

The cultured midfielder replaced Jason Smith as skipper last season after an ankle injury forced the latter into retirement.

But Martinez was then almost immediately struck down by the injury hoodoo himself.

Knee ligament damage - the first serious injury of his career - kept Martinez sidelined for ten matches.

But after returning to action in October the former Real Zaragoza man broke down again in training, forcing him to miss another sizeable chunk of the season.

In fact they were dropping like flies as soon as they touched the tainted armband.

Replacement captain Lenny Johnrose fared little better than Martinez with a troublesome hamstring and the jinx even hit Karl Connolly while playing for the reserves.

Martinez did eventually return to see out the season although he failed to find the consistency that had made him such a hit with the fans.

Now he is hoping his injury woes are firmly behind him as he looks forward to leading the Swans into their final season at The Vetch.

But he admitted: "Something strange certainly seemed to be going on with the armband last season.

"Hopefully, all of the bad luck that went with the captaincy has now gone and I can concentrate on things in more positive fashion.

"First Jason Smith had to retire, then I picked up the first bad injury of my career. "Then Lenny even hurt himself and the same with Karl. We just couldn't explain it but it was certainly strange.

"That's all in the past though now, hopefully, and I am looking ahead to what I believe will be an exciting season.

"From a personal point of view it is a pleasure to represent the boys as captain.

"I may be Spanish but I understand completely what this club represents to the fans and the players."

The 30-year-old is already brimming with confidence after watching his teammates - including five new faces - in action during pre-season training.

And as Swansea prepare to embark on their farewell campaign at The Vetch, Martinez insists that the current crop of players are good enough to make up for the disappointments of last season.

Izzy Iriekpen is set to miss the start of the new Coca-Cola League season after being told he needs ankle surgery. The Swansea City defender will go under the knife on Thursday and is likely to be out for between four and six weeks.

Iriekpen, 22, first felt the problem in Brian Flynn's last game in charge back in March and was initially sidelined for a month.

He returned for the final throes of last season and hoped a summer's rest would see him return to full fitness.

But the former West Ham youth team captain broke down just hours into Swansea's first pre-season session leaving an operation as the only solution.

"It's a last resort really," explained Vetch Field physio Richie Evans.

"The normal process with this type of injury is conservative treatment and then an injection if that doesn't work.

"We hoped in time it would settle, but since Izzy felt it so early on in pre-season we felt it was time for him to get the operation done."

Added Evans: "Basically Izzy's got a bony growth in the back of his ankle which is causing some impingement.

"We have had similar things in the past and he's looking at four to six weeks out."

There was a further fitness scare for boss Kenny Jackett yesterday when Lee Trundle limped out of training clutching his knee.

But Evans played down concerns over last season's top marksman, who suffered only a minor strain.

Swansea's Carling Cup first-round tie at Queens Park Rangers, which sees Jackett return to the club he left for the Vetch, will take place on Tuesday, August 24 (7.45). Ticket information for travelling fans will be released soon.

Last season's home and away shirts are available at reduced prices in the club shop.

No new kits are available as yet because Swansea are still to finalise a deal with a new shirt sponsor.

THE two men vying to replace Swansea City legend Roger Freestone between the Vetch Field posts will be given at least another week to try to earn a contract.

Goalkeepers Willy Gueret and Mark Ovendale have both been on trial at Swansea this week as boss Kenny Jackett's search for a long-term successor to Freestone goes on.

Having missed out on top targets Neil Cutler and Martyn Margetson this summer, Jackett hopes the solution to Swansea's goalkeeping problem could lie with either former Millwall keeper Gueret or ex-Barry Town shot-stopper Ovendale.

But the Swans boss is unlikely to make a decision about either player until he has seen them in match action, with next Saturday's opening pre-season clash against Worcester City providing the first such opportunity.

"I'm fairly open-minded about the goalkeeping situation at the moment," said Jackett, whose only other senior keeper is 21-year-old Irishman Brian Murphy.

"I've only had a few days to take a look at the two keepers, but in Willie you have someone who's very athletic and Mark, who's living in the Rhondda at the moment, is vastly experienced.

"What we're going to do with both lads is assess their situation at the end of each week."

Former Luton and Bournemouth keeper Ovendale, 30, is a free agent after leaving York following their relegation to the Conference at the end of last season.

Gueret, also 30, is looking for a new club after ending a four-year association with Milwall that began when he arrived on a free transfer from Le Mans.

But the Frenchman made just 20 appearances for the Lions, spending most of his time behind new Cardiff City signing Tony Warner in the New Den pecking order.

SWANSEA CITY'S Carling Cup first-round tie at Queens Park Rangers will be played on Tuesday, August 24, kick-off 7.45pm.

Roberto Martinez today hailed the surprise appointment of team-mate Kevin Nugent as Swansea City's player-assistant manager. The Spanish club skipper reckons boss Kenny Jackett has made "a very positive move" by naming the 35-year-old targetman as his right-hand man.

Landing the role caps a remarkable return to favour for Nugent, who thought his time at Swansea was over when the club's end-of-season retained list was issued in May.

And Martinez said: ''It's great news. All the boys are delighted to see Kevin Nugent getting so much responsibility because we all know how capable he is.

''We must now take advantage of his knowledge and his experience - he has been a great player and working with him should help everyone.

''The main thing is that Kev has the respect of the players and I don't think it will be difficult for him crossing the line to the staff.''

Nugent joins what Swansea claim is a modern and flexible management team, with the likes of Richie Evans, Damian Lacey, Tony Pennock and RAF fitness expert Craig Gill all part of Jackett's line-up.

The Vetch Field boss has revealed he still wants to make one more appointment - a chief scout.

''Originally I had been looking for a No. 2 to do scouting work predominantly, to go around the country spotting players for the club,'' Jackett said.

''It's not easy from where we are geographically. The three major centres for producing players, London, Birmingham and Manchester, are out of the equation for us as far as regular visits go.

''As I am hands-on manager who likes to be at the training ground every day, we do still need someone to complement me in a scouting role.

''But I have appointed Kevin because I have been impressed by what he has done in pre-season so far.

''Perhaps it's a bit of a surprise to some, but he has shown terrific leadership qualities.

''Along with Richie Evans, he has the respect of the players. I think he has a lot to offer in the role."

Jackett, meanwhile, is still struggling to hide his delight after yesterday's Carling Cup draw handed Swansea a first-round trip to Queens Park Rangers - the club he left to take over at the Vetch.

''A woman from Sky who is a QPR fan rang me to tell me and I was sure it was a wind-up," he added.

''Then the phone went absolutely mad for the next hour and I realised she was telling the truth.

''It's an unbelievable draw and I think it's a good one for us - they might even show it live on the television.

''I would hope that I'll know their tactics, but the downside is that they'll know mine,'' he added.

Willy Gueret and Mark Ovendale both want to battle it out with Brian Murphy to be Swansea City's No. 1 goalkeeper next season. For now, though, they are busy challenging each other while hoping they will still be in Kenny Jackett's thoughts this time next week.

The two 30-year-olds arrived at Vetch Field for trials on Wednesday, Gueret after ending a four-year association with Millwall and Ovendale having departed York in the wake of their relegation from the Football League.

The pair spent two hours yesterday morning handling shots and crosses delivered by Jackett himself as the manager pondered who should compete with Murphy to become Roger Freestone's long-term successor.

Jackett, who has missed out on top targets Neil Cutler and Martyn Margetson this summer, may yet look elsewhere - unless one of the current contenders persuades him that the solution to Swansea's goalkeeping problem has arrived on his doorstep.

"Getting a move here would almost be too good to be true for me," said Ovendale, the former Barry Town stopper whose wife, from the Rhondda Valley, is expecting their second child.

"We're at the mother-in-law's in the Rhondda at the moment and we're looking to buy a house back in Wales, so playing for Swansea would be ideal."

Ovendale, who Luton paid Bournemouth £425,000 for in 2000, is a free agent despite emerging with credit from York's miserable year.

"It sounds a bit silly since we were relegated, but I only missed three or four games and I enjoyed last season on a personal level," he adds.

"If we had stayed up then I think I probably would have been offered a new deal, but understandably the club had to cut costs.

"Hopefully now I can get something with Swansea.

"It's not easy coming on trial - you can try too hard to impress when you're on trial and you worry about the slightest mistakes, but I'll just keep my fingers crossed."

Jackett has said he wants a keeper with some experience and, with more than 200 senior appearances to his name, Ovendale meets that requirement.

His strength could be his rival's biggest weakness, for Gueret managed only 20 games in his time at The New Den.

The imposing Frenchman seems unconcerned.

"Coming to Swansea would be a good opportunity for me to play first-team football and show what I can do," he said.

"I've never really had that chance at Millwall and coming here is a big challenge.

"I've only had a couple of days' training since the cup final (he was on the Lions' substitutes' bench) so it's not easy getting back into things, but I'm feeling confident."

Gueret, who once kept four straight clean sheets to take the club record at Millwall, played for French second division club Le Mans before crossing The Channel, but says he has no plans to go home.

"I like this country and I like the football here," he adds, "and Swansea with it's beaches and the sea seems like a nice part of the world.

"To be honest, though, it doesn't matter whether it's Swansea, London or Manchester, I just want to play football.

"Swansea are a big club for the division and I think there are going to be some good times ahead in the next four or five years.

"I think it would be a good team to play for."

Jackett is likely to extend the two keepers' trials until next weekend, with the opening pre-season game at Worcester on July 17 providing a chance to see one or both in match action.

"I'm fairly open-minded about the goalkeeping situation at the moment," he said, leaving Ovendale and Gueret to wait a while longer before discovering if they have found a new club.

After his release from Swansea City two months ago, Llanelli's Stuart Roberts could be playing against his former employers next season with football league newboys Chester City. The conference champions invited winger Roberts up to the Deva Stadium last week to train with them, and the 23-year-old is now looking to seal a deal with City for next season.

Speaking from Chester's training ground, he told the Star: "I have been impressed by the set up here and training has gone well. I know a few boys up here from my youth days and it is only a couple of hours away from home."

Roberts hopes he does enough to impress manager Mark Wright, a former Derby, Southampton, Liverpool and England defender.

"He tried to sign me on loan when I was at Wycombe," he said. When I was released from the Swans he gave me a ring and asked me to come up.

"Hopefully we can sort something out in the next week or two."

KENNY JACKETT thought someone was playing a joke on him yesterday when he heard Swansea City had drawn his former club Queens Park Rangers in the Carling Cup.

Just four months after leaving his post as assistant to QPR's colourful manager Ian Holloway to take charge at the Vetch, Jackett was handed a swift return to Loftus Road in the first round of this season's competition.

"What were the chances of that happening?" Jackett said. "It's unbelievable. There were 60 clubs in the draw, yet QPR against Swansea comes up.

"I didn't believe it when I was told. I thought someone was having a joke with me. You couldn't schedule something like that.

"But, obviously, I'm delighted. I've only been gone three months, but it'll be great to go back to Loftus Road. I've got a lot of friends up there."

And what of the reunion with his former colleague and close friend Holloway? The man who lost his much-respected and, according to many, highly-influential assistant five games before the end of a crucial season?

"I haven't spoken to Ian yet, but I'm sure he was surprised as I was to see QPR had drawn Swansea," said Jackett.

"It'll certainly be an interesting one, being in the opposite dug-out to him.

"To a degree, it was disappointing to part company with Ian and the job at QPR so close to the end of last season when promotion was in sight.

"But I have no regrets about the decision to come to Swansea. I think everyone at QPR understood you can't turn down jobs like this when they come along.

"You can't pick and choose with these things. I'm proud to have taken on the job of Swansea City manager.

"As for QPR, I felt the club was in a solid position. It was well set up. Set up to be a Division One club."

Jackett admits it will be difficult for Swansea to overcome opponents who didn't lose a single home league game last season on their way to clinching promotion to what is now the Coca-Cola Championship.

But he said, "I actually think it's a good tie for Swansea. I think you always relish games against teams from a higher division and give it your best shot.

"I accept it will be tough, though. QPR have a fantastic home record. The only game they lost at Loftus Road last season was in the Carling Cup against Manchester City.

"But what it will be is an exciting game. There's a bit of spice there, it being my old club, and this gives us an early chance to play at a good stadium on a good surface."

Jackett's men will be four games into their League Two campaign by the time they travel to west London - probably on August 24 or 25.

Last season Swansea went out of the competition to Bristol City in an Ashton Gate thriller which ended 4-1 after extra-time.

Having spent three years with Rangers, Jackett should not need to do too much homework on the biggest obstacles to Swansea going one stage further this time round.

"They have a number of good players," said Jackett, himself currently running the rule still over on-trial goalkeepers Mark Ovendale and Willy Gueret.

"If I had to pick out their dangermen, I'd probably say (strikers) Kevin Gallen and Paul Furlong and (midfielders) Martin Rowlands and Marc Bircham. But they've got no shortage of quality."

As for Holloway, he will doubtless be keen to avenge QPR's 4-0 hammering at the Vetch in the FA Cup in November 2001.

Kevin Nugent today admitted he was as surprised as everyone else after Kenny Jackett named him Swansea City's new assistant manager. Nugent, who possesses a Uefa A coaching licence, has been unveiled as the new Vetch Field No. 2 on a one-year contract.

It is a shock appointment for the 35-year-old, who thought his time at Swansea was up when he did not feature on the club's end-of-season retained list back in May.

But within weeks the former Cardiff striker was back at the Vetch as both a player and reserve-team manager - roles he will continue to perform under the new arrangement - and now he has been installed as Jackett's right-hand man.

''This whole summer has been eventful with things turning up which I hadn't been expecting,'' Nugent said, ''and I wasn't expecting this.

''First I thought I had been released, then the club asked if I fancied being reserve-team manager. They said then that they were going to get a No. 2.

''But circumstances have changed and they feel that Kenny, (physio) Richie Evans and myself can deal with things.

''It hasn't been mentioned at all really that I would become assistant manager, but it's a chance I'm really excited about and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

''I've done all my coaching badges, but I wouldn't say I've always wanted to get into management.

''It's hard to believe when you think I first came to Swansea on a month's loan from Leyton Orient, but that went really well and staying up on the final day against Hull was one of the highlights of my career.

''Last season was relatively successful given what had gone the year before and hopefully we can progress again this season.''

Targetman Nugent, who has also played for Plymouth and Bristol City, intends to fight for a first-team place as Swansea bid for promotion to League One after netting 10 goals last season.

''I'm still doing all the training the players are doing and I am going to push to get into the side,'' he added.

''But if I don't then it's going to be good news because it means the other lads are doing their jobs.

''Coaching is new to me and I was a bit apprehensive before pre-season training started wondering how the rest of the players were going to react.

''But they have made it easy for me by putting 100 per cent into everything and hopefully that will continue. I might make a few mistakes along the way, but nobody is going to be able to question the effort I put in.''

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins paid tribute to Nugent after the management team to succeed Brian Flynn and Kevin Reeves was at last finalised.

He said: ''We're taking a modern, flexible approach which gives us a six-strong team instead of two.

''As well as Kenny and Kevin we've got (physio) Richie Evans, assistant physio Damian Lacey, goalkeeping coach Tony Pennock and dietician Craig Gill.

''We have all been impressed by the commitment Kevin has shown as a Swansea player, and I think Kenny has been impressed by the respect he commands from the players.

''This appointment is about Kenny clarifying that on the odd occasion when he is away watching games, Kevin will be in charge. We're all fully behind him.''

KEVIN NUGENT is ready to put in the hours after he was unveiled as Swansea City's assistant manager last night.

The striker will combine his new role as manager Kenny Jackett' No 2 with his reserve team manager's job

And the 35-year-old warhorse said he is still willing to carry on playing first-team football if needed!

"I'm not worried about the long hours. I was brought up with a work ethic," said the former Leyton Orient, Bristol City and Cardiff City player.

"I want to learn the trade. I'm starting at the bottom and I'm sure I'm going to make a few mistakes along the way.

"But the one thing that people won't be able to question will be my work-rate.

"I will do everything that needs to be done, whether it's before training or after training. I will be going to watch games as well."

Nugent, who was appointed Swans reserve team boss at the end of last season, said, "I will still be doing the reserve team job and I've still got a playing contract with the club which is good.

"They've got the option to play me if they need to. We will just have to wait and see if I'm involved in the first team next season.

"If I don't end up playing, then it means the other forwards are doing their job."

Added Nugent, "This is a big challenge, one that I'm looking forward to. I've got my coaching badges and I'm just finishing my A licence right now."

Nugent expects no problems going from being 'one of the lads' to Jackett's right-hand man.

"I'd be lying if I said going from just being a player to joining the management team didn't cross my mind," he explained.

"But the players have been absolutely fantastic. They made the switch very easy for me. I can't give them enough credit.

"Anyway, I'm an experienced professional and in the dressing room I've always said what I felt needed to be said.

"You do need strong characters in the dressing room and I am a lot older than a few of the players here."

And Nugent is relishing working alongside former Watford manager and QPR No 2 Jackett.

"He is so well respected as a coach. He is also very passionate and forward thinking. He knows what he wants," he continued.

"Kenny is a fantastic person to learn from and I'm going to give everything I've got in this new job.

"I've always fancied having a crack at coaching and this is a good opportunity for me."

All three Welsh Football League clubs have been handed away ties in the first round of the Carling Cup, to be played the week commencing 23 August.
Kenny Jackett will get a chance to pit his wits against the club he left last April after Swansea drew Queens Park Rangers.

Wrexham will have a long journey to face newly-promoted Hull City.

And Cardiff City should be confident of progressing after drawing League Two side Kidderminster Harriers.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carling Cup first round draw: (Ties will be played week beginning 23 August)

QPR v Swansea

Lincoln v Derby
Sunderland v Chester
Darlington v Barnsley
Hull v Wrexham
Nottingham Forest v Scunthorpe
Rochdale v Wolves
Bradford v Notts County
Bury v Burnley
Tranmere v Shrewbury
Crewe v Blackpool
Mansfield v Preston
Sheffield Wednesday v Walsall
Sheffield United v Stockport
Hartlepool v Macclesfield
Doncaster v Port Vale
Oldham v Stoke
Grimsby v Wigan
Rotherham v Chesterfield
Leeds v Huddersfield
Colchester v Cheltenham
Peterborough v Milton Keynes Dons
Gillingham v Northampton
Brighton v Bristol Rovers
Leyton Orient v Bournemouth
Wycombe v Bristol City
Boston v Luton
Watford v Cambridge
Kidderminster v Cardiff
West Ham v Southend
Ipswich v Brentford
Rushden & Diamonds v Swindon
Oxford v Reading
Yeovil v Plymouth
Coventry v Torquay

Kevin Nugent says he is relishing the prospect of working as an assistant to Swansea City manager Kenny Jackett.
The 35-year-old striker will continue to be available for selection if needed, and will combine his new role with his reserve team manager's job.

"Kenny is a fantastic person to learn from and I'm going to give everything I've got in this new job," said Nugent.

"I've always fancied having a crack at coaching and this is a good opportunity for me."

He added: "I want to learn the trade. I'm starting from the bottom and I'm sure I'm going to make a few mistakes along the way.

"But one thing that people won't be able to question will be my work-rate."

Meanwhile, Jackett has invited two goalkeepers to join pre-season training as he continues to search for a replacement for Roger Freestone, who was released at the end of last season.

York keeper Mark Ovendale, who once played in the League of Wales for Barry Town, and 30-year-old Willy Gueret of Millwall have been given a chance to impress.

Said Jackett: "There is no set amount of time that the lads are with us, but their spell with us works two ways as we can look at them and they can have a look at us.

"At the moment I only have one goalkeeper [Brian Murphy] at the club and so need to bring someone in. Mark is living locally, but we will have to wait and see what happens."

SWANSEA CITY paid more money to agents than any other club in their division, according to the Football League Agents Fees Report, writes Mario Risoli.

The Swans paid £17,580 to football's middle men from January 1 to June 30.

Huddersfield - who won promotion out of the league basement in May - were the next payers in the basement with £10,000.

Swansea were one of six clubs in League Two (formerly Division Three) who paid money to agents during the last six months of the 2003-04 campaign - Macclesfield (£5,000), Hull (£4,000), Leyton Orient (£2,500) and Cheltenham (£2,000) the others.

In the Coca-Cola Championship, Cardiff City paid £45,000 to agents - well below Derby County (£279,000), West Ham (£243,000) and Wigan (£145,000.

League One club Wrexham did not spend a penny on agents.

The document revealed the League's 72 member clubs paid an aggregate £1.4m to agents over the last six months, and that fees were not paid at all by clubs in 844 of those 963 transactions.

Football League chairman and Conservative MP Sir Brian Mawhinney hoped the report would open the debate as to why such monies were being lost to the game and perhaps spark the FA Premier League into conducting a similar study.

Roberto Martinez will stay on as Swansea City's club captain next season. Boss Kenny Jackett has ruled out the possibility of handing the armband to one of his own signings, choosing instead to keep faith with the Spanish central midfielder.

Martinez, 31 next week, took over the captaincy from Jason Smith last October after former boss Brian Flynn brought him to Vetch Field in January 2003.

One of the fittest players at the club, the former Walsall man was also the most influential before he was struck down by a knee ligament injury early last season.

''Sometimes a new manager would come in and want to change the captain,'' said Jackett, ''but not in this case.

''Roberto will definitely be staying on in the role. He is a very responsible fella and is also a very talented footballer.''

Jackett, meanwhile, has revealed the tactics he hopes will see Swansea promoted to League One in time for the move to the new White Rock Stadium.

''We will work to try to make sure that no team in the division is fitter than us and we have already begun nailing down certain footballing principles,'' he said.

''It's really to important to me that we close down the ball well, keep our shape and stop people playing against us.

''At this level teams will put the ball on your penalty spot from anywhere if you don't close it down at source and, if it keeps coming into your box, sooner or later you're going to concede.

''We must stop that to give ourselves the base needed to go forward.''

Jackett added: ''I have been impressed with the players in training so far. There's a nice atmosphere and things are very positive - they've come back with a good attitude towards working and I'm pleased with that.''

The Football League have accepted requests to switch three of Swansea's home League Two fixtures.

The meeting with Mansfield has been brought forward to October 9, while Swansea will now entertain Macclesfield on Good Friday (March 25) to avoid clashes with Wales's World Cup qualifiers against England and Austria respectively.

Southend will also visit a day earlier than planned, on February 4, because of the Wales-England Six Nations encounter.

Young midfielder Richard Jones has joined Kidderminster on trial after spending last season on loan at Swansea. Ex-Swans Richie Appleby is also training with Jan Molby's squad.

Swansea City trialist Dennis Oli has revealed he was part of the Kenny Jackett fan club at old club Queens Park Rangers. And the 20-year-old striker is relishing the chance to work again with the man he credits with helping the Rs to promotion last season through his efforts on the training ground.

Oli signed professional forms at Loftus Road just months after Jackett was named Ian Holloway's assistant.

Having been released by Rangers in May following their promotion from the old Second Division, the bubbly Londoner has arrived in Swansea for a one-week trial he hopes will lead to a long-term contract.

''Everyone loved Kenny at QPR and was sad to see him go when he left for Swansea,'' Oli said.

''He was a top man and had a big hand in helping the club get promoted.

''His training sessions were different class football-wise and I was disappointed when he went.

''He taught me a lot and I think my game progressed after he came from Watford.

''If I do get the chance to work with him again, I think I can only go forward.''

Oli is yet to blossom fully - he arrives in South Wales carrying the unfortunate tag of the forward who has not yet managed a goal.

But while the youngster is yet to trouble the scorers in senior football, he had shown enough promise as a Second Division player to leave some observers in West London surprised by his departure.

Having been dispatched to Farnborough and Gravesend for loan spells last term, though, the man himself had prepared for bad news come retained list day.

''I wasn't getting a lot of games so I didn't think I was going to get a chance, especially when we got promoted,'' he added.

''There are some good strikers at QPR in Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen, Tony Thorpe and Jamie Cureton, and sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward.

''Having said that, Swansea is a great club with a lot of promise and I'm really excited to be here.''

If Oli's performances on the training pitch in the coming days come even close to matching his obvious enthusiasm, he should have no problem persuading Jackett to swell the number of forwards in his squad to six.

The early signs from the manager are encouraging.

''Dennis is athletic and very quick and, while he still has to learn the game, I think at this level he will cause defenders problems with his pace,'' Jackett says.

''He is here for a week and hopefully that will turn into a month. If he stays that long I'm sure he'll do quite a lot to impress me.''

And so Lee Trundle, Paul Connor and Co may well have another competitor for a starting place come Northampton's visit August 7.

''There are some great players down here,'' Oli said, ''and hopefully I can join them.

''Coming to Swansea is a fantastic challenge which I am enjoying already and signing would be a big step in my career.''

Swansea City boss Kenny Jackett has intensified his search for a new goalkeeper by taking Mark Ovendale and Willy Gueret on trial. Veteran custodian Roger Freestone was released in the summer, which leaves the club with just Brian Murphy as a recognised goalkeeper at Vetch Field.

Ovendale has a vast amount of experience in league football and previously plyed his trade at York City, whilst 30-year-old Gueret has been told he is surplus to requirements at Millwall.

Jackett said: "There is no set amount of time that the lads are with us because this spell works two ways, as we can look at them and they can look at us.

"At the moment I only have one goalkeeper at the club and so need to bring someone in.

Cardiff City new boy Robert Page has hailed Swansea City's manager after being unveiled at Ninian Park. The Welsh international centre-back worked with Vetch Field boss Kenny Jackett during their days together at Watford.

And he said: ''Kenny was my manager in the youth team and then again in the first team when he progressed through and he's someone I've got a lot of time for.

''Wherever he goes and whatever resources he has got, you can be sure he'll get the best out of them.

''There's no second best with Kenny. If he wants something done he will do it properly and I think he will do very well at Swansea.''

Swansea City are celebrating record season-ticket sales after the 3,000-barrier was smashed over the weekend. "The discount period ended on Saturday and we've already gone past the total sold last season, which was also a record," Vetch director David Morgan explained.

"In the past hundreds of season tickets have been sold after the deadline for reductions so we're hopeful that we will have an even bigger total when the season kicks off.

"It's the end of an era with the move to the new ground coming up and we also hope to celebrating promotion come May."

Match tickets and T-shirts for the forthcoming tour of Holland are available in the club shop.

Swansea City are to check out Barry Town old boy Mark Ovendale as the search for Roger Freestone's successor goes on. Boss Kenny Jackett is ready to hand the 30-year-old goalkeeper a Vetch Field trial following his release by Conference-bound York City earlier this summer.

Leicester-born Ovendale - known as Ovengloves at Bootham Crescent - began his senior career at Northampton before switching to Barry in 1995.

Part of the successful Dragons side who enjoyed adventures in Europe, Ovendale won a move back to the Football League when Bournemouth paid out £30,000 in 1998.

Next came a £425,000 to Luton in 2000 before a player known for his reliability under crosses joined York 12 months ago.

He has been freed largely for financial reasons by the Minstermen having emerged with a good deal of credit from the club's disastrous relegation season.

Jackett, who wants competition for Brian Murphy following Freestone's departure, is also expecting ex-Millwall man Willy Gueret for a trial.

"Mark's a free agent who is looking for a club and I have spoken to his agent," said the Swansea manager, who has missed out on Neil Cutler and Martyn Margetson this summer.

"The keepers we have gone for were both high quality and I'm now trying to get someone who is equally as good.

"I have signed some very good players this summer but, as we've seen, it doesn't always work out your way because other clubs are after good players too.

"All I can do is try to get the best players I possibly can."

Meanwhile, Neil Sharp's chances of a shock return to the Vetch appear to have been dashed after Jackett changed his mind about offering the ex-Woking a man a pre-season trial.

It has emerged that chairman Huw Jenkins was the one who wanted to bring Sharp back to Swansea, but Jackett has decided against the idea.

"It was the Swansea chairman who was keen," said Sharp, "but Kenny has told me he is signing a goalkeeper which will take up the rest of the playing budget."

CONFUSION last night surrounded the reason behind Swansea City's decision to cancel the shock return to the Vetch of defender Neil Sharp.

The 26-year-old centre-back, released by former boss Brian Flynn in the summer of 2003, had been offered the chance of an unlikely second spell at Swansea in the form of a pre-season trial.

But Sharp - who revealed yesterday it was Swans chairman Huw Jenkins who recommended him to boss Kenny Jackett - was told at the end of last week the offer was being withdrawn.

The former Barry Town player, searching for a new club after leaving Conference side Woking in April, claimed Jackett told him the club would not be able to afford to take him on as they were about to sign a new goalkeeper, with Millwall's Willy Gueret thought to be the latest target after Jackett's bid to sign Cardiff's Martyn Margetson fell through on Friday after he decided to stay at Ninian Park.

Jackett was not available for comment last night, but Jenkins suggested it was probably just a case of the Swans boss changing his mind about Sharp.

The player, who was brought to the Vetch from Merthyr by Colin Addison three years ago, said, "Kenny spoke to me towards the end of last season and said he wanted me to come down in the summer on trial.

"It came about after I played a reserve match for Yeovil at the Vetch. It was the Swansea chairman who was keen. He called me after the game and explained that there had been a lot of changes at the club.

"He said it was up to the manager which players he wanted to sign, but he recommended me to Kenny.

"So the plan was to go on trial and when I spoke to Kenny the Sunday before last everything was OK - he was trying to make the arrangements for me to come down to Swansea.

"But on Friday it fell through. Kenny told me he was signing a goalkeeper which would take up the rest of the playing budget."

When asked yesterday about the decision to cancel Sharp's trial, Jenkins said, "It's the first I've heard about it.

"Perhaps, for whatever reason, Kenny has changed his mind. He's entitled to do that.

"Yes, we do have to bring in another goalkeeper and Kenny's got to work with the money left in his kitty.

"What I would say is it would be unfair to bring someone in on trial if there wasn't room to take it any further."

Willy Gueret is Swansea's latest goalkeeper target

Swansea City are chasing Millwall goalkeeper Willy Gueret after losing out on Martyn Margetson.
Brian Murphy is the only experienced stopper at the Vetch and boss Kenny Jackett needs to sign another.

Frenchman Gueret, 30, is out of contract at the New Den club, who have already lost number one Tony Warner to Cardiff City.

Margetson opted to remain with Cardiff after receiving an improved two-year deal to keep him at Ninian Park.

Millwall are hoping to sign Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack, while Celtic keeper Danny Milosevic has also been on trial with the Londoners.

Kenny Jackett is ready to throw former Swansea City player Neil Sharp a Vetch Field lifeline. Centre-back Sharp is hunting for a club after leaving Conference outfit Woking back in April.

And Jackett is to give Sharp, released by Brian Flynn in the summer of 2003, the chance to re-ignite his career through a pre-season trial.

''Neil is desperate to get back into the Football League and he would love it to be at Swansea City,'' Jackett said.

''He has been recommended to me locally and I have spoken to Neil. We haven't arranged anything just yet - it's not easy because he's in Hemel Hempstead at the moment - but we are going to take him on trial.''

Sharp, 26, was brought to the Vetch from Merthyr by Colin Addison almost three years ago.

The 6ft 1in defender managed 32 appearances for the club, but was sent packing by Flynn after a season wrecked by a nasty ankle ligament injury.

He signed for full-time club Woking last summer, but departed in the spring after a contract disagreement with boss Glenn Cockerill.

The former Barry Town player spent some time with Yeovil at the back end of last season and turned out for the Glovers in a reserve game at the Vetch.

''He's got some offers from non-league clubs," added Jackett, ''but he is very keen to come down.

''He's very strong in the air and, while we already have a number of possibilities in his position, I could bring another central defender in if the circumstances are right.''

Former Queens Park Rangers player Dennis Oli, meanwhile, is expected to begin his Swansea trial this week.

The 6ft 2in striker, who Jackett worked with at Loftus Road last season, was due at the Vetch last Monday but did not arrive because of a family bereavement.

GARY MONK believes he can cope with anything Swansea boss Kenny Jackett throws at him - because he's already worked for the hardest taskmaster in the game.

Monk arrived at the Vetch last month as a free agent having been released by Barnsley. Before that the 6ft centre-half spent seven years at Premiership Southampton where he honed his skills under a succession of high profile managers from Dave Jones to former England boss Glenn Hoddle.

Monk made 11 top-flight appearances for the Saints in that time but ultimately failed to establish himself. But after experiencing the first week of the pre-season grind under strict disciplinarian Jackett, Monk admits he is impressed but certainly not scared of what lies ahead.

"No one looks forward to pre-season training and all the graft that goes with it but when you have played under Gordon Strachan you can pretty much cope with anything," said Monk.

"He was a fitness freak so I am used to having a manager who is keen on discipline and fitness. It's not a big worry for me having worked for Gordon.

"He was a brilliant manager, a real taskmaster but he did well because of it.

"He certainly doesn't beat around the bush.

"So Kenny holds no fears.

"But I'm delighted to be at a new club and see it very much as a fresh start for my career.

SWANSEA CITY boss Kenny Jackett's new get-tough regime is giving his players food for thought.

Jackett, determined to have his side fighting fit for the new season, has brought in Welsh rugby union dietician Dan Kings to help out.

He has been given carte blanche to dictate which food the players should eat to stay in trim - even down to examining the players' shopping bills!

Critics were keen to put the knife (and fork) into some of the Swansea players last season when their promotion hopes faltered, lack of fitness all too often an issue discussed when things didn't go according to Brian Flynn's plans.

Now Jackett is hammering out a Vetch Field message: Shape up or ship out!

Swansea's very own fit club is spearheaded by physio Richie Evans, who is eager that the players shake off their summer excesses ahead of the big August 7 kick-off. Also on board as part of Kenny Jackett's new regime is RAF drill instructor Craig Gill.

Gill got his hands on returning Swans players, like goal-scoring ace Lee Trundle, the minute they returned to training last week, putting them through their paces with some military marching at St Athans.

And if that wasn't tough enough, expert nutritionist Kings is about to get his teeth stuck into the Swansea squad ahead of their League Two opener against Northampton in August.

"Yes, I might do a bit of shopping with the players who see me on a one-to-one basis," admitted Kings, who first got involved with the Swans at the tail-end of last season. "People think of dietician and automatically think weight loss but that's not always the case.

"What I try to do is get the players away from the peaks and troughs you often find in sports players. When people don't train during the summer months they tend to put on a few pounds.

"We want to eradicate that and educate them to have good effective training methods all year round.

"Shopping habits are important, and if I don't actually go with the players, I often ask for receipts to see what they've been buying!"

KENNY JACKETT has revealed his Swansea City rebuilding programme is virtually complete.

Jackett is still searching for a goalkeeper after Bluebirds Nob decided to accept Cardiff's revised contract offer rather than a move to the Vetch.

But the Swans boss said that once he has recruited a new keeper he will have virtually exhausted his player budget.

"There isn't much more money left in the pot," said Jackett, who has added five new faces to his Vetch Field squad this summer.

"The other thing is clubs in Division Three, or League Two as it's now known, are operating under a salary cap (no more than 60 per cent of a club's turnover can be spent on players' wages), so we're not in a position where we can keep on signing people.

"We'll still be able to bring in people on loan during the course of the season should we need to because of injuries and suspensions.

"But, aside from another goalkeeper, I don't think we can afford to bring in anyone else before the start of the season."

So far this summer Jackett has signed defenders Garry Monk, Kevin Austin and Sam Ricketts and midfielders Adrian Forbes and Gary Fisken.

And with Kris O'Leary, Stuart Jones and Antonio Corbisiero having signed contract extensions, Jackett's squad now numbers 21 as the pre-season campaign approaches.

"I'm pleased with the balance I've got," he said. "I feel that we've got a good mix of young and senior players.

"People shouldn't underestimate the importance of the youngsters. If we can keep bringing them through, their progress will really help the club."

Jackett has stated he would be happy to go into the new campaign with only one senior goalkeeper - 21-year-old Irishman Brian Murphy - and it seems neither is he in any rush to appoint an assistant manager.

"If the right person comes along, then fine, we'd go for them, but at present I'm happy with the coaching team I have round me," he said.

"We've got Kevin Nugent looking after the reserve team and Richard Evans is more than just a physio. Both these lads will be working very closely with the players next season."

MARTYN MARGETSON last night insisted he was not a mercenary after securing a two-year contract at Cardiff City.

The goalkeeper, who was close to joining Swansea City earlier this week, remains a Bluebird after agreeing to a new deal that will keep him at Ninian Park until 2006 and now seems ready to contest the No 1 jersey with new signing Tony Warner.

City initially offered the out-of-contract Margetson a one-year deal which the 32-year-old turned down.

And with their No 1 shot-stopper on the verge of joining the Swans, who had offered him the security of a three-year deal, City owner Sam Hammam was left with no choice but to bow to Margetson's wishes.

But the former Manchester City and Huddersfield player stressed his row with the Bluebirds had nothing to do with money.

"I've got the two years that I wanted but I've actually taken a reduction in pay," Neath-born Margetson said yesterday.

"I don't mind taking a pay cut. All I wanted from Cardiff was two years.

"It's a difficult time when your contract comes to an end. I haven't really been able to relax this summer.

"I wasn't prepared to put my family through all this again next year."

Added Margetson, "I've had talks with the club and not once did I speak about money. It was all about the length of contract. Money was never an issue.

"If I was greedy, I would have demanded the same money that I was on last season, or more.

"And I wouldn't have been prepared to join Swansea where I would have been paid a third of what I'm on at Cardiff."

Margetson, who lives with wife Victoria and sons Matthew, six, and three-year-old Ben, said, "I wanted security for me and my family.

"I've been moving about for the last 16 years. I'm at home now in South Wales and I don't want to uproot my family again. That's why I wanted a longer contract."

Margetson ousted Neil Alexander as City's No 1 last term, starting the last 23 league games of last season.

His impressive form saw him win a call-up into the Wales squad and he won his first senior cap in May against Canada.

He did not know the details of City's initial one-year offer until Monday evening - more than seven weeks after the end of the 2003-04 season.

Margetson was far from impressed with the package and turned it down.

Hammam and Bluebirds' chief Lennie Lawrence summoned the goalkeeper to Ninian Park on Thursday for emergency talks, but again Margetson rejected the one-year terms.

With the player about to call the Swans, Hammam buckled and offered him the two years the goalkeeper wanted.

"I feel that I've earned a two-year contract because of the commitment I've shown at Cardiff," he said.

"For a year and a half I wasn't playing in the first team. I could have banged the manager's door down every week and moaned about it, but I didn't.

"I just got my head down and got on with it."

Margetson, who turns 33 in September, will now start pre-season training on Monday.

"I didn't feel a one-year contract was enough of a commitment. That's the way I feel," he continued.

"I never thought Cardiff would offer me one year. I've never signed a one-year contract in my career and I wasn't going to start now.

"But I'm glad the whole thing is over because it was dragging on."

Margetson has got the two-year deal he wanted to stay with Cardiff Wales goalkeeper Martyn Margetson will remain at Cardiff City after the club lengthened its contract offer.
The 32-year-old stopper was prepared to quit Ninian Park if the initial offer of a year deal was not improved.

Former Liverpool and Millwall keeper Tony Warner is joining Cardiff on Friday subject to a medical, so there is a battle for the goalkeeping spot.

With the presence of youngster Aaron Lee Barrett, it puts the future of former No 1 Neil Alexander in doubt.

However, the former Scotland squad keeper still has time left on his existing contract.

Cardiff's decision to give Margetson the contract security he craved is a blow to Swansea City, who had tabled a three-year deal for the player.

Margetson established himself as the number one at Nininan Park last season and also won his first cap for Wales.

Cardiff are also completing the signing of Wales defender Robert Page on Friday on a busy day of transfer action.

Kenny Jackett today urged Martyn Margetson to switch to Swansea City as the tussle for his signature continues. The Welsh international goalkeeper has been offered fresh terms by current club Cardiff City, but Jackett hopes the promise of a three-year contract and regular first-team football will lure Margetson down the M4.

''Martyn is a keeper in his prime,'' said Jackett, ''and I think the next couple of seasons could be the best of his career.

''I believe he has been offered a new deal at Cardiff, but there are suggestions that he's not pleased with what's on the table.

''It's not just about money and length of contract, I also think a lot will depend where he is in the pecking order at Cardiff.

''He got into the first team last year and did very well, but from what I can gather it is not clear at this stage whether he will still be a first-teamer next season.

''I think he is a very good keeper and, on top of that, he is settled in South Wales. The main thing is his ability, which would make him a great catch for us.''

Margetson, 32, won his first Welsh cap back in May after taking over as Cardiff's No. 1 last Christmas and impressing in 23 starts.

But he is understood to be unhappy with the fact that it has taken

until the week before pre-season for Ninian Park boss Lennie Lawrence to table a new deal - believed to be only one year long.

Cardiff want to keep Margetson, but with Scottish stopper Neil Alexander under contract for another two years and the club being strongly linked with Millwall's Tony Warner, competition for a start will be intense.

''Martyn wants some direction and some clarity from Cardiff and hopefully that will come in the next few days,'' added Jackett.

''Up until recently he had not even been made an offer and I think it's only been our enquiry which has set the ball in motion at their end.''

Jackett insisted he had not yet discussed terms with Margetson, but said: ''I have been speaking to his agent, Dave Chapman, and am waiting to hear back from him.

''If things don't get sorted with Cardiff, I would definitely invite him across to meet with us.''

Some Swansea players will be at the club shop tomorrow between 10am and noon to help out on the final day of cut-priced season-ticket sales. Significant reductions are available for all sections of Vetch Field.

nMansfield boss Keith Curle has taken two players on trial at Field Mill. Polish-born Kristian Prymula, a 22-year-old attacking midfielder, has jetted in from German outfit Chemnitzer and 21-year-old Win-Loang Willemin, a 21-year-old right-back who has featured for French side Metz, has also joined on trial.

Wycombe goalkeeper Steve Williams has penned a fresh one-year deal after emerging as first choice last term, and is joined by two new arrivals.

Experienced defender Gus Uhlenbeek has joined from Chesterfield, and Joe Burnell from Bristol City.

Swansea City are set to discover this weekend whether they have snatched Welsh international goalkeeper Martyn Margetson away from Cardiff City. The Vetch Field club's chances of landing Margetson look to have improved after the out-of-contract 32-year-old held talks with Ninian Park boss Lennie Lawrence.

The Evening Post understands Cardiff have only offered Margetson, their first-choice stopper at the end of last season, a one-year deal to stay at Ninian Park, while Swansea manager Kenny Jackett is ready with a three-year contract.

Margetson, who was born in Neath and lives in the area, must now choose whether the long-term security on offer at Swansea is a greater pull than the chance to play Championship football.

Dropping down two tiers of the new Coca-Cola League could affect his international opportunities - he won his first cap against Canada in May - but he would almost certainly be guaranteed first-team football at the Vetch.

Ninian Park rival Neil Alexander still has two years left on his current deal, while the Cardiff have also been linked with Millwall keeper Tony Warner this summer.

''There are a couple of balls up in the air that I'm looking at,'' Margetson said today, ''and I need to sit down with my family over the weekend to decide what I'm going to do.''

The 6ft keeper spent eight years largely as an understudy at Manchester City before joining Southend in 1998.

He switched to Huddersfield 12 months later, where he played more than 50 times, and joined Cardiff two years ago.

''Martyn is a player we are interested in,'' said Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins.

''He is out of contract at Cardiff as of today and we will now have to wait and see what develops at their end.''

Margetson was told he would be offered fresh terms at Cardiff at the end of last season but did not know of the details until this week.

Lawrence's squad reported back for pre-season training today, but Margetson is not required until next Monday because of his international exploits during the summer break.

Swansea's search for a long-term replacement for Roger Freestone has already seen them miss out on Stoke's Neil Cutler and Simon Brown of Colchester.

Rushden & Diamonds No. 1 Billy Turley and free agent Gavin Ward, formerly of Coventry, have also been mentioned as possible targets.


Welsh international midfielder John Oster has signed a new two-year contract at Sunderland.

CARDIFF City goalkeeper Martyn Margetson could leave for Swansea City within days after being offered just a ONE-YEAR contract to stay at Ninian Park.

The 32-year-old Welsh international is understood to be fuming at the terms put on the table by the Bluebirds after an outstanding run of form last season and the patience he showed as an understudy to Neil Alexander.

Now with Swansea dangling a three-year deal under his nose, Margetson, speaking for the first time about his situation today, admitted he may be on his way out at City.

And if he is allowed to switch to the Vetch Field there is likely to be uproar among large sections of the City faithful.

"I need to sit down after all this with my family over the weekend and discuss what's best for us," said a stunned Margetson.

"I love playing for Cardiff City and waited patiently for my chance while Neil was ahead of me. But my family has always come first and there is no change in that.

"All I can say is that I thought I had a good season for Cardiff which ended with me playing for my country, of which I'm very proud.

"But now I need time to weigh up a few things and take stock."

It seems Margetson could be the victim of a complex goalkeeping riddle at City.

Millwall's 'keeper Tony Warner is high on Lennie Lawrence's wish list and if he can tempt his target to Ninian Park, Margetson would probably find himself second choice again.

MARTYN Margetson has been in football long enough to know what a ruthless business it is, but yesterday he was given a painful reminder.

He will not join his City teammates for the first day back pre-season training today - the club have given him a few day's grace because of his international commitments this summer.

But if Bluebirds fans are expecting the whole business of a move to Swansea City to blow over, then they are being overly optimistic.

No question, Margetson may yet decide to stay.

But be in no doubt, he is shocked by City's unwillingness to reward him with anything more than a one-year deal.

"I really enjoy playing for Cardiff and the lads are a great a bunch," says Margetson.

"The supporters have been first class, but like everything, after this I have to talk things through with the wife and family."

Football is full of players with inflated egos who have an unrealistic sense of their own worth.

But Margetson is emphatically not one of them.

If anyone deserved the unequivocal backing of his club, it is this 32-year-old.

Which is why a one-year deal is quite simply derisory for a player who too often for comfort was man of the match last season.

City fans may care to think back to how many times manager Lennie Lawrence singled out his last line of defence for glowing praise last term.

The mauling of Upton Park last February when West Ham ran his side ragged is one example. City were annihilated, but the score was 1-0 and the reason was Margetson.

Even Wales manager Mark Hughes took notice, including the former Manchester City man in his Wales squad for the matches against Norway and Canada in May, with Margetson earning a first cap against the latter. But it seems the good times could be coming to an end for him - at least with City.

Swansea City are desperate to get him on board and have backed their interest up by producing a three-year contract.

As of today he's a free agent and while a move to the Vetch Field is inevitably a drop in standard, something every footballer avoids for as long as possible, the Neath-born star has already talked about putting his family first.

The real pity is that whichever way Margetson turns it seems his chances of adding to his international experiences are diminishing.

He would be the undisputed number one at Swansea, but there are not to many keepers from the basement division wearing their country's colours these days.

That said, if Millwall man Tony Warner arrives, Margetson will find himself back at square one, as second choice and more than likely a key figure in the club's FAW Premier Cup campaign.

The irony of all this is that given his exploits last season and his subsequent Wales call-up, he should rightfully have expected to walk back into Ninian Park next week in a position of power as the undisputed number one.

The ball is now in Margetson's court. He will balance the future goalkeeping riddles at City with the considerable drop in standard that a move West will entail.

He may or may not remain a Bluebird - but his family will come first.

Lee Trundle is planning for life as a Swansea City player next season after holding clear-the-air talks with boss Kenny Jackett. Last term's top scorer has got Jackett's side of the story after Northampton manager Colin Calderwood claimed Swansea had been trying to offload Trundle earlier this month.

Now the Scouse frontman is targeting an improvement on the 21 strikes he managed in what was a stunning debut campaign at Vetch Field.

He said: ''I asked to see the gaffer because of all the stories going round.

''He told me he didn't want to lose one of his goalscorers and that it was actually Northampton who had contacted him about me, not the other way around.

''He also said he wasn't going to look to sell anybody to his rivals and Northampton are a side you would expect to be competing with us near the top of the table next season.

''I don't know whether it was all just paper talk or things were blown out of all proportion, but no-one from any other club contacted me or my agent over the summer.

''I am a Swansea player and nothing else has happened to make me think otherwise, so I'm just going to forget all about this now.''

Trundle was dropped for the first time in his Swansea career in the final game of last season, prompting suggestions that one of Brian Flynn's henchmen would not fit into Jackett's plans.

But with 12 months to run on his Vetch contract, Trundle is focusing on helping the new manager's remoulded squad get out of the old Division Three.

''It's going to be a big year for the club,'' added the 27-year-old, who reported for pre-season training around half a stone lighter then when he finished the last campaign.

''We need to be getting to the play-offs at the very least and, with the new signings the gaffer has made, hopefully we'll be able to do that.

''Personally I will be hoping to better what I did last season because I think you've always got to try to move on.

''I missed three and a half months of last season with injuries, so to get 21 goals was a pretty good return. Hopefully, this year, I'll stay injury free and I'll be able to better my tally again.''

Jackett has four other strikers at his disposal following the close-season capture of Luton's Adrian Forbes.

But he said: ''I'm looking to build a squad here and I'm looking to add rather than get rid of players.

''You can never have too many goalscorers.

''There's always talk about good players and I don't think an interview goes by without a question about Lee Trundle.

''Speculation comes with good players, and that's all this is. Now I've talked things through with Lee I think he's quite happy.''

Swansea target Iwan Roberts will be unveiled by Championship side Gillingham tomorrow.

The veteran striker, who Jackett identified as a possible player-coach, has taken a similar role with the Gills on a two-year deal.

Meanwhile, Swansea have confirmed that they are interested in signing Cardiff City goalkeeper Martyn Margetson.

The 32-year-old from Port Talbot, who won his first Wales cap against Canada last month, will be a free agent from tomorrow.

SWANSEA CITY have made an audacious bid to snatch Wales goalkeeper Martyn Margetson from local rivals Cardiff, The Western Mail can reveal.

It is understood the Swans would be prepared to offer Bluebirds No 1 Margetson a contract of up to three years to persuade him to move to the Vetch.

The 32-year-old keeper, who picked up his first Wales cap in the 1-0 win against Canada last month, is technically a free agent from July 1 as he is yet to be offered a new contract at Ninian Park.

Cardiff told Margetson at the end of last season he would be presented with a fresh deal, but, if that fails to materialise, Swansea are ready to step in and offer him an attractive package that would keep him in his native South Wales.

"We've looked at a number of keepers who are out of contract this summer and Martyn is one of them," said Swans chairman Huw Jenkins.

"There has been some communication between us and Martyn, but at the moment we don't know what Cardiff are up to.

"There's obviously something wrong because he became Cardiff's first-choice goalkeeper last season and you would've thought they'd have signed him on straight away.

"Kenny (Jackett, Swans boss) has made it clear he'd be happy to go into the new season without signing a new keeper, but we'd be delighted if someone of Martyn's calibre was to fall into our laps.

"It would be a reflection of how the club is moving on."

Swansea are still looking for a replacement for Roger Freestone, who left the Vetch at the end of last season following more than 13 years' service.

Signing Margetson, pictured, would be a major coup considering the Neath-born shot-stopper was one of Cardiff's best Division One performers last term after ousting Neil Alexander between the posts over the Christmas period.

Having been called into the Wales squad for the preceding friendlies against Hungary and Norway, Margetson's long wait for a first senior cap finally ended at Wrexham on May 30.

"Another good thing about Martyn from our point of view is that he's from the area," said Jenkins. "He's a free agent, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens with Cardiff."

Swansea City's players were due for one-to-one meetings with the club's new dietician today as Kenny Jackett primes his squad for a promotion push. Roberto Martinez and Co yesterday kicked off pre-season training with a couple of hours' hard running.

And next on the agenda in Jackett's fitness masterplan is a meeting with Welsh Rugby Union dietary expert Dan Kings as the build-up to the new League Two campaign gathers momentum.

''We're not talking about no burgers and all salads,'' said Jackett.

''There's a time and a place for a burger and a beer and you can't live through a whole football season without your vice, whatever it may be.

''I'm not expecting them to live like monks, but all the players have to recognise that a good diet needs to be followed 85 per cent of the time if it is to have the desired effect.

''Quite often ignorance can be a problem and this is all about educating people that their bodies earn them a living.

''There are players at this club with ability, but they need to be aware that they are only as good as how they look after themselves. ''Quality can only shine if the base of fitness is there.''

With new boys Garry Monk, Adrian Forbes, Kevin Austin, Sam Ricketts and Gary Fisken among them for the first time, Swansea's squad looked in decent condition as they reported back following the summer break.

Jackett has set out a six-week training programme he feels will prepare his team perfectly for the season curtain-raiser against Northampton on August 7.

''I wouldn't say I'll be thrashing them in training, just that I'm going to be thorough in terms of fitness,'' he added.

''The game is more professional than it ever has been now, and looking after yourself and knowing what your body can and cannot take is a big part of being successful.

''The majority of our players are very young men who need to be shown the right way to live their lives.

''You build good fitness over months rather than weeks, but it's good to have the players back now so we can start building towards Northampton.

''The onset of a new season brings fresh opportunity and fresh optimism. Everyone at Swansea has certainly got that.''

Released Queens Park Rangers striker Dennis Oli did not arrive for a two-week trial as planned yesterday following a family bereavement.

He will join Jackett's squad at a later date.

SWANSEA CITY goalkeeper Brian Murphy has told boss Kenny Jackett, "I can be your No 1 for the whole season."

Jackett is still searching for an experienced shot-stopper to fill the void created by the departure last month of long-serving keeper Roger Freestone.

But Murphy, who reported back for pre-season training yesterday along with the rest of the Swans squad, aims to persuade Jackett he should be the man to start the new campaign between the first-team posts - and stay there for the duration.

"I know the manager's looking to bring in another goalkeeper and it's important that he does so because you need that element of competition," said the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international.

"But it doesn't bother me who the manager brings in. Regardless of who he signs, my aim will remain the same - to play every league match next season.

"I want to use the pre-season to persuade the manager to pick me for the first game of the season against Northampton and then I'd try and hold onto my place.

"I feel I'm good enough to do that. Yes, the gaffer has said he's looking for an experienced 'keeper, but it comes down to ability and I believe I'm a good goalkeeper."

Murphy, 21, experienced mixed fortunes in his first season at the Vetch after joining from Manchester City last summer.

He started the 2003-04 campaign ahead of Freestone, but blotted his copybook with a couple of errors in a 3-0 defeat at Oxford and was subsequently dropped.

Murphy began to impress when he was reinstated towards the end of the season, though there was another occasion to forget when he was red carded at Southend for handling outside his area.

But the Irishman - who picked up his first Under-21 caps last month against Scotland and Poland - has promised Swans fans the mishaps of last season have toughened him up.

"I don't want to keep making excuses for the things that went wrong last year, but I didn't realise just how tough Division Three was," he admits.

"At Manchester City I was in a deep comfort zone. Playing in the reserves, there was no real pressure. Nothing really mattered that much.

"I've had to grow up fast at Swansea. I've matured quickly and, with a full pre-season under my belt, I think I'll be much more in shape than I was 12 months ago, when I joined quite late."

Jackett's five summer signings were introduced to their new teammates yesterday as the Swans players began preparing for a season in which big things will be expected of them.

"The gaffer held a team meeting and said to us the Swans have had a season where they just about survived, a season in which they've finished 10th and now there's got to be an improvement," said Murphy.

"That means the aim is to get into the play-offs at least. Ideally, though, we want to finish in the top three."

Wales midfielder Paul Trollope, 32, has agreed a two-year deal with League Two club Bristol Rovers after parting company with Northampton Town.

Swansea City expect record season ticket sales after extending the deadline for discounted prices until next Saturday. The club have already taken more money ahead of their final season at Vetch Field than they did throughout the last campaign.

And Swansea are predicting they will soon pass the record total of 2,800 sold last year.

"There were fans queuing outside the club shop on Saturday, so we have decided to extend the deadline to take in one more weekend," said Vetch director David Morgan.

"Well over 2,000 tickets have gone already, so we're confident the record will go."

Swansea City boss Kenny Jackett has gone back to old club Queens Park Rangers for striker Dennis Oli. The 6ft 2in 20-year-old is yet to register a goal in senior football, but Jackett believes he could be a hit in Coca-Cola League Two next season.

Oli is due at the Vetch to kick-off a fortnight-long trial next week, while Jackett is also planning to take a look at young Birmingham City right-back Duane Courtney.

"Dennis has a lot of pace and power," said the former QPR No. 2, "and I think his athleticism could be useful for us next season.

"He's a smashing lad who is looking for a fresh start having been released by QPR, where he suffered because we signed some more experienced players.

"He forced his way into the first team on a few occasions over the last couple of years.

"But he was pushed down the pecking order when we signed the likes of Tony Thorpe and Jamie Cureton."

Oli, primarily a forward but capable of playing on the right flank, started 11 games and made 19 substitute appearances for Rangers after signing professional forms in 2001. He had loan spells at Farnborough and Gravesend last term with the likes of Thorpe, Cureton, Kevin Gallen and Paul Furlong ahead of him at Loftus Road.

The promising frontrunner was viewed as unfortunate by some QPR fans to be released following promotion from the old Second Division in May.

Added Jackett: "We'll see how things go before deciding whether to offer Dennis a contract.

"Duane Courtney is a player I've seen on my travels and he's available on a free transfer, so we're probably going to take a look at him."

Jackett, meanwhile, has welcomed the news that Northampton Town, the bookies' favourites to win League Two next term, will visit the Vetch on the opening day of the new campaign.

"That will be a very good test for us and so will the two tough away games (Rochdale and Macclesfield) we've got in the first week," he said.

"Northampton are certainly one of the stronger sides in the division, one of about a dozen I would say who have some parity and will go into the season looking for promotion.

"There are the sides like Northampton who were beaten in the play-offs last season, then those who just missed out like Yeovil Town.

"Clubs like Notts County who have come down will be looking to stamp their authority on the division, and you can't rule out the teams who have come up from the Conference.

"It's going to be quite an open division, and I would certainly consider ourselves as one of those who will be competing for promotion."

Swansea have sold over 2,000 season tickets ahead of Wednesday's deadline for reduced prices.

The club shop will be open for further sales between 10am and 2pm tomorrow.

SWANSEA CITY chairman Huw Jenkins has promised manager Kenny Jackett that he will be given time to turn the club's fortunes around.

Jenkins poured cold water on suggestions that the Swans boss is under pressure to deliver straight away next season.

Jackett and his Swans discovered yesterday that they will kick off the forthcoming campaign with a home match. However, their opponents will be Northampton - beaten play-off semi-finalists last season and the 11-2 favourites to win the Coca-Cola League Two in 2004-05.

"It's a reasonably hard first match for us," said Jenkins. "Northampton did the opposite to us last season. They started badly and finished well, whereas we started well and finished badly. This match should give us an idea of how we're going to start the new season, but one game won't dictate how the rest of the season will go."

The Cobblers inflicted a 2-0 defeat on the Swans the last time they visited the Vetch on April 24.

That match was perhaps best remembered for Northampton boss Colin Calderwood scuffling with a steward after being banished from the dugout for remonstrating with the fourth official.

The next encounter has been given some added spice thanks to comments made by Calderwood last week.

The former Scotland defender said Jackett called him to see if he would be interested in buying striker and Vetch favourite Lee Trundle. This claim is denied by Jackett.

Calderwood, incidentally, admitted his side could not have had a much tougher introduction to 2004-05 than a trip to Swansea.

"There aren't many harder places to go than the Vetch Field," the Scot said yesterday. "And I can guarantee that Swansea will be a much improved side under Kenny Jackett and they will be a tough nut to crack."

Jackett, who took over as Swans boss in April following Brian Flynn's surprise sacking, lost four and drew one of his first six games in charge.

With his eye on a promotion push, the former Queens Park Rangers No 2 has drafted in five new players since the season ended - defenders Sam Ricketts and Kevin Austin, utility man Garry Monk, midfielder Gary Fisken and striker Adrian Forbes.

"I believe we are heading in the right direction. We have made changes and brought new players in," insisted Jenkins.

"We've made certain decisions and we hope those decisions make us more successful than we were last year.

"We finished 10th last season so, if we finish higher than that next year, then that will have been an improvement.

"Yes, we will be disappointed if we don't make the play-offs, but we also know that you can't achieve success in five minutes.

"The manager will be given time. We are trying to build something here. We will not be issuing him any sort of ultimatum."

Jenkins knows the Swans have gone through 12 managers in the last 10 years and he wants the chop-and-change days to end at the Vetch.

"If you look at the club's history over the last 10 years enough has gone wrong here," he explained.

"We need stability. We're getting that behind the scenes. The club is now working on a sound financial base. We need to get stability as far as our management team is concerned."

Jack Brown odds: To win division: 20-1; to win promotion: 4-1; to reach play-offs 5-2; to be relegated: 12-1.

Following last year's financial woes Swansea could be set to face their toughest season yet when they return following the summer break.

They do at least have the luxury of beginning with a home match against Northampton on August 7th. The Swans will no doubt be hoping that coach Mark Kearney's team are still reeling from losing in the playoffs.

Old rivals Bristol Rovers provide the closest thing to a local derby when they visit The Vetch on November 6,with Swansea crossing the Severn for the rematch on - worryingly - St George's Day (April 23)

Kenny Jackett's men will no doubt be out for revenge when they play both Bury at home on November 27 and Southend away on October 16. Swansea proved they were more than a match for the Shakers at home last September only to lose 2-0 at the Gigg Lane in January, but were defeated twice at home by Steve Tilson's team and could only manage a 1-1 draw on their visit to Roots Hall.

Meanwhile the Swans matches against Mansfield Town (at home on October 9 and away on January 8) could be subject for cautious optimism. The Stags may have made it to the play offs but a quick glance at last season's results show that Jackett's boys landed a 4-1 victory against them at home and managed to hold them to a 1-1 draw when they travelled to Field Mill.




August 2004
August 7 Northampton (home)
August 10 Rochdale (away)
August 14 Macclesfield (away
August 21 Cheltenham (home)
August 28 Cambridge United (away)
August 30 Lincoln City (home)

NEW Swansea City recruit Kevin Austin claims Kenny Jackett wanted to sign him more than Ian Atkins wanted to keep him.

The 31-year-old defender completed his switch from Bristol Rovers after passing a medical at the weekend.

Pirates chief Atkins said he wanted Austin - out of contract with the Bristol club - to stay at the Memorial Stadium but never offered him a new deal.

"Bristol Rovers said they wanted to keep me but they didn't actually put anything to me," he said. "Then I got a call from Kenny Jackett. He sold the club to me over the phone.

"The way he put things to me about where the club was going and so on made me decide to come. It seemed that Swansea wanted me more than they did and it was Kenny Jackett's plans for the future which persuaded me to come.

"If I can help in any way to get the club out of the Third Division then I will do my best to do it."

Austin, who can play at left-back or in central defence, has signed a one-year deal and is Jackett's fifth summer signing.

SWANSEA CITY boss Kenny Jackett is signing a player who faces rape charges, a court has been told.

QPR defender Terrell Forbes, who is one of Jackett's summer targets, is due to face trial in November charged with the rape of a 15-year-old, an Old Bailey judge ruled yesterday. The court was told Forbes would be moving from QPR to the Swans on June 26.

His conditional bail was varied so he would then report to a Swansea police station on weekdays.

THE Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins says Sam Hammam would be disrespecting Welsh football if his Bluebirds team withdraw from the FAW Premier Cup next season.

Hammam, who has dubbed the competition "Minnie Mouse", has said his club will not take part next term because it is not worth risking injuries to his players for what was on offer.

But Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins insisted that Wales' big three Football League clubs should treat the competition with more respect for the good of Welsh football.

"It's about putting something back into Welsh football rather than taking it away and I wonder if what we're looking at here is about individual gain rather than the collective benefit for all the clubs in the Premier Cup," he said.

"Integrating all the clubs at different levels of Welsh football in the competition was a massive step forward for everybody.

"All clubs in Wales should be contributing for the benefit of Welsh football as a whole - why any club should think they are above that is beyond me."

It is believed that when BBC Wales originally floated the idea of the competition, it was based on the understanding that all three Football League clubs would participate.

Now, with a dark cloud hanging over the event, Jenkins reckons the rest will have to play on with or without Lennie Lawrence's team.

And he also dismissed Hammam's gripe that it does not carry the carrot of European competition.

"I would be very surprised and disappointed if the BBC pulled out," added Jenkins.

"It's up to Cardiff if they want to drop out, but why should one club hold the rest to ransom?

"European involvement for the winners would be a bonus, but we've known all along that it wouldn't be on the table and Swansea City are more than happy to play in the Premier Cup for the rewards already on offer.

"If Cardiff pull out, then it will be easier for us to win it."

Hammam has long been searching for a route into Europe, but has seen his pleas go unanswered because Cardiff, Wrexham and Swansea play in the Football League.

CARDIFF City today came under a stinging attack from bitter rivals Swansea City as the storm surrounding the FAW Premier Cup threatened to erupt into a Welsh football civil war.

Vetch Field chiefs are fuming about Sam Hammam's intention to snub the competition from next season.

It means its whole future is now in jeopardy with backers BBC Wales reeling at the prospect of losing one of its prized assets.

Swans chairman Huw Jenkins has fired a withering blast at the Bluebirds, accusing them of "holding the rest to ransom".

And the broadside is likely to strike a raw nerve with Hammam, who has so often put himself up as a champion of not just Cardiff City but Welsh football as a whole.

"I wonder if what we're looking at here is about individual gain rather than the collective benefit of all clubs in the Premier Cup," rapped Jenkins.

"It's up to Cardiff if they want to drop out, but why should one club hold the rest to ransom?

"It's about putting something back into Welsh football."

Hammam's controversial plans to turn his back on the "Minnie Mouse Cup" have also jolted Wrexham.

"We would be extremely disappointed in Cardiff City don't participate.

"This is a Welsh competition and it should include all Welsh teams."

Football Association of Wales chiefs are on red alert over the situation and are understood to be ready to pull the plug on negotiations to base a new £1.5m national training facility at City's new stadium should Hammam carry out his threat.