HOW Swansea City boss Kenny Jackett must appreciate the timing.

Striding out on the training pitch today is the one man capable of removing dropped club captain Roberto Martinez from the headlines - Lee Trundle.

Swansea's own galactico will play a part on the practice ground today and in a reserve game on Wednesday as the natural-born showman plots his way back from injury.

And, on the evidence of the first week of the season, Trundle's return is right on cue for goal-shy Swansea. Two goals from three matches is not the stuff of promotion dreams, no matter how much Jackett accentuates the positive.

"It was quite a dominant performance away from home to get nothing," bemoaned Jackett after a second defeat in three games.

"We had a lot of pressure in the second half and got the ball into wide areas. But you need to score in those spells of total dominance.

"Trundle is our top scorer and we will feel that if we get the ball in the box with that regularity then he will score."

With Izzy Iriekpen also ready to resume training, Jackett will have virtually a full squad to choose from, although Martinez must clearly be patient for his return despite displaying the diplomatic skills of a United Nations ambassador.

Determined not to rock the Vetch boat, Martinez has vowed to stay and fight for his place. But it was still a sobering sight to see the polished Spanish midfielder banished to the stand while the club's coach driver, no less, joined Jackett and the Swansea substitutes in the visitors' dug-out.

At least, though, he might have recognised the cul-de-sacs Swansea mostly charged up as they sought to cancel out Jon Parkin's 18th-minute goal.

There was no shortage of endeavour from Jackett's men, particularly in the second period, but Macclesfield goalkeeper Alan Fettis was untroubled from close range until Kris O'Leary forced him into a fine save at his near post with six minutes remaining.

"I'm frustrated at not scoring a goal," said Jackett. "But I still feel there's a lot there and there's goals in the side. We've got a number of players who can score goals, definitely."

Three wins, six goals and nine points have put Macclesfield top of the embryonic League Two. But, in truth, these Silkmen are not as smooth as they appear on the surface, and it would be a surprise if they last the long promotion course.

And, despite their unconvincing start, Jackett insists Swansea will be a better bet for success in the long term than Macclesfield.

"It's difficult to say whether they will be a force in the division because I'm only concerned with Swansea City," he said.

"But I think we will be a force. We've still got some way to go but I can see that I've not got a bad team."

Maybe. But there are still plenty of issues to resolve. Like how to get the best out of widemen Andy Robinson, who drifted in and out of the action at Moss Rose, and the much-vaunted Adrian Forbes, who barely got a kick before replaced after an hour by Brad Maylett.

The substitute did his cause no harm with an energetic cameo, but strikers Paul Connor and Kevin Nugent are too similar and it is difficult to see how such a partnership can flourish without pace and trickery.

Connor had a couple of glimpses at goal - Jackett admitting that he would study the video if he was incorrectly flagged for offside before tapping home - but it was mostly huff and a lot of puff for a Swansea side hot on possession but cold in the art of finishing.

O'Leary impressed for the third time in a week in his new central midfield role, providing more food for thought for the watching Martinez, as Macclesfield were content to drop deep and protect their lead.

It had been given to them by the muscular Parkin, whose size suggests he would be better suited to an Olympic throwing event rather than plying his trade in lower league football.

Overlapping wing-back Mark Bailey slipped Robinson on the right and his cross evaded a throng of bodies before Parkin steadied himself and then shot past a helpless Willie Gueret for his fourth goal of the season.

"He had two touches in our box and that was something which I picked up on at half-time," said Jackett.

"Parkin played a major role, particularly in the first half, but it was all Swansea after that."

But Swansea, again guilty of playing from back-to-front too much and neglecting the passing skills of Leon Britton, could not find an equaliser and frustration mounted in tandem with the list of yellow cards.

Five Swansea players were booked, three of them - Alan Tate, Connor and O'Leary - for dissent as they failed to heed the obvious, namely that referee Darren Drysdale took a dim view of back chat and kicking the ball away.

"I've told my players that disappoints me," added Jackett. "As much as we can talk about the referee's performance - and a lot of my players were frustrated by him - there's no place for dissent."

No place, too, for Martinez, but at least Trundle and silver linings are coming into view.

THE row over Swans' skipper Roberto Martinez's continued exclusion escalated as Kenny Jackett's men crashed to a second defeat inside the first seven days of a new campaign.

Bustling Jon Parkin blasted his fourth of the season on 17 minutes and it was enough to sink Swansea at a stadium that proved the graveyard for Brian Flynn last March.

The little Welshman became the 13th Vetch manager to depart in 15 years two days after the 2-1 setback.

Yet the travelling 400 Swans fans would have been travelling back down the M6 in buoyant mood on this occasion - if their team had turned pressure into goals after the break.

Andy Robinson, old warhorse Kevin Nugent and the excellent Kris O'Leary were all thwarted by the Silkmen's 33-year-old Northern Ireland international keeper Alan Fettis.

Swans' second-half show was much improved over their low-key route-one style before the break - a period that screamed out for the experience of Spaniard Martinez.

The former Walsall schemer had travelled to Cheshire with the Swans squad, but didn't even make the bench as Jackett selected O' Leary and Leon Britton ahead of him in central midfield.

Crestfallen Martinez was last night vowing to fight on for a first-team spot insisting: "It would be easy for me to walk away from Swansea, but I won't do that because I love the club too much.

"Only a coward would go. It wouldn't be the right time to talk about my personal heartbreak now - I'll leave that until the end of the season because I don't want to upset the squad.

"I'll keep my head down. My next target is training on Monday and a reserve match next week.

If whispers are to believed, the ex-Watford right back Jackett is seeking to sweep out Flynn's dynasty - and Martinez is thought to be on around £2,500 per week.

Jackett said the game itself was a frustrating one.

"We dominated the play after half-time but we couldn't get the goal we always promised," he said.

"I feel my team have so much more to give - we are capable of scoring goals from a variety of positions."

Jackett sent out a Swansea side unaltered from Tuesday's game, to face a Macclesfield side who had got their League campaign off to a flyer. The Silkmen again relied on Parkin and Matt Tipton to do the damage up front.

Town had blasted five strikes in their first two clashes and they were threatening in a swash-buckling beginning. Tipton's pace took him past Kris O'Leary but his drive cannoned to safety off Alan Tate.

A flurry of set-pieces and corners had the Swans' defensive quartet at full stretch and keeper Willy Gueret twice climbed high to clutch Paul Harsley's deliveries over a forest of heads.

Ex-Millwall stopper Gueret, one of five fresh faces in the Swansea line up, then snatched Parkin's rocket header inches underneath his crossbar on 16 minutes.

Just 60 seconds later the player was making full amends as he crashed home his fourth goal in three games. Mark Bailey easily skinned Andy Robinson down the right and Parkin thundered into the net from 12 yards.

Swansea's reply was almost instant, however. The Silkmen's Northern Irish cap Alan Fettis twisted to divert Robinson's dipping free kick. And the stopper did even better to fingertip Nugent's shot around an upright.

Nugent followed teammates Adrian Forbes and Sam Ricketts into the referee's book when he pole-axed Tony Barras with a bone-shuddering tackle only seconds into the restart.

But Swansea were starting to show their bite to a greater degree. O'Leary saw a long-range shot taken by Fettis at his near post and the ex-Blackburn man was grateful to Michael Welch as a couple of Robinson corners sparked trouble.

With Town linkman Harsley's incessant probing, the visitors always appeared vulnerable to the counter-punch. Potter galloped free on the left, and Gueret had to advance as Parkin approached.

Parkin then waltzed around Ricketts, but his angled left-foot effort whistled over the bar.

The Swans, increasingly desperate to find that elusive leveller, were playing their first card on the hour as ex-Burnley winger Brad Maylett replaced the disappointing Forbes. And Jackett's men should have equalised on 64 minutes. Sam Ricketts fed guilefully in from the left. Paul Connor slipped Michael Briscoe, but then speared his drive across a gaping net. The Silkmen were rocking as the clock ticked down and Horton's high-flyers needed an excellent stop from the agile Fettis to thwart Kris O'Leary.

TO SAY Kris O'Leary is the great survivor at Swansea City tells only half the story.

It was certainly a surprise to many that Swans boss Kenny Jackett decided to extend O'Leary's long Vetch Field service by another 12 months when he renewed his contract this summer.

But the upturn in fortunes of the defender-cum-midfielder has gone beyond simply remaining a part of the club he first joined as a 17-year-old way back in August 1995.

Viewed as a squad player little more than four months ago, the 26-year-old O'Leary is now one of the first names Jackett puts on his team-sheet.

Having been successfully moved from central defence to central midfield, he even kept club captain Roberto Martinez out of the team this week - a scenario few would have envisaged before the season got under way.

Not that O'Leary, who should hold onto his starting place from the opening two matches of the 2004-05 campaign when Swansea travel to Macclesfield today, is getting carried away.

Having played for no less than 12 different managers throughout a chequered Vetch Field career, O'Leary knows better than to get too comfortable with things.

"Obviously I was delighted to start the first two matches - I really enjoyed the win at Rochdale on Tuesday - but I'm not getting carried away because it's still very early in the season," said O'Leary, lauded by Jackett as the best player on the pitch at Spotland.

But, though he was a surprise inclusion on Jackett's retained list at the end of last season, O'Leary feels he deserves the renaissance he is currently enjoying.

"It was a big relief to be offered a new contract because, like everyone else, I've got a family and a mortgage to take care of," he said.

"But if you ask me whether I'm surprised to be in the first team then the answer's no, not really, because everyone came back in the summer with a clean slate.

"I reported for pre-season training at the end of June intending to win a place in the team and play as many games as I could.

"You'll have to ask other people whether they thought I'd just be a squad player this year, but, it in my mind, I had the same chance of getting in the side as everyone else.

"The strange thing coming back in the summer was thinking I was the longest-serving player at the club.

"A lot of friends of mine left at the end of last season, but the new lads who've come in have settled in well.

"We've got a good squad and we're all working hard to be in the first XI."

O'Leary is perhaps the player to have benefited most from Jackett's arrival.

The Port Talbot product was in and out of the Swans' defence during Brian Flynn's time in charge, but Jackett perceived O'Leary in a different role.

Being seen as the man to provide the physical presence Swansea were lacking in midfield is what has given O'Leary his new lease of life.

A little ironic, considering it is not a position he is entirely comfortable with. "I don't mind it at the moment," he admits, however.

"I'm at the club, I'm enjoying myself and I'll just keep on going game by game.

"Hopefully, I'll learn a bit more as each game passes and pick up more experience in the position."

It is fair to say O'Leary has his critics in the Vetch stands. But then he has never been one to get ruffled by people's opinions of him.

"I don't let anything get to me," he said. "If the fans like me, they like me, and if they don't, they don't.

"I just concentrate on playing football for Swansea. You can't worry about anything else."

By far the biggest talking point this week has been Martinez's future at the club being thrown into doubt after he was axed from the squad that recorded that 2-0 win at Rochdale.

"It was surprising to see Roberto left out because he's a good player," admitted O'Leary.

"But I don't think you could say I've taken his place in the team because there are four of us in midfield. It's not me who's keeping him out."

Martinez has travelled to Cheshire as part of an 18-man squad on duty for the encounter with a Macclesfield team who won their first two games of the season.

But, in terms of the 16 who will be involved at Moss Rose, the Spanish midfielder is expected to remain out in the cold as Jackett sticks with the squad that won in midweek.

The Swans boss is expecting a tricky - and, he stressed, physical - encounter against Brian Horton's team.

He said, "I know Brian well - he used to kick me a few times during the Watford-Luton derbies!

"He did a good job at Port Vale and has done well since taking over at Macclesfield.

"Our scouts have said they looked strong in their first two matches (against Leyton Orient and Shrewsbury) and deserved to win them.

"They have a number of good players - people like Matthew Tipton, Jon Parkin and Tommy Widdrington I know well - and it'll be another tough physical challenge.

"But we're looking forward to it after our performance at Rochdale. There, we looked dangerous on the break and resilient in defence when we needed to be.

"More of the same will do very nicely."

Macclesfield's Tommy Widdrington (ankle) is a concern with Michael Carr, Neil Morgan and Joey Jones vying to replace him in the centre of midfield. Matt Carragher remains sidelined by shin trouble and Steve Payne (knee) continues his lengthy recovery.

Swansea boss Kenny Jackett has a slight doubt over Garry Monk who is struggling with a groin injury.

Meanwhile, Lee Trundle (knee) and Izzy Iriekpen (ankle) are both expected to start training again next week.

Kristian O'Leary believes club skipper Roberto Martinez can bounce back from losing his place in Swansea City's first team having been through the experience himself. O'Leary, who Nick Cusack made Swansea captain, was left out in favour of Dave Theobald by Brian Flynn in November 2002.

Within weeks the Port Talbot product was stripped of the armband on a permanent basis - Flynn handed it to Jason Smith - but it was not long before he was back in the first-team fold.

And so impressive was his form at the end of that season that he was preferred, ironically, to Smith when Swansea's Football League status went on the line against Hull.

''What's happened to Roberto happened to me and it's not nice,'' O'Leary said.

''When you are club captain people tend to think you are automatically going to be in the side but obviously that's not the case.

''When it comes, though, it's not a good feeling.

''All you can do is knuckle down and hope you'll get your place back and I'm sure that's what Roberto will do.

''As the manager has said, he is a great professional and I expect he will just get on with things.

''It was strange the other night not to have Roberto out on the pitch, but everyone knows what he's about.

''He is a good, good player and I don't think it will be long before he is back in the side.''

One of the reasons for Martinez's quandary is, of course, O'Leary.

Having spent most of his senior career as a central defender, Swansea's longest serving player is now back in the midfield role he performed as a teenager.

O'Leary and Martinez are probably not in direct competition for a place - they started together against Northampton - but the fact that Kenny Jackett will not go into a game without a powerhouse in the centre of the pitch has reduced the number of places on offer to more creative players like Martinez and Leon Britton.

Rarely one to grumble and always fully committed, O'Leary has revelled in his new, more influential role.

''I'm not sure which position I prefer to play, but right now I'd probably say midfield because things are going quite well,'' he added.

''Apart from a couple of games last season I haven't really played there since I first signed for Swansea so I'm just trying to settle in at the moment.

''But I'm getting used to it again and I'm enjoying it.

''There's more to do in midfield - you're up and down the pitch, you get the chance to make a few more tackles and you are generally involved in the game a lot more.

''I think I'm probably the most defence-minded of all the midfield players in the squad and that can benefit me.

''I've got to get up and down, win my tackles and pick up second balls - that's the way the manager wants to play and I thought against Rochdale we looked a pretty strong unit.''

O'Leary, who was handed a new one-year contract by Jackett over the summer, suddenly appears one of the key performers in the new manager's system in a role he could hardly have expected to play.

The 26-year-old, who is now working for his 13th Swansea boss since joining the club a decade ago, went on: ''Every manager who's been here has had a different way of playing and it's all about getting the players to play that particular way.

''After winning at Rochdale, we'll go to Macclesfield tomorrow to battle hard again and do our best to get the points.''

Roberto Martinez's Swansea City future was shrouded in doubt today as boss Kenny Jackett lined up crunch talks with the Vetch Field club captain. Martinez was expected on the team bus this morning as Swansea headed north for tomorrow's League Two clash with Macclesfield.

But speculation is growing that the popular Spaniard, who Jackett axed from his 16 at Rochdale in midweek, may have played his last game for the club.

When asked what the future holds for Martinez following his Spotland snub, Jackett made little attempt to reassure the 31-year-old that he still has a role to play at the Vetch.

"With Roberto not being in the team, we will have to see whether he has the option of battling back or whether it's a situation where he goes onto pastures new," said the Swansea manager.

"I will be speaking with him in the next day or so to see what his feelings are regarding his future, but right now it's difficult to say what that future will be.

"In an ideal world I would want him to fight for his future here, but the next stage in the process is for me to sit down with him and discuss things."

It appears Martinez, the man widely credited with steering Swansea to Football League survival after signing for Brian Flynn in January 2003, may not figure in the new regime's plans.

The former Real Zaragoza player is a huge fans' favourite, but Jackett could be ready to take the bold step of showing him the door having bombed him out of his squad on Tuesday.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that Roberto wouldn't fit in with my style of play," he added.

"I think you need a fair degree of power and pace in a team, which we lacked last year, and you need some guile as well.

"It's about finding a balance - all 11 players don't have to be the same - and I'm working towards that.

"Andy Robinson and Leon Britton are both small in stature, but both are very good players who played at Rochdale when I felt we looked quite a well-balanced team.

"The most important thing is that I want to produce a winning team. That's my job and that's what I'm judged on."

Though he was expected to travel, Martinez does not appear likely to be required at Moss Rose this weekend with Jackett set to keep faith with the same side which saw off Rochdale.

Garry Monk (calf) missed training yesterday but is likely to be fit, otherwise Stuart Jones will step in.

Macclesfield, with six points from two Coca-Cola matches, will also be unchanged if skipper Tommy Widdrington comes through a fitness test.

"I was pleased with our performance at Rochdale and I'll be looking for more of the same tomorrow,'' said Jackett.

"Macclesfield look a strong side and we will need to be resilient first and play football second."

KENNY JACKETT has hinted Roberto Martinez's Swansea City career could be over.

The Swans boss revealed he would hold showdown talks with his out-of-favour club captain within the next few days to determine whether the midfielder stays or goes.

Jackett faced a fresh barrage of questions about Martinez's future yesterday in the wake of his shock decision to axe the Spaniard from his squad for Tuesday's clash at Rochdale.

And, rather than using it as an opportunity to stress Martinez remained a key part of his plans, Jackett suggested the player's 18-month Vetch Field career could be nearing its end.

"It's difficult to say what Roberto's future at the club will be," said Jackett, who will include Martinez in the travelling party for tomorrow's trip to Macclesfield but is more than likely leave him out of the match-day 16.

"With him not being in the team, we'll have to see whether he has the option of battling back or whether it's a situation where he goes to pastures new.

"I'll be having discussions with him about that over the next couple of days.

"In an ideal world I'd want him to fight for his future. But we'll have to see what his feelings are on his future.

"I understand people might expect me to give certain reassurances regarding his position, but I need to sit down and speak to him.

"I'm not necessarily saying I would consider letting him go. What I am saying is I will speak to Roberto first.

"I would think that he'd be a player who would want to fight for his place and come back strong, but, without speaking to him, it's difficult to assess.

"Roberto is still club captain. I won't change that."

On the face of it, Martinez, who joined Swansea from Walsall in February 2003, appears to be a victim of Jackett's determination to balance up the flair in the Swans side with a more physical dimension.

But Jackett denied Martinez did not suit the new structure. "I wouldn't necessarily say Roberto doesn't fit in with the style of play I'm looking for," he said.

"All I think is you need a fair degree of pace and power in your team - as well as guile - and those are areas in which we've been lacking.

"I'm not saying all 11 players have to be the same. Andy Robinson and Leon Britton, for example, are quite diminutive in stature, but they're both very good players.

"What you need is the right balance and if it tips too far one way or the other, you end up losing the winning equation.

"Against Rochdale the other night we did look a well-balanced side. We had flair, but we also had pace and power."

Opinion is certain to be divided among Swans fans over whether Jackett should have dropped Martinez - a much-liked figure at the Vetch for the role he played in helping the club avoid relegation from the Football League two seasons ago.

But, whether they prove popular or not, Jackett is prepared to go on making tough decisions in order to find a formula that puts Swansea in the frame for promotion this season.

"What I want to do is produce a winning team," he said. "I want to win games - that's my job and it's what I get judged on. And I need to do that as much as possible."

After the confidence-lifting 2-0 victory at Rochdale, Jackett's side now face a Macclesfield team who share the League Two leadership after winning their opening two matches of the season.

"The people who watched those games for me say Macclesfield deserved to win them both so it's going to be a tough one for us," Jackett said.

"But, after the performance and the result we had at Rochdale, it's one we're very much looking forward to."

Roberto Martinez is still Swansea captain, despite being left out of the squad for the 2-0 win at Rochdale.

"I explained to Roberto that I am delighted with his attitude," Swansea manager Kenny Jackett told BBC Sport.

"The intention in leaving him out was not to send a message but to look at a different equation in midfield.

"I felt that was needed after Saturday's loss to Northampton, especially in an away tie, but Roberto is still the club captain."

Martinez was captain at the Vetch when Jackett took over as manager last April.


I wanted to look at Kristian O'Leary and Leon Britton as a combination
Kenny Jackett
Since then, the new boss has firmly imprinted his stamp on the club, removing memories of previous manager Brian Flynn's regime.

Jackett chose Garry Monk as team captain for the Rochdale game, and was pleased with the efforts of his re-jigged central midfield.

"I wanted to look at Kristian O'Leary and Leon Britton as a combination," explained Jackett.

"One's a big strong lad and a keen competitor, the other's quick, very skilful and a good footballer.

"Andy Robinson on the left-hand side of midfield also showed a lot of all-round ability and scored a great goal."

The manager was pleased that his other surprise selection, choosing reserve team manager and part-time striker Kevin Nugent up front, also paid off.

"I'd seen enough of Kevin last year to keep him on the playing staff, and my judgement has been justified," said Jackett.

"He played well and scored a very good goal."

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has defended manager Kenny Jackett's right to drop club captain Roberto Martinez. Martinez was axed from a first-team squad for the first time in his Swansea career before the 2-0 win at Rochdale on Tuesday night.

Eyebrows were raised at the Spaniard's omission from the game, but Jenkins says Jackett was well within his rights to leave Martinez on the sidelines.

''Kenny is entitled to pick any player he wants to,'' he said.

''While I appreciate that some people may get attached to certain players, no-one has a divine right to play for the club.

''There is only one thing that matters at this club and that is making sure we win football matches.

''Kenny Jackett is paid to get results and he picks the side as he sees fit.

''He has got a squad of players and I am sure at times during the season he will juggle the squad around again.

''I would expect all players contracted to this club to respond in the right manner when that happens.

''As we said before the season started, our aim is to get stronger.

''That could mean bringing in other players and they will be as good as if not better than the ones we have here already - so it could mean more changes.''

Martinez, who was staying tight-lipped about Jackett's decision, was brought to Swansea by former management duo Brian Flynn and Kevin Reeves in January 2003.

He was the catalyst for the club's dramatic push for survival before carrying on his good form into last season as Swansea kicked off the campaign in style.

Martinez failed to recapture his best form as Swansea struggled later in the season after picking up a serious knee injury.

Reeves sympathised with Jackett having to make the decision to leave the Spanish midfielder out of his squad.

''It would be unfair of me to criticise Kenny because we have all been at a club when tough decisions have had to be made.

''Kenny is in charge now and I have been away from Swansea for three or four months now.

''It's not right for me to say anything about what happened the other night because I haven't seen the team play and we have all been in that position where we have to make decisions like this one.

''I can only speak about when Roberto was playing for us and he was an outstanding player.''

Spokesman for the Swansea City official travel club, Ugo Vallario, who was one of the 250-plus fans at Rochdale, said he was surprised that Martinez was left out of the match-day squad but did not find it strange he was not in the starting XI.

''I think it was a case of horses for courses for Kenny Jackett and perhaps he did not think Martinez was the right man for the job against Rochdale,'' he said.

''I don't think it was any reflection on the way he played against Northampton.

''There must have been a reason for him being left out. Maybe it is the squad system Jackett is now employing, I don't know.

''I do think Martinez will work his way back into contention.''

Phil Sumbler, meanwhile, who runs the Swansea fans' website www.jackarmy.net, said supporters had not seen the best from their skipper in recent months, mainly due to the injury.

''As far as I am concerned we have not seen the same sort of form from Roberto as we did around 18 months ago,'' he said.

''But when he is at the top of his game then he should always be in the team because he is the best midfielder we have got.

''I can't say I am not surprised this has happened.

''It proves to me one thing, that Kenny Jackett is not worried about making tough decisions and that has to be applauded.''

ROBERTO MARTINEZ is set to fight for his Swansea City future in the wake of boss Kenny Jackett's shock decision to axe the club captain from his matchday squad.

Jackett provided the biggest surprise of his Vetch Field reign on Tuesday when he dropped the popular Spanish midfielder ahead of Swansea's 2-0 win at Rochdale.

Despite starting the Swans' League Two opener at home to Northampton three days earlier, and declaring himself fully fit for the trip to Spotland, there was not even a place on the subs' bench for the former Real Zaragoza star.

It was the clearest indication yet that Jackett is prepared to make bold - and, for some people, unpopular - decisions in order to produce a formula he believes will bring Swansea success this season.

But it leaves a big question mark over the Vetch Field future of a player widely credited with being the key factor in the club's successful fight to avoid relegation from the Football League two seasons ago.

Martinez, signed by former Swans boss Brian Flynn from Walsall in February 2003, was keeping his own counsel last night amid doubts over whether he will be involved in Saturday's trip to Macclesfield.

But sources close to Martinez have revealed he is prepared to knuckle down and fight to get back into Jackett's team within the next couple of weeks. Undoubtedly, though, he will have been contemplating what the future holds for him in the long term after his Rochdale omission.

Jackett's comments on the subject will do little to reassure the 31-year-old that he still has a big role to play under the new regime.

Asked what the future now held for Martinez, Jackett replied, "It's too early to say. I realise that previously Roberto has been in the side week-in, week-out, but I have to be open-minded."

Jackett stressed, however, that Martinez was still club captain.

Kenny Jackett admits he does not know what the future holds for Roberto Martinez after axing Swansea City's skipper from his squad at Rochdale last night. Fans' favourite Martinez was in the stands at Spotland to see Kevin Nugent and Andy Robinson strike either side of half-time to hand Swansea their first points of the new Coca-Cola League Two campaign.

Jackett (pictured), who gave Garry Monk the armband, confirmed later that the Spanish midfielder would remain Swansea's club captain but hinted that he may have to accept a peripheral role this season.

''I explained to Roberto that I wanted to try to change things,'' the Swansea manager said. ''He is a good professional but I wanted to try a different equation in midfield, a winning equation.

''I understand that leaving out your club captain might send out a message, but I felt we needed something different in midfield.

''He accepted what I said and encouraged the rest of the players before the game; that's what you expect from a pro like Roberto.

''At the moment, though, it's too early to say what the future holds for him. I've been impressed by the way he has conducted himself but as far as the future goes, it's difficult to say anything and it's probably too soon.''

Martinez, who was substituted during the opening-day defeat by Northampton, did not even make the bench last night, with Gary Fisken acting as back-up to Leon Britton and Kris O'Leary.

''I wanted to have a look at Leon and Kris with Gary to come on in central midfield and I was pleased with what they gave me,'' Jackett added.

''Leon is a nimble, talented footballer who also makes his tackles, while Kris is a big, strong lad and a good competitor. I thought Kris was superb from start to finish last night. He had an excellent game.

''People might be surprised Roberto wasn't even on the bench but it was purely for football reasons. I picked a very attack-minded bench and I'm very aware that this is a pace and power division. I need that to be around as much as possible.

''It's too early for me to say whether Roberto is going to have to get used to not being a regular anymore. Right now I'm focusing on the 16 lads who were involved and got us a result against Rochdale.''

The 2-0 win was only Jackett's second success in nine attempts since he succeeded Brian Flynn in April.

He added: ''I wouldn't describe it as relief since we're only two games into the new season. All I'd say is that I'm pleased with the result and the performance because we've got to dig in away from home this season.''

Rarely have Swansea City had much to cheer in the absence of Roberto Martinez since the Spanish midfielder arrived in South Wales 20 months ago. Last night, when the 31-year-old playmaker was dropped for the first time as a Swansea player, was one of those unusual occasions.

Martinez, signed by Brian Flynn as the Conference beckoned in January 2003, was the catalyst for the club's dramatic push for survival that spring.

His efforts then will be long remembered by Swansea's fans.

The Vetch Field club captain's outstanding contributions continued in the early stages of last season before a serious knee injury cut him down until New Year 2004.

Martinez failed to recapture his best form as Swansea struggled in the second half of the campaign, but the former Real Zaragoza player was never a doubtful starter, even when Flynn made way for Kenny Jackett.

Until yesterday, that is, when a stunned Martinez cut a lonely figure in Spotland's main stand having been told he was no longer part of Swansea's first-choice team.

So spectacular was his fall from grace that the previously fundamental figure, the man whose injury plagued Flynn for month after month in the last campaign, could not even find a place among Jackett's five-strong list of substitutes.

Yes, at this time of year when most players are fit and available, the axing of Martinez could be viewed simply as a sign of the healthy competition for places within Jackett's squad.

But his omission last night told a bigger story than that, as had Lee Trundle's substitute's role in the final game of last season.

Jackett's teams will de different from Flynn's, for the new man at the helm places a greater emphasis on pace and power than guile.

Suddenly Martinez, having spent his entire career playing at a higher level, cannot get a game in League Two.

''It was a bit strange not having Roberto out there with us,'' said midfield colleague Andy Robinson.

''He is the club captain and you expect to him play. He is a good player, but I suppose it shows that he has got to earn his place like everyone else.

''The lads who were out there instead performed and got the result, so the manager will probably feel he made a good decision.''

With a first victory of the new Coca-Cola campaign achieved, Jackett was entitled to feel vindicated.

Martinez watched on as Swansea enjoyed themselves against a Rochdale team who appeared rather less likely to be a force in the division than Northampton, the side who ruined the opening day for Jackett's men.

The visitors were given time to play and they took advantage, scoring either side of half-time to secure a deserved win.

Adrian Forbes was a menace on the right flank having been switched back to midfield in place of Martinez, while Robinson revelled in the space he found down the left.

Kristian O'Leary, in central midfield, and player-assistant boss Kevin Nugent, alongside Paul Connor in attack, were willing workers as Swansea conjured the sort of team effort Jackett adores.

''It's always important to get the first three points of the season and it's massive for us after the Northampton defeat,'' Robinson added.

''All the lads were disappointed not to deliver in front of a big crowd at home and we're delighted to have made up for that by winning at a tough place like Rochdale.

''On Saturday we gave away a couple of sloppy goals but here we were more disciplined and defended well.

''At the same time we often looked like we were going to score so there was a big difference. I felt we were always in control of the game, which we couldn't have said at the weekend.''

Swansea were in charge from the 22nd minute in Lancashire after Forbes found time near the touchline to centre for Nugent to send a trademark bullet header past Dale keeper Neil Edwards.

There were opportunities at the other end - Willy Gueret showed why Jackett has made him Roger Freestone's successor with a string of stops to deny Grant Holt and the lively Patrick McCourt.

But by the time Swansea's new French goalkeeper had strayed outside his box with ball in hand for the second time in successive matches to hand the opposition a dangerous free-kick, the contest was all but over.

Robinson, last season's player of the year, made sure of that with a spectacular 25-yard strike which swerved one way then another, bamboozling Edwards and finding its way into the net via glove and post.

''I hit it well and it was great to see it go in even though the keeper got a hand to it,'' grinned Robinson.

''The second goal probably killed the game off and that's big for us because we wanted to start the season in style but failed to do so.

''I think the new lads have shown here that they have got a bit about them and I feel we have a good squad now which can achieve something this season.

''We have got another tough game at Macclesfield to come next but we'll go there in good heart knowing we need to push on from here.''

So to Moss Rose on Saturday, scene of one of Martinez's finest Swansea moments.

This time, though, he seems unlikely to be required by the manager, and as long as his team keep winning, Jackett will feel his shock team selection is just right.

BEFORE the start of this League Two clash last night most Swansea City fans would have thought it a crazy decision for boss Kenny Jackett to drop club captain Roberto Martinez.

But by the end of the contest Jackett was entitled to see it as more of a masterstroke after finding a formula that produced Swansea's first win of the season and only the second from his nine competitive games in charge.

The shock decision to omit Spanish midfielder Martinez from the 16 on duty at Spotland was vindicated as goals from No 2 Kevin Nugent and midfielder Andy Robinson produced this much-needed Swans victory.

Jackett will have also been relieved to see his new-look team keep a clean sheet after lamenting their defensive frailties in the disappointing opening day 2-0 defeat against Northampton.

But Swansea, who went ahead through Nugent's 22nd minute header that Robinson doubled with a terrific 61st-minute strike, also had new goalkeeper Willy Gueret to thank for making a number of crucial stops.

The victory will come as a huge relief to Jackett and his men ahead of another tough away trip to Macclesfield at the weekend.

Martinez's shock omission meant Adrian Forbes - another star performer last night - dropped back to the right side of midfield after occupying a striking position against Northampton and Nugent's somewhat surprising inclusion up front.

Leon Britton moved into his preferred central midfield spot while Kevin Austin, suspended for Saturday's curtain-raiser, was handed a Swans league debut that cost Stuart Jones his place in the back four.

One win from their last 11 competitive outings - against Darlington in the penultimate match of last term - was the depressing statistic confronting Swansea ahead of this trip to Lancashire.

With such high levels of expectancy circling the Vetch this season, Jackett's men went into their first 2004-05 away clash knowing three points were of the essence.

For the opening 30 minutes, Swansea, fetching in their new red and black away kit, dominated opponents widely seen as relegation fodder this season.

Despite enjoying the bulk of early possession that included some good probing from Andy Robinson and Forbes on either flank, genuine openings were scarce. But when the first clear-cut chance did arrive, the visitors made no mistake.

Alan Goodhall's botched clearance of a long ball forward allowed Forbes to seize possession deep inside the area and the former Luton winger's cross looped up perfectly for Nugent to power home his header.

The Swans might have put in another four minutes later when Forbes hooked Robinson's slightly over-hit cross back across goal.

On this occasion, though, there was no red shirt to capitalise at the far post and Rochdale cleared their lines.

The home side responded with decent efforts either side of the half-hour mark.

First midfielder Patrick McCourt flashed a 20-yard drive just over the crossbar and then Greg Heald headed narrowly wide from a Grant Holt cross delivered deep to the far post.

Leon Britton almost made it 2-0 four minutes before the break when Robinson's free-kick deflected to him on the edge of the zone and he struck a first-time volley that flew centimetres wide of the right-hand post.

Swansea had keeper Willy Gueret to thank on the stroke of half-time when he raced off his line to smother a Holt effort after the Dale striker had played a neat one-two with Kevin Townson.

The action swung back to the other end and Forbes, having a fine evening, was denied by the feet of home keeper Neil Edwards after latching on to Sam Ricketts' through-ball and cutting inside for a low left-foot shot.

It was Rochdale, desperate for a result of their own after an opening day defeat against Scunthorpe, who started the second half with a flourish, their former Sheffield Wednesday striker Grant Holt twice coming close from a header within eight minutes of the restart.

On 56 minutes McCourt forced another good save from Gueret with a fierce low drive from the edge of the area as Rochdale grew in confidence. But that confidence was dented when, against the run of second-half play, Swansea made it 2-0.

It came when Robinson turned marker Leo Bertos and produced a terrific 20-yard swerving effort that Dale's Aberdare-born keeper Neil Edwards could only turn onto the post, the ball rebounding into the back of the net.

Paul Connor, having a low-key return to the club he left to join Swansea in March, came close with an 18-yard header before Gueret was called upon again to make another fine save from McCourt.

But in the 79th minute Gueret, astonishingly for the second game running, conceded a free-kick right on the edge of the area for running out of his area with the ball in hand.

But Alan Tate was the man in the wall who came to Gueret's rescue, blocking Jamie Clarke's venomous low strike.

Rochdale: Edwards, Evans, Goodhall, Brisco, Warner (Clarke, 12,) Burgess (Griffiths, 7), Bertos, Heald, Holt, Townson (McGivern, 74), McCourt Subs (not used): Gilks, Probets

Swansea City: Gueret, Ricketts, Tate, Monk, Austin, Forbes, Britton, O'Leary, Robinson (Fisken, 86), Connor (Thomas, 76), Nugent Subs (not used): Murphy, Maylett, Oli

Goal: Nugent (22), Robinson (61)

Attendance: 2,514

Rochdale boss Steve Parkin will not be paying special attention to Paul Connor on his return to Spotland tonight. The Swansea striker will line-up against his former club for the first time since his £35,000 move to Vetch Field in March.

But despite being a big Connor fan - he took him to Rochdale originally and tried to keep him there - Parkin insists his focus will be firmly on his own players.

''There's no doubt Paul Connor will be looking to do well coming back to his old club,'' said the former Barnsley boss.

''Even though Lee Trundle is out, Connor and Adrian Forbes will be a handful up front.

''But I am not going to worry about that too much.

''I need to concentrate on getting my players back on their feet tonight after Saturday's result.

''If things are not right by 5pm next Saturday, then I'll have to look to change it.''

Parkin is expecting a difficult encounter and has picked out Roberto Martinez and Leon Britton as danger men.

''Swansea will be tough. They've got some good players and because they pay good wages can attract them,'' he said.

''I'm sure Kenny Jackett will be as disappointed as I am not to get something from the first game of the season, so they'll be desperate to pick something up at Spotland.

''Martinez is a decent player and Britton always looks lively.

''Whover we're playing - whether it's Real Madrid or Swansea - we'll certainly have to play better than we did in the second half on Saturday.''

Parkin may make one change in tonight's starting line-up with Irish youngster Patrick McCourt set to get the chance to shine.

The Northern Ireland international midfielder is set to take the wide role filled by Ashley Probets against Scunthorpe on Saturday after replacing the former Arsenal winger at Glanford Park in the second half of the 3-1 defeat.

McCourt, alongside 21-year-old Kevin Townson, was thought of as the bright young thing at Spotland.

But they have made stuttering progress and manager Parkin feels it's time for them to take the next step.

Swansea City striker Paul Connor returns to Rochdale tonight believing the bookies are wrong to write off his old club. After losing at home to the title favourites on Saturday, Kenny Jackett's men head north to take on a Dale side tipped to join Rushden & Diamonds in the bottom two next May.

The Lancashire club's first-team squad contains just 18 players and, after last season's brush with the Conference trapdoor, they are just 7-2 to slide out of the Football League this term.

But Connor, who left Spotland for Vetch Field in a £35,000 deal in March, reckons Dale manager Steve Parkin is well capable of preserving the club's League Two status - and testing Swansea's credentials tonight.

''He was the manager who took me to Rochdale in the first place and he knows exactly what's needed in this division,'' the 6ft 2in frontman said.

''He came back to the club for a second spell last season and kept them up and I think he'll have no problems doing the same this time round.

''I know the style of play he likes, I know he's a good manager and I know he's brought in some good players. All that will mean Rochdale will have enough to stay up - and enough to give us a tough game tonight.''

Connor, Dale's record £150,000 signing, scored 32 goals for the club after joining from Stoke in 2001.

''It's going to be strange going back there because I've still got a lot of friends in the side who I've kept in touch with,'' he added.

''I'm not sure what sort of reception I'll get from the fans. I went back to Stoke in the cup last year and they were great towards me, so I'm hoping for something similar tonight.

''Rochdale are a hard-working side who'll make life difficult for us but, hopefully, we've got enough quality in our squad to get a result.''

Swansea are keen to record a third straight success at Spotland.

Marc Richards gave them a crucial win in the 2003 relegation fight and Mark Wilson got the only goal last season - having slipped up at home on the opening day of the new Coca-Cola campaign.

In what could be Kenny Jackett's only change, Kevin Austin will make his debut on the left side of defence at the expense of Stuart Jones.

''The Northampton result was disappointing, but we've been through the video together and the game wasn't as bad as 2-0 suggests,'' Connor said.

''There were two good teams out there on Saturday and we haven't lost any of our belief or our confidence.''

Rochdale, beaten 3-1 at Scunthorpe on Saturday, have failed in a bid to sign former Burnley midfielder Paul Weller in time for tonight's game.

Alan Tate has delivered a damning verdict on Swansea City's opening-day defeat by Northampton Town ahead of tonight's trip to Rochdale. ''If we're being honest, you'd have to say we ran out of ideas and simply weren't good enough,'' the former Manchester United youngster said.

''Yes Northampton are a decent side who are probably going to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season, but I wouldn't say they were good.

''They just tried to pass the ball more than we did and did it better than us.

''Yes we made a few chances, the keeper made a couple of saves and we should have had a penalty, but they are just excuses.

''It's no good blaming the referee for the defeat, we have to look at ourselves and accept that we weren't good enough.

''We were looking for Paul Connor to win us flick-ons and once that didn't work we looked as though we were fresh out of ideas.''

No attempt by the player schooled at Old Trafford to gloss over the truth, then.

Tate has never been one to beat around the bush, so it must be good news that he believes there is better to come from Kenny Jackett's remoulded squad.

''We didn't show it against Northampton, but I do feel we are a decent footballing team and that the play-offs at the very least should be our aim this season.

''The talent is there and, once we start playing as we can, no-one should be accepting anything less than the top seven.

''People shouldn't start writing us off just because we've lost one game.

''Everyone knows about the start this club made last year and how it tailed off, and there's no reason why we can't do the opposite this season and pick up after one disappointing result.''

The new-look defence Jackett fielded on Saturday will change again this evening as Kevin Austin, a summer signing from Bristol Rovers, makes his debut after sitting out Northampton's visit through suspension.

With Sam Ricketts to return to right-back and Garry Monk and Willy Gueret again included, Tate becomes the only member of Swansea's rearguard who was at the club last season.

Jackett will hope his first-choice backline can eradicate the lax errors which allowed Northampton to coast home over the weekend.

On paper, Rochdale should provide less of a test than the Cobblers - Swansea have won on their last two visits to Spotland and this year the hosts are among the favourites to go down.

Another defeat tonight and the pre-season optimism bubble which shrank over the weekend will be close to bursting.

''It would have been nice to get something out of Northampton given that we've now got two away games,'' added Tate.

''You always want to win at home, and since we haven't done that we need to try to get points tonight and again against Macclesfield on Saturday.

''The bad form we produced at the back end of last season is forgotten now, that's not going to affect us, and we must keep our heads up and get on with things even though we've started with a disappointment.

''And it's about time we started getting a few results for our supporters. They have been superb for us ever since I came to the club and we have to make them proud of what we're doing.''

TWELVE months ago not many people outside a small corner of Liverpool would have known who Andy Robinson was.

His career then restricted to brief trial spells at Tranmere and Wrexham as well as the Merseyside non-league circuit, Robinson was something of an unknown quantity at Football League level.

Not any more. An astounding first season as a professional at Swansea City ensured the Liverpudlian went into the new season as one of the most recognisable midfielders in the newly-named League Two division.

But, as he bids to recover from the misery of the opening day defeat against Northampton when Kenny Jackett's side travel to Rochdale tonight, the popular Scouser is taking nothing for granted.

"Because I've seen the other side of football, I think I'm more likely to avoid becoming complacent," said 24-year-old Robinson, whose pro career finally took off last term after being released by Everton as a youngster.

"The fact I'm a professional footballer has sunk in a bit now but, no, I won't take anything for granted. I want to keep pushing on and giving 110 per cent.

"You can't take anything for granted in football because things change all the time.

"A year ago Brian Flynn (former Swans boss) showed tremendous faith in me by giving me a professional contract.

"But when he left and the new manager came in it was a case of starting from scratch. I had to prove myself all over again.

"As for the opposition, hopefully they won't know me too well, but if they do I know that my own ability will get me through this season."

Despite the headline-hogging antics of his fellow Merseysider Lee Trundle, Robinson was the overwhelming choice for last year's player of the season award at the Vetch.

Robinson's industrious - and sometimes spectacular - Swansea performances captivated audiences from Carlisle to Southend.

And, having carried that form over into pre-season and then Saturday's first 2004-05 skirmish against the Cobblers, Robinson puts it all down to supreme self-confidence.

"At every level I've played at, I've always gone out onto the pitch believing I'm the best player on it," said Robinson.

"You've got to think like that. Having the attitude that I'm the best player is what drives me on and hopefully benefits the team too.

"Coming from a non-league background definitely makes you more determined.

"I've come with the attitude that I've got a point to prove - namely that I can play at this level.

"I did that last year - I think! - and I want to keep making progress.

"They say your second season (in professional football) is harder than the first and perhaps I've got a lot to live up to.

"But I think I can have another good season. The thing I've got now which I didn't have 12 months ago is experience of this division.

"That should count for quite a bit."

After all the pre-season optimism, it was no wonder Robinson and his colleagues trudged off the Vetch Field pitch on Saturday looking utterly deflated.

With everyone having waxed lyrical about Swansea's chances this season, promotion once again the word on the lips of home fans, a 2-0 defeat against the League Two favourites was a bitter pill to swallow.

But Robinson insists Jackett's remoulded Swans squad is strong enough to mount a successful challenge for a top-seven place.

"I do think we're stronger this year," he said. "I've been impressed with the new lads who've come in and, physically and mentally, we are all in excellent shape.

"We just need to make sure we get things right defensively and get that first win. Hopefully that will come at Rochdale."

Left-back Kevin Austin is poised to make his Swansea League debut after serving a one-match ban against Northampton.

That could see Sam Ricketts switch to right-back in place of Stuart Jones as the Swans face a Dale side beaten 3-1 at Scunthorpe in their opener.

SWANSEA CITY defender Alan Tate last night pleaded with fans not to lose faith as the club set out to erase the misery of their opening-day defeat.

Almost 10,000 Swans supporters left the Vetch Field feeling let down on Saturday after Kenny Jackett's new-look side slumped to a dispiriting 2-0 defeat at the hands of League Two favourites Northampton Town.

The poor start to the 2004/05 campaign was bitterly disappointing for Swans fans optimistic that the club's final season at the Vetch will result in promotion to the new League One.

Tate, part of a defence that came under fire from boss Jackett after leaking two soft goals against Colin Calderwood's side, admitted Swansea ran out of ideas during Saturday's match.

But, ahead of the Swans' first away clash of the new campaign at Spotland tonight, the former Manchester United defender has urged supporters not to panic.

"What I'd say to fans who left the Vetch feeling this isn't going to be our year is look at the start we made to last season," said Tate.

"We made a great start, winning something like seven of our first 10 games, but then it just died off.

"There's no reason why we can't have a disappointing first game and then pick things up.

"A start is not one game, it's the first 10. As the club found out last year, one game certainly doesn't make a season."

However, Tate admitted that Swansea, now with just one win from their last 10 League outings, did let the fans down against Northampton and will need to show significant improvement on that performance when they tangle with Rochdale.

"The fact there was such a big crowd at the Vetch on Saturday made it all the more disappointing that we couldn't get off to a bright start," said the 21-year-old.

"The fans are great at Swansea, they'll support you forever more, and it's about time we started getting results on the pitch to make them proud of what we do.

"Against Northampton we had a few chances - I had a header cleared off the line - and perhaps we should have had a penalty, but they are all just excuses.

"We just have to look at ourselves and accept it wasn't good enough. We are a decent footballing side but, for whatever reason, we just didn't pass it well.

"With the games against Rochdale and Macclesfield, we've got to make sure we start playing."

Tate, whose team-mate Paul Connor returns to Rochdale five months after leaving the north-west club to join Swansea, went on, "We'll have to try to pick something up from both of this week's matches.

"Our record at Rochdale over the past couple of years has been good - we won 1-0 there last season and the season before - and we have to hope that continues.

"As for the season as a whole, no-one needs to be reminded what a big year this is for the club.

"The target is top three or the play-offs at least. Nothing else will do. No-one will accept anything less than a place in the top seven."

But, with two new faces in the Swansea rearguard on Saturday, Sam Ricketts and Garry Monk, and another, Kevin Austin, set to join them tonight, Tate admits the defence might need a little time to gel.

"Whether it's new players coming in or people returning from injury, you always need time to knit together as a back four," he said.

"We didn't do ourselves any favours on Saturday - the first 10 minutes in particular was awful - but hopefully, as we get used to playing together, we'll get things right."

ON the face of it, former Swansea City striker Jamie Harris would seem to have little in common with Wales stars Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy.

But take a closer look and it becomes clear Harris is part of a very small group of Welsh footballers to have made respectable progress in the Champions League.

Swansea-born Harris - now a defender with Irish champions Shelbourne - might not have reached the latter stages of European football's top club competition a la Manchester United ace Giggs or Newcastle star Bellamy.

But progressing to the third qualifying round and a glamour tie against Spanish giants Deportivo La Coruna is still a dream scenario for a player released by former Swans boss John Hollins six years ago.

That's the challenge Harris faces at Lansdowne Road in Dublin tomorrow night after Shelbourne became the first Irish team to venture this far in Europe following qualifying round triumphs over KR Reykjavik and Hajduk Split.

"I am proud of the fact I'm one of only a few Welshmen to have made progress in the Champions League - how many players from Swansea can say they've done that?" says Harris.

"It's just a dream. I'm thinking about playing Deportivo La Coruna in a European match at Lansdowne Road and wondering whether it's really happening.

"Deportivo are one of the top club sides in Europe. When you watch them as part of the Champions League coverage on TV, you don't think that one day you might be playing them.

"On Wednesday night I'll be up against the Spain striker Diego Tristan and Walter Pandiani from Uruguay.

"They've also got Valeron and Mauro Silva who won the 1994 World Cup with Brazil. A pretty awesome line-up, so I'm not sure how much sleep I'll get the night before."

For some advice on what they can expect to encounter, Harris and co have turned to the Welshman who has managed two other giants of the Spanish game, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.

"John Toshack obviously knows a thing or two about Spanish football and he's been providing us with some useful information," said 25-year-old Harris. "Tosh reckons that, in terms of fitness, Deportivo are two or three weeks behind where they'd want to be.

"So that gives us a bit of hope. If - and it's a big if - we could cause an upset and get through to the group stages that would be amazing."

It would certainly be a far cry from his days at the Vetch, where he made only a handful of appearances when Jan Molby was at the helm.

"I signed for Jan after Alan Curtis spotted me playing for Mumbles Rangers," said Harris. "In two-and-a-half years there I had five different managers, but it didn't work out and John Hollins let me go.

"But at least I can say I played for my hometown club and, who knows, maybe there will be the chance to go back there in the future."

After spells with Irish Premier League rivals Bohemians and St Patrick's, though, Harris is having too good a time at Shelbourne to consider moving on.

"The chance to play Champions League football was the reason I joined Shelbourne," said Harris. "But I never dreamt I would get this far."

Kenny Jackett spent pre-season trying to dampen the expectation surrounding his Swansea City side ahead of their final campaign at Vetch Field. When the talking stopped on Saturday, Jackett's players did the job for him.

With 90 minutes of 2004-5 gone, now is not the time to start drawing conclusions about what is to come in the nine months ahead.

Remember last season's opening-day trouncing of Bury, for example, or West Brom's embarrassing 4-1 reverse at Walsall on the same afternoon.

In six weeks' time a few more clues will have emerged, although even then no-one could claim to be entirely sure about what the future holds.

Remember Brian Flynn's class of 2003 once more, the team who had 22 points on the board after 10 games of last season only to drift miserably into mid table come May.

Nevertheless a home defeat by Northampton Town by the same scoreline as the Cobblers' win in these parts last spring has sapped some supporters' belief.

There is always optimism among football fans in August, even more than usual in Swansea this year because of the club's big move next summer.

Judging by the faces of grumbling fans shuffling out of the Vetch on Saturday evening, it appears much of it has already drained away.

''It's very disappointing and very frustrating for me and the players not to do well in front of 9,000 of our own fans,'' Jackett conceded.

''But there were some positive things out there for us. There were some very good individual performances and there were spells when we created a lot and played very well.

''There are a lot of talented players in our squad, but what we must do is turn all that into results.''

Of the five Jackett summer signings on show, central defender Garry Monk did the most to impress while right-back Sam Ricketts, playing out of position on the left, showed real promise.

As expected, Dennis Oli proved an instant hit with the bumper home crowd when he arrived as a second-half substitute while Willy Gueret was steady in goal.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Adrian Forbes who, having struggled with an ankle problem during pre-season, will probably remember his Swansea debut as the day when he needed stitches in a nasty facial wound.

Substituted early in the second half, he will have better days.

That Forbes failed to shine was thanks partly to the fact that once again, Jackett's team failed to create enough going forward.

Continuing the theme of the club's warm-up matches, most of their sights of goal in a long period of first-half pressure came from set-pieces.

Right now the freescoring Swansea side of 12 months ago seem a hazy memory.

That team were criticised, not least by Jackett, for being brittle at the back and too easy to beat.

Along with what he felt were poor levels of player fitness, that vulnerability was what Brian Flynn's successor had set out to eliminate during the close season.

Hence the signings of Monk, Ricketts and two players who could make their debuts at Rochdale tomorrow night, Kevin Austin and Gary Fisken.

And so Jackett must hope that Northampton's two goals this weekend will be put down to teething problems come the end of the campaign.

''The No. 1 lesson from the game is a simple one,'' the Swansea boss added. ''I talked at the end of last season about not giving away silly goals, and I've just talked about it again with the players.

''I've told them that defensively we've got to be mean. It's hugely important that we don't give away gift goals as we did here.

''We all hope that miserliness will come because to concede two goals at home is a real disappointment.''

It took all of 140 seconds for the newly-branded Coca-Cola League to go a little flat for Swansea with Stuart Jones, who would not have been involved had Austin been available, taking the blame.

The youngster's backheader fell short of Gueret, allowing Northampton's David Galbraith to loft a cross-shot against the far post.

While Swansea's backline performed their Covent Garden human-statue impressions, Scott McGleish sent the rebound into the empty net.

''That was a poor start for us,'' said Jackett, ''and the second goal, which really finished the contest, was another which we might have prevented.''

The visitors doubled their tally eight minutes from the end when, under pressure from McGleish, the unfortunate Ricketts headed another Galbraith cross into his empty net.

In between Swansea had controlled sections of the contest, especially before the break when Alan Tate had a header cleared from under the crossbar and Paul Connor saw a very firm penalty claim turned down.

''At the other end of the field we have to be more ruthless in the penalty area,'' Jackett went on.

''Not scoring is a frustration considering how many times we had the ball inside the 18-yard box and indeed the six-yard box.''

Swansea probably deserved something on the board for their efforts, although there should be no hard-luck stories given that McGleish saw a breakaway effort scrambled off the line by Jones before heading against the woodwork late on.

Problems, then, in defence and attack for Jackett, who must hope opposite number Colin Calderwood proves a good tipster.

''I think Swansea are a team we will need to be above come the end of the season,'' the Northampton manager said.

''I think if we do that we'll be in a decent position, because they've got too many attributes to be just a mid-table side.''

Garry Monk has told Swansea City they must win twice on the road this week after their League Two opener against Northampton ended in defeat. Kenny Jackett's men face testing trips to Rochdale tomorrow night and then Macclesfield on Saturday having slumped to a 2-0 reverse in front of more than 9,000 at Vetch Field.

And centre-back Monk, who made an impressive debut against the Cobblers, has targeted maximum points as Swansea bid to put the fizz back into their Coca-Cola campaign.

''We have got to go to Rochdale tomorrow night and win the game and then we've got to do the same at Macclesfield,'' he said.

''You've got to win at least two of your first three games of the season to give yourself a platform to perform from, so nothing will else do.

''As the gaffer says, you can only really judge yourself after 10 games of the season, but we need to get that first victory under our belts as soon as possible.''

New-look Swansea were exposed at the back by Northampton on day one of the new campaign, while at the other end Jackett's side failed to capitalise on a long spell of first-half pressure.

Monk added: ''We've got to find the end product in attack while cutting out the sloppy goals.

''As defenders you never like to give any goals away, but it's even worse when they are like the two we conceded on Saturday.

''You don't mind quite as much if it's a 25-yard ping into the bracket.

''As a back-four it will take time for us to come together, and ideally you could say Kevin Austin wouldn't have been suspended on Saturday.

''It's frustrating because we all wanted to do well for the big crowd. The lads are bitterly disappointed really, but now we're all looking forward to Rochdale.''

Austin will make his debut at left-back at Spotland as Swansea take on a side being widely tipped for relegation come May.

Striker Adrian Forbes should also be available despite collecting a nasty facial injury on his debut.

''The two away games this week can't come quickly enough for us after starting with a defeat,'' boss Jacket said.

''We're not daunted by going away from home - we just want to get playing again as soon as possible.''

Swansea's owners, meanwhile, have paid tribute to fans after Saturday's bumper turnout.

''It's great to see that we had the biggest crowd in the division and we thank our supporters for getting behind the team,'' said Vetch director David Morgan.

''We just hope that sort of backing continues throughout the season.''

MAYBE it was all part of the plan, joked one wag as he left the Vetch Field on Saturday - deliberately get off to a bad start so as not to raise expectations.

After all, people got their hopes up on the opening day of last season when Swansea romped to a breath-taking 4-2 win over Bury and look how that turned out.

You couldn't blame Swans fans for the odd tongue-in-cheek wisecrack as they reflected on this disheartening defeat against the League Two title favourites, but it is doubtful boss Kenny Jackett would have seen the funny side.

Not after a long hard summer in which he has striven to build a Swansea team that is harder to beat only to see them concede two soft goals in their first competitive outing - one resulting from a weak Stuart Jones back-header and the other a Sam Ricketts own goal.

Almost 10,000 people - the highest League Two attendance by some margin - had squeezed into a scorching-hot Vetch Field hoping for early proof that Jackett has assembled a squad which will ensure the club's final season at this famous old stadium is a successful one.

Few of them will have gone home convinced of that.

"It's a big disappointment that we weren't able to reward the fans with either a win or a goal on the first day of the season," said Jackett, the frustration etched on his face.

"As far as I'm concerned our next game at Rochdale on Tuesday night can't come round quickly enough now. After a result like this we need to be playing again as soon as possible. We need to get three points."

They will also need to tighten up at the back. So often an area of weakness last season, the Swans defence again displayed some alarming frailties as Northampton helped themselves to a second 2-0 win at the Vetch inside four months.

There was an electric atmosphere for this meeting, but Swans fans hoping that this season will end in their team clinching the top-seven place that eluded them last term were silenced after only 43 seconds when goalkeeper Willy Gueret - one of four debutants on show - had to dive acrobatically to keep out a Scott McGleish volley.

Then, just three minutes into the contest, came the first defensive howler. Jones's soft back-header was intercepted by David Galbraith whose shot hit the woodwork but fell to McGleish who profited from close range.

"It was the worst possible start," admitted Jackett, whose preferred choice for the left-back berth, summer recruit Kevin Austin, was ineligible because of suspension.

"Then we had what my players tell me was a clear penalty turned down (when Paul Connor appeared to be tripped in the box by Fred Murray). Had we got that, it might have changed the game. It would have made us more competitive."

For the remainder of the first half Swansea picked up on another of the themes from last season: plenty of chances created but none of them converted.

Kris O'Leary - preferred over Gary Fisken as the man to provide Swansea's midfield mettle - twice came close to breaching a well-organised Cobblers defence while Andy Robinson forced a couple of fine saves from the visiting goalkeeper Lee Harper.

But it was one of those games in which you just sensed Swansea weren't going to score.

"I lost count of the number of times we got into Northampton's 18-yard and six-yard boxes," said Jackett. "But we just didn't take the chances that came along.

"As well as brushing up defensively, we need to be more ruthless in attack. It's frustrating when you create a lot of opportunities but don't go on to score from them."

Swansea had little to offer in the second half. Save for a Robinson free-kick that stung Harper's fingertips, there was nothing from the home side that suggested they might manage to salvage a point.

For all the running and the hard work put in by the likes of Connor, Adrian Forbes and Leon Britton, the Swans appeared resigned to their fate.

And there was no way back after Northampton had gone 2-0 up in the 81st minute when Ricketts, under pressure from McGleish, headed Galbraith's cross into his own net.

"After the second goal went in we looked despondent and the game fell away from us," lamented Jackett, who declined to speculate on whether he would make any changes to his team for tomorrow's trip to Spotland.

He did, however, insist there were positives to take out of the Northampton affair.

"I need to have a good look at the match video before assessing how well each individual player performed," said Jackett, who should at least conclude that Forbes and Garry Monk impressed on their Swans debuts.

"Generally speaking, though, there were some encouraging signs for me. There were a number of good performances.

"I was pleased with the chances we created, but the number one lesson we've got to learn from this match is not to give soft goals away."

At least Northampton boss Colin Calderwood, aiming to steer his side into League One at the second attempt after the Cobblers suffered play-off semi-final heartbreak last season, had a few soothing words for his opposite number.

"Swansea looked a tougher proposition than the team we played here just a few months ago," said the former Scotland defender.

"If we're going to do well this season, I think they're one of the sides we need to finish above. Swansea have got too many attributes to be stuck around mid-table.

"Whoever comes here (the Vetch) will have to stand up and be counted. We were stretched and given a full test defensively."

Victory at Rochdale tomorrow and Jackett might just be the one cracking a joke or two.

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has told manger Kenny Jackett that a play-off place will be an acceptable return from the final season at Vetch Field. Fans' expectation ahead of the new campaign is growing as every bolt is tightened at the club's future home in Landore, with many banking on promotion to mark the big move.

But after players, management and directors toured the half-built, 20,000-seater stadium yesterday, Swansea's chairman has moved to ease the pressure on Jackett's men.

''The very least we hope for is to keep on moving forward, and that means improving on the 10th-placed finish we had last year," Jenkins said.

''If we can reproduce anything near the quality of football we saw at the start of last season and keep it going, then hopefully we will get into the play-offs.

''After that, we would take whatever comes and I think we would certainly have achieved something.

''If we were offered a play-off place now we would certainly accept that.''

He went on: ''We would like to be in League One when we go to the new stadium, but I think we should all remember where we were two or three years ago and realise it will not be the end of the world if we're still in League Two.

''Having started in virtual administration, we've got our finances on an even keel with sound backing behind the scenes, we've brought some talented new players in and, having worked together with Swansea Council, we're on our way to a new stadium.

''Whatever division we're in next year, I think they're the things that count.''

Jenkins conceded Swansea must be producing on the field in 18 months' time when, he feels, crowds at the club's new home could dip without playing success as the novelty of the £29million project starts to fade.

But he was keen to remain optimistic as staff got a first glimpse of the future yesterday.

''Swansea City have been waiting for this stadium for 20 or 30 years, and hopefully bringing the players here will help inspire them to success next season,'' he added.

''We've all got fond memories of great players and great games at the Vetch, but you could say we're moving from a corner shop to Tesco. Turnover will treble overnight.

''It's going to be a fantastic opportunity for the board, the management, the players and the fans and I hope we can all take advantage of it, but the pressure will not be on Kenny and the players from us this year.

''I suppose the move will create some pressure of its own and if that helps us push on and be successful then great.''

Swansea City could welcome back four of their pre-season casualties on the testing trip to Hereford United tomorrow. Boss Kenny Jackett has Brad Maylett, Andy Robinson, Kevin Austin and goalkeeper Willy Gueret available to face the unlucky losers in last season's Conference play-offs.

Hereford, managed by former Aston Villa boss Graham Turner, finished just one point behind champions Chester and 17 clear of third-placed Shrewsbury but lost to Aldershot in the play-off semi-finals.

They have since lost a couple of key performers - top scorer Steve Guinan has left for Cheltenham and goalkeeper Matt Baker, who was linked with a move to Swansea, is now at Wrexham.

But the Bulls have retained much of last season's first team and could ask a few questions of a Swansea side still without Lee Trundle (knee), Leon Hylton (groin) and Izzy Iriekpen (ankle).

''I'm going to take quite a number of players and rotate it because we've got some tough games ahead in Holland next week,'' Jackett said.

''Brad, Andy and Willy are all fine, while Kevin trained yesterday and may play. If this was a league game he would be fit, but I'll have to decide on that one.''

Trialist Gueret, who sat out the 2-0 win at Barry in midweek with a slight knee problem, seems certain to figure after South African Garath Ormshaw was told he would not be offered anything just two days in to his trial.

''I watched one of their play-off games and thought Hereford were very unlucky not to go up last season,'' Jackett added.

''They looked a good side to me and this will certainly be our biggest test yet.

''Overall, for the stage we are at in pre-season, I've been pleased with us so far.

''But one thing we could improve on tomorrow is our finishing. We have dominated the two games we have played so far without scoring as many goals as we might have done.''

Jackett, who signed a two-and-a-half-year contract when he arrived at Vetch Field in March, was licking his lips yesterday at the prospect of moving to the club's new stadium next summer after players, management and board were given a guided tour of Swansea's home-to-be.

''The stadium looks absolutely fantastic and can take this club on to another level,'' he said.

''People have talked about Swansea being a sleeping giant and, with that stadium and the catchment area we've got, the potential is vast.

''To be around at the time of the club's move from the Vetch is a fantastic feeling.''

Swansea City have agreed a one-year shirt sponsorship contract with RE/MAX estate agents. The deal will run until the end of the 2004/5 season, with the option of another 12 months.

"This is an exciting partnership and shows that Swansea City FC has the capabilities and growing reputation to attract major brands," said a statement on the club's website. "We hope the supporters will embrace the company that has put faith in us."

Kenny Jackett is hoping that Stuart Jones will be back in action soon after picking up a fractured nose in the friendly at Barry on Tuesday. The Swansea City defender got the injury in the dying minutes at Jenner Park after an accidental clash of heads and spent yesterday morning having x-rays.

They showed a clean break and the youngster could even play some part in Saturday's match at Hereford.

''Stuart got a bad bang on his nose and we sent him to hospital for examination,'' said Jackett. ''Hopefully it's not too bad.''

There was better news, too, on the other injuries picked up in the first two pre-season games at Worcester on Saturday and at Barry.

Kevin Austin twisted an ankle at St George's Lane, while Brad Maylett suffered a slight groin strain which forced him to miss out against Barry.

Andy Robinson also sat out Tuesday night's match but Jackett is hopeful all three will soon be back in action.

''Kevin has been out a few days but he is more or less there now,'' said the Swansea manager.

''Brad is pretty much back to fitness now as is Andy.

''You always hope you don't get too many injuries at this time of pre-season.

''You want to work hard and prepare for the new season but we want to go into the Northampton game with a fully fit squad.''

'OUTSTANDING agents, outstanding results' is an advertising slogan used by new Swansea City sponsors RE/MAX. Swansea fans will be hoping that the second element applies to Kenny Jackett's side this season.

The estate agency completed a deal yesterday which sees them become the main sponsor for the club until 2005 with the option of another year.

RE/MAX take over shirt sponsorship from The Travel House and club vice-chairman Leigh Dineen is hoping that catchy slogan could well be used in the Swansea dressing room over the coming months - with a slight tweak or two.

''It wasn't something we were going to use but we might try to now,'' he said.

''Let's hope we get the second part of that slogan right this season.''

RE/MAX is Wales's third largest estate agency with franchisees in Morriston, Gorseinon and Neath committed to sponsoring Swansea.

But it is the global catchment area of the company - RE/MAX has offices in 51 countries - which appealed to the club, said Dineen.

''I think it really does show how far we are progressing as a club,'' he added.

''RE/MAX is not just an estate agency in South Wales, it's worldwide. They cover 51 countries, with, I believe, a turnover of £80 billion last year.

''We were looking for a company with local roots who wanted to be part of the community, but at the same time it was something we could not turn down when you look at the global brand as well.''

Dineen did not go into detail about how much the sponsorship deal would net the club, but said that Swansea were now standing tall alongside a lot of clubs in Coca-Cola League Two.

''I can't give any figures, but they certainly have parity with anything else that's coming into this division,'' said Dineen.

''I think the deal will continue when the initial year comes to an end.

''With the new stadium coming along it's difficult to plan further ahead because we don't know what the stadium management company deals are going to be to do with the naming rights.

''We have got to be a little bit careful of that, but we do believe that as long as RE/MAX are happy and we are happy then we will continue. It's virtually like a 12-month rolling contract.''

RE/MAX Wales's regional director Jonathan Thomas put pen to paper to finalise the deal yesterday and he was happy to be involved both on a professional and private basis.

''What it means to RE/MAX is that we are going to bring our brand, our company, our organisation to people who might not have heard of us and that's an important thing.

''We are obviously associated with the local football team, but they also carry our brand throughout many different areas.

''We hope that with our association with Swansea City we can take our business forward to become the best estate agency in Wales and we hope that we can help Swansea become a more successful side with regard to our sponsorship and affiliation and lead on to great things in the coming year.''

Mr Thomas said the company was very keen to keep the association going and saw no reason why RE/MAX would not be still sponsoring the club when it enters the next part of its history.

''We fully anticipate at this stage renewing the agreement in 2005-06, especially with the advent of the White Rock Stadium,'' he said.

''Having a first class stadium is an exciting time for the club and the whole city and we want to be a part of that. We want to support that as much as we can.

''I am a Swansea boy and I have been to many games,'' he added.

''I have to say I don't go every week due to work commitments, but there are other franchisees who are very dedicated Swansea football supporters.

''I have to say that football is a big part of the community and that's why we are getting involved.''

No doubt Dineen and the rest of the Swansea board will be hoping that foundations for a successful partnership have already been planted as the club looks to build for the future.

Swansea City today unveiled RE/MAX estate agents as their new main sponsors. The deal, which sees RE/MAX take over shirt sponsorship from The Travel House, runs initially until the summer of 2005 with the option of another year.

Swansea's new-look home strip was due to be revealed at Vetch Field this afternoon with the away kit to follow soon - although neither is yet available for supporters to buy.

It is understood Swansea had also spoken to Walkers Crisps about possible sponsorship before the RE/MAX deal was clinched last week.

''We are absolutely delighted to have secured the backing of such a major name,'' Vetch vice-chairman Leigh Dineen said today.

''This is an exciting partnership and shows that Swansea City Football Club has the capabilities and growing reputation to continue to attract major brands as its sponsor.

''As in previous years we hope our supporters will embrace the company that has put faith in us to carry its name.''

RE/MAX, which boasts offices in 51 countries, is Wales's third largest estate agency.

The company's franchisees in Morriston, Gorseinon and Neath have committed to sponsoring Swansea.

Regional director Rob Lock said: ''The football club is a focal point of the community and is something we hold dear.

''We all believe that the new stadium will see the advent of a new dawn for Swansea and we at RE/MAX want to be part of that.''

Swansea manager Kenny Jackett, meanwhile, has issued a provisional list of squad numbers for the coming season.

As the search for a goalkeeper following Roger Freestone's departure drags on, Brian Murphy has been handed the No. 1 shirt.

Lee Trundle retains the No. 10 shirt with almost all others who were at the club last season keeping the same number also.

New boys Sam Ricketts and Kevin Austin take the 2 and 3 shirts, with fellow summer recruits Adrian Forbes, Gary Fisken and Garry Monk assigned 11, 15 and 16 respectively.

There are spaces to be filled on the list - by a keeper and perhaps trialist striker Denis Oli.

And Jackett may yet move for another defender as a result of pre-season injuries to Austin, Leon Hylton and Izzy Iriekpen.

Sunderland striker Michael Reddy, a transfer target for Swansea earlier in the summer, has signed a two-year deal with League Two rivals Grimsby.

Jackett called off his interest in the pacy Irishman after Forbes's arrival from Luton.

Swansea, fielding a mixture of youth and first-team players, won 2-0 at Barry last night with goals by Matthew Roberts and James Thomas, both goals coming in the first half.

Swansea's official Travel Club are running a bus to Hereford for Saturday's final pre-season friendly on British soil - before next week's tour of Holland -, leaving Morriston Cross at 10.45am and the Quadrant at 11am. Seats are priced £10.

For more information contact Ugo Vallario on 07876 133428 or the club shop.

SWANSEA CITY boss Kenny Jackett hailed the contribution his youth-team stars made to this pre-season victory - then pledged to get the club's legendary conveyor belt of young talent moving at full speed again.

Jackett could have no real complaints last night as goals from James Thomas and rookie Matthew Roberts gave the Swans a second successive warm-up win against the former Welsh champions.

And, after using the friendly to assess several members of the Vetch Field youth brigade, Jackett insisted, "The youth system at the club has got to be speeded up. I used this match to throw a lot of the youngsters into a first-team situation to see how they would cope and I was impressed with how they performed.

"A lot of them might not necessarily be ready for next season, but what I don't want to do is go out and sign a player if I've got a perfectly good one right under my nose.

"And rather than them playing youth-team football for too long, I want to keep involving the youngsters in the first-team set-up or send them out on loan somewhere to toughen them up.

"The point is we want to speed up the development of some of these players so that we have as many options available to us as possible."

Roberts, the brother of former Vetch winger Stuart, was one youngster who particularly impressed as Swansea followed up their 3-0 weekend win at Worcester with another comfortable run-out against Colin Addison's team.

For the Jenner Park club these days it is a case of how the mighty have fallen.

Twelve months ago the Dragons were playing in the Champions League after their glorious treble success of the previous season. Now they are preparing for encounters with the likes of Skewen, Grange Quins and Ely Rangers after their ignominious fall from the Welsh Premier last season and into the unchartered territory of Welsh League Division One.

Such was the crisis that enveloped Jenner Park last season that this Barry team did not contain one player who featured in that brief European adventure. In fact, with former Swansea manager Addison still in the process of rebuilding for life outside the top tier, you were hard pushed to pick even one man in yellow who played for the club last season.

As well as containing a mixture of youth team rookies and those on the fringes of the first team, Swansea's first-half line-up also included the hat-trick hero of two seasons ago Thomas, who seems likely to find himself lower down the striking pecking order next term following the arrival of Adrian Forbes.

Stuart Roberts might have left the Vetch this summer but Matthew hopes to secure a future at the League Two club and made his mark eight minutes into the match when he buried a cross whipped in by striker Mark Pritchard with a clinical far-post header.

Thomas made it 2-0 after 32 minutes when he mopped up an attempted Kevin Davies strike by lashing a left-foot shot past Barry keeper Marty Ellacott.

Having seen his side dominate the opening 45 minutes, Jackett sent on some of his big guns for the second half and Swansea were soon peppering the Barry goal with one shot after another.

The best efforts included a close-range volley from Paul Connor which was pushed round a post on 71 minutes and a 79th-minute Leon Britton shot deflected onto the woodwork.

And Connor might have made it 3-0 five minutes from time when he had an angled left-foot drive well saved by Ellacott.

Swansea now travel to Hereford for their next warm-up match on Saturday.

Swansea City: Murphy, Courtney (Fisken, 46), Davies (Ricketts, 46), McDonald (Tate, 46), Jones, Roberts (Forbes, 46), Evans (Martinez, 46), Corbisiero (Evans, 68) Oli (Connor, 46), Thomas (Pritchard 68), Pritchard (Britton, 46)

Barry Town: Players used - Ellacott, Picknall, Berridge, Philpotts, Elliott, Needs, Sherbon, Evans, Baah, Mathews, Cant, Davies, Otten

Trialists Willy Gueret and Dennis Oli are edging closer to Swansea City contracts after being named in the club's Dutch tour party. Boss Kenny Jackett has revealed goalkeeper Gueret and striker Oli will travel to Holland with the rest of the squad next week.

But there is not such good news for left-back Leon Hylton, who will remain at home in a bid to shake off a nagging groin injury.

Former Crystal Palace reserve team and South African youth keeper Garath Ormshaw is another who will not feature in Holland having arrived at Vetch Field for a one-week trial yesterday following a recommendation from Swansea director Brian Katzen.

"I haven't seen much of Garath as yet and the plan is to see how he does in the next few days," Jackett explained.

"He has been playing for the last three years in the South African league and before that was at Palace, so we'll see how he does.

"Willy is a capable goalkeeper with a good attitude and I want to see him in more matches. He will be coming to Holland and we will assess him over that period, although it is difficult to say who is favourite to sign at the moment.

"As with Dennis Oli, I won't be making any decisions until after the tour."

Ex-Birmingham City right-back Duane Courtney, 20, also checked in at the Vetch for a trial yesterday and could figure in tonight's pre-season friendly at Barry Town (7.30).

Every fit senior player in Jackett's squad could play some part against Colin Addison's Welsh League outfit, including Hylton despite his on-going fitness concerns.

"Leon's had an MRI scan and x-rays and is having problems with some inflammation in his groin," explained physio Richie Evans.

"What is needed is some flexibility work and rather than come to Holland he is going to Lilleshall (National Sports Centre) to concentrate on that."

Centre-back Izzy Iriekpen will join Hylton in Lilleshall as he battles to recover from successful ankle surgery.

Lee Trundle and Kevin Austin will not play before the Holland tour because of ligament injuries.

"Lee's improving all the time but at the moment he's in the gym and the swimming pool and won't play tonight or at Hereford on Saturday," Evans added.

"Kevin sprained an ankle ligament at Worcester and could be out for one or two weeks."

Brad Maylett will sit out this evening after straining a groin in last Saturday's 3-1 success but may feature at Hereford.

Dennis Oli hopes his first goals for Swansea City have put him on the road to securing a contract with the club. The former QPR striker, on trial at Vetch Field, struck twice - one a spectacular 30-yard volley - in the 3-1 friendly win at Worcester City on Saturday.

Oli now has six more pre-season matches including four on the tour of Holland to persuade Swansea boss Kenny Jackett to hand him a deal.

''It's important for my career I stay in league football,'' said the 20-year-old Newham-born frontman.

''I know I am quite young but I think I am good enough and hopefully this performance helped me in that respect.

''I feel I have something to prove. I know I have the ability but I just have to show that to everyone else.

''Swansea is a great club and I am glad to be here. There is a lot of competition for the strikers' places so I just have to be on top of my game every time I play.

''I am on trial here until Kenny Jackett says different. He's happy with what I have done so far so if I keep it up then hopefully I can get a contract.''

Jackett watched Oli's career during his time as Ian Holloway's No. 2 at Loftus Road after the striker made his first-team debut at 17, but says Oli's chances of a contract at Swansea is not just down to performances.

''Dennis scored a fantastic goal and he caused them problems with his power and pace,'' said the Swansea manager.

''I saw him come through at QPR and he was a little unfortunate there because he was unable to dislodge the four other strikers Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen, Jamie Cureton and Tony Thorpe after they got the striking places last season.

''I know what he can do but I do need to see him in this trial period because I have got to work him in and think about others like Mark Pritchard, for example, to see that if Dennis does come in, he will actually get the opportunity to play.

''Also our division is set by a 60 per cent wage cap. I have only got so much of the budget left and if I use that it might hold me back from bringing in other players.

''Take the back four. Izzy Iriekpen is recovering from a successful ankle operation and Kevin Austin will miss the first game through suspension.

''I have got to put that into the mix and sum up whether I need an extra defender for a short period at the start of the season.

''Obviously if I take an extra striker and have him kicking his heels then that will not be ideal. I feel I have room for two more players and that includes a goalkeeper, so I will just have to weigh it up.''

Swansea came from behind against the Conference North side at St George's Lane.

Substitute Adam Webster gave the home side the lead after the break before Oli's wonder strike brought Jackett's men level. Assistant manager Kevin Nugent gave Swansea the lead with a well-worked second before Oli rounded off the scoring with a tap-in.

Jackett, who used 20 players, was happy with the first warm-up game.

''We looked quite a big, powerful and fit unit at times,'' he said.

''It was a very useful exercise and I was pleased I could look at the whole squad with the exception of Lee Trundle, Leon Hylton and Iriekpen.''

Swansea have taken ex-Crystal Palace reserve-team goalkeeper Garath Ormshaw on trial.

The 25-year-old South African arrived at the Vetch today as he looks to relaunch his career in the English league.

A former youth international, Ormshaw sat on the Palace bench in a clutch of Premiership games but never appeared for the Eagles.

He left Selhurst Park after two years in 1999 and, after a spell with non-league Maidenhead, returned to his homeland.

Ormshaw will battle with Willy Gueret for the chance to land Swansea's spare goalkeeping contract following the departure of Roger Freestone.

Swansea youngster Chad Bond scored for Wales Under-19s in their 2-1 defeat by Turkey in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup Tournament in Belfast.

Dennis Oli carries the unfortunate tag of being a striker who has never scored a competitive goal. But having netted twice on his Swansea City debut - one with a spectacular 30-yard volley - the 20-year-old showed his Football League potential to help Kenny Jackett's side get off to a winning start in their build-up to the new season.

Oli was one of two men who had everything to prove as the search for possible contracts at Vetch Field continues.

The other, Willy Gueret, had little to do other than watch a goal go by him.

Oli, on the other hand, gave Jackett a reminder of what he had seen during their time together at QPR and did his hopes of clinching a deal in South Wales no harm at all with a performance of both pace and power.

Oli couldn't have wished for more as he looked to put a disappointing time at Loftus Road last season behind him. Lying fifth in the pecking order of strikers behind Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen, Jamie Cureton and Tony Thorpe, Oli was farmed out on loan to Farnborough and Gravesend.

He knew he had to perform in his first Swansea appearance and in 45 minutes he showed exactly what he could do.

Oli was one of nine substitutes used by Jackett at half-time against Conference North outfit Worcester City and before his stunning 66th minute volley, it looked as if Swansea were on the way to an embarrassing defeat against the Midlanders.

Substitute Adam Webster had given John Barton's men the lead after 58 minutes - three minutes after entering the fray - although the Worcester boss was not there to see it as he was on holiday in Spain.

Webster slid the ball past Gueret after Jackett's men had failed to clear a corner.

Nick Colley, one of three new signings making his debut for the home team, worked the ball to the byline before slipping the ball between Kristian O'Leary and Garry Monk for Webster to tuck the ball away to Gueret's right.

The goal had come against the run of play after Swansea's new-look squad had dominated against the part-timers.

Jackett gave all five of his summer signings - Sam Ricketts, Adrian Forbes, Gary Fisken, Kevin Austin and Monk - the chance to shine on a hot summer's day in the first half and most took that chance.

Monk looked cool and calm in defence, first alongside Alan Tate and then with O'Leary, who showed his versatility by slipping into the back four after starting the game in the centre of midfield.

Ricketts looked solid in defence and made some marauding runs down the right flank, where he linked up well with the lively Leon Britton.

Those two combined before Ricketts delivered a teasing cross which was met by Forbes. His header looped over teenaged keeper Lewis Skyers but was cleared off the line by Carl Heeley.

Forbes went close again when he met an Andy Robinson corner with a powerful header only to see his second effort drift just over.

Swansea were creating chances and the new boys, especially Forbes and Ricketts, were settling in well.

But it was Swansea fans' favourite Britton who had the best chances, shooting into the side netting following a one-two with Forbes and then firing wide of the target after Paul Connor's chest down had set him up.

Swansea's profligacy in front of goal may have cost them before Oli's strike and boss Jackett admitted to being concerned about some wayward finishing.

''We dominated the game and created a number of chances,'' he said.

''I felt if we kept going things would turn out right for us. At one stage I was starting to question our finishing a little bit.''

But Jackett could not have questioned the finishing of Oli midway through the second half.

The ex-QPR striker's pace - he was a 100m runner as a junior - was causing problems in the home defence, but he didn't need any of that when he struck a fantastic equaliser.

Picking up a quick-throw in from James Thomas - playing in an unfamiliar left-side midfield role - Oli let the ball run across him and let fly from fully 30 yards.

It was a sweet strike and left Skyers stranded before flying into the top corner.

''It sat up well for me and I knew I would get the right connection,'' said Oli afterwards.

''It dipped at the right time and luckily it paid off for me.''

Oli's strike gave Swansea impetus and an incisive pass from captain Roberto Martinez led to the second goal from Kevin Nugent, whose diving header from Antonio Corbisiero's cross gave Jackett's men the lead.

Oli doubled his tally with a tap in after Nugent had headed back Brad Maylett's deep cross and the 20-year-old's dream debut was complete.

Jackett was left satisfied with the overall performance but knows there will be harder tests to come as the season progresses.

Six games in 13 days, starting with a trip to Jenner Park to face Barry Town tomorrow, will give him a greater idea of how his new-look squad are fitting together.

He could be without left-back Kevin Austin tomorrow after the new man turned an ankle in the first half.

But despite that news he was more than satisfied with this performance.

''It was a useful exercise,'' added Jackett.''I wasn't concerned when they went 1-0 in front because we dominated the game. It was a good chance to see all the players and overall it was a good work out.''

THERE were so many new faces in the Swansea line-up on Saturday you felt the short burst of Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart at half time was intended just so the travelling fans would be able to recognise someone.

By the end of the match, however, there certainly wasn't any need to check the identity of one of the eight players making their first appearances in a Swansea shirt.

Trialist Dennis Oli might not be among the five men to have secured a contract at the Vetch this summer, but he was the one busily signing autographs and posing for photographs after a two-goal show that spared the Swans an uncomfortable start to their pre-season programme.

Released by Queens Park Rangers at the end of last season, Oli is hoping the reunion with his former Loftus Road coach, Kenny Jackett, will prove fruitful enough to earn him a permanent move.

He could not have done much more in this game. On for the second 45 minutes, Oli opened his account with a spectacular 30-yard volley, bundled in a second 10 minutes later, and might even have had a hat-trick had an earlier shot not produced a good save from the Worcester goalkeeper.

"Hopefully I won't have done my chances of getting a contract any harm," smiled the 20-year-old forward, whose second-half partner Kevin Nugent, doubling up as assistant manager these days, got Swansea's other goal.

"I was obviously anxious to make an impact so to score the volley - definitely one of the best I've ever scored - and then get another was great."

The 6ft Londoner, strong and pacy, started his career at QPR in 2001 but has been limited to a handful of first-team appearances.

"The fact there were a lot of top strikers there - Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallen, Jamie Cureton and Tony Thorpe - made it difficult for me to make the breakthrough," he said.

"I didn't really get much of a chance at QPR and when they were promoted at the end of last season I didn't think there would be anything for me, so it was better that I moved on.

"Kenny obviously knew everything about me. When he was at QPR he made me improve my game a lot.

"Coming to Swansea I feel I've got something to prove. I believe I'm good enough to play League football, but I've obviously got to show that to everyone else.

"It's important for me to stay in the League, so hopefully this performance will have helped me.

"Swansea is a great club and I'm glad to be here."

But Jackett, who gave all his new recruits a run out against their Conference North opponents, doing a Sven-Goran Eriksson at half-time by making nine substitutions, admitted he wasn't sure whether his budget would stretch to signing Oli.

"He's shown that he's got the power and pace to cause people problems but, as you know, the Third Division is set by a 60 per cent wage cap and I've only got so much of a budget left," he said.

"As it stands, there's possibly room in the budget for two more players - a goalkeeper plus one more - and if I use that now it could hold me back throughout the season.

"If I bring in another forward, I've got to consider whether he's actually going to be playing. I've got to balance him (Oli) up with my needs for the rest of the squad.

"The other thing is, he's a young man living out of London for the first time. I need this trial period to see whether he's capable of adjusting to living down in Swansea."

As well as Oli's virtuoso performance, Jackett had other reasons to be encouraged by Swansea's opening pre-season salvo.

Of the debutants, Adrian Forbes looked a real handful up front alongside Paul Connor, while in midfield Gary Fisken showed some neat touches, spraying the ball about well.

Right-back Sam Ricketts impressed going forward, Kevin Austin less so, but the powerfully-built former Bristol Rovers man gives Swansea some much-needed bite in defence.

Gary Monk, otherwise solid on his debut, and Kris O'Leary were caught out in the 58th minute when Worcester substitute Adam Webster got in between them to give the home side a 1-0 lead.

But Oli levelled matters nine minutes later with his wonderful looping volley straight from a throw-in.

Nugent made it 2-1 with a close-range header before teeing up Oli for his second by knocking on Brad Maylett's inswinging cross.

"It was a useful workout for us," said Jackett, who will use another full complement of players when Swansea go to Barry Town tomorrow night.

"One thing that pleased me was we looked quite a big, powerful and fit unit at times, and I can only reiterate that I want that to improve.

"At one stage I started to question some of our finishing, but I felt things would turn out right for us because we dominated the game and created lots of chances."

Swansea City: Murphy (Gueret 46), Ricketts (Jones 46), Tate (Corbisiero 46), Monk, Austin (Davies, 46), Britton (Maylett, 46), Fisken (Martinez, 46), O'Leary, Robinson (Thomas 46), Forbes (Nugent 46), Connor (Oli 46).

Worcester City 1-3 Swansea City

SILVER-BOOTED QPR discard Dennis Oli launched a golden second-half double to edge nearer his Vetch dream on the fringe of the Black Country.

This was the first of seven sapping Swansea friendlies over the next 14 days and Kenny Jackett's men appeared to be sailing towards an embarrassing defeat until Oli pounced.

The 20-year-old Londoner, one of nine substitutes introduced by the Swans after half-time, cancelled out Adam Wembster's opener with a superb 30-yard leveller on 65 minutes.

He followed that up with another 12 minutes later, old battler and Swansea assistant manager Kevin Nugent on target in between.

The Vetch side meet Barry Town on Tuesday and have a trip to Hereford on Saturday, the aperitif to a four-date schedule in Holland before their Coca-Cola Division Two campaign kicks off at home to Northampton on August 7.

And Oli, on trial at the Vetch, admitted: "The next 13 days could decide whether or not I do get a contract at Swansea.

"I'd love to stay on at the club because the lads have made me feel so welcome.

"I felt hard done by because I didn't get a fair chance at QPR last season. I'm determined to prove people like [QPR manager] Ian Holloway wrong."

Swansea chief Jackett was remaining tight-lipped on Oli's future, saying only: "I only have a limited budget - maybe I have room for only another two players and one of those will have to be a goalkeeper.

"I've got to ask myself, can Dennis settle outside London - it can be difficult for a lad to do that sometimes. But Oli possesses power and pace and will worry a lot of defenders."

Jackett will also make a decision on released Millwall keeper Willy Gueret over the next three weeks.

He said: "I'm looking at Gueret's performances in terms of the block fixtures that we now have. I don't think it's fair to judge a player over one game."

Swansea included five of their new summer signings at Worcester - Sam Ricketts and Kevin Austin playing at right and left back. Former Southampton destroyer Garry Monk went into central defence, while former Watford schemer Gary Fiskem was in midfield.

Former Norwich wide man Adrian Forbes - snapped up on a free from Luton - partnered Paul Connor in attack because top gun Lee Trundle was ruled out with a sore knee.

Monk, 25, was skippering the reshaped Swans - Spaniard Roberto Martinez surprisingly marooned on the bench.

But Jackett's strategy was almost reaping immediate dividends, Fiskem rifling wide before Forbes had a flicked header cleared off the line by Carl Heeley.

Leaping Forbes powered another effort over the bar and the Swans promised a cricket score at an arena only a short distance from where leather strikes willow at New Road.

Pocket-sized Leon Britton and Andy Robinson were proving potent forces on the flanks. And Worcester continued to wobble as Britton flashed a right-footer into the side netting.

The home side were being muscled out of this contest, but the visitors were failing to find a killer punch. Jackett looked to rectify this with vast changes at the interval - Chris O'Leary and Monk the only survivors from the starting 11.

Sub Antonio Corbisiero (twice) thought he'd smashed the deadlock and then Oli and Brad Maylett forced young Worcester keeper Lewis Skyers into desperate saves.

Amazingly, though, the Swans crumbled on 57 minutes. Nick Colley's cross split Monk and O'Leary and Adam Webster swept the ball past Gueret.

The strike was a bolt from the blue. But the Swans had turned this match on its head within 11 minutes after the hour. They were level on 65 minutes as Oli lashed a 30-yard special into the top of Skyer's net.

The striker had notched Swansea's third by 77 minutes after Nugent and Maylett had combined.

In between that - on 71 minutes - Nugent, now 35, had also hit the target after Martinez and Corbisiero had linked sweetly.

A flurry of alterations didn't help Worcester's cause, although Colley crashed a shot wide late on.

Swansea: B Murphy (W Gueret 46), S Ricketts (S Jones 46), K Austin (A Corbisiero 46), K O'Leary, A Tate (K Davies 46), G Monk, L Britton (B Maylett 46), G Fisken (R Martinez 46), A Robinson (J Thomas 56), P Connor (K Nugent 46), A Forbes (D Oli 46).

Attendance: 745. (St George's Lane).

AS a former West Ham player, you would expect Swansea City midfielder Leon Britton to have watched Frank Lampard's Euro 2004 exploits with more than just a passing interest.

But the fact both players are products of the legendary Upton Park production line is not the only reason Britton paid close attention to the England star's performances in Portugal.

Britton admits he has been studying Lampard's efforts, for Chelsea as well as England, in a bid to model his own game on the former West Ham playmaker.

No one could accuse Britton of choosing a bad example. Lampard crowned an outstanding season in the Premiership by playing a commanding role and scoring three goals in England's four Euro 2004 games.

The Swansea star admits feeling a little envious that, while his former Hammers colleague's career has gone off into the stratosphere, he is plying his trade three rungs lower down the Football League ladder at the Vetch.

But, for the moment at least, Britton is happy to have made a name for himself in South Wales over the past two seasons.

He will set out to do the same again when Swansea's preparations for the upcoming 2004-5 campaign begin in earnest at Worcester City today.

And will he use Lampard's glowing displays in Portugal as a form of inspiration? You bet he will.

"As a central midfielder, you can't help but be inspired by someone like Frank Lampard," said Britton.

"I've always looked up to Frank and he's definitely one of my favourite players.

"When I was at West Ham as a youngster and Frank was in the first team, he wasn't quite the player that he is now.

"But, since he's been at Chelsea, he's come on so strongly. He showed that at Euro 2004. He was one of England's best players.

"I was watching his performances out in Portugal quite closely on the television because he's a player I try to model my game on.

"He's the sort of player that any midfielder like me is going to try to copy.

"He seems to have it all. He scores goals, bombs forward all the time and has improved the defensive part of his game.

"You try to take bits from him and other midfielders like Paul Scholes and build them into your own game."

When Britton, 21, was at West Ham he dreamt of treading the same kind of path to the top that Lampard has.

But, unlike the star of Stamford Bridge, the first-team door was never opened to Britton and in December 2002 he was dispatched to Swansea for a loan spell that would give him his first taste of league football.

And, when the Londoner's stay at Swansea was made permanent in the summer of 2003, reality hit home that he was going to have to learn his trade at the bottom and work his way back to the top.

"When I look at where Frank's career has gone, I don't begrudge him that for one second, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also a bit envious," said Britton.

"Frank started in the West Ham youth academy, like I did, and sometimes I wish I was playing Premiership football week in week out just like he does.

"But then I'm happy where I am. I'm only 21 and I know I've got a long way to go in my career.

"It's a case of working my way back up to the top. And hopefully I can make progress with Swansea."

It looked as if Britton and company were going to make progress last season when Swansea topped the table early in the campaign.

A post-Christmas collapse put paid to that and, with Kenny Jackett having replaced the sacked Brian Flynn in the Vetch hot-seat, the Swans registered a mediocre 10th-place finish.

But hope, as they say, springs eternal and the arrival of five new faces has helped create a new wave of optimism at the Vetch.

"There is a good feeling about the place," said Britton. "It was disappointing how last season turned out, but hopefully we can learn the lessons from that and be successful this time.

"We've got some good new signings - midfield is going to be a particularly competitive area this season - and now it's just a case of getting everyone to gel together."

Jackett is likely to give most of his revamped squad a run-out against Conference North outfit Worcester, with trialist goalkeeper Willy Gueret getting at least 45 minutes to impress.

But Lee Trundle, Izzy Iriekpen and Leon Hylton miss the trip to St George's Lane through injury.

The season starts now. That is the message Swansea City manager Kenny Jackett will be hammering out to his players ahead of tomorrow's first pre-season friendly at Worcester City. Jackett will take his full squad with the exception of the injured Lee Trundle, Izzy Iriekpen and Leon Hylton to face the Conference North side and says this is a crucial part of the preparation for the new Coca-Cola League Two season.

The Swansea boss will be looking for a win against John Barton's men, but says he will also give a chance to the majority of his squad tomorrow and in the following pre-season fixtures.

"This is where it starts," said Jackett.

"It's a good period we are going into now, the games period. It starts with Worcester tomorrow, Barry, Hereford and the four matches in Holland.

"I will certainly use the earlier games to give everybody some part and within that I would like to take a look at the young players as well.

"I will take a full squad to Worcester.

"Tomorrow the goalkeepers Brian Murphy and Willy Gueret will have half a game each and there is a strong possibility that will happen with the rest of the players.

"Over the past few weeks the emphasis has been about physical fitness but now it's all about gaining match fitness," he said.

"Secondly it's about seeing if the equation you put up on the board looks the same out on the pitch when you are trying to put a side together.

"Winning is a very good habit to get into.

"After that it's about settling the new players in and see who can play comfortably with who and see if we have got that balance right.

"We need to see if the side are powerful enough, creative enough and solid enough - all the things which I am looking for in my team."

Gueret will get his chance for the first time to show what he can do between the posts tomorrow as he looks for a spot in Jackett's squad.

The Swansea chief has been impressed with what he has seen from the former Millwall keeper so far, but now wants the chance to see him in match action.

"Willy looks a good goalkeeper in training but obviously you need to judge in games," added Jackett.

"He's looking now to prove himself. I had Mark (Ovendale) and Willy down here on trial and obviously going into this next period I can't have too many people around because I have got to be able to do them justice, if you like. I have got a situation now where I can actually play them now over the next two weeks."

THE man hoping to fill Roger Freestone's gloves at Swansea City next season has been given a ringing endorsement from the club's goalkeeping coach.

Former Millwall keeper Willy Gueret is in pole position to replace Freestone at the Vetch after boss Kenny Jackett decided not to offer a contract to his other trialist Mark Ovendale.

Ex-Barry Town and Port Talbot shot-stopper Simon Rayner has also started a trial with the Swans as Jackett's search for a second senior keeper to compete with Brian Murphy goes on.

As for Gueret, though, Swansea's goalkeeper coach Tony Pennock believes the Frenchman would be a good addition to Jackett's new-look squad.

"Willy looks a decent keeper," said the former Rushden & Diamonds No 1.

"Technically, he's looked very good in training. He's agile and, though he isn't huge, he's a decent size.

"Having worked with him in a few training sessions, I haven't spotted any weaknesses in terms of shot-stopping or coming for crosses or anything like that.

"You can tell he's played at a higher level and though he hasn't played hundreds of games for Millwall, at 30 he's by no means inexperienced.

"He looks a sound keeper.

"I don't think that he'd have any problems in Division Three.

"But the decision rests with Kenny. Simon's come in for a trial, so he'll be looking to impress the manager as well now."

Gueret and possibly Rayner will be tested between the posts when Swansea face Worcester, Barry and Hereford in warm-up matches over the next eight days.

Jackett takes Swansea to Conference North outfit Worcester tomorrow for the first pre-season clash.

Pennock, meanwhile, is likely to remain in his part-time role at the Vetch throughout the coming season after initially performing it on a trial basis.

Swansea City boss Kenny Jackett has taken former Port Talbot goalkeeper Simon Raynor on trial. The Canadian-born shot-stopper has been handed a week to prove his worth - with Jackett keen to sign a goalkeeper before the start of the new campaign.

The Swans boss had taken Mark Ovendale on trial but the former York City player failed to impress and will not be offered a deal.

However, Raynor will not play in this weekend's friendly clash, with Jackett choosing to rather look at fellow trialist Willy Gueret.

''I'll be taking a look at Simon Raynor in training this week but he won't feature on Saturday,'' confirmed Jackett.

''I am still looking for a goalkeeper at the moment, and I am very happy with the rest of my squad.''

Former Port Talbot goalkeeper Simon Rayner is the latest to try to fill the gloves of Roger Freestone. Canadian Rayner, who stands at 6ft 8in tall began a trial with Swansea City yesterday.

Rayner, who was also on trial at the Vetch Field club before last season, played against Swansea for Neath in pre-season this time last year.

He also had a spell on trial at Newcastle United towards the end of last season.

Rayner was given his chance to impress manager Kewnny Jackett after former Luton and Barry stopper Mark Ovendale's trial period ended.

It now appears that ex-Millwall keeper Willy Gueret is the favourite to be the replacement for Freestone released by Jackett at the end of last season.

One whose places in the squad is secure is midfielder Andy Robinson who will not be resting on his laurels when the new season kicks off on August 7.

Robinson was unanimously voted player of the year by Swansea fans for his tireless performances in the last campaign.

But the 24-year-old is determined to move on and is eager to help Kenny Jackett's new-look squad push for promotion.

Robinson was disappointed with how the last term ended under the new manager - only one win came in the last six games under Jackett - and is determined the players will respond the new challenge in Coca-Cola League Two.

The former Tranmere man is eager for a promotion push and says preparations are going well.

"It's been a good start to pre-season for the lads.

"But we are not resting on our laurels," said Robinson.

"Preparation is going well with a lot of running and physical training."

The midfielder was a sensation in his first full season of league football after being plucked from non-league obscurity by former boss Brian Flynn.

Ten goals in league and cup brought Robinson to the attention of the Swansea faithful and beyond.

Flynn's men made it to the fifth round of the FA Cup where they eventually lost 2-1 to Tranmere Rovers.

Robinson was one of the heroes of that cup run and hopes that this season that form can be carried into the league.

"The highlight of last season would have to be the FA Cup run and the win over Preston," said the Birkenhead-born schemer.

"It was such an exciting time for everyone at the club.

"We now want to try to translate that cup form into the league points. That is more important to us.''

Saturday's friendly against Worcester City is the first chance for the players to impress Jackett before the serious action gets under way.

Robinson says the squad has been made aware of the expectations of the manager and he fully understands the importance of pre-season ahead of the new campaign.

"For some of the players it has been a period when we've had to adjust to the new manager's style of play and in view of the new season it is important that we gel quickly, which appears to be happening," he said.

"The new lads are settling in well, and the other players are helping them feel at home with a bit of banter.

"Hopefully what happened at the end of last season will have given us the experience not to fall away if in the same position this time around."

Three Swansea youngsters have joined up with the Welsh under-19 squad in Northern Ireland for the Northern Ireland Milk Cup tournament.

Chad Bond, Lee Surman and Jamie Rewbury are in the squad chosen by manager Neville Southall.

The trio will hope to be picked to face Turkey, Denmark and USA in the group matches on July 17, 19, 21.

Kenny Jackett has set himself no time scale for finding a goalkeeper to battle for the No. 1 slot with Brian Murphy. The Swansea City manager has been taking a close look at former Millwall stopper Willy Gueret and ex-Luton man Mark Ovendale - currently on trial with the Vetch Field club.

Jackett has suffered a couple of set-backs as he looks for a replacement for Roger Freestone, having missed out on Neil Cutler and Martyn Margetson.

But while he realises it will not be ideal to start the new Coca-Cola League season with only Brian Murphy, he says he will not rush into making a decision.

''I haven't made my mind up yet,'' said Jackett.

''Both Mark Ovendale and Willy Gueret have been working very hard and are both very capable goalkeepers.

''Our goalkeeping coach Tony Pennock has been working hard with both of them and our young keepers Ryan Harrison and Kyle Letheren.

''I will continue to assess the situation.''

Both Gueret and Ovendale seem set to play some part in Swansea's three friendlies with Worcester, Barry and Hereford as Jackett looks to give the pair a chance to stake a claim for a place in his squad.

''What we have said to them individually is that we will speak to them week by week and assess how things are going,'' he added.

''If things don't work out I have got Brian, who is a very talented young man who has a terrific attitude and works very hard.

''Obviously to go into a season with only one senior 'keeper is not necessarily ideal.

''Hopefully, these lads will do very well but if I have to wait until October or November for the right person who can give me the competition I am looking for, then so be it.''

Jackett has been hit by a few injury problems as the pre-season starts in earnest on Saturday at Worcester City.

Izzy Iriekpen is due for an operation on an ankle injury tomorrow, while Lee Trundle looks set to miss the trip to St George's Lane with knee trouble.

And with Leon Hylton suffering from a long-term groin problem, the boss is keeping his fingers crossed that no more of his squad are struck down.

''We are now into the games period of pre-season and we have seven fixtures in three weeks with the matches at Worcester, Barry, Hereford and four on the Holland tour.

''I am looking forward to it but it's crucial that we don't pick up too many injuries.

''That does happen and every club will be hoping their players come through unscathed at this time.

''We will be trying to establish some basics of what we want from our football and what we are looking to achieve for the season.

''We are trying to bed in the new players and also work at how I see people playing and what I think there strengths and weaknesses are and what they can bring to the team.''

Next Tuesday's fixture at Jenner Park against Barry Town will be a 7.30pm kick-off.

Developers of the Morfa Retail Park have confirmed five more big names are joining them. Boots, Next, TK Maxx, Sports World and Klausner Carpets have all signed up to the out-of-town project in the shadow of the White Rock sports stadium at Landore.

Fast-food chains Pizza Hut and KFC have also agreed terms. Morrisons and B &Q are opening nearby.

The move is a big boost for the eastside although there are also worries it could drive shoppers out of the city centre.

Peter Birch, Chairman of the Oxford Street Traders Association, said: "There is massive investment going around it but nothing in the city centre itself.

The lifeblood is being drained away.

"We have to stop looking outward and start looking inward.

"The new authority has the opportunity to do something about it. If they don't, they won't be in power long, they will be out."

SWANSEA CITY star striker Lee Trundle has promised he will be fit for the start of the new season after picking up a knee injury in training, writes Ian Hunt.

Trundle, last season's top scorer at the Vetch with 21 goals, will miss Swansea's opening pre-season clash at Worcester City on Saturday.

But he said, barring any other setbacks, he should be fully fit in time for the big kick-off against Northampton on August 7.

"We did a bit of ball work (in training) and as I flicked out at a ball I tweaked my ligament," said the former Wrexham striker. "It's a bit of a setback because I've done really well in pre-season up until now, but the physio said it should be around a week.

"Having a bit of a week off is a bit of a blow, but I will get that (fitness) back before the start of the season."

Swansea are already likely to lose defender Izzy Iriekpen for their opening 2004-05 clashes as he faces ankle surgery that will keep him out for up to six weeks.

Lee Trundle is set to miss Swansea City's first pre-season clash at Worcester City after injuring his knee in training. Last season's top scorer picked up the knock on Friday and missed yesterday's training session.

But while Trundle says the injury is a blow, he is confident it will not affect him too much and that he will ready for the start of the season.

''We did a bit of ball work on Friday and as I flicked out at a ball I tweaked my ligament,'' said Trundle.

''I spoke to the physio (Richard Evans) and he said it should be around a week, so it's not too bad really.

''It is a bit of a set-back because I have done really well in pre-season up until now.

''Having a week off now is a bit of a blow, but I will get that back before the start of the season.

''If it means missing Saturday's game then so be it, as long as it means I am ready for the week after.

''Whatever happens I will definitely be fit for the start of the season.''

Swansea face a trip to Barry Town next Tuesday as their preparation for the Coca-Cola League Two season continues and Trundle is now targeting that game.

He sees that match, the game at Hereford and the four games on the Dutch tour as an important part of the preparations for the new campaign.

''I am looking forward to the games because I want to play with the lads the gaffer has brought in,'' said Trundle.

''I have watched them when we have done some ball work and they look good players.

''No-one likes all the running you have to do in pre-season but it has to be done.

''We all want to start playing again and these games are important preparation.

''All the hard work is in the bag now and we just want to get playing.

''Hopefully I will be ready for next week and we can go from there.''

Manager Kenny Jackett said there was slight concern with Trundle's injury and says there will be no risk taken with the star striker.

''There was a bit of swelling there yesterday,'' said Jackett.

''We will see by Wednesday or Thursday whether he might play some part at the weekend although it looks doubtful.

''It's not going to be a situation where we will risk him.

''We will just see how the treatment goes but we could see him back in training later in the week.

''He will probably be looking at playing next week,'' Jackett added.