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Friday, October 11, 2002 IT'S BOUND TO BE TOUGH

Evening Post Like all good strikers Steve Watkin knows the importance of a solid defence. That is why he believes that former team-mate Matthew Bound will be a key figure come 3pm tomorrow. Bound, along with Jason Smith, was a cornerstone of the Swansea side that won the Third Division title. And on the way to the championship the side conceded only 30 goals all season including a record 22 clean sheets. Bound will come up against his old team-mates for the first time since he left the Vetch tomorrow at the Kassam Stadium and Watkin knows that he will get no change from the former Southampton and Stockport centre-half. ''I know Boundy's game really well,'' said Watkin. ''He will want to make it difficult for us as a team. He is strong and big but we haven't specifically targeted him. ''It's not about individuals. He's part of a big back three and they have managed to string some good results together. ''Of course I know what he plays like and I will try to work on that but it is just another part of the game.'' Reports from Oxford say that Bound has been in good form this season for the Us and he is set to continue his partnership with Andy Crosby and Adrian Viveash, who has been on loan from Reading. Oxford boss Ian Atkins will be hoping that Viveash, whose loan spell was due to finish today, will either sign for the club or extend his loan period so the back three can stay together. Bound was part of a successful back four during his Swansea days and Watkin reckons that the defence will be crucial to Swansea's chances, not only tomorrow but for the rest of the season. ''I think most successful teams have been built around a mean defence,'' said Watkin. ''If you look at the better sides they never concede many goals. And if we want to start moving up that table then we have to stop letting in those goals. ''But we have Jason Smith back fit now and Kristian O'Leary has been playing extremely well and that is a big bonus. ''If they can both stay fit then we should start to get things moving. ''We have certainly looked a lot more solid in the past couple of games but there is certainly room for improvement.'' After a frustrating start to the season when he couldn't find a place in the starting line-up, Watkin has been given a chance by director of football Brian Flynn to remind him of the striker he had during his Wrexham days. Watkin is grateful to have been given the chance and he wants to grab it with both hands - starting with that elusive first win for the new boss tomorrow. ''It's important to be playing,'' said Watkin. ''Most of us at the club have one-year contracts and we need to play if we want to prove we should have an extension to that. ''I know the way Brian plays the game and he wants us to play in a similar system we employed at Wrexham with two strikers and a wide man up frot. ''But it's not really about systems, it's about indviduals and we really need to start winning - sooner rather than later - if we want to move out of that bottom two. We now have the base to move on with the defence looking a bit more stable. I am sure if we get that first win we can build from there. ''We have been working hard in training and the boys have enjoyed the work. There is something different every day but we have to start putting that hard work into practice on the pitch. ''A soon as we can do that I have no doubts we will start to move up the league.''

Friday, October 11, 2002 Hamer blasts Morfa fiasco

Western Mail FORMER Swansea City chairman Steve Hamer last night launched a blistering attack on Swansea council after it was revealed work on the Morfa Stadium project had still not begun. Last August the council promised both Swansea City and Swansea RFC - who would be sharing the stadium - that work on the 20,000-capacity all-seater venue would start within six weeks. But 42 days later there was no sign of work on the £70m stadium which is scheduled to be opened in September 2003. The leader of Swansea council, Lawrence Bailey, yesterday declined to make any comment on the lack of activity on the Morfa site. Miller Developments, the company building the stadium, also refused to comment on the current situation. But former Swansea chairman Hamer said, "The problem with the council is that its officers are on £40,000-£50,000 a year and they also have good pension schemes. They don't want to take a risk on anything because they don't want to jeopardise losing their pensions. "They want life in South West Wales to sail along merrily and don't want any risk of errors. There is no motivation in Swansea and that's why this project is stuck in glue." The council, which rubber-stamped plans for the stadium on August 29, said the development relied on retail outlets signing up at the Morfa - and the only company which has so far agreed to move in is DIY giant B&Q. Supermarket chain Morrisons, whose plan to have eight shops and a health club at the stadium, are still locked in talks with the council. "I have to say I'm not surprised with this latest development," said Hamer. "It's indicative of the way the council has behaved for the last six or seven seasons regarding the stadium. It has always appeared reluctant to get the scheme kick-started. "The Morfa Stadium has to go ahead. If I was on the Swansea board right now I'd be terrified because the future of the club hinges on the new stadium. You only have to look at Cardiff to see what an ambitious council can do for a city. It's unrecognisable from what it used to be. It's a great place to live. "Yet when I was growing up Swansea was a more attractive city than Cardiff. It was a vibrant, busy place - what's happened is tragic." Swansea director David Morgan said, "The club needs to be at the Morfa. We're disappointed and this will only add to the uncertainty. Work must start as soon as possible."

Thursday, October 10, 2002 Fans in urgent need of a ground for optimism

Evening Post Should all go to plan, around a year from now Swansea will have an all-seater stadium of which it can be rightly proud. But as moves begin to get the flagship complex off the ground, sport in the city has never been at such a low ebb. These are dark days for both the Swans football team and the All Whites rugby side. The city is in the midst of a sporting crisis. Vetch Field diehards are currently watching a side languishing just one spot off the bottom of Nationwide division three - 91st out of 92 teams in the Football League. They would be bottom, but for a four-point penalty incurred by league newcomers Boston. Meanwhile, the Whites are still licking their wounds from one of the most traumatic nights in the club's 129-year history. Last week's 62-6 trouncing at fierce rivals Llanelli left pundits describing the performance as anything from inept to shambolic. On Saturday they face a daunting trip to crack French outfit Montferrand as the Heineken Cup gets under way. Few outside St Helen's expect it to be anything other than an exercise in damage limitation. Yet little more than 20 years ago it was a different story. For sporting crisis read sporting capital. In the early 1980s, the Swans sat proudly on top of the old First Division. At St Helen's, the Whites could justifiably claim to be the top club side in Britain. ''I don't call 20 years of decline a temporary blip,'' said ex-Swans star Leighton James, who played under John Toshack during the glory years. ''We are in a mess. ''People are being paid thousands of pounds to sort it out and they aren't doing a very good job of it - and I don't include Brian Flynn in that.'' Flynn is Swansea's second manager of the season, and, when appointed, was the fourth inside a year. Unless he can rescue the club's fortunes, the Swans could be playing non-league football next year. ''Wherever you go in life, if the sporting teams are doing well then people will feel pride in their achievements,'' said Leighton. ''If they aren't doing well it has the adverse effect. It makes everyone feel down. ''Walk around the city last Monday after the Whites had been hammered at Llanelli and with the Swans next to bottom of the league and try to talk to people about sport. ''You will get a negative response because people are depressed. ''Whether it's terminal or not, you would have to ask people in charge of the football and rugby clubs for the last 20 years. Ask them why they are in such dire straits.'' It is no secret the Vetch and St Helen's are dilapidated grounds belonging to a bygone age, but with Morfa on the horizon - as it has been for the last 12 years - the clubs were understandably reluctant to upgrade their present homes. ''Dilapidated is a posh word for ramshackle,'' said Leighton. ''I am health and safety trained and I would not issue a safety certificate for either ground in the comfort of knowing I was doing the right thing. ''Morfa will be a major boost to both clubs and to the city, and it's just a pity it has taken so long to come to fruition.'' Former Swansea scrum-half Brynmor Williams is another who believes the Morfa factor could be the tonic sport in the city needs. The South Wales Evening Post columnist, who also works as a television pundit, insists it will be a timely boost to the city's fortunes. ''For sport in Swansea to have taken such a dip is a hell of a shame,'' he said. ''It's on the coast and it's an area which is conducive to sport. ''But the new stadium could breathe fresh life in to the soccer and rugby clubs. It should rejuvenate Swansea and help the city grow.'' Brynmor played for the Whites in the early 1980s, one of the most successful periods in the club's history.?The combined achievements of the football and rugby clubs in that era helped spur each other on. ''The mood in Swansea was fantastic,'' he said. ''Wherever you went people wanted to talk to you. It's part of the culture. ''To be part of it was great. Going down to training on a Monday and Wednesday night in the pouring rain was exciting because you were involved in something special. ''There is an argument that the sporting side of Swansea has more of a profile than the city itself. ''When you go to New Zealand it's Swansea Rugby Club they talk about. What Swansea are going through at the moment is not untypical for most rugby clubs. But with Swansea it seems far worse because they are one of the premier cities in Wales.''

Thursday, October 10, 2002 Sharp hopes to avoid knife

Ananova Swansea's Neil Sharp will see a specialist next Monday to determine whether he needs surgery on an ankle ligament injury. The defender has not featured since sustaining the injury in the game against Hartlepool on September 7. A club spokesman said: "Neil hasn't done any training since the injury occurred. He's had a scan but the decision was taken not to operate at the first examination. "There was obviously damage there, but there was no indication of how serious it was at that stage. We should know after Monday." Swans director of football, Brian Flynn, has received a boost for Saturday's trip to Oxford with Lee Jenkins (ankle) and Andrew Marsh (sickness) having returned to training.

Wednesday, October 09, 2002 Back to his best

Evening Post Swansea City coach Alan Curtis admits fit-again Jason Smith is as good as a new signing for the club. After 20 months plagued by injury, the influential centre-back made his latest comeback in the 1-1 draw with Rochdale last weekend. Smith showed no signs of rustiness after a seven-week absence because of groin trouble with a man-of-the-match performance. And, despite being on the receiving end of an ugly challenge by Dale striker Clive Platt, the 28-year-old has played a full part in training this week ahead of Saturday's trip to Oxford - to the relief of every one at the club. ''He's shown no ill-effects and that's great news,'' Curtis said. ''In his first two seasons at the club he was absolutely outstanding, and I thought he was again on Saturday. ''It was the first time Brian and Kevin have really seen him and I know they were very impressed. ''Enough has been said about how we've missed over the last couple of years, but he's almost like a new signing for us now. ''Jason's a good presence in the dressingroom and I think when he runs out onto the pitch opponents look at him and they are intimidated. ''He is 6ft 3in, aggressive, very strong in the air and he's got a bit of pace.'' Having finally shaken off long-term ankle problems in the summer, Smith's much-anticipated return was a big disappointment - he looked out of sorts in the first week of the campaign before picking up a mysterious groin problem at Bury. But against a potent Rochdale side, the former Coventry defender was back at his dominant best. ''Something was obviously bothering him at the start of the season,'' added Curtis, ''and it may well be that he has another dip in form as he gets back into playing regularly. ''But he will get stronger with each game and in training, and having him back is a massive bonus for everybody.'' Tickets for this weekend's game at Oxford are available £3 cheaper in the Vetch Field club shop now than they will be on the turnstiles at the Kassam Stadium. Seats are still available on the official Travel Club bus priced £12. There will also be a coach going to Stevenage for the LDV Vans Trophy first round on October 22. For more details, contact Ugo Vallerio on 07876 133428.

Tuesday, October 08, 2002 Flynn hits the road

Evening Post Swansea City boss Brian Flynn is this week travelling the length and breadth of Britain for a closer look at numerous possible transfer targets. The Vetch Field director of football saw a reserve game last night and was planning to watch at least three more today and tomorrow. Alan Curtis is also on the road taking in matches, with fellow first-team coach Kevin Reeves staying behind to look after Swansea training. ''I've got a bank of players lined up in every position and at every level,'' Flynn explained. ''Watching them in action is part of the job, so we're going to games all over Britain.'' Flynn has licence to bring in two new faces on loan, with a pacy, powerful wideman seemingly the priority - especially with John Williams unlikely to play any part at Oxford this Saturday. Flynn added: ''John is struggling with his thigh so it may well be that we have someone in on loan before this weekend, but I don't want to promise anything.'' David Theobald will definitely not make the trip to the Kassam Stadium. The 23-year-old looks set for a couple more weeks on the sidelines after bruising his foot at Hull nine days ago, while fellow centre-back Neil Sharp is to see a specialist about his ankle ligament problem next week. Gareth Phillips (groin strain) and Lee Jenkins (foot) picked up problems in last Saturday's draw with Rochdale. But despite missing training yesterday, both should be fit for Oxford, along with fellow midfielder Paul Reid, who has shaken off a chest infection. Jason Smith did train yesterday, calming fears that Rochdale striker Clive Platt's lunge would mean yet another spell on the treatment table for the 28-year-old defender. Swansea's only other concern ahead of the trip along the M4 is No. 2 goalkeeper Andrew Marsh, who has a stomach virus. Meanwhile, the club have arranged a reserve-team friendly at Afan Lido next Monday (6.30pm).

Tuesday, October 08, 2002 BBC demands safety assurances

Western Mail BBC WALES head of sport Nigel Walker has demanded assurances from Swansea City that Mark Aizle-wood receives protection at the Vetch after the radio pundit was confronted by three irate fans following Saturday's match with Rochdale. Walker's intervention came on the day former Swansea City chairman Mike Lewis, who was himself attacked at the Vetch after last season's home match against Rushden & Diamonds, urged the Swans board to weed out the club's hooligan element. Former Wales international Aizle-wood was leaving the Vetch after the 1-1 draw against Rochdale when three Swansea fans approached him and pushed him into a gate. The former Charlton, Leeds and Cardiff City defender suffered a grazed eye in what the Third Division club have described as "an unsavoury incident". BBC Wales insist Aizlewood will continue to commentate on matches at the Vetch but Walker said, "I want assurances that our employees, not just Mark, will be safe. I'll leave it to Swansea City to decide what they will do. It's not for me to tell Swansea City how to run their security." Lewis, now a director at Exeter City, said the Swans must try and identify the fans who approached Aizlewood and ban them from the Vetch. "You can't have anarchy like this at football grounds," he said. "You can't have a situation where people are not safe leaving a ground. What these people have done to Mark Aizlewood is pretty gutless. It's wrong and Swansea City must do something about it." The assault on Aizlewood came just days after the Swans issued a message on the club's official web-site urging fans to behave during matches. The warning followed a number of incidents that could have ended in the Division Three outfit being "severely penalised". Lewis, who was punched and spat at as he made his way from the Harry Griffiths Bar after the Rushden game last November, added, "A club loses credibility when people are attacked at its ground. I go to a lot of football clubs around the country and whenever Swansea City is mentioned the first thing that people talk about is their minority of hooligans. "If the board want to improve the image of their club they've got to sort this problem out. When I was chairman of Swansea fans came up to me and gave me grief whenever I was walking around the city. I was getting abusive phone calls and someone was anonymously sending me videos of Agatha Christie murder films!" Aizlewood, who was co-commentating on the Rochdale from the gantry above the North Bank, was barracked throughout the game. The Vetch faithful claim he is generally anti-Swansea City and pro-Cardiff with his radio comments. The club was reluctant to discuss the Aizlewood incident yesterday but a spokesperson said, "We are talking to BBC Wales about the situation."

Monday, October 07, 2002 Suffer new reffing hell

Evening Post High-flying Rochdale would probably have settled for a point at Swansea City when news of the match referee reached their Spotland home. For hearts sank in Lancashire when a Football League fax announced that Premiership whistle man Rob Styles would take charge at Vetch Field. Rochdale had last come face to face with the Hampshire official over five years ago, and had hoped never to see him again. It was only 19 seconds into the club's visit to Leyton Orient in August 1997 when Styles sent off Dale centre-back Keith Hill for handball. To this day, Rochdale followers insist Hill's action was more to do with protecting his features than preventing Orient progress. Straight after that match - which finished 2-0 to the Londoners - Rochdale asked the Football League to ensure Styles, who now earns £45,000 per year as one of the elite professional referees, never officiated in one of their matches again. He had not, until this weekend, and sure enough the game revolved around the man in black. Two minutes before the interval, Gareth Phillips's awkward lay-off forced fit-again Jason Smith into a hurried clearance just outside the home side's penalty area. Sensing the chance to put pressure on the Swansea centre-back, Rochdale's Clive Platt lunged forward with the style and grace you would expect from a 6ft 4in targetman. By the time Platt got close to where the ball was, the ball was somewhere near the halfway line and Smith, described as ''one of the most dominant defenders in the division'' by Brian Flynn afterwards, was left in a crumpled heap. It should be remembered that all but two of Flynn's starting line-up on Saturday were at the Vetch when Smith's devastating injury problems began way back on Valentine's Day 2001. Then, it was Brentford's 6ft 5in striker Mark McCammon who arrived after Smith had cleared and crashed into his ankle. The similarities were startling, and so began an encore of Friday night's Stradey Park fireworks. ''It was Jason's first game back and obviously all the boys are really happy to see him playing again,'' said midfielder Lee Jenkins. ''It would have been a big blow if we'd lost him again to a reckless challenge, so that's probably why we all piled in.'' Michael Howard, all 5ft 9in of him, was the first man in on Platt, followed by Roger Freestone, Andrew Mumford and the rest in a 15-man melee. Michael Oliver led the Rochdale resistance as arms flew everywhere and shirts were tugged. Partly because of the reaction, perhaps, Platt was sent off while Freestone, Mumford and Oliver were relieved to see yellow when the red card tally of two in the Llanelli-Swansea derby might easily have been surpassed. ''I initially felt Clive Platt had a chance of winning the ball,'' said Rochdale player-boss Paul Simpson, ''and I thought the ref made the decision to send him off very quickly. ''The linesman, who was only four or five yards away, didn't do anything, and I think the ref was influenced a little by the reaction of the Swansea players. ''A couple of them grabbed Clive by the throat and I don't think it's necessary for players to incite the situation as they did. Roger Freestone apologised to me at the start of the second half, and I said I felt he had influenced the referee.'' His central defender nursing only a bruised ankle, Swansea director of football Flynn was less animated. ''I will never make comments about opposition players being sent off,'' he said, ''and I felt the ref handled the situation afterwards pretty well.'' Smith, who has played just a handful of games in the last 18 months after a catalogue of injury problems, said: ''He caught me with his studs and it's pretty sore. ''It hurt and for a moment I though here we go again - you can't tell until the physio's had a look at it. ''You just think 'what the hell's going on?', as if someone's cursed you, when you are out injured. Maybe my luck's changed now because I'm walking away this time round.'' Flynn will certainly hope so, for Smith was at the centre of another improved Swansea performance against a free-scoring Rochdale side. James Thomas's sweet half-volley gave the home side a deserved lead from Jenkins's neat left-wing cross. Rochdale's Paul Connor had a strong penalty claim turned down just a couple of minutes before the taps ran for Platt's early bath, and at the interval Flynn looked set for his first Swansea win. But despite second-half efforts from Thomas, Mumford and substitute Jon Keaveny, 10-man Rochdale punished their hosts for sitting on their lead when Connor beat Freestone superbly from 20 yards. ''That's two games unbeaten and I was pleased with how solid we were at the back,'' added Flynn, whose side stay second from bottom in the Nationwide League after Boston's defeat at Macclesfield. ''It's disappointing not to win after the sending off, but as so often happens with 10 men they worked hard and raised their game. ''A run has to start somewhere, though - I remember at Wrexham we drew four and ended up going 15 unbeaten - so hopefully we can go on from here.'' Oxford away is the next target for a win, then, as Swansea bid to climb the Third Division table. And Rochdale will be hoping Mr Styles gets promoted back up the leagues straightaway.

Monday, October 07, 2002 We must toughen up - Flynn

Teamtalk Swansea City boss Brian Flynn has warned his side they must toughen up if they are to fight their way up the table. But the Swans seem to have negotiated phase one of Flynn's recovery plan, having gone two games unbeaten with the 1-1 draw with Rochdale. Flynn said: "We are two games unbeaten and I said when we started here that we had to start turning defeats into draws, and that's what we are doing. What we must do next is turn draws into wins. "But we need to toughen up and keep our performance levels going for longer in games.'' Smith display earns Flynn praise Swansea City director of football Brian Flynn paid tribute to central defender Jason Smith after he produced a superb performance to guide the Swans to a 1-1 home draw with 10-man Rochdale. Only a late Paul Connor goal prevented the home side from gaining three points and Flynn felt Smith made all the difference. Flynn said: "Jason Smith did really well. He's one of the best defenders in the league and showed that with a superb performance. He will be really important to our survival fight.''

Monday, October 07, 2002 Connors stuns Flynn's battlers

Western Mail Brian Flynn said that when he came to Swansea City he had to turn the lossess into draws and the draws into wins. The first part of the equation seems to be achieved. A 1-1 draw at Hull last week; another point against high-flying Rochdale yesterday. But Flynn knows he has to start turning those draws into three-pointers pretty quickly. And this was the sort of match which he, and Swans fans in general, will regard as two points dropped, rather than one gained. Yes, the Swans are down near the bottom and yes, Rochdale came to the Vetch in second place. But once James Thomas, yet again, had fired Flynn's men into a 32nd minute lead, they really should have clung on. Rochdale were reduced to ten men just before half-time when Clive Platt was dismissed following a 21-man fracas between the two sets of players. Even Roger Freestone, the Swans keeper, was involved. But a mistake by Kris O'Leary, who let his man turn inside him, enabled Paul Connor to rifle home a 71st minute equaliser. Even then the Swans had chanced to win via Andrew Mumford and Paul Keavney, but thehy were not taken. Rochdale had one shot in the 90 minues and scored from it. Yet, on the positive side, the Swans look far more solid and far more organised and close down far quicker.

Sunday, October 06, 2002 Connors stuns Flynn's battlers

Wales on Sunday Brian Flynn said that when he came to Swansea City he had to turn the lossess into draws and the draws into wins. The first part of the equation seems to be achieved. A 1-1 draw at Hull last week; another point against high-flying Rochdale yesterday. But Flynn knows he has to start turning those draws into three-pointers pretty quickly. And this was the sort of match which he, and Swans fans in general, will regard as two points dropped, rather than one gained. Yes, the Swans are down near the bottom and yes, Rochdale came to the Vetch in second place. But once James Thomas, yet again, had fired Flynn's men into a 32nd minute lead, they really should have clung on. Rochdale were reduced to ten men just before half-time when Clive Platt was dismissed following a 21-man fracas between the two sets of players. Even Roger Freestone, the Swans keeper, was involved. But a mistake by Kris O'Leary, who let his man turn inside him, enabled Paul Connor to rifle home a 71st minute equaliser. Even then the Swans had chanced to win via Andrew Mumford and Paul Keavney, but thehy were not taken. Rochdale had one shot in the 90 minues and scored from it. Yet, on the positive side, the Swans look far more solid and far more organised and close down far quicker.

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