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Press cuttings |
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Saturday, November 23, 2002 Thomas returns for Swans battle |
| Western Mail FROM the shores of the Caspian Sea to the banks of the River Trent, James Thomas will complete an "amazing" week when he leads the Swansea City attack at Scunthorpe United today. Only two days ago the 23-year-old striker returned from eastern Europe after his shock call-up to the Wales squad for their 2004 European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan. An unused substitute for the 2-0 victory, Thomas comes back from Baku with a bump. Having been part of a Wales squad that took another giant stride towards the European Champion-ships in Portugal in 2004, Thomas must return to the less glamorous task of helping Swansea avoid relegation to the Nationwide Conference. And while the Premiership stars he spent the week rubbing shoulders with a return to the glitz and glamour of Old Trafford or St James's Park, Thomas heads for the distinctly more humble surroundings of Scunthorpe's Glanford Park. Making the mental leap from Division Three to international football might be enough to faze some, but not Thomas, whose confidence appears to know no limits. "I've taken it all in my stride and probably come back from Azerbaijan with more confidence," said Thomas, who was called into the squad following the catalogue of withdrawals last weekend. "It's been an amazing week. To travel out with the Wales squad and train with the likes of Ryan Giggs and Gary Speed was a fantastic experience. "I didn't expect to be on the bench for the match, but I was chuffed to bits when I was named among the substitutes. "Towards the end of game I knew Mark Hughes would send on a couple of substitutes to waste some time and he gave Neil Roberts and Paul Trollope a run-out. "It was a shame I didn't get a couple of minutes, but I was just pleased to be on the bench and part of such a great occasion. "Getting called up for the full squad has whetted my appetite. I'm in the frame now and, as long as I keep scoring goals and doing well for Swansea, I'll hopefully get another shout." Yesterday Thomas was on his way to Scunthorpe for today's game in which the Swans seek to drag themselves out of the Third Division relegation zone. He and the rest of the squad will not return to South Wales until after the rearranged FA Cup tie at York City on Tuesday. "My feet haven't touched the ground this week," said Thomas, the Swans' leading scorer this campaign with nine league and cup strikes. "Having gone all the way to Azerbaijan, there's more travelling to Yorkshire, but that's part and parcel of football. "I won't be tired at 3pm on Saturday afternoon. I'm looking forward to the Scunthorpe game after going out with Wales and having not played a game for two weeks. "It's strange to one minute be involved with a European Championship game and the next be playing Third Division football. "But it doesn't bother me at all. I'm from Swansea so I've got the same passion and enthusiasm for my club as I have for Wales." Today Thomas will be reunited in attack with former Blackburn Rovers team-mate Marc Richards, who makes his Swansea debut. |
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Saturday, November 23, 2002 MARC TAKES A SOUND BITE FROM HIS OLD PAL |
| Evening Post
On-loan striker Marc Richards makes his Swansea City debut tomorrow alongside the man who told him South Wales was ''sound''. |
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Thursday, November 21, 2002 THE BECKHAM WAY JUST FINE BY TATE |
| Evening Post
Alan Tate swapped Manchester United for Swansea City yesterday and declared: ''I want to do a David Beckham.'' |
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Wednesday, November 20, 2002 Flynn adds Premier steel |
| Western Mail STRIKER Marc Richards will be reunited with former Blackburn Rovers colleague James Thomas after joining Swansea City on a one-month loan. Richards arrives at the Vetch today along with Manchester United defender Alan Tate as director of football Brian Flynn adds Premiership pedigree to his struggling Third Division side. Tate, who has captained the United reserve side on several occasions but is yet to appear in the first team, and Richards - both 20 - have agreed to join the Swans initially for four weeks. But their respective club managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Graeme Souness, have given their approval for the loan spells to be extended should the players impress over the next month. And Richards, who along with Tate could be handed his Swansea debut at Scunthorpe on Saturday, will relish the prospect of renewing his striking partnership with former Ewood Park team-mate Thomas. Wolverhampton-born Richards - a graduate of Rovers' youth academy - played alongside Thomas for Blackburn reserves until Thomas joined the Swans in the summer after six years with the Premiership club. Richards's first-team opportunities have been limited with Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Damien Duff and Matt Jansen ahead of him in the Ewood Park pecking order. The former England Under-18 and Under-20 international has made only two first-team appearances, both in the Worthington Cup. The second came in Rovers's clash against Walsall earlier this month when Richards - an 80th minute substitute for Jansen - slotted home the winning spot-kick in a penalty shoot-out. He will hope to be as successful at the Vetch as Thomas whose superb form for the Swans - he has netted nine goals in 17 appearances - yesterday earned him a sensational call-up into the Wales squad for tomorrow's Euro 2004 qualifier in Azerbaijan. And Flynn is hoping Richards will help ease the pressure on Thomas to hit the target. "Marc is strong and quick, he works hard and he's got a good goal-scoring record at Blackburn at academy level," said Flynn. In common with Swansea's former Manchester United striker Jamie Wood, Northumberland-born Tate spent six months on loan with Belgian side Royal Antwerp last season. "Alan is very much a footballing centre-half. He's a good passer and he distributes well," said Flynn. "Both he and Marc are highly regarded at their clubs and they are exciting additions to our squad." |
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Tuesday, November 19, 2002 Swans in double signing |
| BBC Online Swansea City manager Brian Flynn has signed Manchester United's Alan Tate and Marc Richards of Blackburn Rovers on loan in a bid to help his side's fight against the drop. The pair have moved to the Vetch Field for an initial month's stay, with the option of extended loan deals. Tate, a 20-year-old defender, is set to get his first taste of League football during his spell with the Third Division's bottom club. And Richards will be looking for his first League goal, having previously had loan spells with Oldham, Crewe and Halifax. The 20-year-old striker has made two appearances for Blackburn in the Worthington Cup and scored Rovers' winning penalty in their shoot-out against Walsall earlier this month. "Having the two of them at the club increases our options and adds to the quality of the squad," said Flynn. "Alan is very much a footballing centre-half. He's also a big lad, so he's more than capable of coping with the physical side of the game. "Marc is strong and quick and he's got a good goal-scoring record at Academy and now at reserve level," Flynn told the club's website. |
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Tuesday, November 19, 2002 INJURY-HIT WALES CALL ON THOMAS |
| Sporting Life Swansea striker James Thomas is the latest emergency call-up for Wales' depleted squad heading to Azerbaijan for their Euro' 2004 qualifier. Thomas, who holds the country's record for under-21 caps, was added to the squad this morning for his first senior call-up. Midfielder Robbie Savage has been ruled out despite staying at the squad's Cardiff base overnight. He was declared unfit after being examined by team doctors and sent back to Birmingham for further treatment. Savage injured his groin, damaging an abductor muscle, in a collision with Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar at St Andrews on Sunday, and could be out of action for three weeks. Wales have now lost seven of their original squad. Andy Johnson, Mark Pembridge, Gareth Taylor, Nathan Blake, Craig Bellamy, Jason Koumas and now Savage have all pulled out with injuries. Cardiff defender Danny Gabbidon will have a fitness test before the squad leave from Cardiff airport this afternoon and it is hoped he will travel. Also making a recovery is Aston Villa's Mark Delaney, who has a foot injury and was restricted to swimming in the hotel pool on Monday, but he too should be passed fit. Last night, Wales called up Reading defender Adrian Williams and Wigan striker Neil Roberts as cover. |
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Monday, November 18, 2002 SWANS DOUBLE SIGNING |
| Evening Post
Brian Flynn today boosted Swansea City's chances of Nationwide League survival by signing two Premiership players. |
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Monday, November 18, 2002 Swans and City under FA Cup pressure |
| Western Mail SWANSEA CITY boss Brian Flynn last night welcomed the prospect of entertaining Brentford in the second round of the FA Cup. The Swans will host the west London club on December 7 or 8 if they can overcome York City in the rearranged first-round tie a week tomorrow. But Cardiff City face potential banana skins in the shape of either Leyton Orient or Margate if they beat Tranmere Rovers in their first-round replay - also on November 26. Swansea's match at Bootham Crescent was postponed 90 minutes before kick-off on Saturday after a heavy downpour early in the afternoon made conditions impossible to play. The postponement will not leave Swansea heavily out of pocket as the Football Association will cover most of the club's £1,000 expenses under competition rules. But the Swans must return to York only three days after the long trip north to Scunthorpe United in a league clash. Flynn said he was relieved Swansea were not facing the prospect of another journey in the second round of the cup. "A home tie is what everyone wants," said Flynn, who is expected to bring in two or three loan players this week - possibly a defender, a striker and a midfielder. "We've still got the major obstacle of York to overcome, but Brentford would not be a bad game to have at the Vetch. "It would be a tough match, though we'd have home advantage and, with the crowd behind you, that can count for a lot. "There's also the enticement of a plum draw against a Premiership club in the third round." Bluebirds manager Lennie Lawrence was less enthusiastic about the prospect of taking Cardiff to Nationwide Conference club Margate - a prime candidate to be televised live by either BBC or Sky Sports. "A non-league side away is hardly ideal," he said. "I'd much rather go to Leyton Orient. "Either way, it's a potential banana skin for us. If you're professional, though, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. "At this stage it's not worth saying a lot more. We'll give it more attention if we get through the re-play against Tranmere." Elsewhere, giant-killers South-port will fancy their chances of joining Premiership clubs in the third-round hat after landing a home clash against fellow Conference club Farnborough Town. Southport went through after pulling off the shock of the first round when they came back from 2-0 down to beat Notts County 4-2 on Saturday. And Morecambe will entertain Chester next month in the battle of the first-round giant-killers. Morecambe beat Second Division Chesterfield 2-1 at Saltergate, while Chester - also of the Conference - grabbed a late 1-0 win at Colchester. Meanwhile, in the draw for the LDV Vans Trophy area quarter-final Cardiff were handed an away tie against Third Division promotion chasers Bournemouth. City, who recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Exeter in the second round, will visit the Fitness First Stadium on December 10. Wrexham - dumped out of the FACup by Darlington at the Race-course on Saturday - must travel to Carlisle twice in a week after being drawn against the Cumbrians in the northern section. The Red Dragons face Carlisle in the LDV on December 10 and return to Brunton Park four days later for a Third Division clash. |
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Monday, November 18, 2002 Rain blessing for Swansea |
| Western Mail SWANSEA coach Alan Curtis admitted his players were feeling "frustrated" after the FA Cup tie at York was postponed 90 minutes before kick off. Referee Ray Olivier called off the first round clash at around 1.30pm after morning rain and a heavy downpour in the early part of the afternoon made conditions impossible to play. Despite the best efforts of the groundsman to clear several pools of water from the pitch the match failed to make the starting blocks. The game has been provisionally arranged for a week on Tuesday. Swansea turned down the chance to play next Tuesday in order to give Lee Jenkins (calf) and Damian Lacey (shinsplints) more time to recover from injury. Instead, the Swans will make the trip to Bootham Crescent only three days after they travel north again to face Scunthorpe in a league encounter. And Curtis is concerned that his players may feel the effects of having to travel such long distances. He said: "The players will be frustrated -everyone was looking forward to the game. "It means we have to come up again a week on Tuesday. "It took us six hours coming up here, so it's another journey. "It's only been in the last six weeks or so that we've been up to Carlisle, Stevenage and Cambridge - we seem to be on the road all the time. "Obviously the fact that the game has been called off is not going to help the situation at all. "But we've just got to get on with it - it's just one of those things in football." Curtis, who travelled on the team coach on Friday, was in no doubt that the referee made the right decision to call off the match. Curtis arrived at the ground at noon with physiotherapist Richie Evans, but he had no idea the game was in danger of being kicked into touch. He revealed it was Swans' boss Brian Flynn, who travelled by car on the day of the game, who alerted him to a possible postponement. Curtis said: "With the amount of water that's lying on the pitch and with the rain still lashing down, the game had no chance of going ahead. "The water is not going anywhere. The groundsman has done his best. "He fought and he's got the roller on to try and mop up the water but as quick as he's done one bit of work then the pitch just fills up again. "You only have to look at the conditions to realise that there was only one option. "But when I arrived at the ground with Richie I would have said that there was no doubt at all that the game would have been played. "We were putting the kit out and I got a phone call from Brian saying that he had had a phone call to say there was a referee's inspection at 1.30. "We thought the game would have been fine, but looking at the pitch now you can see there was only one decision." |
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Sunday, November 17, 2002 Cup clash rained off |
| Teamtalk York City's FA Cup first-round clash with Swansea has been postponed due a waterlogged pitch at Bootham Crescent. After heavy rain in the area left standing water on parts of the playing surface, a pitch inspection was carried out at around 1.30pm. Having assessed the pitch, referee Ray Oliver had no hesitation in postponing the fixture. |
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