SWINDON TOWN: Town trio set for exit

SWINDON Town's transfer-listed trio are all expected to join new clubs later today, the Advertiser understands.

Forward Alan Connell and midfielders Jonathan Smith and Lee Cox, who have been deemed surplus to requirements at the County Ground by manager Paolo Di Canio, will all remain in League Two in 2012/13.

Connell is set to sign on with Bradford City and Cox will pen a loan deal with Oxford United while Smith, as reported in the Advertiser earlier this month, is poised to rejoin York City.

Meanwhile, the Adver believes that former Swindon Town youth team player Harry Grant, a product of the Robins' development system, has been handed a two-year professional deal with Sheffield Wednesday.

Comments(32)

Stilloyal says...
2:13pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Beat ya to it again adver . Do you wait for me to post and then copy haha .

**CT** says...
2:13pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Glad all 3 have new clubs............als
o glad the wage bill is down
Enter stage Mr Bostock next week?

Swindon1984 says...
2:48pm Fri 20 Jul 12

**CT** wrote:
Glad all 3 have new clubs............als o glad the wage bill is down Enter stage Mr Bostock next week?
We can only hope.

MidlandRobin says...
4:18pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Must say I'm sad they couldn't all stay and continue with Swindon, especially Connell :( ahh well, good luck to all of them! :)

Just want to see Risser leave now - highly unlikely but hey! We all want it.

MR

RobinsTalk says...
4:26pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Rather keep Risser and let Chibo go personally, can't believe we kept him over Callum Kennedy!

california andy says...
4:42pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Odd to see Grant is good enough for Sheffield Wednesday, but not apparently good enough for us.

DarrenSTFCRomain says...
5:33pm Fri 20 Jul 12

california andy wrote:
Odd to see Grant is good enough for Sheffield Wednesday, but not apparently good enough for us.
Who let him go, as i dint even know that he had left..
WERE THE F()K HAVE I BEAN ???

badger58 says...
5:53pm Fri 20 Jul 12

i would like to wish Connell and Smith all the best at their new clubs and
thank them for their efforts last season and sorry to see them leave although i know the club needs to move on .
Can't really say a lot about Cox as he never had a look in and as above i don't see the need for Risser this season but PDC knows best . COYR

Old-Stager, Hilperton says...
6:06pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Alan Connell's departure is confirmed on the official STFC website.
It seems as though his destination is going to be Bradford City F.C.
I'm glad that he is not joining Bristol Rovers or Oxford United.
I would like to wish him every success with his new club.

forzaswindon12 says...
6:25pm Fri 20 Jul 12

slightly surprised at connell going up north to a team like bradford. they are a big side in league 2 but cant really see them challenging tbh

London Red says...
6:55pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Shame we didn't try to do a deal to get Wells as he looks like a real prospect and could forge a long term potent strike force with Collins
.
Looks like Connell won't be proving anyone wrong now though
.
Wish him luck and think Brafford will be there or there abouts so he may get another medal!

London Red says...
6:59pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Seems we have polar opinions of Bradford Forza!
.
Parkinson is a good manager and had turned Bradford into an organised side last term
.
A few good signings like Connell will certainly help
.
Think top 2 will be Rotherham and the New Crawley - Fleetwood (where did they get their money?) but Bradford could sneak the 3rd promotion spot
.
If not should be top 7 at least

mikek says...
7:01pm Fri 20 Jul 12

What a huge shame about Alan Connell leaving was kinda hoping he would not find a club and stay here. To be honest there was plenty of interest in the likeable guy and no surprise at all. Will certainly score goals and to finish top scorer here after his erratic game time under our Paolo was quite amazing really. I'm sure had he played more instead of being hauled off many times and sat on the bench he would have hit 20 goals easy. Puzzled why Paolo did not play him more and certainly has not kept him at least to see his contract out after Town payed a fee to Grimsby which must have been 100k plus.Strange one this after paying out on J Smith and Connell to go and let them leave on free's, talk about chucking money away. Still I suppose this is called progress and we have had to pay for Paolo's mistakes with a hefty season ticket increase it seems but I would have kept them both here to see out their two years at least.

London Red says...
7:02pm Fri 20 Jul 12

They are joint 5th favourites at 16-1 on bet365

mikek says...
7:02pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Good luck Alan Connell and thanks for a great season.

ciclosporindorset says...
7:07pm Fri 20 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
Shame we didn't try to do a deal to get Wells as he looks like a real prospect and could forge a long term potent strike force with Collins
.
Looks like Connell won't be proving anyone wrong now though
.
Wish him luck and think Brafford will be there or there abouts so he may get another medal!
Who is Wells?

London Red says...
7:30pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Nahki Wells is a 21 year old Bermudean striker at Bradford who made quite an impact during his first season
.
He netted 11 times in 19 starts and 17 sub appearances last year
.
He looked a real live wire with some excellent goals when ever I saw him on the FL show
.
Mikek that has got to be some of the biggest load a crock I have read for a while!

swwindon61uk says...
7:38pm Fri 20 Jul 12

I liked Smith but i think it is clear that we getting better and better in midfield.
Cox no opinion really,seemed ok the few games he did play.
Connell for me would not cut it in League One

topsecret says...
8:08pm Fri 20 Jul 12

mikek wrote:
Good luck Alan Connell and thanks for a great season.
yep

the wizard says...
8:13pm Fri 20 Jul 12

topsecret wrote:
mikek wrote:
Good luck Alan Connell and thanks for a great season.
yep
I'll second that "yep". great guy. He will be missed by the supporters.

the wizard says...
8:59pm Fri 20 Jul 12

mikek wrote:
Good luck Alan Connell and thanks for a great season.
Without doubt

mikek says...
10:08pm Fri 20 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
Nahki Wells is a 21 year old Bermudean striker at Bradford who made quite an impact during his first season
.
He netted 11 times in 19 starts and 17 sub appearances last year
.
He looked a real live wire with some excellent goals when ever I saw him on the FL show
.
Mikek that has got to be some of the biggest load a crock I have read for a while!
London Red I take it from your kind words you seem to think your the only person who is allowed an opinion on here. Don't really give a sh*t what you think anyway its only my opinion and so that's ferkin that.

London Red says...
10:38pm Fri 20 Jul 12

I don't get all this bullsh1te like "you think your opinion is the only one that counts"
.
I have never said that and never even thought it
.
If someone writes something that is factually incorrect or in my opinion a load of total cack I will simply say so
.
Your nonsense about ST prices fall right into that category!

mikek says...
10:56pm Fri 20 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
I don't get all this bullsh1te like "you think your opinion is the only one that counts"
.
I have never said that and never even thought it
.
If someone writes something that is factually incorrect or in my opinion a load of total cack I will simply say so
.
Your nonsense about ST prices fall right into that category!
Ok know it all prove me wrong then with facts.

Steve. Brentford says...
1:07am Sat 21 Jul 12

There`s only one way to see who`s right FIGHT...............
....................

London Red says...
6:27am Sat 21 Jul 12

It simple - the board came in and made a statement about wanting to bring value for money football back to the community and completely slashed ST prices
.
That saw our ST as around 5th cheapest in the entire football pyramid - even when we were in L1
.
Now with the club making on average £1.5m losses each year that artificially low level could not continue from a business point of view
.
Therefore, to aid our promotion to the Championship ST were put back in line with our peers and what we should be charging
.
When they were first announced the Phase 1 price still saw it sit about 12th in last season L2 ST table!
.
ST prices are now only back to a level last season under King!!
.
So despite a £90 increase they are still fantastic value for money in comparison to other L1 sides
.
So it was pure business sense aimed at bringing future success - nothing to do with PdC failures
.
Even if we didn't sign Atuki and co last season we would have probably still seen the rise as losses are continued to be expected until we reach the Championship

Stilloyal says...
9:31am Sat 21 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
It simple - the board came in and made a statement about wanting to bring value for money football back to the community and completely slashed ST prices . That saw our ST as around 5th cheapest in the entire football pyramid - even when we were in L1 . Now with the club making on average £1.5m losses each year that artificially low level could not continue from a business point of view . Therefore, to aid our promotion to the Championship ST were put back in line with our peers and what we should be charging . When they were first announced the Phase 1 price still saw it sit about 12th in last season L2 ST table! . ST prices are now only back to a level last season under King!! . So despite a £90 increase they are still fantastic value for money in comparison to other L1 sides . So it was pure business sense aimed at bringing future success - nothing to do with PdC failures . Even if we didn't sign Atuki and co last season we would have probably still seen the rise as losses are continued to be expected until we reach the Championship
OIII James , you cant blame King , he was only the manager lol, and he had a wage cap of £600 pw.

Mikek , keeping Connel and Smith here would have been to the detriment of the team.
As good as they might have been ,they simply wern't good enough in Paolo's eyes to take the club forward. Their wages meant that we'd be restricted in further quality signings.
So from that point of view I'm happy to say cheerio and good luck to them both.

mikek says...
9:43am Sat 21 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
It simple - the board came in and made a statement about wanting to bring value for money football back to the community and completely slashed ST prices
.
That saw our ST as around 5th cheapest in the entire football pyramid - even when we were in L1
.
Now with the club making on average £1.5m losses each year that artificially low level could not continue from a business point of view
.
Therefore, to aid our promotion to the Championship ST were put back in line with our peers and what we should be charging
.
When they were first announced the Phase 1 price still saw it sit about 12th in last season L2 ST table!
.
ST prices are now only back to a level last season under King!!
.
So despite a £90 increase they are still fantastic value for money in comparison to other L1 sides
.
So it was pure business sense aimed at bringing future success - nothing to do with PdC failures
.
Even if we didn't sign Atuki and co last season we would have probably still seen the rise as losses are continued to be expected until we reach the Championship
In Paolo's own words LR "yes I made mistakes signing players " Yes he certainly did like a kid in a sweet shop signing most of these U-Tube players. Comazzi, Easyjet, Itiku, Lanzano, Magera, Kerrouche, to name a few and add to that purchases Connell and J Smith there my friend is a huge amount of last seasons losses. LR Paolo has only been here one season hence my reference to "still this is called progress and we have had to pay for Paolo's mistakes with a hefty season ticket increase it seems. Now you tell me that the increase this season has nothing at all to do with that. Sure thing that buying up those contracts would have cost a tidy sum plus the £180,000 for Connell and Smith.

London Red says...
10:54am Sat 21 Jul 12

Ok you believe that the only reason the board put up prices were due to Comazzi and Lanzano being paid off - that's your perogative
.
Also how do you know what the finance are for the year May 2012? We have only just had 2011 numbers!
.
Yes we made a loss (but we always have and always will until the Championship) but is it more than previous?
.
Did the JPT, FA Cup and Title not bring in additional revenue? Did merchdising due to PdC not go up? Did sponsorship not go up - ie The People joining with 5 figures
.
Now if losses turn out to be multi millions then maybe you are right - but I doubt they did and the rise is for exactly the reason I said above
.
Loyal - I know were joking about me blaming King - but the point was our prices are now level with 2003 - so that's a 0% increase over the last decade
.
Not many businesses can say that can they!

Stilloyal says...
12:40pm Sat 21 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
Ok you believe that the only reason the board put up prices were due to Comazzi and Lanzano being paid off - that's your perogative . Also how do you know what the finance are for the year May 2012? We have only just had 2011 numbers! . Yes we made a loss (but we always have and always will until the Championship) but is it more than previous? . Did the JPT, FA Cup and Title not bring in additional revenue? Did merchdising due to PdC not go up? Did sponsorship not go up - ie The People joining with 5 figures . Now if losses turn out to be multi millions then maybe you are right - but I doubt they did and the rise is for exactly the reason I said above . Loyal - I know were joking about me blaming King - but the point was our prices are now level with 2003 - so that's a 0% increase over the last decade . Not many businesses can say that can they!
I guess we can be happy with that :-)

mikek says...
10:39pm Sat 21 Jul 12

London Red wrote:
Ok you believe that the only reason the board put up prices were due to Comazzi and Lanzano being paid off - that's your perogative
.
Also how do you know what the finance are for the year May 2012? We have only just had 2011 numbers!
.
Yes we made a loss (but we always have and always will until the Championship) but is it more than previous?
.
Did the JPT, FA Cup and Title not bring in additional revenue? Did merchdising due to PdC not go up? Did sponsorship not go up - ie The People joining with 5 figures
.
Now if losses turn out to be multi millions then maybe you are right - but I doubt they did and the rise is for exactly the reason I said above
.
Loyal - I know were joking about me blaming King - but the point was our prices are now level with 2003 - so that's a 0% increase over the last decade
.
Not many businesses can say that can they!
Sorry L R I did not say the only reason the board put up prices were due to the above, you seem to be putting words in my mouth. As I said tell me that Paolo's mistakes had no bearing on these increases and I am not saying the increases in total and have not stated so.

London Red says...
7:30am Sun 22 Jul 12

I am telling you that and the reason for that is time!
.
ST went on sale in March, Prices were released in Feb so the decision by the board would have been taken in 2011
.
At that point in time only Atuki had been released and going by the comments his agent made and the fact his release did not make the post balance sheet events suggests his pay off was immaterial
.
So the payment (if any were made) to Comazzi, Esajas, Kerrouche, Magera and Lanzano had nothing to do with the prices
.
Also the decision to release Connell and Smith came months afterwards so again had nothing to do with it
.
The decision is purely business related and trying to make revenue and expense more in line
.
Prices have been artifially low for years and the board have been covering it - but in order to now focus elsewhere like the stadium they need to raise more from ST sales
.
As I said we are now only back to 2003 prices and still very competitive to our peers so it is hardly the board are ripping anyone off
.
The pure reason it looks big is the number to start with was so small and any increase on it will be a big increase

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