BOGEY side Yeovil Town ended Swansea City's unbeaten eight-game league record as Kenny Jackett's free-scoring side drew a rare blank.

In fact, it was the first time that Swansea had failed to score this season - the last shut-out against them coming as long ago as April 23.

The Glovers did the double over the Swans on their way to the League Two title last season - and Terry Skiverton's 38th minute header gave Steve Thompson a win on the day he was appointed full-time Yeovil manager.

How Swansea might regret not postponing this game when the points are totted up at the end of the season. Jackett spurned that option, with Sam Ricketts in Belfast and Owain Tudur Jones and Mark Pritchard on Wales Under-21 duty, as the alternative date of October 25 would have meant playing three away matches in the space of a week.

But with Jackett's squad also hit by suspension and injury, Swansea were vulnerable to robust Yeovil hosts determined to mark Thompson's promotion from caretaker-manager with three points.

And, in a game of few clear-cut chances, the winner arrived seven minutes before the break when Skiverton's downward header bisected Willy Gueret and Andy Robinson on the goal-line.

Jackett had to reshuffle his table-topping pack with Ricketts on Wales duty, Adebayo Akinfenwa suspended and Kevin McLeod ruled out by calf trouble.

So in came Robinson, Garry Monk and Adrian Forbes, who was making his first appearance since suffering knee and hamstring problems at Huddersfield two months ago.

Given that this fixture has had plenty of spice over the last two seasons, and become something of a grudge match, there was no surprise to the frantic early pace.

Swansea were penned back in the opening moments but Leon Britton went close after six minutes when his cross deflected off Liam Fontaine and landed on the roof of the net with goalkeeper Chris Weale back-pedalling.

From Robinson's resulting corner Izzy Iriekpen found himself completely unmarked on the penalty spot but the centre-half put his header over the bar.

Premiership referee Dermot Gallagher had his first big decision to make after 10 minutes when Paul Terry's powerful 25-yarder struck Forbes just inside the Swansea box.

But furious Yeovil appeals for a penalty were waved away and another home chance went begging when Phil Jevons broke behind Alan Tate but screwed his shot wide of the near post.

Jevons was presented with another opening when Kevin Amankwaah scorched down the right and crossed to the far post, but the header was comfortable for Gueret who gathered at the second attempt.

Though Iriekpen headed wide from a Roberto Martinez free-kick, Swansea were struggling to build any forward momentum and fell behind before half-time.

Gueret hesitated as Lee Johnson's corner swung into the six-yard area and Skiverton was too strong for Iriekpen and finished well with a downward header.

Jackett didn't wait to ring the tactical changes, withdrawing Forbes and Robinson at half-time and sending on Marc Goodfellow and old warhorse Kevin Nugent.

But Gueret was the first goalkeeper needed after the re-start when he batted away Johnson's drilled 25-yard free-kick and there was another scare for Swansea when Iriekpen went down clutching his throat following a challenge with Matt Harrold.

Swansea finally mustered an on-target attempt on the hour mark when Martinez's shot from the edge of the box was held by Weale at the foot of a post.

There was suddenly a greater urgency about Swansea, and Goodfellow found space in the inside-left position to unleash a 20-yard effort which Weale parried and Trundle slipped in trying to retrieve the rebound.

Then a flowing move involving Tate, Martinez and Nugent ended with Britton skipping around a defender but his tame shot summed up Swansea's frustrations.

The race for the naming rights of Swansea's £27m new stadium is between developers Liberty Properties and mobile phone firm Communications Direct.

The 'name sponsor' for Swansea's showpiece 20,000 seater soccer and rugby arena at Morfa, will be announced on October 18.

The Western Mail has learned that two companies thought to have been in the running, NTL and FRF Motors are not involved.

As part of any deal, the successful bidder will put their name to the venue, now known simply as The New Stadium. It is thought around £250,000 a year will be paid for the rights.


Management firm StadCo says several new approaches have been made recently by potential sponsors and that these represent a 'more realistic' deal than previous offers.

Garry Monk got used to the pain of being sent off by referees last season.

This year, he has been dispatched to the sidelines by his own manager. And for all the misery three red cards brought to his first Swansea City campaign, Monk confesses being dismissed - albeit temporarily - by Kenny Jackett has been much more difficult to take.

Out injured since the opening day of the season, the 26-year-old returned to action at MK Dons in the middle of last month.

After his consistently impressive performances - when not suspended - as promotion from League Two was secured, all of Swansea welcomed him with open arms.

A win and two draws later, however, Monk was taken to one side by Jackett in training.

"The manager said to me on the Monday before the Bournemouth game that he felt I was a bit tired and that he was thinking about resting me," he remembers.

"As a player you don't want to be rested, and I said that I wanted to play.

"I made my case, but he obviously felt that I should sit out. I wasn't exactly over the moon."

Not surprising, really, given that a dead leg and then a calf strain had wrecked the first six weeks of Monk's season.

Relief at recovering obvious, he wore a broad smile on making his comeback at the National Hockey Stadium.

But the grin did not last long.

"I was a bit surprised to be dropped," he continues.

"I didn't train much before getting back into the side at MK Dons and maybe in the last 10 minutes of the Nottingham Forest game I was feeling a little bit tired.

"I'm not fully match fit, but that didn't make it any less disappointing when I was left out.

"It's not much fun being on the bench. No player wants to be there and at my age I need to be playing every week.

"But I'm not going to argue with the gaffer. He makes decisions because he has reasons and I have to accept them.

"I'm big enough and I've been around long enough to know that chances usually come around."

Sure enough, after two games spent exclusively in a tracksuit, Monk will start at Yeovil Town tomorrow.

The reason for the recall? Monk's pal Sam Ricketts will be wearing the red of country rather than the white of club this weekend.

Kevin Austin will switch to left-back, leaving the way open for Monk to return in central defence.

"I would rather be in the team on merit than because someone is unavailable or injured to be honest, but I have a chance now to go and prove a point, and that's what I'll be aiming to do,'' he adds.

"Hopefully we can pick up another win and I can put in the sort of display that will ensure I won't be left out again."

Replicate the form of his first Swansea season and Monk should be fine.

After knocking on the first-team door for years at Southampton, he arrived in Swansea from Barnsley and was regularly hailed by Jackett as the club's most influential defender through the course of 2004-5.

"I don't know about being singled out," he says modestly.

"All the back-four contributed equally to the success we had last year.

"I just want to be playing as many games as possible, especially when the team are riding so high.

"You want to be part of all that."

Opportunity knocks again at Huish Park.

Monk has his fingers crossed, particularly after his last visit.

An 84th-minute foul on Phil Jevons prompted red card No. 1 and saw Gavin Williams strike the winner from the penalty spot.

"Happy memories," Monk grins.

"It was near the end and I knew I was the last man.

"I thought a point would be a good result and I thought I'd take one for the team.

"I genuinely tried to get the ball knowing that if I didn't I would probably be sent off.

"I thought that it would be worth it so long as they didn't get a one-on-one, and deliberately made the challenge outside the box.

"When I looked up and saw the ref had sent me off and given a penalty, I couldn't believe it.

"I think we owe Yeovil one after that game, and I think I owe myself a performance, too."

Former Cardiff City manager Lennie Lawrence could be back in football in time to face Swansea.

Once in the hot seat at Ninian Park, Lawrence could be named as the director of football at Yeovil ahead of the trip to the West Country tomorrow. The Glovers have been left without a manager following the departure of Gary Johnson to League One rivals Bristol City a fortnight ago.

Caretaker-manager Steve Thompson is likely to be offered the manager's job on a permanent basis, but Glovers's chairman John Fry is toying with the idea of installing a director of football - a position Lawrence has been strongly linked to at Yeovil.

Fry said: "There are a lot of complications and costs involved in football these days. With transfer windows and international players, an awful lot of time is needed outside the day-to-day operations at Huish Park.

"A football manager has probably got enough to do with focusing on the team's performance each week but a director of football is not something we have discussed as yet.

"Steve is a terrific servant and a terrific coach and manager. However, these things do not just happen.

"You think you are over the line with a candidate and then you are back to where you started, but no-one needs to read into the situation because there has obviously been an awful lot of talking.

"Steve is the players' choice and of the fans, but he has to be certain he wants that No. 1 spot wherever it might be. It is about accepting responsibility.

"He also has to assess and understand the risks involved in taking a job like this on."

Thompson is hoping negotiations will be finalised before tomorrow's match.

He said: ''We are still talking and trying to sort out the way to go.

''Until I am actually offered the job I cannot say I have taken it, so really at the moment it is as it was.''

Swansea's official Travel Club coaches will leave Morriston Cross at 8am and the Quandrant at 8.15.

The club state that there will be no time for any stops and that alcohol is not permitted on the coaches.

Meanwhile, tickets are selling well for next Saturday's visit of Oldham.

Swansea City have become flavour of the month at the bookies. With 12 league matches behind them and 26 points already on the board, the League One leaders have seen their odds cut to just 5-1 to win the title by online bookies premierbet and beturo.co.uk. And, as we enter the second quarter of the season, optimism abounds for the rest of the campaign.

There is no room for complacency however, and tomorrow lunchtime's visit to Huish Park is sure to be a tricky encounter. Canbet make the visitors the narrowest of favourites with odds of 8-5, only marginally ahead of VCbet's price of 17-10 about Yeovil taking the points.

Centrebet, among others, chalk up the draw at 9-4.

Kenny Jacket's men have scored plenty of goals on their travels so far this season, yet bookmakers show no signs of shortening their odds in the ever-popular correct score markets.

Totalbet offer 10-1 about a 2-0 away win for Swansea, while betdirect will give you a very tasty 25-1 about a 3-1 scoreline.

Sportingodds.com offer 5-1 on Swansea finishing the better and winning the match after a drawn first half, while the more bullish punters who feel they will emerge victorious at the end of each period will surely be attracted by the 4-1 available with Stan James.

Despite the ongoing speculation surrounding the future of leading marksman Lee Trundle, Bet365 once again make him clear 5-1 favourite to score the first goal of the game.

But perhaps the value bet of the weekend is the 11-8 you can get about him hitting the net at any time during the 90 minutes.

Swansea manager Kenny Jackett is toying with the idea of changing his system as his League One leaders head to Yeovil tomorrow.

Forward Adebayo Akinfenwa is suspended after accumulating five bookings so Jackett may opt for 4-3-3 rather than play with two strikers.

Adrian Forbes is set for a return after almost two months on the sideline through injury so Andy Robinson and Marc Goodfellow are likely to contest the remaining place on the wing with Kevin McLeod faces a fitness test on a hamstring injury,

"Playing 4-3-3 might be my best bet,” Jackett said. "It’s a system we worked on in pre-season and, whenever we’ve used it, it’s been a help rather than a hindrance.”

Jackett expects Yeovil, the League Two champions, to pose a problem.

"Yeovil gave us two of our hardest games last season, beating us twice,” he told the Western Mail.

"They had a poor start to this season, but they’ve won four of their last six games and people are saying they’re back to playing the way they did last year.

"So it’s not going to be easy. Yeovil seem to play with four forwards – their two wide players are strikers – and their success has been based on spreading the goals around.

"You score four and we’ll score more – that seems to be Yeovil’s way."

Yeovil striker Kevin Gall has recovered from a hamstring injury but winger Arron Davies, is away with Wales Under-21s.

Port Vale face a crippling injury crisis ahead of the trip to Swindon as they are missing Hector Sam (broken leg), Robin Hulbert (broken foot), Lee Matthews (sciatica) and Michael Walsh.

Craig James has a calf injury, Nathan Lowndes (knee) has missed the last two matches while Jeff Smith (knee) has been out of action for more than a month.

For Swindon, Steve Jenkins (ankle) and Gareth Whalley (knee) are both expected to return while Jerel Ifil is available again after serving a one-match suspension, although Andy Gurney sits out the second part of a three-match suspension.

In the other League One match Walsall host struggling MK Dons.

The only match in League Two sees lowly Stockport host high-flying Leyton Orient.

KENNY JACKETT has warned Sam Ricketts he faces a fight to get his Swansea place back when he returns from his latest World Cup adventure.

Swans boss Jackett waived his right to postpone tomorrow's League One trip to Yeovil despite Ricketts and two more of his players being away on international duty with Wales.

That raises the possibility of Wales' newly-crowned club player of the year being excluded from the Swansea starting XI for the first time this season when he reports back from the World Cup qualifiers against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.

"Leaving out international players - that would be nice, I hadn't thought of that one," joked Jackett yesterday as he acclaimed the strength in depth he is currently enjoying at the New Stadium.

"No, Sam will have to fight it out with everyone else for a place. Definitely.

"I would never say someone was guaranteed a place in the side. It's a dangerous situation when you do that.

"You must try to create competition which puts pressure on players because, in my experience, that's the biggest motivation for them."

Ricketts has started every Swans game this season, but the Wales full-back, who should pick up his seventh and eighth caps in Belfast and Cardiff, could be out in the cold if Jackett's back four impress at Huish Park this weekend.

"This time next week I hope I've got a difficult decision to make," said Jackett, who will restore Garry Monk to the starting line-up and switch Kevin Austin to left-back in Ricketts' absence.

"Hopefully Sam will come back from the international games fully fit, raring to go and putting himself up (for selection against Oldham).

"And I hope none of my defenders will rule themselves out of next week's game through injury or suspension.

"Then we would have five players competing for four positions, which is what you want. That's a good situation to be in and I hope we will be."

As well as Ricketts, Jackett loses the services of rising midfield star Owain Tudur Jones and rookie striker Mark Pritchard this weekend, both of whom should be in action for the Wales U21 side in Germany tonight.

Fearing a fixture pile-up that might have involved three away games in a row, though, Jackett decided to press ahead with a lunchtime kick-off in Somerset.

And, with closest pursuers Southend and Huddersfield not in action, it gives the Swans the chance to open up a three-point lead at the top of the division.

However, Jackett is expecting his defenders to have their hands full against last year's League Two champions, who are starting to adjust to life in the higher division after a shaky introduction.

"Yeovil gave us two of our hardest games last season, beating us twice," he recalled.

"They had a poor start to this season, but they've won four of their last six games and people are saying they're back to playing the way they did last year.

"So it's not going to be easy. Yeovil seem to play with four forwards - their two wide players are strikers - and their success has been based on spreading the goals around.

"You score four and we'll score more - that seems to be Yeovil's way."

As for his own forward options, Jackett is pondering a switch to 4-3-3 with striker Adebayo Akinfenwa suspended and winger Kevin McLeod struggling with calf and ankle problems.

Adrian Forbes is poised to return after almost two months out injured, leaving Andy Robinson and Marc Goodfellow battling it out to flank Lee Trundle on the other side.

"4-3-3 might be my best bet," Jackett said. "It's a system we worked on in pre-season and, whenever we've used it, it's been a help rather than a hindrance."

Adrian Forbes looks set to answer Swansea City's striker SOS at Yeovil on Saturday after making a goalscoring return to action for the reserves yesterday. Forbes lasted 70 minutes of the second-string's entertaining 5-3 win over Bournemouth at St Helen's, netting with a neat lob and hitting the crossbar on a day when Swansea might have reached double figures.

Out since the opening week of the season with a combination of hamstring and knee problems, Forbes played up front alongside Kevin Nugent.

And though he has spent most of his Swansea career on the right wing, the former Luton man is now in pole position to partner Lee Trundle at Huish Park with Bayo Akinfenwa suspended and Paul Connor injured.

Another to stake his claim for a recall yesterday was Marc Goodfellow, who netted Swansea's first goal, sent Forbes in for the second and then dribbled round three Bournemouth defenders to double his own tally.

That effort made it 3-3 just before the hour after a combination of sloppy defending and wastefulness in front of goal had seen the visitors go in at half-time with an unlikely 3-2 lead.

Swansea keeper Brian Murphy had no chance to stop close-range strikes from Kirk Hudson, Brett Pitman and Dani Rodriguez.

But after a half-time reshuffle which saw Kris O'Leary and the impressive Shaun MacDonald drop back to the centre of defence, Swansea deservedly ran out winners in the Pontins Holidays Combination League clash.

Two fine goals handed them victory - first the promising Chad Bond lashed into the top corner from 20 yards, then skipper Ijah Anderson curled home a free-kick.

Swansea City: Murphy, Fisken, Anderson (capt), Williams (Thompson 45), Harrington (Holland 45), O'Leary, Bond, MacDonald, Goodfellow, Forbes (Pepperell 70), Nugent. Subs not used: McNabney, Graves.

"WHERE has Sam Ricketts come from?" Brian Flynn exclaimed. The former Swansea City boss had been back at Vetch Field one Saturday afternoon last season in his new role in the Welsh international set-up.

To Flynn, it seemed, Ricketts's talents had come as a welcome surprise.

There have been similar reactions for just about everyone else who has watched him over the last 15 months, whether playing in the white of club or the red of country.

For Ricketts, remember, arrived at the Vetch from non-league football at a time when Swansea had been talking about recruiting players only from England's top two divisions.

It was not exactly an Owen-signs-for-Newcastle moment when news broke that Kenny Jackett had raided Telford.

Pulses racing? More snail's pace, really.

Little did we know then that Ricketts would be nominated for two of the three headline awards at this week's Welsh player of the year bash.

Jackett must have been nodding in approval.

One of the reasons he got the Swansea manager's job was the long list of players he had recommended first at Watford and then Queens Park Rangers which formed part of his CV.

Jackett was known as a good spotter of talent on his arrival in Wales, and the capture of Ricketts has only enhanced that reputation.

He heralded the new boy as the best player in non-league football, and very soon he was proving to be one of the better players in the lower tiers of the professional game.

Ricketts was a big influence whether playing on the left or right of Swansea's back four, impressing with his blend of defensive security and attacking intent.

He hardly missed a game as Jackett's men won promotion to League One, even when a painful stomach injury took hold towards the back end of the campaign.

He was a candidate for Swansea's player of the year - he lost out to Kristian O'Leary - and was named along with Lee Trundle in the Professional Footballers' Association's team of the League Two campaign.

When at Telford, a club he joined after Oxford United deemed him not good enough, Ricketts had played for the English semi-pro side.

A couple of weeks after Flynn watched him at the Vetch, he was named in John Toshack's first Welsh squad.

Ironic, really, given that the boy from Bicester had written to the Football Association of Wales to inform them of his Cardiff-born grandmother when coming through at the Kassam Stadium. He never got a reply.

On Tuesday night, Ricketts was presented with his senior Welsh cap for 2004-5.

He has yet to miss a game under Toshack, and there are many who feel that Ben Thatcher's fall from grace is Ricketts-related.

The suggestion is that were he ever to turn up in international week, Manchester City's left-back would only make the bench come matchday despite being a long-time Premiership player.

"Compare what Ricketts has done to Thatcher," Toshack said last week.

"He played for Swansea City on the Monday before the England game, yet still travelled to our Cardiff hotel base that night - even though we were training in Swansea the next day.

"He played against England before 74,000 at the Millennium Stadium, then went to Poland for his third game in just a few days.

"In the 90th minute against Poland, he still didn't hide and got to the byline to create a chance for Craig Davies.

"After the Warsaw match, he sat in the dressing room shattered for 20 minutes before he could even walk to the showers. I have to think about things like that and the loyalty Ricketts deserves from me when people ask if Thatcher will play for Wales again." High praise.

Ricketts is getting used to it. There have been one or two bad days - the man himself was grumbling about his display for Swansea against Blackpool last weekend - but little negative has been said about the 23-year-old since he crossed The Bridge.

A likeable lad, he hardly knew what to say when he landed the Welsh club player of the year gong.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind for me over the last year or so," he admitted.

"My aim now is to keep on improving for Wales and to get to the Championship with Swansea City."

The way things have gone in recent times for Ricketts, you would not bet against it.

Swansea City boss Kenny Jackett has been hit with a one-match touchline ban.

The suspension imposed by the Football Association of Wales comes following his sending from the dugout in Swansea's 3-1 Carling Cup first round extra-time defeat at Reading in August. The Swansea boss, who had already been warned by the fourth official Bob Desmond, was asked to leave the technical area after protests over claims for a penalty following a foul on midfielder Leon Britton.

The ban means Jackett will have to watch his table-topping side from the stands when Ronnie Moore brings Oldham to The New Stadium on October 15.

''I have got a one game touchline ban from October13, which means I miss the October 15 game,'' Jackett said.

''As to how I feel about that I think I had better keep that to myself.''

With an eight-game unbeaten run and a five-match spell at the top of League One, bookmakers Ladbrokes have made 4-1 favourites to lift the League One title.

However, the new odds do not impressed Jackett.

''We are now favourites to win the league are we? At the start of the season the bookies had us to go down, so I take this with a pinch of salt," he said.

''I tend to look at the bookies generally at the start of the season to try and get an idea and some of them had us to get relegated. I think that they felt like that because we didn't sign too many players over the summer.

''We signed Akinfenwa, Goodfellow and Tudur Jones and when we signed only three quite a number of them had us to be relegated.''

Jackett went on: ''My squad saw it - I made sure they sure saw it and it has certainly helped to motivate us.''

Jackett is not expecting to be named as the Coca-Cola League One manager of the month for September.

Despite taking his side to the summit of League One, second-placed Southend won all five of their games in September.

''I think that Steve Tilson has got it as Southend won all five games so that is a near miss,'' Jackett joked.

Meanwhile, the club have announced that there are 500 tickets available for the trip to Yeovil on Saturday.

The match kicks off at 12.30pm because of Wales's World Cup qualifier in Northern Ireland.

SWANSEA CITY chairman Huw Jenkins has taken a swipe at neighbours Cardiff - claiming "spending large sums of money does not guarantee anything in football",

With the prospect of the two Welsh clubs meeting in Championship action next season a growing possibility, Jenkins could not resist taking a dig at the Bluebirds.

The capital club is now saddled with a £30m-plus debt and avoided relegation to League One last season by only four points.

Swansea, on the other hand, are perched on top of League One after spending a mere £200,000 on new faces and have moved into a new state-of-the-art home at Morfa, while the Bluebirds are still stuck at a decaying Ninian Park.

"I, more than anybody, want to push the club quickly," said Jenkins, who believes Swansea's prudent approach is the right way to build for future success.

"I, also as chairman, have to make sure we achieve our success based on gradual building and try to avoid gambling too soon.

"Spending large sums of money does not guarantee anything in football. Just look up the M4 for proof of that."

Swans chief Kenny Jackett forked out only £40,000 in a summer which saw them draft in striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, winger Marc Goodfellow and midfielder Owain Tudur Jones.

A tribunal ruled the Swans had to pay Torquay £35,000 up front for Akinfenwa but the compensation could rise to £110,000, while Tudur Jones was a bargain £5,000 buy from Bangor.

By contrast, Bluebirds owner Sam Hammam spent nearly £8m on transfer fees after buying the club (then in what is now known as League Two) in the summer of 2000 and created one of the biggest wage bills in the lower divisions on the way to achieving Championship football.

The likes of Peter Thorne (£1.75m), Graham Kavanagh (1m), Andy Campbell (£950,000), Spencer Prior (£700,000) and Chris Barker (£600,000) were substantial financial investments, while Jackett's most expensive buy is winger Kevin McLeod, who arrived from Queens Park Rangers last February in a deal worth around £60,000.

"On the financial front I was asked by a supporter why we had not spent money on players to strengthen our team further," explained Jenkins in his programme notes for Saturday's game with Blackpool.

"While we continue to back Kenny with any team strengthening, he is required to make sure Swansea City keeps moving forward for the long term."

Years of spending beyond their means caught up with Cardiff last season when they were unable to pay staff wages and had to be bailed out by a loan from the Professional Footballers' Association.

Cardiff stabilised their finances in the summer - but only by selling star players such as Graham Kavanagh, Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Jobi McAnuff and slashing their wage bill.

And Jenkins has promised Swansea will not make the same mistakes Cardiff have over the last five years.

"We must always remember that three years ago we were bottom of League Two and fighting to avoid relegation to the Conference for the first time in our history," he went on.

"We have spent over £200,000 on players over the last year or so and spent over £100,000 in set-up costs at our new stadium.

"We're also gradually spending more on our youth development and also looking to invest money in our own training facility in the near future.

"When you take all of these factors into account it shows a massive difference on four years ago when the club was on the brink of extinction."

Referee Ray Olivier insists he did not make a mistake when awarding Swansea City a controversial late winner on Saturday - but visiting boss Colin Hendry is still fuming.

Hendry stormed out of the referee's changing room after the match and labelled the decision to allow Leon Britton's 82nd-minute winner as "horrendous". The ex-Scotland skipper was angry that Britton's goal, which ultimately kept Swansea at the top of League One, was allowed to stand despite Lee Trundle clearly standing in an offside position.

Olivier consulted with his assistant referee Keith Bullen, who had initially raised his flag, before giving the goal.

But Hendry was in no mood to agree.

He said: "I went to see the officials after the match and said I'm not going to lose my cool, but in the end I had to walk out because they could not accept that they had made a mistake.

"It was a horrendous decision, horrendous.

"It was a basic error and all I wanted them to do them was come out here and admit they have made a mistake, but they are adamant.

"Trundle was standing in front of the ball and Peter Clarke, so he is affecting the play. It has cost us a point, a point I thought we were worthy of."

But the West Midlands referee denied there was any mistake on his part and said Trundle had not infringed.

"I just wanted confirmation to see if he had tried to play or touched the ball," said Olivier.

"The answer was no so I awarded the goal.

"He (Lee Trundle) hadn't touched or played the ball. He hadn't interfered with the ball or with an opponent and that is why I gave the goal."

Jackett, whose side are now unbeaten in their last eight matches, initially thought his leading scorer had got a touch on the ball, but after getting a chance to watch a replay, he was full of praise for Trundle and his awareness.

"Having watched it again on the laptop it is quite clear Lee didn't get a touch," Jackett said.

"I have to give Lee credit because he reacted very brightly and showed great awareness not to touch it.

"Without touching the ball he has put us in a very good position to ask the question of the referee.

"There is a grey area of the offside rule and I quite categorically say, having watched it on the laptop, that he didn't touch the ball."

Trundle had earlier given Swansea the lead with his 10th goal in 10 games before Keigan Parker levelled for the visitors.

Bayo Akinfenwa restored the home side's lead a minute before the break, while Ciaran Donnelly headed home a 70th-minute equaliser before Britton struck eight minutes from time.

Akinfenwa will miss Saturday's trip to Yeovil after picking up his fifth booking of the season.

Swansea plan to ask the West Country outfit for extra tickets today as they have nearly sold the 1,500 allocation for the 12.30pm kick-off match.

Coach bookings for the trip to Huish Park are being taken in the club shop.

Southend remain level on points with Swansea at the top of Coca-Cola League One after Mark Bentley scored twice in a 2-1 win at Gillingham.

Bentley's second-half double - he netted in the 56th and 70th minutes - was enough to give Steve Tilson's men the points, although Alan Pouton pulled a late goal back. Huddersfield slipped off the pace after James Hayter rescued a point for Bournemouth at the Galpharm Stadium.

The Terriers looked set to take the points after Danny Schofield and Gary Taylor-Fletcher had scored in the first half.

Hayter, however, pulled one back from the penalty spot after Tom Clarke fouled Andrew Surman. The striker then levelled matters with 20 minutes left.

Brentford kept in sight of the leaders after a 2-1 win against Rotherham at Griffin Park.

Deon Burton had given the visitors the lead, but Kevin O'Connor's penalty and a strike from Isaiah Rankin gave the Bees victory.

Port Vale climbed to fifth after staging a stirring second-half comeback to win 3-2 against Walsall at Vale Park.

After Christopher Birchall had given them the lead, Vale were behind after Sam Collins's own goal and a strike from Ishmel Demontagnac.

Gary Mulligan scored an equaliser for the hosts 10 minutes into the second half, with Chris Cornes - on loan from Wolves - scoring the winner 17 minutes later.

Chesterfield are in the play-off zone after a 2-1 win against Colchester at Layer Road.

Colin Larkin and Paul Hall scored for Roy McFarland's side, with Chris Iwelumo grabbing a late goal for the hosts.

In the battle between the strugglers, MK Dons triumphed 3-1 against bottom-of-the-table Swindon at the National Hockey Stadium.

Rory Fallon had given the Robins the lead, only for the hosts to strike back through Malvin Kamara, Gareth Edds and Izale McLeod.

Danny Wilson's side are still second from bottom, though, after Hartlepool's victory at Bristol City.

Michael Proctor scored the only goal of the game, his strike nine minutes into the second half giving Pools victory.

Yeovil, who Swansea face on Saturday, also recorded victory, edging a seven-goal thriller against Scunthorpe at Glanford Park.

The visitors were two goals behind after Andrew Keogh and Billy Sharp had struck, but they were ahead through Darren Way, Phil Jevons and a Matt Harrold brace. Sharp struck again to set up an exciting finish, but it remained 4-3.

Nottingham Forest beat Tranmere at the City Ground, with Gareth Taylor grabbing the only goal of the game 20 minutes from time.

Barnsley thrashed Oldham 4-0 at Oakwell, with Chris Shuker scoring twice after Daniel Nardiello and Martin Devaney had netted.

Doncaster rescued a point against Bradford at Belle Vue after Tom Kearney and Steve Claridge had given the hosts a two-goal lead. Ricky Ravenhill pulled one back, only to be sent off shortly after, and Nick Fenton ensured the spoils were shared.

FORMER Scotland star Colin Hendry believes Lee Trundle has the ability to flourish at a higher level.

Trundle struck his 10th goal of the season against Hendry's Blackpool and played a crucial role in Leon Britton's contentious late winner.

All this at the end of a week when Trundle has been linked with Championship club Sheffield Wednesday and the debate has raged whether the 28-year-old Scouser has the ability to play at the next level.

"Trundle's a clever player who has got something about his game," said Blackpool boss Hendry, who knows a thing or two about strikers from his days as a top-class Premiership marker at Blackburn and Manchester City.

"He can make a difference and he makes a difference to Swansea. He's an outlet as the ball sticks with him, he's got good control and ability and, of course, he's got technique.

"He scored a good goal against us and, though I could be critical of the defending, he's still got to put it in the back of the net.

"I'm sure he hopes to play in the Championship - and if he does there'll be one less player for me to worry about in this division!"

Apart from his blistering first-half volley and the intelligence shown in allowing Britton's winner to trickle in, Trundle was at his lively best.

Bordering on the showboating at times with subtle feints and dragbacks, he induced a few crude challenges from his Blackpool shadows. But Hendry said he had no problem with that side of Trundle's game and added, "He's a good professional. If you've got a player like that in your team, then you'll be delighted they show that sort of nous and trickery.

"His fellow pros have got to deal with it and if they deal with it incorrectly then it will cost them, be it conceding free-kicks or whatever."

Blackpool's defeat left them hovering only a point and a couple of places above the relegation zone, but Hendry insisted there wasn't much between the top and bottom of League One.

"There's not much difference between teams in this division," he said. "At times you need a little bit of luck, things to go for you when it's meant to. But you've got to create your own luck and, in all fairness to Swansea, they're doing that at the moment.

"The football club is on an upward spiral and they've got a lot going for them.

"I'm happy for them to a degree because they've got fantastic facilities and everything's going for them. I think a lot of managers would dream to be involved in their situation at the top of the league.

"But I thought we were worth a point in the end. We weren't great in the first half as we were off the pace, but we were much better in the second.

"I was delighted that we changed it round, took the game to them and gave a good account of ourselves."

Swansea City 3-2 Blackpool

THEY say there's a comedian on every Liverpool street corner where the jokes flow as much as the Mersey.

But Blackpool boss Colin Hendry didn't see the funny side when Lee Trundle proved Scousers are as streetwise as they are quick-witted.

Like one of those broomstick holders in the curious winter world of curling, Trundle shepherded the ball towards its intended target despite the distraction of a linesman flagging for offside.

Had he touched the ball, Leon Britton's poked winner nine minutes from time would have been disallowed. No argument there, even if Trundle had challenged his manager Kenny Jackett's belief that Scousers are "pretty thick."

But was Trundle active by preventing Blackpool defender Peter Clarke from clearing the ball on the goal-line? Predictably, opinion was divided on that, with referee Ray Olivier as welcome in the Blackpool camp as a heckler at a Labour Party conference.

"It was a horrendous decision," stormed Hendry, who moments earlier had walked out of Olivier's dressing room in disgust.

"I asked the referee his opinion on what happened and I thought he would turn around and say, 'Hey, listen I've made a mistake.'

"Trundle was standing in front of the ball so he's affecting the play. But the ref's saying that only if Peter Clarke had cleared the ball would Trundle be interfering with play.

"That's incredible. Clarkey can't take that chance of kicking the ball off the player and it going in for a goal.

"But, as it's crossing the line, Clarkey's panicked a wee bit because he's got to make a decision.

"I went in to see the officials and told them I wasn't going to lose my cool. But I had to walk out because they couldn't accept they'd made a mistake. It's a basic error and I'd like the officials to come out here and say they've made a mistake."

To his credit, and unlike many of his brethren embroiled in similar controversy, Olivier did explain why he chose to ignore flagging assistant Keith Buller.

But they weren't the words Hendry wanted to hear. "We've spoken about this as referees and a player is only interfering with play when he plays the ball or gets in a defender's way," said Olivier.

"If the Swansea player had played the ball, he would have been offside."

While Hendry was left to moan about Swansea failing to provide him with a tape of the second 45 minutes (he cited a fire alarm prevented the video from being completed) and wondered whether Sky's Chris Kamara would be calling for his view on Britton's goal, Trundle had another take on the incident.

"If the keeper had turned around instead of waving he could have grabbed the ball before it went over the line," said the quick-thinking Trundle.

"I was beside the ball so it's not as if I've shielded it and the defender couldn't get round me. But, as it's going in, he's slid in and put the ball over the line.

"If he ran and took the ball away I couldn't have touched it because I would have been offside. I didn't see the flag, but I knew I was offside because I was already past Leon.

"The gaffer's been having a proper go at me lately - for my gear, my banter and now he's saying I'm not that intelligent.

"But Scousers are known for being streetwise - and that's what has got us three points."

Britton's winner kept Swansea top of League One, but victory was earned the hard way as lowly Blackpool equalised twice with the game there for the taking.

The Swans have so much firepower these days that had they carved out a two-goal lead at any time they would probably have gone on to win by three or four goals.

But Seasiders' stopper Les Pogliacomi denied Trundle and Roberto Martinez and Swansea were forced to live on their nerves following Willy Gueret's failure to deal with two attempts he might have coped with when in better form.

"Our performance in the first half was very good and we could have been further away from Blackpool," said Jackett, reluctant to reveal how he would have felt had he been on the other end of the game-defining incident.

"It was more 50-50 in the second half and the game could have gone either way. But we don't play many boring games at the moment."

Perversely, with what was to come before a near 14,000 crowd just a few hundred shy of Cardiff's attendance for the visit of Luton, it had been a slow-burner until Trundle latched onto Adebayo Akinfenwa's flick-on and smashed home his 10th goal of the season via the underside of the crossbar.

"I'd say that's my best of the season," reflected Trundle on the left-footed volley from 18 yards. "I just turned and got in an early strike.

"I caught it well but, when I saw it hit the bar, I had a little stop before I went off and celebrated."

Keigan Parker punished Swansea with a shot which went right through Gueret, but the lead was restored seconds before the break when the excellent Britton supplied Akinfenwa with a clever reverse pass.

The big striker exorcised the demons of misses against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth with a classy finish, but later collected his fifth caution of the season which rules him out of Saturday's league trip to Yeovil.

But Swansea could not close the contest out and Ciaran Donnelly levelled again when Jamie Burns' deflected cross found him at the far post and he squeezed the ball inside an upright.

That was the cue for Blackpool celebrations - but a Tangerine nightmare would soon unfold thanks to Trundle and his Scouse savvy.

MUCH has been written about Lee Trundle's work to hone his figure over the summer months, but no-one mentioned he'd been swotting up on the laws of the game.

But thank goodness he did as he's proved his wit is as quick as one of his trademark turns for Leon Britton's late winner. Forget the jokes about Liverpudlians and intelligence, Trundle proved to be brighter than a Football League linesman in the 82nd minute. Clearly offside when the brilliant Britton threaded a pass through the Blackpool defence, Trundle simply stepped aside to allow the ball access to the net.

It would have been bread and butter to any defender, but the Blackpool back-line were too busy applauding the assistant referee's flag to bother clearing the ball. Of course, as any student of the Football Rulebook would know, by not touching the ball Trundle didn't interfere with play and referee Ray Olivier awarded the goal.

Pandemonium in the Blackpool dug-out, delirium among the home support who probably couldn't work out what to be more pleased about - the remarkable way in which they had won or the fact they remain in top spot for another week.

Only just, mind, after Colin Hendry's men twice came from behind with Keigan Parker cancelling out Trundle's opener, Ciaran Donnelly levelling after Bayo Akinfenwa had got back on the goal-trail before half-time.

Swansea hadn't looked as fluid as in previous matches in the opening stages either, but when you've got Trundle, who needs tactics? It has long been noted the 28-year-old needs just the one chance to turn a match. He proved the point on 22 minutes, Akinfenwa's knock-down from a Kevin Austin free-kick allowing the striker to control and unleash a wicked shot which crashed in via the bar.

Cue badge-kissing aplenty, celebrations in the stands and the expected chants of "Easy, Easy", but the goal also prompted a spell of poor concentration from Swansea which culminated in Keigan Parker's equaliser on 36 minutes.

Tommy Wright's flick-on went unchallenged, Sam Ricketts was caught napping, the offside trap failed and the Tangerine's top scorer levelled when he forced his shot underneath Gueret.

What had started as a dull affair was now a case of 'blink and you miss it' and on 38 minutes, Trundle was only denied a second when Blackpool keeper Les Pogliacomi dived to stop the striker's snap-shot before expertly tipping Roberto Martinez's beautifully curling effort around his post. Perhaps Blackpool were beginning to think it was their lucky day, especially when captain Peter Clarke was let off when he seemingly hauled down Trundle.

But just as soon as the visiting defence were thanking their good fortune they found themselves trailing; Leon Britton winning possession and playing the perfect pass for the former Torquay powerhouse to pounce. If they had displayed more cutting edge, Swansea could have easily extended their lead after the break but the foot was off the pedal and it allowed Blackpool to steal their way back into the game, when Donnelly headed home softly from a deflected Lee Morris cross.

Enter Andy Robinson as the hosts upped the tempo and it always looked likely the winner would come, but not in the fashion it did.

Britton's pass had just enough legs to reach the net but reach the net it did. However, it came about, it's win number eight for Jackett's men and, after arrested goalkeepers, multiple sendings offs and record victories, no-one should be really be surprised any more.

HE may be little at 5ft 6ins in his studs but Leon Britton has taken giant strides at Swansea City this season.

The former West Ham trainee had seemed destined to leave the Swans during the summer after failing to nail down a starting spot during City's promotion campaign.

But after a spot of soul searching from Britton and some ear-bending from manager Kenny Jackett, the skilful midfielder was persuaded to sign up for another year. And he hasn't looked back since.

Britton has always been a popular figure with fans since arriving at the Vetch on loan three years ago.

And his name is once again ringing out around the New Stadium after a string of scintillating performances in a side that can barely do wrong right now.

While Lee Trundle and Kevin McLeod have grabbed most of the headlines this season Britton has been the one pulling the strings in midfield.

And he puts his first-team rebirth down to one thing - he has stopped getting stressed.

"I've learnt how to be more relaxed about things," said Britton.

"I used to come off the field if I'd not had the best of games and really beat myself up about it.

"I would let it play on my mind and get upset about things. Now I just don't bother.

"I've learnt to relax and stop being such a worrier.

"I can see now that there was no point putting so much pressure on myself to perform.

"The benefits have come on the pitch as a result and I don't really think about the next game too much. I just go out there and enjoy it with a smile on my face."

With nine appearances under his belt already this season, Britton is already well on the way to reaching the number of appearances required to trigger the option of an extra year on his contract.

A one-match suspension and a hamstring injury would have seen Britton facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines last season.

But the rejuvenated Londoner bounced straight back into the starting line-up this time around to reinforce his growing importance to the club.

"I didn't know if I would go straight back into the side but the gaffer has kept faith with me and I'm grateful he has," said Britton.

"Last season it might have been a different matter but I'm glad that has changed. I haven't spoken to the gaffer much about my form, which must just mean things are going well.

"The size of the pitch at our new stadium and the step up in standard has really helped - not just me but a few of the lads.

"It's hard not to find space on the pitch at home.

"I wasn't sure how I would be able to cope because I hadn't played in League One before, but a lot of teams have tried to play football against us and that suits me down to the ground."

For now though Britton, like his teammates, is trying to keep a lid on his excitement despite helping the club to the top of the division on the back of some swashbuckling displays.

He added: "We are all just trying to keep our heads down but I think we all know we are capable of being successful this season."

KENNY Jackett praised his star striker's quick thinking after watching his side rack up their eighth game without defeat.

But Jackett refused to be drawn on how he would have felt if Leon Britton's questionable late goal had gone against them. The Swans boss admitted he had thought ten-goal Trundle had touched the ball on the way in when he first watched it, only to realise the 28-year-old had cleverly avoided contact.

"At first I thought he had got a touch, but after watching it again on the laptop it's clear he hasn't," said Jackett. "That's great awareness from Lee because he must have known the flag was up and he's resisted the temptation to hit it - that's good football.

"The Blackpool defender has slid it himself into the net but it's after it crossed the line so Leon's definitely claiming it. Is he interfering? Lee's done very well and reacted brightly.

"I know the offside law - if he had touched it, it would have been disallowed, so you've got to give Lee credit for being very intelligent.

"Colin Hendry's not happy but I can't answer what my reaction would be like if we had conceded that one."

But Jackett insisted he felt no shame in celebrating the unusual goal as he cited similar loopholes in the offside law that have gone against his side in the past.

"It's the same with free-kicks when attacking teams put two players on the goalkeeper in an offside position and then just walk out. It's a grey area, but teams score goals from it because they are the rules. In fact, it happened to us against QPR in the Carling Cup last season and we went out because of it."

FANS of Swansea City are being asked to help write a drama set during the club's glory years.

Toshack or Me is set during the 1980-81 season when the current Wales manager was in charge at Swansea as the club won promotion to the old Division One.

It is the work of Peter Read and Helen Veale, whose stage play Dylan Thomas in America was an Edinburgh Fringe hit.
They have had help from Swans legend Alan Curtis, but are also looking for anecdotes from football supporters.

"It's about football obsession and how that can destroy a relationship," Ms Veale said.

"The focus is a young couple living in Swansea at the time and he becomes an obsessive fan and their relationship becomes quite difficult.

"It's based around the 1980-81 season and charts a lot of the games along the way and is based on a lot of true events at the time.

"But we want to talk to fans to hear their stories and anecdotes which we may be able to use in the play."

Under Toshack's management, Swansea City staged a meteoric rise through the football league in the late 1970s, culminating in their promotion to English football's top flight in the 1980-1 season, in which the play is set.

Toshack or Me has already been booked in for a run at the Arts Wing of Swansea's Grand Theatre next year.

Helen and Peter will be at the city's Dylan Thomas Centre for fans to pop in with their stories on October 12 and 13 between noon and 2pm on October 14 between 6pm and 8pm.

Swansea City's reign at the top of League One continues tonight after a bizarre goal from Leon Britton in the final eight minutes at The New Stadium.

New rules from the Football Association this season have directed linesmen to wait until the offside attacker receives the ball before he raises his flag. But Somerset linesman Keith Bullen was a little over zealous as a Britton pass intended for Lee Trundle saw him raise his flag in anticipation.

Aware he was now offside, Trundle let the ball roll into the net.

Despite furious protests from the Blackpool players and management, Britton's goal stood and the Swans were spending a fifth consecutive game at the summit.

Trundle had fired Swansea into the lead on 22 minutes before Keigan Parker levelled on 36 minutes.

Bayo Akinfenwa made it 2-1 on the stroke of half-time before Ciaran Donnelly looked to have earned Blackpool a point.

Jackett kept faith with the side that came away from Bournemouth on Tuesday night with another three points.

Kevin Austin was preferred to Garry Monk at the heart of the defence, while fit-again Adrian Forbes had to wait for his chance as Marc Goodfellow kept hold of his place on the bench.

Colin Hendry was without right-back Danny Coid, with Mark McGregor switching to the full-back position and Tony Butler restored to the side after missing Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

There was no place in the starting XI for ex-Swansea keeper Lee Jones as the former Scotland skipper stuck with Australian Les Pogliacomi.

Swansea were looking to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games and keep hold of top spot in League One in the process.

After a lively opening where Kevin McLeod's shot was nearly headed into the net by Butler and Bayo Akinfenwa saw his header from a McLeod corner go over, the match fell flat and needed something to liven it up.

And what a way Swansea found to spark the game into life.

Austin took a free-kick deep inside the home half and Akinfenwa flicked it on for Lee Trundle.

League One's top scorer took the ball on his chest, turned and drilled the ball in off the under side of the bar and past Pogliacomi with 22 minutes on the clock.

Ten goals for the hitman in just 11 games. Is it any wonder Trundle is being linked with several clubs in higher divisions?

The goal was just what this match needed and suddenly Jackett's side looked to have more urgency. They were now finding a way through the brick wall that had been Hendry's defence.

On the flanks McLeod and Britton looked to have more zip and their shirts were no longer being caught by the Tangerine defence.

Just as Trundle's goal came out of nowhere, so did the first booking. As Swansea retreated from an attack, referee Ray Olivier halted proceedings to issue Izzy Iriekpen a yellow card.

Just nine minutes before the interval Blackpool were level.

With their first meaningful attack, a long ball was flicked on by on-loan Leicester City striker Tommy Wright, allowing Keigan Parker to run onto it. Looking for power more than placement, Parker's shot squeezed under the retreating Gueret.

Trundle looked to restore the Swansea advantage two minutes later when he tried his luck from a tight angle, but Pogliamcomi turned the ball behind for a corner.

McLeod picked out Martinez with the corner and the Spaniard cut inside before curling the ball towards the far corner of the goal. But Pogliamcomi pushed the skipper's shot away to deny him a second goal in as many weeks.

With less than 90 seconds of the half remaining, Britton picked out Akinfenwa and Swansea were back in front.

The former Torquay United striker had missed many chances in his previous two outings, but he was not going to squander another.

Just like last Saturday Akinfenwa was one-on-one with the keeper. This time, however, he found the net.

Half-time: Swansea City 2, Blackpool 1.

Hendry made a double substitution at the start of the second period.

With his defence looking a little slow, the former Blackburn skipper brought on Jamie Burns for Robert Edwards at left-back, while Scott Vernon replaced Wright in attack.

It looked as if Swansea were going to stretch their lead early in the half after a delightful dummy from Marcus Bean had Ciaran Donnelly beaten.

Sam Ricketts came through from the back and laid the ball off to McLeod. He crossed and Ricketts continued his run forward, but could only chest the ball into the arms of Pogliacomi with Akinfenwa waiting at the back post.

McGregor saved the visitors from going 3-1 down when Trundle played McLeod through, but his shot was blocked by the Blackpool defender.

After getting the goal he so craved in the first half, Akinfenwa should have completed his brace.

Britton twisted and turned to get a cross in which fell between the feet of Akinfenwa, but the 17-stone striker could only fire wide from three yards after gaining control.

Sensing Swansea had missed the opportunity to kill the match off, Blackpool piled on the pressure. And it paid off when Ian Morris crossed to the back post to find Donnelly.

His header left Gueret looking helpless after it squeezed in at his near post.

Hendry made his third and final substitution straight after the goal with Simon Wiles coming on for Morris.

Blackpool grew in confidence and as they broke away Ricketts pulled back Donnelly and became the second man cautioned.

Jackett threw on Andy Robinson for the final 14 minutes as he gambled on victory.

After sustaining the Blackpool pressure, the Swans were back in front. With eight minutes remaining Britton headed towards the visitors goal.

His pass looked to be headed towards Trundle and despite the FA directive for linesman to wait until an attacker receives the ball, Keith Bullen raised his flag before Trundle touched it. Aware that he was now offside Trundle allowed the ball to roll into the net. It sparked furious protests from Blackpool, but the goal was allowed to stand.

Lee Thorpe's Swansea City career looked to be over last night as he was poised to sign for League Two Peterborough on a month's loan. The target man has seen his chances limited to only a handful of appearances from the bench this season.

Posh boss Mark Wright has been linked with a number of strikers this week including Shrewsbury's Duane Darby and now the former Chester manager has a striker to lead his front line.

The 29-year-old Thorpe was expected to seal his move to London Road so that he could get some games under his belt with the move having a possibility of being made permanent.

''There is a possibility that the loan could be extended to three months,'' said Swansea boss Kenny Jackett.

''That would take Lee up to the transfer window and then the move could be made permanent.

''Lee felt that he has not played as many games as he would have liked and with Adrian Forbes back he has gone further down the order.''

Despite Paul Connor out injured for another month, Jackett still has Lee Trundle, Bayo Akinfenwa and Forbes who can lead the front line.

Triallist Noe Sissoko is pondering over a three-month contract offer from Jackett.

The Malian midfielder has still to decide whether or not to accept the offer from the League One leaders.

''It is still up in the air at the moment whether he will sign or not,'' Jackett said.

''There are still a few problems with him coming so we will just have to wait and see on that one.''

The 23-year-old 6ft 4in versatile player was released by French Ligue 2 side Creteil at the beginning of last month and he spent last week training in Swansea.

After spending the weekend back in France, Sissoko has been training with Jackett's side this week and the offer of the contract was made.

Swansea's youth team keeper Kyle Letheren has been called up into the Wales Under-21 squad for the games against Germany and Azerbaijan.

Swansea now have three players in the Brian Flynn's set-up with the 18-year-old keeper joining Owain Tudur Jones and Mark Pritchard.

Swansea reserves will face Bourneouth reserves at St Helen's on Tuesday (2pm).

Cyril the Swan's Christmas party has been brought forward a week due to the rescheduling of the trip to Doncaster.

The party will now be held on December 11 between 12-4 with tickets priced £4 each and on sale from the club shop.

When Alan Shearer finally hangs up his boots at the end of this season, Newcastle United will have a massive hole to fill.

Graeme Souness may have recently bolstered his attack with the £17million acquisition of England striker Michael Owen from Real Madrid and the £9.5million capture of Albert Luque from Deportivo La Coruna. But all the money in the world will struggle to find the inspiration and passion for the Toon Army that Shearer has.

So who will Souness turn to to replace such a figure?

According to Monday's Independent it will be Swansea's star striker Lee Trundle.

The national newspaper says that Newcastle are reportedly tracking the prolific striker and that they may make a move during the transfer window.

Clubs being linked to the Scouser is nothing new and most rumours turn out just to be that - rumours.

However, when you get linked to one of the top teams in the country it can only boost your confidence.

"I got told about that," Trundle laughed.

"But as I have said before, it is something that I don't think about.

"People write stuff in newspapers and you will always be linked with clubs if you are scoring goals.

"All I can do is my job for Swansea and score goals."

So would Trundle like to be the next Shearer?

"I don't know how true all this is so I'm not taking any notice," he said.

"If anything like that happens it happens but until then I'm not taking any notice."

Newcastle were left bereft of experienced strikers at the start of the campaign as Shearer was left with youngsters Shola Ameobi and Michael Chopra.

The Geordies had to wait until September before they finally got their first goal of the season.

And with today's Roman Abramovich-inspired inflated prices, Swansea could have a nice little kitty to play with.

After all, Newcastle did pay Real Madrid £17million for Owen when they were only asking £10million.

So how much for Trundle? One million, two perhaps, maybe three? Well, as Newcastle like to pay more of a premium than Chelsea, better make it five or six...