Swindon Town

Gradi doubtful about Parkin swoop
Crewe boss Dario Gradi doubts whether he can sign striker Sam Parkin, 24, even if Swindon accept a bid for him. Gradi said: "Their manager doesn't want to sell but there is a clause in his contract. If someone makes a certain offer they are duty-bound to sell. "It's a long shot at this stage. The player is already earning good money. "Although we would be able to agree terms with the club, agreeing with the player would be less easy I would have thought," he told the club website.

Reeves will stay in Swindon role
Alan Reeves will continue as Swindon Town's assistant manager next season, Reeves became Andy King's number two when Mick Harford - who had been in the role for less than two months - left to take over as manager of Rotherham. The 37-year-old defender is unlikely to play a part on the field after seven years at the County Ground. Meanwhile, King is also looking to give Ian Woan and Iffy Onuora greater coaching responsibility next season.

Swindon want Evans to sign deal
Swindon Town are trying to sort out a financial wrangle involving appearance bonuses so that they can agree a new deal with goalkeeper Rhys Evans. Evans' agent Dennis Roach has asked the Robins wants to have the clause included in the 23-year-old's deal. Swindon's finance director Sandy Gray told the Western Daily Press: "Rhys likes living in Swindon and does not really want to move. "But we have to sort out the issue of appearance bonuses." Gray said: "Ten days ago he was going to accept without any conditions. "

Swindon closing in on Evans deal
Swindon Town are close to agreeing a new deal with goalkeeper Rhys Evans. Robins' chief executive Sandy Gray told the club's website that talks were underway with Evans' agent. "We have been in negotiations with the player's agent over the past few days and expect to conclude the deal in the next 48 hours or so," he said. Evans has made nearly 100 appearances for Swindon since arriving in July 2003 as back-up for Dutchman Bart Griemink, and was first-choice last season.

Swindon agree deal to sign Shakes
Swindon have agreed a deal with Bolton for midfielder Ricky Shakes. The 20-year-old, who has had loan spells with Bristol Rovers and Bury, will sign on 1 July and become the club's first summer signing. "Ricky played for the reserves at the end of last season and he did well," said Swindon boss Andy King. "He is someone I have been after for a while. He did well on loan at Bury and can also play up out wide or up front so he could be a good addition for us."

Swindon boss eyeing more signings
Swindon boss Andy King hopes to follow the capture of Ricky Shakes with more signings, King, who will see a number of possible recruits, is looking for several new faces having seen six of his senior players leave since last season ended. He is due to meet chief executive Sandy Gray, and will also discuss the future of three out-of-contract players. Sammy Igoe and and Rhys Evans are considering improved offers, but David Duke has the same deal on the table.

Bolton defender in Swindon talks
Swindon Town manager Andy King is trying to tie up a deal with Bolton's teenage defender Charlie Comyn-Platt, reports BBC Radio Swindon. The 19-year-old has been released by the Premiership side and could join former club mate Ricky Shakes in agreeing a move to the County Ground. Meanwhile, Matt Bulman will be given the chance to become the Robins' second goalkeeper in pre season training. King has offered the teenager a month-to-month contract.

Evans agrees new Swindon contract
Swindon goalkeeper Rhys Evans has agreed a new one-year contract. Evans, 23, has played nearly 100 games for Swindon since arriving in July 2003 from Chelsea and boss Andy King said: "It would be very hard to replace him. "Rhys sets very high standards for himself and I think there is more to come. If he can improve his kicking this season he will be a major asset. "He is as good a shot-stopper that there is in our division," he told the Robins' official website.

Ipswich win the race for Parkin
Ipswich have won the race for Swindon striker Sam Parkin. Neither club have disclosed the fee for Parkin, 24, but it may be in the region of £750,000. Town beat Norwich, Watford and Brighton in the race for Parkin, who - after the arrival of Reading's Nicky Forster - is the club's second signing this week. Boss Joe Royle told Ipswich's website: "Sam has real talent, he has a fantastic scoring record and has earned the right to step up to this division." Ipswich chairman David Sheepshanks gave his backing to Royle's team-building efforts to guide the club back into the Premiership. Sheepshanks said: "I view the signing of Sam Parkin as a real coup for the club. "It's a measure of the esteem in which Joe Royle and the club are held. "We were particularly keen to sign a younger player of Sam's proven ability but who has the potential to improve to the highest level, hopefully with us." Parkin had hinted he was prepared to take his time in making a decision on which club to join. He told BBC Sport:"It may take a few days and I will not make a hasty decision. I've waited a long time for this opportunity." Ipswich boss Joe Royle sees the former Chelsea trainee as the ideal replacement for top scorer Shefki Kuqi, who is set to leave Portman Road. Parkin scored 24 goals last season and Royle said: "Sam was top of our list if Shefki went. Parkin, who turned down a new two-year contract with the Robins last week, had just returned from a three-week holiday in Australia and said his transfer was never far from his mind. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been thinking about it," he added. "The idea was to have a break and get away from it all but I spent the majority of time either on the phone or the internet trying to keep up with developments back home."

King will replace Parkin quickly
Swindon boss Andy King is eager to bring in a new striker now that Sam Parkin has joined Ipswich. King told the club's website: "I have to go out and find a replacement for Sam Parkin but we have to move on. "I have asked the fans to be patient because I was waiting on the Parkin deal to be concluded. "My job is to go out there and find a striker. I have a plan to alleviate the loss of Parkin quickly - there is something in the pipeline."

Swindon expect Jenkins to recover
Swindon are confident that experienced defender Steve Jenkins will be fit for the start of the new campaign. The former Wales international, 32, picked up a calf injury towards the end of last season. "Steve has been in and had a scan, but that didn't show anything untoward and he looks okay," Robins physio Dick Mackey told the club website. "He has been embarking on some steady runs, and he should be strong by the time pre-season comes around." Fellow defender Sean O'Hanlon is also set to return after a thigh injury.

Mayo linked with Lincoln return
Watford defender Paul Mayo could be about to return to Lincoln City, reports BBC Radio Lincolnshire. The left-sided player, 23, left the Imps to join Watford in February 2004. The former Lincoln captain is believed to have turned down a move to League One side Swindon in favour of a move back to his hometown club. Robins manager Andy King told BBC Radio Swindon: "Incredibly to me, he agreed to sign for Lincoln instead. Sometimes it is not a football choice."

Imps sign Mayo and midfield pair
Lincoln City have re-signed defender Paul Mayo from Watford, and snapped up midfielders Steve Robinson, 29, and Dean Keates, 27, on free transfers. Versatile left-sided player Mayo, 23, left Sincil Bank to join Watford in March 2004, but has returned to his hometown club on a two-year deal. Robinson joins from Swindon, while Keates arrives from Kidderminster. The Imps have also handed a one-year deal to striker Omari Coleman, 24, who was recently released by Watford. Mayo had earlier turned down the chance to join Swindon in order to rejoin the Imps. Robins manager Andy King told BBC Radio Swindon: "Incredibly to me, he agreed to sign for Lincoln instead. Sometimes it is not a football choice." But the player told Lincoln's website: "I still have a lot of friends and family in the area - I felt it was the right choice." Meanwhile, Robinson was not offered a new contract at the County Ground this summer, after making 141 League appearances in four years since jonining from Birmingham. He has penned a one-year deal at Sincil Bank, as has former Hull and Walsall man Keates.

King swoops for ex-QPR strike duo
Swindon boss Andy King has snapped up ex-QPR forwards Jamie Cureton and Tony Thorpe in a bid to replace star striker Sam Parkin, who has joined Ipswich. Thorpe, 31, has signed a one-year deal, while 29-year-old Cureton has agreed a two-year contract at the County Ground. King told Swindon's website: "There isn't a striker who could fill Sam's boots, so I've gone with two to guarantee us 25 goals a season." The pair were both released by Rangers at the end of last season. Both have extensive Football League experience - with Bristol-born Cureton returning to the West Country after spells with Norwich, Bournemouth (loan), Bristol Rovers and Reading, as well as a stint with Korean side Pusan Icons before joining QPR. Thorpe has scored over 160 league and cup goals in a career which has included four separate spells at Luton, his first club - as well as time with Fulham, Bristol City, Reading (loan) and QPR. He ended last season on loan at Rotherham.

Darlington admit talks with Duke
Assistant boss Mark Proctor admits that Darlington have held talks with Swindon midfielder David Duke - but has played down any talk of an imminent move. Duke, 26, has been offered a new one-year deal by the Robins but is yet to decide on his future. "I didn't meet David. Hodgy (manager Dave Hodgson met him," Proctor told the Quakers' website. "I'm not exactly sure where it is at, but I think it is still ongoing, along with three or four others." With many players' contracts having expired at the end of June, Proctor feels that clubs may now be in a better negotiating position. "I've had numerous agents on to me over the last three of four days trying to find placements for their players, because people are starting to panic now," he explained. "If you are one of those thousand-odd players on the PFA list with no income coming in, it can be a little bit anxious for you."

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