Expiry of Canaries contract on Martin's mind (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

SWINDON TOWN: Expiry of Canaries contract on Martin's mind

6:00am Wednesday 9th January 2013 in Sport

WITH his Norwich contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign, striker Chris Martin is desperate to continue playing competitive football for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old, who extended his loan spell at Swindon Town by a further 28 days on Monday, will become a free agent in the summer should his parent club fail to take up a one-year option on his deal at Carrow Road.

Martin was told earlier this term that he was no part of Canaries manager Chris Hughton’s plans, and therefore chances are he will be looking for a new side in the coming months.

Having impressed during his brief spell in Wiltshire, Martin has ensured that he will be in the shop window come July, and to help attract potential new employers the frontman has stressed that he would like to remain with Swindon beyond the expiry of his 28-day extension.

“Obviously it’s in the back of my mind that my contract runs out at the end of the season but we’ll have to wait and see what happens, it all depends on my performance. That’s all anything depends on,” he said.

“When you’re sorting out contracts and moves it depends on how you’re playing on the pitch so I need to do the business come Saturdays and Tuesday nights and hopefully that can propel me towards somewhere where I want to be - be that a permanent move, somewhere else, back at Norwich - nothing has been discussed yet.

“It’s all ifs, buts and maybes at the moment. It’s not worth worrying about at the minute.

“It’s nice to get the deal done to stay here for that length of time but hopefully also longer term than that, hopefully for the rest of the season if that’s possible.

“I’ve got these 28 days and it’s exactly the same as before. I’m going to give it my all and see where it takes me. The team are on a very good run and it’s a good moment to be at Swindon Town.”

Martin revealed that the relevant parties have started discussing the possibility of Martin staying beyond February 2, when his loan agreement runs out at Swindon.

“We’ve talked about it but we’ve got to assess the situation as time goes on in the next few weeks while the window is still open. Obviously it’s got to be completed, if I do sign for the rest of the season, before the window shuts,” he said.

“It’s been talked about, hopefully that’s a possibility but nothing has been sorted just yet. We’ll have to wait and see what happens from the club’s point of view and my point of view. I’m just looking forward to these next 28 days and see where it takes us.”