Connell & Cox complete moves (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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Connell & Cox complete moves
6:00am Saturday 21st July 2012 in Sport By Sam Morshead
THE FUTURES of Alan Connell and Lee Cox were resolved yesterday as the duo left the County Ground for pastures new.
The two players were told they were surplus to requirements at Swindon Town towards the end of last month and have been meeting with other clubs in recent weeks to try to iron out moves away from Wiltshire.
Those negotiations came to a head on Friday, as Connell made the switch to Bradford while Cox joined Oxford.
Connell, who was Town’s top scorer with 13 goals last term, was the highest profile casualty of Swindon manager Paolo Di Canio’s plans for League One domination.
Although he became a fans’ favourite at the County Ground during his solitary season in the red of Town, Connell was advised he would not be part of Di Canio’s thinking in 2012/13 and he has now penned a two-year deal at Valley Parade.
Meanwhile, midfielder Cox has agreed a loan deal at Oxford. The former Inverness man only arrived in Swindon in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract but played just seven times for the Robins during the second half of last term.
He will remain with the U’s until January.
Another player set to depart SN1 is Jonathan Smith, who the Advertiser understands is poised to rejoin former club York.
Like Connell, Smith played more than 40 times for Town in all competitions last term after arriving at from York for a fee in the region of £30,000 12 months ago.
However, he was told he would not figure in the upcoming League One campaign and, as predicted in the Advertiser a fortnight ago, the 25-year-old is expected to return to his old side.
Finally, as revealed by the Advertiser yesterday, Town’s former youth team player Harry Grant has been offered professional terms at Sheffield Wednesday.
The midfielder, who was not handed a deal by the Robins in the spring, has received a two-year deal at Hillsborough.
Grant was a product of Swindon’s youth development system, making his way through the ranks under the watchful eyes of Paul Bodin and Jeremy Newton.
Grant took to Twitter last night to confirm the news, writing: “Over the moon to say I've been offered my first professional contract at Sheffield Wednesday Fc.
“Would like to say thank u to my family and friends for helping me get this far. Another journey begins.”
Comments(17)
TheDibbs
says...
8:35am Sat 21 Jul 12
Chish and Fips
says...
9:07am Sat 21 Jul 12
Good luck to the others to who are moving on as-well.
TheDukeOfBanbury
says...
11:10am Sat 21 Jul 12
jayden wrote:Second that....met Connell a few times last season. My eldest lad is a little sad this morning as he liked Connell.
Good luck to them all
Alan Connell a credit to a footballer.
the real Tosh man
says...
11:55am Sat 21 Jul 12
Stilloyal
says...
12:42pm Sat 21 Jul 12
the real Tosh man wrote:His contract was terminated by mutual agreement , so yep a freebie.
I'm assuming that the club had let him go for free to I increase his chances of getting the move he wanted. Probably a sort of thank you from stfc
Since 1950
says...
2:12pm Sat 21 Jul 12
COYR!
Stilloyal
says...
2:42pm Sat 21 Jul 12
forzaswindon12
says...
4:10pm Sat 21 Jul 12
the real Tosh man wrote:it doesnt make sense letting either of these players go for free, connell was our top scorer we must have got a fee for him?
I'm assuming that the club had let him go for free to I increase his chances of getting the move he wanted. Probably a sort of thank you from stfc
mallorca
says...
4:29pm Sat 21 Jul 12
As for Cox again I guess he is off the wage bill until Jan.
So now we await hopefully Bostock???? the remarks of JW as to tightning the purse strings as all said and done aint a bootemless pit.
So besdt wishes to both players and hope they are a success at there new clubs
London Red
says...
5:37pm Sat 21 Jul 12
.
Now as they were not going to feature as we want promotion not consolidation the decision was lets ensure these lads get a decent offer over recouping a fee
.
A podcast with PdC clearly has him say we could have asked for £50k but we decided no - that decision clearly came from JW
.
We all know JW is a decent bloke and wants to help players where possible after STFC and these 2 are another example on top of other like Lucas and Timlin
BillyLucas4me
says...
7:13am Sun 22 Jul 12
Signed and rejected in the same year surely does not look like good business especially when fees paid are not recovered..let go.
Stilloyal
says...
9:59am Sun 22 Jul 12
The club let them go because their playing time would be rare and minimal, so to be fair to the players we gave them the opportunity to get decent contracts and playtime with other clubs.
STFC should be applauded for this and incoming players know they will be treated fairly and with respect.
London Red
says...
10:31am Sun 22 Jul 12
.
I don't see why so many are upset players from last year are now seen as below the level required
.
It will happen again next summer with a few more favourites included and potentially some of the new 7 too
.
If that is because we are looking to consolidate in the Championship I wil be more than happy!
the don69
says...
10:57am Sun 22 Jul 12
LeGod
says...
10:16am Mon 23 Jul 12
swwindon61uk
says...
4:25pm Mon 23 Jul 12
LeGod wrote:Ritchie for Fletcher is the best laugh i have had in ages...LOL
i see some idiot on the stupid football rumours site has staed we are swopping Ritchie for Steve Fletcher - what planet are some of these Bournemouth fans on why would we want a 40 year old player in a swap for Ritchie plus 1m. Bournemouth fans are convinced their getting Ritchie it will never happen as Paolo seems him as one of his key players.
Can not see Ritchie going to AFCB especially now we are in League one.
I will be honest though i think £900,000 is a lot to turn down for Ritchie.
jayden says...
6:58am Sat 21 Jul 12