Coke expects a battle for the shirt (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

SWINDON TOWN: Coke expects a battle for the shirt

6:00am Wednesday 5th September 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

NEW signing Giles Coke is excited to be given the chance to prove himself at Swindon Town as he bids to make the grade at Championship level.

The midfielder moved to the County Ground on deadline day from second tier side Sheffield Wednesday having spent last season on loan in League One with Bury, and is likely to be on the bench for tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash with Oxford.

Coke knows he faces a battle to force his way into the Robins’ starting line-up ahead of the likes of Tommy Miller, Alan Navarro and Simon Ferry, but is keen to show the Town fans what he can do.

“Obviously I am on loan, but I want to play games and that is why I came here,” he said.

“I don’t expect to walk in and play, and at any club you play for you have to show the manager you deserve to be there.

“I would like to think I have a future at Sheffield Wednesday, but you never know in football. I am in the last year of my contract, and I am on loan so there is not a lot more to say.

“I want to play for the club, and I have always said that because it is a big club that is going places, and I believe I am good enough to play for that club. I am at Swindon now though and I am happy to play here, and I want to prove myself.”

Coke is excited by the prospect of making his Town debut in a local derby, and is looking forward to linking up with former Wednesday teammates Miller and John Bostock once again.

“This is a tense one for the Swindon and the Oxford fans, and I would love to play in it and I am up for it.

“I am fit and ready, but I have not played as many games as I would have liked by this point, and I want to play.

“There are a lot of players at Swindon who have played at a higher level, and there are similarities to Sheffield Wednesday so there is no reason why we can’t push for promotion.

“I played with Tommy in the middle of the midfield and John was at the club too, and if it happens I would love to play with them again. But whoever I am playing with I am happy as long as I am playing.”