10:00am Saturday 5th July 2008
SWINDON Town may at last be looking forward to a brighter future but the shadows cast by a murky financial past are still causing their own problems at the County Ground, writes ANDY CRYER.
As a slow transfer market continues to frustrate Maurice Malpas's efforts at building a Championship-challenging side, the Town boss reveals he is also working against the past political climate in his hunt for players.
Andrew Fitton & Co's Town takeover at the turn of the year rescued the club from financial ruin but Malpas, pictured right, reveals the battering the club's reputation had taken is taking some recovering from.
He insists the majority of the football world are coming to terms with the new stable Swindon but admits there are still "one or two out there" unsure about the club's footing.
He said: "There are some agents who will not come near Swindon because they were owed money. There are one or two who are sitting back to see what is happening at Swindon.
"Because we are here every day we know it is settled in the background. The club has been turned upside down but people on the outside don't see that and don't realise that.
"Possibly Swindon have still got that bad reputation of unpaid bills and not looking after players but the majority of agents realise now we are sorted.
"I would like to think we have a better profile than we did eight to nine months ago. It was black then but there is optimism and we have a chance of doing something."
While Malpas is frozen out by a minority, he reveals there are several clubs and agents he has been in touch with as he continues his efforts to bolster his squad.
He said: "There are one or two clubs we have been speaking to in terms of loan deals. But the clubs want their players to stay for pre-season, mainly because you play games back to back and you need that big squad.
"At the start of the season, clubs will then be saying you can take them now and I have spoken to one or two who know we are keen to be in the mix and it is what they decide.
"I have spoken to Gary Johnson about Scott Murray at Bristol City and I will speak to him again. Nothing is done there though yet. I don't even know if Scott wants to come.
"I have had lots of opportunities to bring players in but I don't think they were any better than what we already have and I don't think they would improve our squad."
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