SWINDON TOWN: I'd have stayed! (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: I'd have stayed!

6:30am Friday 10th July 2009 in

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SIMON Cox insists he would have been happy to stay put at the County Ground, but revealed his goalscoring exploits made a summer transfer “inevitable”.

The striker completed his switch to West Bromwich Albion earlier this week in a deal worth an initial £1.5million, which could eventually reach £1.9million.

Cox was introduced to the media for the first time yesterday at the Baggies’ training ground and although he was clearly looking forward to the next chapter in his promising career, the 22-year-old admitted he would have gladly spearheaded Town’s attack for another year.

“I was happy at Swindon,” he told the Advertiser.

“If I stayed I would have been happy because it was a club I liked. I enjoyed myself very much, especially last year having scored so many goals.

“It’s such a nice club but it was probably inevitable that I wasn’t going to be there this year.

“I spent the first week of pre-season there and nothing had changed for me.

“I was fine with it and wasn’t going to go in with a strop because I hadn’t left yet.

“I was there and if something happened, it happened, and if it didn’t I would have happily started the season for Swindon.

“I can’t emphasise how much of a nice club that is. They were superb with me, and under the new manager they should do alright this year.

“I’m sorry to leave, but if you want to move up in the world you do so at the opportunity you get.”

With a host of clubs monitoring the 32-goal hitman over the past few months, Town chairman Andrew Fitton always claimed he would never stand in Cox’s way if a potential move was right for both the club and player.

And the striker paid tribute to Swindon’s hierarchy for staying true to their word and allowing him to join a club with Premier League aspirations.

“I don’t like the people who hold others back in football because you only end on bad terms,” said Cox.

“I was honest from day one when I went in there that if I achieved success at Swindon it was probably going to be inevitable that I wouldn’t stay there.

“But the manager and chairman were superb and have told me I am welcome back any time I like.

“There has been good times, very good times and I’ve got very fond memories. Swindon gave me my first real opportunity to play week in, week out, and express myself, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself under Paul Sturrock, Maurice (Malpas) and Danny (Wilson).

“I’ve got so many good friends there and will keep in touch with every single one of them. I’ll look out for their results and hopefully they will do well this year.”