A New Kind Of Swansea Hero?
A New Kind Of Swansea Hero |
It seemed to take ages during the summer to get the name of Trundle onto a Swansea City contract but finally the manager revealed his man on the 8th July. A goal on the opening day of the season was widely predicted and Lee delivered followed by an incredible hat-trick the following week at Cheltenham to give the Swans their only away success to date in a 4-3 victory. Further goals against Boston, Mansfield, Scunthorpe (2) and yesterday against Huddersfield has earned 'Magic Daps' cult status at the Vetch and not just through his goalscoring exploits. His ball control, skill and ability are second to none at the Vetch. For years we have heard stated 'you should see what he does in training' about players but with Lee Trundle he turns everything he does in training into action on the pitch and much much more. Yesterday's roll of the ball around the back of his neck had to be seen to be believed and if it was done by a David Beckham or a Wayne Rooney the media would talk about it for months. However, I can do without the media coverage of something like that it's enough for me to see things like that coming from a player wearing a Swansea shirt. Maybe I should have known what to expect when I saw Lee Trundle make his Swansea debut back in the summer against Port Talbot. Two goals there showed his prowess in front of goal and when I stopped him after the game for a photo the first thing he said was 'is my hair all right' (that bit was typed in a broad scouse accent!) There is no doubt that he has a certain arrogance on the pitch but off it he is one of the nicest people that you could wish to meet (albeit very briefly the few times I have met him) I have been down the Vetch now for 25 years and actively involved in writing about the club for about 5 of them. During that period I can safely say that only Curt has got close to the ability of Lee Trundle and even he did not have the showboating skills that Lee possesses. When he hasn't got the ball he spends most of the afternoon winding up opposition defenders and it is this that has seen so many sendings off at the Vetch so far this season. When you have had the scouse accent chirping in your ear all afternoon there is no doubt that you get wound up and sooner or later a retaliation tends to happen. Keith Haynes and I around six months ago finished piecing together a book on 100 Swansea greats. At this moment in time I would love to get that book back and add the name of Lee Trundle to it as there is no doubt that even after such a short period of time he will have entered that list. Former Swans player Roy Saunders said to me earlier that he had never known anything like it down the Vetch and said "Ivor was a better player but Lee gets the better reception" which I think speaks volumes of what he has achieved in a short period of time. Ladies and Gentlemen we are witnessing a true Swansea legend in the making and I thank Brian Flynn and our board of directors for giving us the chance to see him in action in a Swansea shirt. Fans should also show their appreciation for Lee by voting at www.givemefootball.com for him as the fans player of the month for this month - let's face it no-one else in the 3rd division deserves the award. Have no doubt Lee Trundle is a new kind of Swansea hero and may there be many more like him. |
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