Swindon's Summer Signings: An Overview

It's been a busy Summer for Swindon following Paolo Di Canio's appointment as manager in late May. The Italian understandably wanted to imprint his ideas upon the squad and has overseen a Pre-Season period that has witnessed no less than thirteen senior players leave for pastures new as a consequence for the club's relegation last season.

Despite a slow start to the transfer window, Di Canio has brought in twelve new faces of various nationalities and experience to subsidise for those that have departed, leaving supporters with the task of getting to know the new arrivals, putting the proverbial names to faces and creating songs and chants to rhyme with those they take a liking to. 

So, with so many 'unknowns' amongst the Summer arrivals, here is an overview of each of the twelve new signings, of just who they are, the type of player Town have signed and whether they have what it takes to contribute towards Di Canio's sole ambition of promotion.

Joe Devera


Devera



Centre back Devera became Di Canio's first signing after seeing his Barnet contract expire at the end of last season. Winner of the player of the year award for two of his six seasons with the North London club, Devera arrived in Town having helped Barnet successfully avoid relegation last campaign and, having clocked up nearly 200 Football League appearances, adds experience to a backline that struggled with inconsistently throughout 2010/11. Having started and featured prominently in each of Swindon's Pre-Season friendlies thus far, defender Devera is expected to be a permanent fixture as one half of Town's central defensive pairing with the 2011/12 campaign now just a week away.

Jonathan Smith

The second signing of Di Canio's managerial reign, central midfielder Smith signed from Non-League York City for a reported £30,000. Described as a touch-tackling, combative midfield player by fans both both York and his previous club Forest Green Rovers, Smith, like Devera, has started all of Swindon's four Pre-Season friendlies so far, recieiving plenty of plaudits for his willingness to shoot from distance, movement off of the ball and general game play. Originally touted as 'one for the future', if his friendlu perfomances are anything to go by, Smith could find himself featuring extensively for the first team this coming season.

Raffaele De Vita

Having seemingly gone off the radar after showing early promise as a youngster at Blackburn Rovers, Italian striker Rafaelle De Vita has since rebuilt his career in Scotland with financially-troubled Livingston, winning two promotions in his three years with the club. A modest scoring record of 21 goals in 67 appearances for the Scottish side suggests that De Vita won't be the proverbial prolific '20 goals a season' man but, having scored three times during Pre-Season, the striker could yet surprise fans, pundits and, perhaps most importantly, his critics.

Alberto Comazzi

Ever since the sale of former captain Gordon Greer to last-season's eventual League One champions Brighton and Hove Albion, the loss of an influential, experienced and commanding defender at the heart of Town's defence has affected Swindon negatively, with it being popular opinion amongst fans that the departure of Greer was a primary reason for the club's decline in 2010/11. It may be twelve months too late, but Town potentially finally have a player of that mould on their books after Di Canio used his Italian connections to bring former Verona and Milan (albeit only two appearances) to Swindon on a two-contract. The centre back has spent much of his career in Serie B, Italy's equivalent of Championship level, speaks adequate English for a player who has never played outside of his homeland and, if friendlies are anything to go by, is a no-nonsense, tough-tackling, talker of a defender.

Mattia Lanzano

The third Italian to join a Di Canio-inspired Swindon squad, Lanzano is a young goalkeeper who has played in the third and fourth divisions of the Mediterranean country. The 'keeper played for the Italy under-17's at the Uefo European Championships (for that age group) in 2006 and has recieved good reviews from his Pre-Season performances. A recent injury is likely to hamper his chances of featuring in the season opener against Crewe Alexandra, however, with the shotstopper likely to be out for between seven and ten days.

Oliver Risser

 Originally on-trial, Namibia international Risser impressed from day one, with Di Canio and his coaching staff publicly expressing their delight at the midfielder's hard work and fitness levels in the first week of Pre-Season training. Risser impressed so much that chairman Jeremy Wray flew to the team's training camp in Italy directly to finalise terms for a contract in a bid to ward off interest from other clubs. Having recently been appointed club captain, Risser is yet to feature in a friendly on English soil but boasts perfect English language skills and experience from the top leagues in Finland and Norway.

Ibrahim Atiku

Billed as an attacking midfielder who can also play on the wing, Ibrahim Atiku can boast of a friendship with Michael Essien and trials with Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund on a profile of his life. Like Risser, Atiku has impressed whilst on trial with Town, earning himself a two-year deal having joined the squad on their Italian training camp. The midfielder shares the experience of playing at under-17 level for his country, Ghana, with Lanzano, though since the aforementioned trials with those European giants has seen his career drift around the lesser leagues of the continent, featuring for Ethnikos Piraeus of Greece and Vasalunds IF in Sweden.

Alan Connell

Striker Connell signed for Swindon in a surprising yet encouraging move following original target Adam Birchall's decision to transfer to Town's League Two rivals Gillingham. The forward boasts a wealth of Football League experience having had three seperate spells with AFC Bournemouth and played for Hereford United, Brentford and Torquay United in between. Despite being well-liked by supporters of each of his former clubs, Connell was rarely prolific - a result of often being deployed to the left wing. At Grimsby Town, hoever, the striker found his proverbial feet, hitting 25 goals in the Blue Square Premier last seasons, prompting Swindon to pay a reported six-figure sum for his services.

Alessandro Cibocchi

The Summer departures of both Michael Rose and Alan Sheehan left Town light on the left hand side, with the inexperienced Callum Kennedy the only remaining left back. Di Canio addressed this problem by offerring his countryman Cibocchi a trial before tying the defender down to a two-year contract upon the team's return to England. For a 28 year-old, Cibocchi his lack of appearances at previous clubs and indeed his substitution just a minute after coming on against Swindon Supermarine suggest a career affected by injury meaning he has a lot to do in order to become the club's first choice left back.

Mehdi Kerrouche

Perhaps the player least is known about, having plyed much of his trade in the Far East, Mehdi Kerrouche arrived in Town in rather bizarre circumstances. With the local press and media outlets suggesting the player had travelled to Swindon for a trial, fans and journalists alike were surprised to find that he had immediately signed a two-year deal - despite having not trained or played with his new side. Nonetheless, the player was welcomed as supporters used Wikipedia entries and search engines to research new signing number ten, with the player's stint in the Portuguese top division stimulating the interest in Kerrouche amongst supporters. Despite a lacklustre display in a cameo appearance against Swindon Supermarine, the Algerian scored and played well in a 4-0 victory against Cirencester Town, putting the minds of some fans, worried about a lack of firepower within the squad, at ease.

Etienne Esajas

Very rarely do trialists excite and entertain fans in Pre-Season friendlies used largely for fitness purposes rather than their entertainment value. Dutch winger Esajas, however, has done both, wetting the appetites of supporters and leaving them desperate for more after first scoring one and setting up another against a Marche XI in Italy, before terrorising the Swindon Supermarine defence and scoring once again back on English soil. Di Canio's move to appease fans and tie Esajas down to a two-year contract has largely been greeted with enthusiasm, the player's pace, skill and willingness to take players on and shoot are likely bode him in good stead amongst Town supporters, should he avoid the injuries that have, thus far, hampered his career.

Alan McCormack

McCormack

McCormack's arrival and indeed his billed position as a central midfielder sparked rumours on various forums internet as Town supporters discussed the future of fan's favourite Simon Ferry. The signing of McCormack means that five central midfielders are now on the books of Swindon - one too many for a League Two side being the popular opinion. Irish midfielder McCormack, however, does arrive with good Football League pedigree having played over 130 times for Southend United during a four-year period and making 24 appearances for League One side Charlton Athletic last season.