Pompey Sign Swans Youngster


By Martin Williams
January 16 2004

Swansea City chairman, Huw Jenkins has expressed his disappointment that 18-year old right back Richard Duffy has decided to join Portsmouth in favour of signing a new contract with the Swans.

Pompey Sign Swans Youngster
Swansea City chairman, Huw Jenkins has expressed his disappointment that 18-year old right back Richard Duffy has decided to join Portsmouth in favour of signing a new contract with the Swans.
 
Jenkins told the South Wales Evening Post: "Richard has made his decision and he has told us he wants to go to Portsmouth.

"It seems that they have made him an offer he can't refuse and while it's disappointing to lose him, we have to accept that.

"Richard has got to get on with what he wants from his career. From our point of view, although we don't want him to go, we cannot stand in his way.

"I want to stress we are not disappointed with anything that Richard has done and we wish him all the very best for the future.

"Of course we wanted him to stay because we thought we could work with him for a couple more years, but that was not to be."

Portsmouth must now agree a fee with Swansea if the player is to move to The Premiership side in the current transfer window. 

But if a fee cannot be agreed before the window closes, the player will remain at Swansea until the end of the season.  Portsmouth would then owe compensation to the Swans, the amount of which will be decided by a tribunal.

If Duffy does leave for Pompey this month, then he has already played his last game for the Swans because of a 5-game-ban starting against Cheltenham tomorrow.

Duffy said:  ''I am Swansea through and through."

''I will certainly be giving 100 per cent if I am still here and if I get selected.

''I won't have any problems on that score because this is the club that helped me into the game.''

''Obviously it was a hard decision to make because Swansea is my hometown club, but Portsmouth offered me a good deal.''

''My ambition is to play in the Premiership and I think it's something I can achieve.

''I would like to thank Brian Flynn for everything he has done, especially for giving me the chance in the first team.''

After a meeting with the departing Duffy yesterday, Director Of Football, Brian Flynn said:  ''We are talking to Portsmouth.

''We want to conclude things as soon as possible, hopefully in the next day or so."
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www.swansfootballclub.co.uk

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