The Laughing Bluebird
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From today's Western Mail:
I Was Bought To Score Goals And That's What I've Done
Oct 17 2006 (Western Mail)
Leon Knight last night expressed his shock after being sensationally placed on the transfer list yesterday.
Swansea City's top goalscorer was instructed he was no longer wanted at the club when he met manager Kenny Jackett for the first time since being told he wouldn't be travelling to Chesterfield for Saturday's League One clash.
The Swansea manager had insisted Knight's absence from the 18-man matchday squad was purely for footballing reasons. But Jackett has now admitted it was Knight's attitude that has cost him his Swans career, claiming he could have worked harder for the team.
Last night a shocked Knight vehemently denied sparking any fights or causing a rift inside the Swans dressing room.
"It's nothing to do with me or there being a ruckus," said a visibly shaken Knight when he spoke to the Western Mail just moments after being given the news by Jackett.
"I've heard a lot of things being said about there being fights or cliques being made in and around the dressing room. Everyone moans on the training pitch and I moan because I'm a winner and I want to win.
"I'm a big enough man to admit that sometimes on the training pitch I do say the wrong thing, or perhaps just things in the wrong way, but everything stays there.
"I'm too old for stuff like fights or anything like that. I've been involved in that kind of thing before, which everyone is well aware of, and I'm not looking to go back down that road.
"People aren't going to believe it's for footballing reasons, but that's what it is."
Knight's fantastic scoring record since his £125,000 move from Brighton in January will no doubt produce raised eyebrows at Jackett's decision. With 19 goals in just 25 league and cup starts, the product of the Chelsea youth system had represented good value for money.
Knight's end-of-season goals fired Swansea into the League One play-off final last season and he is this term's top scorer with seven.
"I don't know what to think to be honest," said Knight. "I've been told it's for footballing reasons - he (Jackett) wants to try something new, I don't work hard enough and I moan too much basically.
"That's his opinion and everyone's entitled to their own. But I'm sure there's people who are surprised this has happened if they look at my goal record - and that's what's running through my head as well.
"Of course I'm disappointed it's ended like this but what can I say or do? I can't tell the manager how to do his job. If he wants to try something new and I haven't got a part to play in that then what can I say?
"The manager brought me here and I'm a goalscorer - nothing else but a goalscorer. People saying I'm not working hard enough, well there's different types of striker like Rory (Fallon) who will go back for corners and work a lot. But then you've got natural goalscorers - and I'm one of them.
"I could be quiet for 89 minutes then pop up in the 90th and score the winning goal. I'm one of them but obviously the gaffer doesn't want that sort of striker in the squad and that's why he's put me on the transfer list."
I Was Bought To Score Goals And That's What I've Done
Oct 17 2006 (Western Mail)
Leon Knight last night expressed his shock after being sensationally placed on the transfer list yesterday.
Swansea City's top goalscorer was instructed he was no longer wanted at the club when he met manager Kenny Jackett for the first time since being told he wouldn't be travelling to Chesterfield for Saturday's League One clash.
The Swansea manager had insisted Knight's absence from the 18-man matchday squad was purely for footballing reasons. But Jackett has now admitted it was Knight's attitude that has cost him his Swans career, claiming he could have worked harder for the team.
Last night a shocked Knight vehemently denied sparking any fights or causing a rift inside the Swans dressing room.
"It's nothing to do with me or there being a ruckus," said a visibly shaken Knight when he spoke to the Western Mail just moments after being given the news by Jackett.
"I've heard a lot of things being said about there being fights or cliques being made in and around the dressing room. Everyone moans on the training pitch and I moan because I'm a winner and I want to win.
"I'm a big enough man to admit that sometimes on the training pitch I do say the wrong thing, or perhaps just things in the wrong way, but everything stays there.
"I'm too old for stuff like fights or anything like that. I've been involved in that kind of thing before, which everyone is well aware of, and I'm not looking to go back down that road.
"People aren't going to believe it's for footballing reasons, but that's what it is."
Knight's fantastic scoring record since his £125,000 move from Brighton in January will no doubt produce raised eyebrows at Jackett's decision. With 19 goals in just 25 league and cup starts, the product of the Chelsea youth system had represented good value for money.
Knight's end-of-season goals fired Swansea into the League One play-off final last season and he is this term's top scorer with seven.
"I don't know what to think to be honest," said Knight. "I've been told it's for footballing reasons - he (Jackett) wants to try something new, I don't work hard enough and I moan too much basically.
"That's his opinion and everyone's entitled to their own. But I'm sure there's people who are surprised this has happened if they look at my goal record - and that's what's running through my head as well.
"Of course I'm disappointed it's ended like this but what can I say or do? I can't tell the manager how to do his job. If he wants to try something new and I haven't got a part to play in that then what can I say?
"The manager brought me here and I'm a goalscorer - nothing else but a goalscorer. People saying I'm not working hard enough, well there's different types of striker like Rory (Fallon) who will go back for corners and work a lot. But then you've got natural goalscorers - and I'm one of them.
"I could be quiet for 89 minutes then pop up in the 90th and score the winning goal. I'm one of them but obviously the gaffer doesn't want that sort of striker in the squad and that's why he's put me on the transfer list."
