BBC Sport - Football - Lee Trundle completes a shock move to Neath (original) (raw)

Trundle scored five goals in 20 games on his return to Swansea

Welsh Premier side Neath have completed the shock signing of former Championship striker Lee Trundle who has agreed a three-year deal.

The ex-Swansea City fans favourite, released by Bristol City in May, and was not offered a deal at Swansea where he had been on a season-long loan.

The 33-year-old will be joined at Neath by former Swans team-mate Kris O'Leary.

"The club showed a lot of ambition when I sat down and spoke to them," Trundle told BBC Sport Wales.

"I spoke to a lot of league clubs as well, but the things Neath said to me, the direction the club was moving and the things they wanted to achieve appealed to me.

"I know myself I can still play in the Football League and score goals - that's never been an issue with me.

"Being in the Swansea area is massive for me as well.

"Although being a Liverpool lad, I've got Swansea in my heart and I still love Swansea as a club so to stay here and give a chance for the Swansea fans to come over and support me when I'm playing here was another big thing for me."

Trundle, renowned for his silky skills, rejected moves to League One clubs Yeovil Town, Tranmere Rovers and Swindon Town.

The free agent also turned down an 11th hour bid from Blue Square Bet Premier new boys Newport County - who hoped Trundle's goals could fire them into the Football League - to complete his surprise move to ambitious Neath, who finished ninth in last season's Welsh Premier.

It marks a sensational return to the Welsh Premier where Trundle first made his name at Rhyl before moving into the Football League when Wrexham signed him in 2001.

He scored 11 goals in six appearances for Rhyl before being plucked by then-Wrexham manager Brian Flynn in a £60,000 move.

When Flynn moved to Swansea, Trundle followed on a free transfer in the summer of 2003.

It was there where he became an instant hit with supporters who named him "Magic Daps" and during a four-year spell, Trundle scored 78 goals in 146 appearances.

It earned him a £1m move to Bristol City but found it difficult to hold down a regular first-team place and in the last of his three years there, he was loaned back to the Swans.

Bristol City released Trundle this summer and the Swans offered him a only coaching role, which he turned down in order to keep playing.

Trundle, coincidentally, is to make his Neath debut against old club Swansea in their pre-season friendly on Thursday.

Neath host Swansea in a pre-season friendly at The Gnoll on Thursday (1930 BST).