News from Wycombe and Swindon

Wycombe have signed Scott Donnelly, 23, on a season long loan deal from Swansea City.


Midfielder Donnelly scored three goals in nineteen appearances for the Chairboys following a loan deal in January and helped them achieve promotion to League One. Wycombe boss Gary Waddock already knew Donnelly well from their days at Aldershot and made no secret of the fact that he wanted the former England U-17 international back at Adams Park next season.

And Waddock has brought in another Shots old boy in the form of right sided midfielder John Halls, 29.

Former Arsenal trainee Halls has signed a one year contract with Wycombe and joins keeper Nikki Bull, Andy Sandell, Dave Winfield, Ben Harding, Joel Grant and Donnelly as players who Waddock has pinched from his former club.

Halls managed one goal in 25 outings for Aldershot last term, but is seen as more of a creator of goals than a scorer having grabbed only four in nearly 150 professional games.

Meanwhile Jamie Pitman has told Hereford fans he is still looking to bring in new faces and said: "We need one or two more forwards, a left-sider - so in general we`re pretty much nearly there. We want to just make a few more improvements and hopefully the squad will be stronger than it was last year.

"But sometimes it’s better to know a player than not and keep what you have around, because they did okay towards the end of the season. It’s just we maybe need to add four or five more with a bit more quality."

Swindon’s new boss Paolo di Canio made his first signings two signings for the club.

Defender Joe Devera, 24, has arrived from Barnet and midfielder Jonathan Smith, also 24, has been signed from York City. I don’t know too much about Devera (who was voted the Bees’ best player last season), but recall seeing Smith playing for Forest Green Rovers in their Cup run a couple of years ago and wondering why he was playing at such a low level. This could be his chance.

Former Swindon midfielder and Southend manager Martin Ling has taken the over the reins at Torquay following Paul Buckle’s switch to Bristol Rovers.