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Spencer_White
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« on: Sunday, January 22, 2006, 11:38:42 » |
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PEACOCK: HOW SAM HELPED ME JOIN TOWN
09:30 - 21 January 2006
Lee Peacock will take charge of the Swindon Town No 9 shirt after being advised to join the Robins by the last striker to shine in that jersey. Sam Parkin may be playing for a side on the opposite side of England now, but he clearly still loves Town.
And the former County Ground idol played a significant role in Peacock's decision to chose Swindon ahead of a host of other clubs.
Peacock's friend and former Sheffield Wednesday team-mate Adam Proudlock is now a colleague of Parkin's at Ipswich, and when Proudlock and Peacock met at a game recently, the former had only good things to say about Robins fans.
Peacock, who should be on the bench for today's visit of Bournemouth, told the story after being formally unveiled at Swindon's Wanborough training yesterday.
"One of my mates (Proudlock) plays for Ipswich and I told him I'm going down for talks at Swindon, " he said.
"He said 'Get yourself down there, you'll love it, the fans are brilliant'.
"I know Sam had a great time down here and if I can even partly fill his boots I will be really happy."
Former Bristol City striker Peacock, 29, has signed a two-and-a-half year contract at Swindon, after rejecting offers from Walsall and Southend.
Three other clubs also expressed an interest in the big Scot, who revealed there were a multitude of reasons for his return to the region.
"My girlfriend is from Portsmouth, it was difficult being up north, " he said. "When you're not happy off the pitch, you're not happy on the pitch.
"We'll be a lot closer to her family down here and I'm just far more familiar with this end of Britain.
"I've known Iffy (Onuora, Swindon manager) for four or five years and I knew some of the lads in the squad already, so that helped.
"And whenever I played at the County Ground it was a good atmosphere."
Peacock left City for Wednesday in the summer of 2004 and scored nine goals in 42 starts for the Owls.
However, his overall career record is 100 goals from 304 league starts and Peacock hopes to pick up where he left off in the West Country.
"I've always scored between 15 and 20 a season, which for a targetman has been all right, " he said.
"But at Wednesday it just never happened and at times it was soul-destroying. But I have no regrets because I've joined another great club and I'm just looking forward to getting down to business.
"It was in the back of my mind in Sheffield that I'm at the stage of my career when I'm supposed to be coming into my prime.
"So coming here will be a fresh start and hopefully my confidence will get back to its best."
Peacock naturally wants to establish himself in Onuora's starting XI as quickly as possible, although he admits he needs to top up his match fitness.
And in an unusual show of selflessness, he says the best scenario would be for Rory Fallon, Jamie Cureton and Ashan Holgate to keep him out for the side for some time.
"A goal a game for me would be nice, but I just want us to pick up points and move up the table, and in that sense I'm not bothered who scores, " he said.
"I'll hopefully be on the bench on Saturday, but I've got to get my fitness up because I've not played for a while and I was played on the wing towards the end at Wednesday.
"Ideally for the club I won't be playing for a while, because the other strikers will be scoring, the team will be moving up the table, and I will be kept on the bench.
"So in that sense, I'm hoping I won't get into the side for another month!"
Swindon are without Christian Roberts (rehab) today while Sean O'Hanlon (knee) is a doubt.
Bournemouth striker Steve Fletcher (hamstring) is rated as 50-50.
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