Falmouth Town are delighted to announce the signing of young midfielder James Swan.
Swan, 18, plays mainly as a central midfielder and arrives from St Piran League West outfit Truro City reserves, following in the footsteps of friend and City team-mate Kayden Gordon-Dunn, who joined Town last week.
After making his South West Peninsula League bow with hometown club Penzance aged 16, Swan linked up with Truro City last year and enjoyed an impressive pre-season with the first team – which included an appearance against Town at Bickland Park and a goal in a 6-3 victory over Dobwalls.
That resulted in a handful of appearances on the bench for Paul Wotton’s side in the Southern League and FA Trophy last season, as well as starts in both of the White Tigers’ Southern League Challenge Cup ties.
Also more than capable as a full-back, Swan spent most of last term with City’s reserves, playing 28 times and scoring four goals as the team finished fourth in their first season since their reformation.
Swan also captained the Argyle Community Trust’s Football Development and Education Programme’s first team to the title in their South West Community & Education Football Alliance division last season, with Town forward Charlie Edney among his team-mates.
Speaking after completing his move to Falmouth, Swan said: “I’m buzzing. When Westy called me I had a good chat with him. He’d come to watch me last season and he said that I’d fit into his squad.
“I did have interest from other Western League clubs, but I couldn’t turn down the opportunity for Falmouth and what they can provide, which I’m grateful to Westy and Charlie [Davis] for.
“I can’t wait to play at Bickland Park and be on the home team for once, with the amazing atmosphere and the support the crowd provides. I feel like Falmouth are in an exciting position and I feel we’ll be the ones to watch next year.
“I’ve known Kayden since I was eight and played with him since I was playing at a young age with Helston. In the last conversation I had with [Westy] to announce I had signed for Falmouth, he said he’d just signed Kayden and I was buzzing. We get along really well and I know his qualities, so I can’t wait to play with him again.”
“It’s always pleasing and exciting for everyone to get new players at the club,” Town boss Andrew Westgarth said. “[Swan’s] very similar to Kayden in that he’s young, he’s hungry and he’s a very ambitious player.
“Being around the Truro first team set-up can only be a good thing. It’s a very big gap from St Piran to the Southern League, so last season at his age, playing regular football would have been the best for him.
“We have a great new, young batch of exciting talent coming through at the club in Kayden, Jamie [Ware], Jasper [Turner], Charlie [Edney] and now James – not forgetting Andreas [Calleja-Stayne] and Alex [Wharton], with Olly Walker and Jack Webber only a couple of years on again.
“It’s important to have that hunger and drive from the younger lads and the standard and support provided by the older, more established players.”