Mumford Struggling To Find New Club

In 2001/02 season, Andrew Mumford became a young Swansea star, being touted by many critics as a player with the potential to play at a higher level. Two summers later and after bouncing from club to club, Andy Mumford looks set to start the 2004/05 season without a professional contract.

Brian Flynn blamed Mumford's attitude as the reason that the midfielder was cast onto the scrapheap in the summer of 2003. With a year still to run on his contract, the midfielder was told that he was surplus to requirements at the Vetch and could leave on a free transfer.

There were numerous rumours as to why Mumford had fallen out with Swansea's ex-manager. Some believed that winning the previous season's player of the year award had caused Mumford to develop a somewhat lazy attitude towards his football - believing that he only had to turn up to get into the side. Other rumours were that Mumford's lifestyle had caused a rift with his manager, after he was regularly spotted drinking with pals in the early hours before Saturday matches. Either way, Mumford was told that he was no longer needed at Swansea and went searching for a new club.

Numerous clubs appeared to express an interest in the midfielder, with Yeovil, Oxford and a host of Conference clubs all apparently chasing his signature. However, Mumford began the season in the Dr Martens Premier League with Newport County.

At Christmas came a loan spell with Conference new-boys Aldershot. After scoring a crucial goal on his debut at Dagenham and Redbridge, Aldershot appeared very interested in taking the Welshman on full-time. But in his next three games, Mumford left the field against his will twice - one sending off for a head-butt and one stretchering off after fracturing his elbow. Soon after, Mumford disappeared from Aldershot and returned to make the odd appearance for Newport County.

And now comes the latest sad episode in the Andy Mumford series. After a couple of trials here and there, Mumford returned to Aldershot in an attempt to impress manager Terry Brown. After appearing in a friendly against Winchester a few weeks ago, Brown stated that Mumford would be immediately moving on.

"We need athletes", stated manager Brown, "Andy is a good ball winner, but we've got enough of that". Mumford was on the move again.....

And so on to Grimsby, where manager Russell Slade offered Mumford the chance to impress in last week's Gainsboro' Trinity friendly. Unfortunately, after coming on as a second half substitute, it appears that the ex-Welsh U21 International has not done enough once more to earn a contract.

So there you have it. It appears that Andy Mumford will be without a club come the first day of the season, despite the fact that the Welshman continues to offer his services to just about any league club that will have him. It is sad to see a young player, who had such great potential heading towards the scrap-heap, when it looked like a glorious career in the professional game was once a certainty.

Swans MAD would like to wish Andy Mumford all the best in his attempts to find a new club!!