Zeki Fryers expressed his delight at joining Swindon and is eager to get started for pre-season.
Fryers, an ex-Manchester United academy graduate, joined on a two-year deal following his release from promoted Barnsley.
“I'm really happy. I can't wait to get started. Everything the Gaffer has said to me I believe in - I met him last week and we have the same vision in how he wants to play, as a team. I think it fits how I play.
“I’m quick, strong, getting up and down the wing – which is what a lot of players that play at a higher level are doing. I have to follow that.”
Like Swindon’s first summer signing, Tyler Reid, Fryers was part of the academy setup at Manchester United – an undoubtedly solid grounding, where he would develop alongside players of the ilk of Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard.
After playing for the first-team at United in the League Cup, Premier League and Champions League, Zeki was to move to Belgium and Standard Liege before moving back to England, and Tottenham.
“It was a great experience – I really enjoyed it. When I first started getting into the team, young and local, it was one of the best experiences I’ve had. I think I missed out on some loan opportunities, missed out on quite a bit of football, which is why I’m coming here to play a lot of football.
“Moving abroad when I was younger taught me a lot – I had to grow up quickly and then moving back, but to London, that was a good experience for me and made me who I am today.”
His next steps took him south of the river Thames, initially, to Crystal Palace before his first loan spells outside of the top division before a permanent move to Yorkshire where he would experience lows and highs.
“Playing at Palace was a tough experience – I didn’t play as much as I wanted to and that’s the first time I went on-loan and they were the right loans, particularly Rotherham.
“When I joined Barnsley I played, but got injured, and when I got back playing week-in-week-out I was loving it. I then got another injury and when I got back was when we got relegated and I’d never experienced that before so it was tough to handle.
“I didn’t get to be involved as much last season but it was still a good buzz around the team – we were a tight group there and I’ve heard similar about the group here.
“We got promoted which was great – I felt I could have been a part of it more but I wasn’t; I still enjoyed it.
“You need a bit of everything in a promotion chase – that lads have got to stick together, work hard and work for one and other.”
After moving to Swindon, the 26-year-old left back is determined to get minutes under his belt and help in the search for promotion from League Two.
“It’s about getting game time – that’s what I was saying to the people close to me before I joined: I just need to get as many games as I can.
“It’s a good ground here – the club is used to success and been higher up so I can’t wait to come back in, meet the lads and get going.”
