While some signings come straight into the team and make their mark from minute one – see Mateus Fernandes and El Hadji Malick Diouf at West Ham United – others may need a little extra time.
Perhaps that is because they have to get used to life in a new league, and a new country. See Soungoutou Magassa, for instance.
After a couple of appearances off the bench and a difficult start away to Everton on Monday night, former Monaco midfielder Magassa settled into proceedings pretty nicely on his first Premier League start for West Ham United.
Perhaps there is an issue with fitness.
Nayef Aguerd’s Morocco coach spoke this week about the difficulties the £30 million signing from Rennes faced when suffering an ankle injury which delayed his Hammers debut until October, having joined three months earlier.
Kamarai Swyer was forced to wait quite a while himself as the winger looked to belatedly prove his worth at Northampton Town. But, with a maiden Cobblers goal coming against none other than West Ham’s bitter rivals Chelsea in the EFL Trophy, Swyer is now looking to succeed where Aguerd failed by making up for lost time and showing his new supporters what all the fuss is about.
Former West Ham United starlet Kamarai Swyer kick-starts Northampton career vs Chelsea
After a terrific season with West Ham’s Under-21s in 2024/25, Kamarai Swyer was delighted to reunite with Kevin Nolan at Sixfields.
A former Hammers captain and assistant coach using those East London connections to bring a talented young winger – and then eventually centre-back Michael Forbes as well – to his League One employers.
The Redbridge-born Swyer suffered an injury days into his Northampton career, however.
So Forbes, the Northern Ireland Under-21 international signed on loan for the season, had already made five Cobblers appearances by the time Swyer made his belated debut off the bench in a 2-0 defeat by Wycombe Wanderers on September 20th.
That well-taken finish against Chelsea just three days later, though, could be a turning point. A forward who scored or assisted 18 goals in his final season with the Hammers’ second string opening his account in senior football, albeit against The Blues’ youth side.
Kevin Nolan pleased with Swyer return as Gideon Kodua saves Luton Town
A second League One appearance came Swyer’s way during the 2-0 win over pre-season promotion favourites Bolton Wanderers last time out.
Northampton’s stunning turnaround has been built upon a rock solid defensive foundation – Forbes helping out a backline which has kept five clean sheets in six games – but Swyer’s return to action should provide plenty of silk and swagger at the other end of the pitch.
“Lots to be positive about,” Nolan said after that Chelsea victory, a previously under-pressure manager now lifting his team five points above the relegation zone and onto the verge of the top half.
“Getting minutes in legs [for] Kamarai Swyer. Lots to be pleased about. Kam made a really good contribution.”
While Northampton are the form team in the third-tier right now – and few saw that coming after they started the season with one point from a possible 12 – Luton Town continue to stumble along, well below early expectations.
West Ham loanee Gideon Kodua rescued Luton boss Matt Bloomfield in midweek. A stoppage time penalty he won and then converted saw a point grabbed from the jaws of defeat at Blackpool.
While Swyer is hoping to make a first League One start away to Port Vale this weekend, Kodua could not have done more to force his way back into Bloomfield’s XI with a scintillating cameo on the West Coast.
“Gids is a boy we think so highly of,” Bloomfield told reporters on Tuesday night. “As soon as he came on the pitch, he’s showing that resilience and the strength we know he’s got.
“He is still a young boy, developing. So, we have to be a little bit patient with him at times. But yeah, to show that courage and that heart to step up in a moment when we really needed it, fair play to him.”
