Any player arriving at West Ham United or leaving the London Stadium for a fresh start elsewhere will obviously be hoping to make a good first impression during pre-season.
A sparkling debut in the summer sun, perhaps. Maybe a few stand-out moments of quality on the training pitch.
A solid couple of weeks leading up to the beginning of a new campaign, while attempting to impress a manager watching your every move like a hungry hawk.
Unfortunately for Kamarai Swyer, the former West Ham United youngster who joined Northampton Town in an attempt to jolt his senior career into life, he will have to wait to make his mark.
Kamarai Swyer was one of West Ham’s standout performers at Under-21 level last season. He scored or assisted a combined 18 goals from the wing, while ‘his combination of strength and skill have made him an indispensable figure’ in Mark Robson’s attack.
An attack which fired the young Hammers to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League 2 table.
But, while Swyer was ‘very excited’ to reunite with Kevin Nolan at Northampton, there is now a very real chance that the 22-year-old will be approaching his first-ever season of senior football a little undercooked.
Kamarai Swyer suffers injury after leaving West Ham United for Northampton Town
Swyer was nowhere to be seen when Northampton took on Brackley and Cambridge United in their opening two pre-season fixtures this month.
Colin Calderwood, Nolan’s assistant at Sixfields, initially put the youngster’s absence down to a ‘little niggle’ he suffered in training. It appears that injury, while far from a devastating one, was slightly more serious than first feared.
Calderwood now admits that Swyer is likely to be playing ‘catch up’ on the rest of his Cobblers teammates as the clock ticks down to August 2nd and their League One opener against Wigan Athletic.
“Unfortunately, it looks like Kamarai Swyer is going to miss the majority of pre-season,” says the veteran Scottish coach. “And when he re-joins the group, he will have to play catch up a little bit.
“Hopefully he will be back as soon as possible but it won’t be in the next week.”
Swyer to miss West Ham reunion after joining Kevin Nolan at Sixfields
Swyer is, therefore, likely to miss out on a clash between Northampton and his and Nolan’s former employers later this month. West Ham, whom Nolan captained before working as an assistant to David Moyes, are due to face the Cobblers on July 22nd.
Kevin Nolan believes in Kamarai Swyer’s ‘huge potential’ and is backing the versatile attacker to make the step up from academy football to the men’s game in 2025/26.
But, without the benefits of a full pre-season, Northampton may have to wait a little longer to see him in full flow.
“He’s one I’ve kept tabs on since leaving West Ham,” Nolan said when agreeing a deal to bring Swyer to the East Midlands. “So I know him well anyway. We know he is a gem of a player and we have got to work to get his good attributes into our team.
“He can play a number of positions; a 10, a seven and he can even play the nine, so he can play all along the top line and I think he is one who will excite the fans. He’s strong, powerful and a quick runner and he scores goals.
“He has had a good season last year and I’m delighted we’ve got him in. I’ve known him since he was a young boy and I know that having someone who backs him will bring the best out of him. I’m excited to work with him again and I’m sure he will excite the fans.”
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