Simon Ferry and Paul Caddis will line up together in Swindon Town colours in the new season, pending a medical. Pic: ©SNS Group
Simon Ferry and Paul Caddis will undergo medicals with Swindon Town on Friday afternoon ahead of an initial £350,000 switch from Celtic. Both players have been subject to continued interest from down south, with the Robins now closing in on their two new additions.
The pair, who are both on the fringes of the SPL side’s squad, could end up costing the League One club £600,000 in total through add-ons related to appearances. It is also believed a sell-on clause has been inserted in the transfer agreement.
Swindon chairman Andrew Fitton confirmed on Friday morning the deal for the pair was close to completion, saying the club merely had to finalise personal terms with the players and put them through their medicals.
“The ink isn’t actually dry yet on the agreements, but we see no reason why there should be problems with the medicals,” Fitton told the Swindon Advertiser. “The players also already know in principle what the personal terms are.”
Swindon take on Nottingham Forest in a pre-season friendly on Saturday and Fitton is hopeful he will be able to show his new recruits off in front of the home crowd at the County Ground.
“I would be surprised if they play on Saturday, but they could certainly be paraded on the pitch before the game,” he said. “It might even be like the old days where players signed their contracts in the middle of the pitch.”
Celtic rejected two bids for Ferry and Caddis but Swindon boss Danny Wilson was determined to take them south, encouraging his chairman to return again with an improved offer.
Ferry, 22, is already familiar to Robins’ fans after spending the 2009/10 season on loan at the club. Ferry, who failed to make a single appearance for Celtic in his five years on professional terms in Scotland, was a key figure in midfield for Danny Wilson’s side last campaign.
The midfielder scored an own goal in Swindon’s play-off semi-final match against Charlton Athletic but his team went through on penalties, before losing 1-0 to Millwall in the final.
Caddis, also 22, tasted first team action 24 times during his time with Celtic, although 14 of his appearances came from the bench. He had a successful three-month loan spell with Dundee United in 2009, playing 11 times for the Terrors.
Traditionally a right-back, Caddis can also play on the right wing. He has seven caps for Scotland’s under-21 side and is eligible to play with the squad until their participation in the Uefa Under-21 Championship ends.
