PORTSMOUTH'S Luke Nightingale and Danny Murphy of Queens Park Rangers will attempt to impress Andy King during pre-season and earn themselves contracts at the County Ground.

The pair have been freed by their respective clubs and the Town boss has agreed to cast his eye over them during the build-up to the big kick-off on August 9.

Neither are strangers to Swindon, both having figured in Town's first and reserve teams last season.

Striker Nightingale, 22, played two games during a month's loan midway through the 2002-3 campaign before returning to Pompey his only Town goal having come in a 2-0 reserve win over Cardiff City.

Murphy was given a run-out in Town's reserves against Oxford United last month and King will take another look at the 20-year-old during pre-season.

The Town boss said: "Both have indicated to me that they would like the chance to join us during pre-season in order to try and prove that they should be given contracts.

"I am happy to provide the opportunity and I think the attitude displayed by both players is commendable.

"Not every player on the freed list will be willing to put themselves into that situation. I want to make it clear that this is not Andy King making two 'signings' though."

While both players will have to prove their worth to King, the County Ground boss is spending most of his time glued to a telephone, attempting to sell the club to those on his 'hit list'.

He said: "I must have spoken to about 20 players in the last couple of days.

"Some are big names and some are people most fans will not have heard of.

"I have been told 'no' by some of them whereas others are thinking things over.

"Many are simply not prepared to make an early decision. They will weigh up all the offers they get before deciding which way to jump."

One 'name' King has spoken to is Sunderland's Stefan Schwarz but pleasure, not business was the reason for the call.

He said: "I was partly instrumental in bringing Stefan to Sunderland after Peter Reid asked me to watch him.

"I saw his name on the PFA list and phoned him to wish him all the best for the future."

King joked that he hadn't ask Schwarz to swap Sunderland for Swindon but he wouldn't be complaining if former Swedish international expressed a desire to do so."

Premiership loans are another option for King and he has already approached one top flight club about acquiring the services of a young player for next season - not Jimmy Davis and he is awaiting a response.

Town's reserves will travel to Wantage in July for a pre-season fixture. The date for the clash with the Hellenic League side has yet to be confirmed.

Tickets for the County Ground clashes with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Portsmouth and Manchester United will be on general sale from June 13.