SWANSEA CITY'S new record signing Dean Leacock revealed how former Vetch star Chris Coleman paved the way for the biggest transfer in the club's history.
Leacock made the move from London to the Liberty on Friday for £375,000, wiping the 25-year-old capture of Liverpool's Colin Irwin from the stats books.
And the ex-England U20 defender has admitted he was told the switch would be perfect for him by Craven Cottage's former Wales idol Coleman.
Speaking for the first time since the move, Leacock, 22, said, 'I'd only signed a new deal at Fulham recently and I hadn't heard of any interest from any other clubs.
'It took a while for me to even hear about Swansea's interest, but then Chris Coleman took me upstairs one day and said, 'Look, Swansea are keen.'
'He didn't really want to let me go, but I couldn't see myself playing regularly down there so I wanted to take the opportunity to come and play in Swansea.
'I knew this was the gaffer's old club and he spoke up Swansea in a big, big way so he had an influence in the move.
'Even though he wanted me to remain, he knew this would be a good opportunity for myself to play and advance in my career.
'That's what I've come here to do. I had a deal at Fulham for another year and I wanted to see how things developed, but the way things happened I was allowed to make the move I wanted for first-team football.
'And the plan is not to be in this division for long. Everyone here wants to be in the Championship and that's one of the reasons I'm here. It's a young squad who only missed out on it this year on penalties, and we've definitely got a big shout this year of going up.'
Judging by the size of the fee involved to bring him to South Wales, Jackett obviously sees the versatile defender as playing a big role in helping the Swans achieve promotion.
But Leacock won't be able to make his mark in the white of his new club just yet as the hamstring niggle which ruled him out of Tuesday's match at Carmarthen means he won't be risked against Wolves on Saturday.
But Leacock certainly isn't fussed by the pound signs hovering over his head following his move.
Instead, the former Fulham youth product, first spotted by Jackett on the London juniors circuit, has been more concerned by the move away from his home city.
'I'm not really bothered about the transfer, or fussed about it, I'm here to concentrate on playing football,' he said. 'Whatever the clubs agreed on for a fee, it's their agreement so it doesn't have to affect me.
'It's obviously nice to be thought that I'm worth that kind of money and be a record breaker. Kenny must think I'm a good player and that's a nice feeling, but I just want to concentrate on doing the right things.
'And it didn't matter to me about talk of a step down or leaving a Premiership club, although it was hard leaving just Fulham as a club because I'd been there since I was 13 or 14.
'That was the hardest thing because they were my first club, I'd never switched before and it was a difficult thing for me, as well as leaving London for the first real time.'
There did come a loan move to Championship side Coventry last term, though the highlight of last year coming in a polished performance against champions-in-waiting Chelsea which won him rave reviews. Illness and injury hampered the remainder of his time under Coleman but, following good advice from fellow former Fulham fledgling Darren Pratley, Leacock is confident he's done the right thing.
'I played here last year when Fulham opened the new stadium and things looked good about the place then,' he said. 'And Darren's been telling me everything's good about the place, the players, the manager, the stadium, so I thought it was a good opportunity for me and Darren as well. We got on well at Fulham and we'll probably be living together for a while so I'm sure we can adjust together and help this club together.'