Chesterfield beat Swindon to signing of ex Champions League striker

Marc-Antoine Fortuné has joined the Spireites on the eve of the new season, having come close to a move to Swindon Town.

The 37-year-old was a target for Robins boss Phil Brown, who also managed him at Southend, where Fortuné spent the last two seasons.

Speaking yesterday, Brown said: “I am still hopeful on Marc-Antoine Fortuné but discussions have stalled so far. He’ll have to come down on his wage demands a peg or two, but the door isn’t closed.”

Fortuné impressed Brown on trial during pre-season.

“He hasn’t been working for anybody. He was promised a deal at Southend United but it didn’t manifest itself,” said the Swindon manager.

“He’s an angry man at the moment. He is such a professional and conducts himself impeccably off the field of play.

“A lot of the younger players can learn from him. I think he is a good player and a good person to have around. He has Champions League experience, so to have that in the second division would be great.”

Fortuné began his career at French lower league side Angoulême before spending a season apiece at Lille, Rouen and Stade Brest.

A move to FC Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie followed, before a return to France to sign for AS Nancy in January 2007.

Two years later he was loaned to West Brom, for whom he scored five goals in 17 Premier League appearances.

Celtic splashed £3.8m on the frontman in the summer of 2009 but he was back at West Brom a little over a year later.

A loan spell at Doncaster Rovers was followed by a permanent switch to Wigan Athletic.

He was a Latic for two years, spent a year with Coventry City and has been a Southend player for the past two seasons, scoring 10 times in 76 games.