RICHARDS STILL ON WANTED LIST

Barnsley striker Marc Richards remains on Martin Foyle's hit-list, even though Leon Constantine's decision to turn down a swap move scuppered hopes of landing the Tykes striker this week.Reports from Barnsley suggest the deal broke down because neither player agreed to the move, but Foyle is confident he would have landed Richards had Constantine not pulled out. The 24-year-old Richards had a medical at Vale on Monday and Foyle believes personal terms would have been agreed. A move for Richards looks most likely in the summer when he will be a free agent, but Foyle has hinted he will try to pull off a deal earlier. He said: "It is a case of what I can do. I have come up with one or two ideas with the chairman and it is something I would like to do because I would be building in another striker for the next two years. "I want to try to increase the numbers for next season, so I wouldn't say a deal is dead, but it is still a long way away. "Marc is out of contract at the end of the season, but has quite a few admirers and that is my big problem." Foyle is so keen on Richards that he insisted on the striker being part of Constantine's proposed sale to Barnsley. The Tykes say they would have preferred a straight cash deal, though how much they would have been prepared to pay has not been disclosed. The Tykes are believed to rate Richards at close to the £100,000 mark, which would put him out of Vale's reach for now. The Wolverhampton-born striker came through the ranks at Blackburn and had loan spells at Crewe, Oldham, Halifax and Swansea before joining Northampton on a free transfer in the summer of 2003. He netted 13 goals in 42 starts and 24 substitute appearances in his two years at the Cobblers before he was taken on a free by Barnsley. He was a key player for the Tykes in their League One promotion campaign last season, scoring 12 league goals in 29 starts and 12 substitute appearances. He started in all three of their play-off games to clinch promotion and has since scored five in 18 league starts and five substitute appearances in the Championship. No-one can blame him for feeling a little put out at this week's events, but he says he is still keen to prove he is worth a place at Barnsley. He said: "It isn't nice to know you're not wanted. This is where I want to be, I feel I've got a point to prove now. "I have a special relationship with Barnsley because I had my best season." Foyle is playing his cards close to his chest when it comes to another Barnsley player, Sam Togwell. However, it is a safe bet the manager also inquired about the midfielder when the Tykes came calling for Constantine. Foyle was desperate to sign the 22-year-old at the end of last season but lost out on him because the Valiants couldn't stump up the £40,000 fee. Togwell won Vale's young player of the year award last season after a successful six-month loan from Crystal Palace. Foyle would no doubt love to have him back, but Togwell has been a regular for the Tykes this season, playing 29 games. He is an early contender for their player-of-the-season award, so landing him looks a long shot. The Vale boss can be forgiven for taking particular interest in Barnsley's midfield as the Tykes have snapped up another of his former targets. The manager has revealed that he was keen on taking 25-year-old Dwayne Mattis from Bury at the start of the campaign, but couldn't prise him away from Gigg Lane. The 6ft midfielder signed for Barnsley two weeks ago after the Championship side agreed a £50,000 deal with the League Two Shakers.