FAN FOCUS: Ciaran Llewellyn

We continue our fan feature as we put our loyal supporters under the spotlight!
Fan Focus gives every member of the Jack Army a chance to share their favourite tales, games and goals from supporting the Swans over the years.
If you want to be involved in the feature, email jackwells@swanseacityfc.co.uk



Name: Ciaran Llewellyn
Age: 19   
From: Drefach, Carmarthenshire

How long have you been supporting the Swans?
I have been supporting the Swans since the 2003-04 campaign - the season after we nearly dropped out of the Football League.

What was the first Swans game you attended?
I recall the first game I attended was in October 2004 - I'm unsure of the exact date - possibly against Lincoln. I just remember that amazing feeling of watching my first ever football match. I think the score was 2-2, but I can't remember for the life of me who scored! 

Why did you start supporting the Swans?
I started supporting the swans because my dad and my brother Roy had been a couple of times before I ever went, and one weekend they took me with them. Since then, I've been hooked on the Swans.



What is your most memorable Swans moment?
My most memorable moment as a Swans fan was the play-off final against Reading. The atmosphere was electric and to be 3-0 up at half-time was a dream.
But the second half was the most anxious I have ever felt. To be pegged back to 3-2 was an absolute nightmare, but that soon turned to delight when Borini got brought down in the box and Sinclair completed his hat-trick with a well-taken penalty that saw us promoted to the Premier League.

What is the best game you've seen at the Vetch/Liberty?
That would have to be the play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest. There was a lot of pressure going into the game, and the Swans got off to the best start with a rare goal from Leon Britton.
The game became edgy with lots of nerves jangling. But they were finally settled by THAT Darren Pratley goal. That was the most joyous moment I have ever felt at the Liberty.



What is the best goal you've seen at the Vetch/Liberty?
A lot of people would go for Trunds' volley or Shelvey's screamer, but my favourite was the Ferrie Bodde strike against Watford during the 2008-09 season, when the Dutch midfielder struck an absolute rocket from 35 yards - or further. It was unbelievable, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it.  

Can you tell us about the greatest sacrifice you have made to watch the Swans?
Fortunately, I haven't had to make many sacrifices to watch the Swans. The only small sacrifices I've had to make are missing out on some family gatherings, so I've been quite lucky on the whole. 

Describe to us your typical pre-match ritual?
I usually arrive at the stadium around 45 minutes before kick-off, alongside my brother, and I then buy a Jack Magazine programme before watching the remaining minutes of the lunch-time kick-off under the stand with a Coca Cola. We then make our way to our seats to watch the end of the players' warm up.

Who is your favourite Swans player of all time, and why?
This is probably the most difficult question I've had to answer. For me, it is between Ashley Williams and Angel Rangel, but I've chosen to go with the former.
Ash has been ever-present for years and years. He's developed into one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League and, without a shadow of doubt, we wouldn't have survived that first season in the top flight without him.

Who is your favourite current player, and why?
I know Ashley Williams still plays for the Swans and I just said he was my favourite player of all time, but currently my favourite Swans player is Gylfi Sigurdsson. His work rate, commitment and display of desire for the team is incredible. He also has a great eye for goal and his set-pieces are deadly.



What is your favourite Swans kit from over the years?
My favourite kit is perhaps an unusual choice, but I really liked the third kit that we wore during the League One title-winning season of 2007-08. I really liked the green and black stripes for some reason.

If you could sign one player for the club, who would it be?
Leo Messi. He is hands down the best player of all-time and would be the perfect signing for any club in the world.

What has been your most disappointing moment watching the club?
One of the most disappointing moments was losing to Barnsley in the League One Play-off Final. To watch the game at the Millennium Stadium, where the Swans had fought so hard and dug so deep, only to be defeated by the dreaded penalty shoot-out, was tough to take. I remember leaving the game with my head down and crying because we had missed out on promotion.

What makes Swansea City special to you?
Everything makes Swansea City special to me: the team and their outstanding camaraderie; the fans with their unbelievable passion, and also the behind-the-scenes work that goes in to keeping the club in tip-top shape. This is what makes Swansea City special to me.