Harry Darling targeting a big second season for Swansea City

Harry Darling is challenging himself to have a big second season at Swansea City as he prepares for the 2023-24 campaign.

While stil l only 23, the centre-back was often the oldest defender on the pitch for the Swans last term, and he feels he’s ready to step up and take on more responsibility ahead of the new term.

The former MK Dons man played 31 times for the Swans last season after making the step up from League One and, with a season of Championship football under the belt, he’s ready to offer more.

Speaking after a pre-season defeat to Oxford United in which Marcus Browne’s goal inside 10 minutes proved decisive, the defender admitted there was still plenty of work to do before the Swans host Birmingham City on August 5.

“I want this coming year to be a big one for myself personally,” he said.

“I want to be a big character in the dressing room and put good performances in on the pitch.

“I think, for the team as a whole, from the first game we played [against Haverfordwest] to now, there’s so much we’ve learned and worked on in terms of patterns of play, and what the gaffer wants us to do and what he expects.

“We’ve still got a couple of weeks left before the first game of the season.

“It’s good to get minutes, that’s the main thing in pre-season, but we still want to win and we still want to put good performances in.

“We’re still learning from the gaffer and learning his ways of playing, and now we get to return home and play in front of the fans against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.

“It’s been a long time [since we’ve played at the Swansea.com Stadium] so it will be nice to get back and see a few familiar faces.

“Hopefully we can put a good performance in as we get ready for the start of the season.”