Good afternoon and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for today’s Championship game against Bristol City.

We come into this fixture on the back of a narrow defeat at Millwall – a game that we certainly deserved more from.

It has been a difficult period and I feel the last few games have slowly seen us get back to the levels we want to be at – we just need to put it all together and the results will follow suit.

Russell has spoken recently about seeing the zip return to the team and it was clearly evident against Millwall and for periods against in-form Middlesbrough here last time out. Every game in the Championship is tough and there are often fine margins that decide the outcome.

This is the fourth meeting with Bristol City this season following our two meetings in the FA Cup back in January, with all three games being tight affairs. The atmosphere generated against Middlesbrough was great and I know Russell mentioned it after the game – if we can replicate that here today then I’m sure it will be a fantastic occasion and you’ll be right behind the players and coaching staff.

Last week saw Ollie Cooper named in the senior Wales squad for the first time, and everyone at the club would like to congratulate him on what is a landmark moment in his career. Ollie has been brilliant for us this season, he’s one of our own, and we are all really proud of him and the work that has gone in to get him to this position. Meanwhile, it is also fantastic to see Ben Cabango called up for Wales once more, as well as Olivier Ntcham being named in the Cameroon squad. We also have international call-ups for some of our youngsters; Ben Hughes, Ben Lloyd, Cameron Congreve and Joel Cotterill with Wales’ Under-21 squad, and Azeem Abdulai is in the Scotland Under-21 squad for the first time.

The club will today be supporting the EFL’s Together campaign that runs from 13-31 March, with a focus on anti-discrimination and supporting diversity.

At the start of the season, the EFL launched its new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, ‘Together’ which focuses on making positive changes within the EFL and across the game. To promote and recognise the work of EFL Clubs that is being carried out, the EFL is holding a ‘Together’ month throughout March.

We supported Level Playing Field’s ‘Unite for Access’ week as well as celebrating Her Game Too at our last home game against Middlesbrough, while today’s game will also see us support diversity alongside Kick it Out.

The club also recently signed the Muslim Athlete Pledge to demonstrate its commitment to equality and diversity, and today we welcome Ebadur Rahman from Nujum Sports who will present the club with the Muslim Athlete Charter certificate.

There are now only two weeks left until the season ticket deadline for 2023-24. Supporters who wish to keep their seat must renew by April 2 with our general sale window opening to exclusive supporters on April 3.

You can visit the club website for more information and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank those supporters who have already renewed for next season – your support is hugely appreciated.

Enjoy the game.

Good afternoon and welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium for this afternoon’s Championship fixture against Bristol City.

We come into today’s game on the back of a really strong showing at Millwall – a contest that we more than deserved something from.

I spoke before that game about how we needed to show fight and a willingness to work for each other – and that was really evident with the way we performed on the night.

I was really pleased with how the lads played. We more-or-less dominated the game, created more chances, had more efforts on target, more of the ball and restricted them to very little.

Unfortunately we conceded two poor goals which was ultimately our undoing, but there were so many positives to take and the performance really felt like our best in recent weeks.

We have slowly been getting our zip back in what has been a really difficult period, but the lads are giving everything and we are proud to work with them every single day. We just need to string it all together and get a win on the board to settle everyone down and grow the players’ confidence.

Today we are back on home soil in front of our fans and we want to give you a performance and result to be proud of.

It has been a difficult six or seven weeks or so, and while I understand the fans’ frustrations because of results and other factors, we have to stick together and work even harder to put things right.

Your support has been fantastic since I came to the club and I’ve met so many people who are incredible passionate about their city and their team. We are working tirelessly to give you a team to be proud of and we are determined to get there. I know that if we perform the way we have in the past few weeks then you will be right behind us this afternoon.

Last week also saw Ollie Cooper called up to the Wales senior squad for the first time, which is brilliant news for him. Ollie has been fantastic for us this season and we are so proud of him. He deserves his opportunity and I know he will grab it with both hands.

It’s great to once again see Ben Cabango called up for Wales, while Olivier Ntcham will be going away with Cameroon. In addition, we have Ben Hughes, Ben Lloyd, Cameron Congreve and Joel Cotterill going away with Wales’ Under-21 squad, and Azeem Abdulai is in the Scotland Under-21 squad, which will further aid their development.

Enjoy the game.

Good afternoon and welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for this afternoon’s Championship fixture against Bristol City at the Swansea.com Stadium.

We were obviously frustrated with Tuesday’s result at Millwall because we felt we deserved at least a point but we were really pleased with the performance.

Results come first but performance wise, that was one of the best performances we’ve had in recent weeks.

The Den is not an easy place to go, they’re in the play-off places for a reason, have one of the best home records in the league and we managed to limit them to very little.

We need to cut out conceding sloppy goals and we’ll start getting points on the board.

We need to stick together, keep believing in ourselves as players and believing in what we’re doing to get out of this tough patch.

There’s no better time to turn a good performance into three points than at home to Bristol City this afternoon.

They’re a good side, as we’re well aware after playing them three times already this season. All three of those games have been tight but we know the threats they possess and we’ll be ready to go and put in a good performance.

It’s a game we’re really looking forward to and the atmosphere in fixtures between the Swans and Bristol City is always brilliant.

We want to go into the international break on a positive note and use a good performance as a catalyst going forward to the Championship run-in.

Enjoy the game today!

We welcome our not-too-distant neighbours Bristol City back to the Swansea.com Stadium this afternoon in what is proving to be a crucial fixture before the international break.

There is no hiding from the fact that the side are not in a good run of form. Despite some impressive performances, we don’t seem to be getting the run of the ball, or any luck. This means that the players on the pitch need us fans more than ever.

It is very easy to turn up and cheer when we are playing well and competing at the top end of the division, but right now we are in a dog fight and us fans have a responsibility to help lift the side. I have never seen a player improve when he has been called an idiot, but I have seen some incredible performances when the stadium is rocking. It’s time to create that atmosphere again.

We are left with a determined, and loyal, hardcore set of supporters. Those who have seen us struggle in the dark days of League Two football, back when your Supporters’ Trust was formed as we battled to save the club. The club united back then as we were galvanised on and off the pitch and we can do the same again. It will only take two wins against our two closest rivals in the division to see us move up the table and put our nearest neighbours into a little difficulty.

Speaking of our Welsh counterparts, the Swans Trust and the club held a very productive meeting with Cardiff City last week as we continue our excellent initiative: Rivals on the Pitch, United against Racism where both clubs come together to tackle the scourge of anti-social behaviour. We are proud to be a key part of this movement and you should look out for the related messages come south Wales derby day.

Passion in the stands is encouraged, discrimination will not be tolerated.

A great way to demonstrate that passion for the club and to use up some adrenaline and positive energy would be to join the Swansea City AFC Foundation in their forthcoming bike ride, which was announced a week ago.

The Swans Cycle Challenge will start on Friday May 5 as we cycle from the Hawthorns home of West Bromwich Albion back to the Swansea.com Stadium over two days arriving in SA1 for the final home game of the season.

The ride will raise funds for Prostate Cymru and Maggie’s as well as the Foundation and will be a great opportunity to socialise.

Paul France, head of the Foundation, will be leading the ride and we hope to be joined some of our former players whose arms Paul can twist in time.

Having written the book Le Loop, How to Cycle the Tour de France I have been coerced into representing the Supporters’ Trust as part of my training for Le Tour again this summer. It should prove to be a great adventure whilst raising funds for amazing causes and who knows, if results go our way in the coming weeks, it may be a small celebration as well.

That party could depend on us getting one over our two biggest rivals, starting with a win today against the Robins of Bristol.

Time to stand up and be counted Jack Army.

#YJB

Ceri

Swansea City AFC Foundation is excited to announce its first charity bike ride raising funds for the Foundation’s health projects and to help tackle prostate cancer.

Working in partnership with Prostate Cymru and Maggie’s Cancer Care, the Foundation aims to raise awareness of prostate cancer and provide support to families recovering from the disease. The Swans Cycle Challenge will become an annual event raising much needed funds for a local cause each year.

Swansea City AFC Foundation aim to raise £25,000 that will allow the Foundation to plan and host a prostate cancer testing event at the Swansea.com Stadium in partnership with the Barry Kilby Prostate Cancer Appeal, which has held events at football clubs across the UK.

In Wales prostate cancer affects one in eight men, and when there is a family history of the disease the risk increases to one in three, which makes it likely that all Swans fans know someone affected by the disease. Catching prostate cancer early drastically raises chances of survival, making testing events such as these crucial for saving lives.

The route will be see riders travel more than 150 miles over two days, starting at the home of West Bromwich Albion, The Hawthorns, and finishing at the Swansea.com Stadium ahead of the final Championship fixture of the 2022-23 season between the Swans and West Brom at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Riders will depart from The Hawthorns on Friday May 5, cycling to Hereford where they will stay overnight. On Saturday May 6 riders will cycle from Hereford to the Swansea.com Stadium. All participants will then have the opportunity to attend the Swansea City vs West Bromwich Albion fixture on Monday May 8 taking part in a lap of honour around the pitch prior to kick-off to celebrate the achievement.

Spaces are limited to 50, with a registration fee of £100 and a commitment to raise a minimum of £500 in sponsorship. Sponsorship funds will be collected via Just Giving. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

The registration fee will cover:

• Transport to West Brom
• Bike transport to West Brom
• Lunch on both days
• Drinks and snacks at stops
• Hotel in Hereford
• Bespoke cycle jersey
• Ride insurance
• Support vehicles
• Medical support
• Bike maintenance support
• Match ticket for Swansea v West Brom (May 8)

Registration closes Friday March 31. You can register your interest below:

If you don’t want to join the ride but would like to donate to the appeal, click below:

When you’ve written a matchday programme column for as long as I have, (a long time), it isn’t a surprise to find yourself deliberating about the subject of said column every once in a while.

When results on the pitch are going well, they almost write themselves. Not always so when things on the football front are more challenging.

We can’t get away from the fact that results are not going our way at the moment and there are only so many ‘back the boys’ and ‘keep the faith’ type columns in any of us.

And when capacity is reached, the default position is to look for something positive or enlightening, happy or humorous, because as any self-respecting journalist will tell you, there is always a story to be found if you go looking.

The piece I wrote for the last game focused in part on the 10th anniversary of the Swansea City Disabled Supporters’ Association. The group is without doubt, one of the on-going ‘good news stories’ at the club.

It wasn’t the first time I had mentioned the Swans DSA and if you are a regular reader, you will know what a tremendous role they undertook during the pandemic lockdowns and the subsequent restrictions.

Not only did members look out for and look after one another, they extended that consideration to others, and I was one of those fortunate enough to be able to join them on some of their Zoom get-togethers during those difficult times.

The DSA’s work is held in high regard by many at Swansea City and beyond, an exemplar of good practice and an element of the fan-base we can all be proud of.  

And talking of pride, what a moment for Ollie Cooper this week to get his first senior international call up. Robert Page announced his Wales squad for the March UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers and included Cooper alongside clubmate Ben Cabango.

Cooper got to experience Wales’ World Cup campaign in Qatar first hand when he travelled with the squad as a stand-by.

That experience will have stood him in good stead for the next phase in his career and Cooper referred to it in his recent ‘Get to Know…’ feature for the club website.

There is no doubt that training with the likes of recently retired Gareth Bale and watching the former talisman captain score in the World Cup had a big impact on Cooper, who now gets a chance to write his own Wales story by being part of the next generation of players to pull on the red shirt.

And a familiar face in the form of former Wales international Andy King returns to Swansea today as part of the Bristol City squad. King was with us on loan from Leicester City in 2017-18, making 11 appearances and scoring two goals during the last of our Premier League days.  

The 34-year-old is doing his coaching badges with the Football Association of Wales and has a player-coach role with the Robins.

JULIE KISSICK

Ar ddiwedd wythnos pan gafodd ei alw i garfan Cymru am y tro cyntaf, bydd Ollie Cooper yn gobeithio bod yn holliach ar gyfer y gêm yn erbyn Bristol City heddiw. Ond er iddo fe adael y cae ar yr egwyl yn y golled o 3-1 yn erbyn Middlesbrough yma ddydd Sadwrn diwethaf a gorfod methu'r gêm yn Millwall ganol yr wythnos, mae gan y chwaraewr canol cae ymosodol gyfnod i edrych ymlaen ato dros yr wythnosau nesaf.

Gydag ymddeoliadau Joe Allen, Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter a Jonny Williams yn ddiweddar, roedd cryn edrych ymlaen at gyhoeddi carfan gyntaf Rob Page ers i Gymru gystadlu yng Nghwpan y Byd am y tro cyntaf ers 1958 i weld sut olwg all fod ar y dyfodol. Bydd Cymru'n herio Croatia oddi cartref ar Fawrth 25 a Latfia gartref dridiau'n ddiweddarach. Y cwestiwn mawr ar wefusau cefnogwyr yr Elyrch, wrth gwrs, oedd a fyddai Ollie Cooper - o'r diwedd - yn cael ei gyfle. Wel, fe allai e pe bai e'n holliach erbyn hynny ac os bydd e'n chwarae heddiw, bydd cyfle euraid eto iddo fe gael profi ei hun cyn y ddwy gêm fawr i yng ngemau cynta'r flwyddyn yn ymgyrch ragbrofol Ewro 2024.

"Rhagofal" oedd ei dynnu fe oddi ar y cae yn erbyn Middlesbrough ar ôl iddo fe gael clais ar ei goes, yn ôl Russell Martin, rheolwr Abertawe, gyda'i dîm yn chwilio am eu buddugoliaeth gyntaf ers Chwefror 15, pan guron nhw Blackpool yma yn Stadiwm Swansea.com o 2-1.

Yn ôl Russell Martin, mae'n llwyr haeddu ei gyfle ac mae'n gobeithio y daw cyfle iddo fe brofi ei werth cyn y gemau rhyngwladol, gan ddechrau gyda'r gêm yn erbyn Bristol City heddiw. "Rydyn ni'n gobeithio'i gael e 'nôl ddydd Sul, bydd yn rhaid i ni aros i weld. Bydd hi'n dda iddo fe ac i ni i'w gael e yn y garfan cyn iddo fe fynd i ffwrdd gyda Chymru, rhywbeth mae e wir yn ei haeddu. Dw i'n falch iawn drosto fe, ac yn browd iawn ohono fe hefyd."

Dyw canlyniadau diweddar yr Elyrch ddim yn rhywbeth i fod yn falch ohonyn nhw, serch hynny, ac mae'n rhaid bod Russell Martin yn dechrau teimlo'r pwysau. Mae ei dîm yn ail ar bymtheg, wyth pwynt uwchlaw safleoedd y gwymp gyda naw gêm yn weddill o'r tymor. Y gwir plaen yw fod rhaid ennill nifer ohonyn nhw er mwyn bod yn ddiogel.

Mae Ollie Cooper wedi sgorio pum gôl mewn pum gêm wahanol y tymor hwn, a'r Elyrch wedi ennill pedair allan o'r pum gêm hynny. Ac maen nhw wedi ennill un allan o'r ddwy gêm wrth iddo gynorthwyo gôl. Ar ei orau, mae e'n hwb i'r Elyrch a gyda Chymru ar drothwy pennod newydd yn eu hanes ar ôl ymddeoliad rhai o'r hoelion wyth, gallai Cooper sefydlu ei hun yn gadarn ymhlith y to newydd.

Roedd rhai yn dadlau ei fod e'n anlwcus wrth golli allan ar le yn y garfan ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd, er ei fod e wrth gefn ar ôl i Luke Harris dynnu 'nôl. Ond fe ddaeth ei gyfle o'r diwedd ac ynghyd â sêr ifainc disglair fel Brennan Johnson, bydd Rob Page yn gobeithio y gallan nhw wisgo crys Cymru am flynyddoedd i ddod. Ac all hynny ddim ond cryfhau'r Elyrch ar yr un pryd tra ei fod e'n gwisgo'r crys gwyn.

ALUN RHYS CHIVERS | GOLYGYDD GOLWG360

I wonder how many awkward conversations were sparked by today’s match being scheduled for lunchtime on Mother’s Day?

Not as many as there may have been if the fixture had clashed with Mother’s Day back in the 1970s.

The old seventies sitcom stereotype would have seen arguments erupt over dad going off to the game, while mum sat at home waiting for a bunch of flowers and an invitation to Sunday lunch.

To be fair, this may not have been wide of the mark in many households back then.

It’s probably just as well Sunday football wasn’t a regular occurrence in the 1970s.

But that’s not the only thing to have changed in the past half-a-century.

These days, many mums are just as likely to want to come to the football as dads.

And what better way for your Swans-supporting mum to celebrate Mother’s Day than to watch her favourite team – and possibly to be treated to lunch at the same time!

So much has changed for the better over the years.

If you’d taken your mum to the Vetch all those years ago for a Mother’s Day treat, she’d be lucky to have a pie and a polystyrene cup full of vegetable soup while she watched the game.

Oh, that soup from the late 70s and early 80s. It may have looked suspiciously like old dishwater with unidentifiable green bits floating on top of the watery, opaque liquid. But it was unexpectedly tasty. And importantly during deep midwinter, it was piping hot. Suspicious delicious soup!

Those days are long gone. Now there’s a huge range of food and drink available at grounds like our own – from traditional football pies down on the concourses to slap up meals in the hospitality bars, suites and restaurants.

The improvement in facilities all around – including toilets etc – has meant grounds have become more welcoming to everyone – not just your mum! I don’t think anyone, whoever you were, enjoyed visiting the infamous loos at the Vetch – especially the gents at the back of the North Bank!

Women attending football matches is nothing new, of course. The post Second World War years were seen as a golden era for female spectators.

Although facilities weren’t great, crowd trouble was extremely rare - importantly all fans, not just women, felt safe to attend matches.

The advent of hooliganism in the 60s and 70s saw many women turn their back on attending matches because they simply didn’t feel safe in football grounds – particularly on the vast terraces which dominated stadiums back then.

A reduction in hooliganism, improved facilities and a generally more welcoming atmosphere promoted and supported by clubs like the Swans, have meant the percentage of female spectators has increased over the past couple of decades.

Now that we have more women, of all ages, attending football once again, what we have to do is make sure they continue to feel safe and welcome.

Unfortunately, along with the increase in numbers, there has been a worrying rise in the number of female fans suffering abuse and harassment – both online and in person at games.

A couple of years ago a survey revealed more than 90 per cent of female football fans had witnessed sexist abuse being directed at other women online.

Data gathered by Her Game Too, a campaign group seeking to make football a more welcoming and respectful environment for women and girls, exposed the level of misogyny which still exists in the game.

The group surveyed 371 female football fans, with 91.9 per cent saying they had seen online abuse being directed at other women, while 63.1 per cent said they had been abused online themselves.

The survey also found that 58.4 per cent had experienced sexist abuse in person, either at a football ground or watching football in a pub.

This can’t be allowed to continue. It is up to all of us to make sure that everyone is made to feel welcome supporting the Swans – and not open to attacks of any kind, whether online or in person.

The only people we don’t want to feel particularly welcome here is the visiting team! Even that must always be kept within the boundaries of sporting rivalry and banter.

With Bristol City being one of our closest rivals geographically, you know there will be a noisy, raucous, passionate atmosphere here today. Long may that continue.

Football’s tribal nature – especially between local rivals – is one of its greatest attractions.

But there must always be a limit to what is and isn’t acceptable.

The increase in the number of women attending football matches is good for the game as a whole.

Let’s make sure that “the football” is a place where you’d be comfortable to bring your mum for any match – not just a Mother’s Day treat!

Even if coming to the football isn’t your own mum’s cup of tea, there are other people’s mums, daughters, sisters, nieces and grand-daughters who do want to come along and cheer on the Swans.

It’s up to all of us to make sure they are as comfortable and as happy at the game as we would want our own mother or any female relative to be.

Come on you Swans!

OWEN MORGAN

A SECOND-HALF COMEBACK MEANT SWANSEA CITY SUFFERED DEFEAT TO HIGH-FLYING MIDDLESBROUGH AT THE SWANSEA.COM STADIUM.

Swansea City: Andy Fisher; Ben Cabango, Nathan Wood, Joel Latibeaudiere; Matty Sorinola (Morgan Whittaker 84’), Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Ryan Manning; Luke Cundle (Jamie Paterson 70’), Ollie Cooper (Olivier Ntcham 45’); Joel Piroe.

Unused substitutes: Andreas Søndergaard, Harry Darling, Liam Cullen, Liam Walsh.

Middlesbrough: Zack Steffen; Ryan Giles, Riley McGree (Marc Bola 90+2), Cameron Archer (Marcus Forss 78’) , Aaron Ramsey (Alex Mowatt 90+2’), Tommy Smith, Jonny Howson (captain), Paddy McNair, Darragh Lenihan, Chuba Akpom (Sonny Finch 90+2), Hayden Hackney.

Unused substitutes: Liam Roberts, Daniel Barlaser, Anfernee Dijksteel, Marc Bola.

RYAN MANNING’S GOAL WASN’T ENOUGH AS SWANSEA CITY SUFFERED A NARROW DEFEAT TO PLAY-OFF CHASING MILLWALL AT THE DEN.

Swansea City: Andy Fisher; Ryan Manning, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling (Kyle Naughton 84’) Nathan Wood; Liam Walsh (Jamie Paterson 64’), Matt Grimes, Olivier Ntcham, Luke Cundle (Cameron Congreve 88’); Joel Piroe, Liam Cullen (Morgan Whittaker 64’)

Substitutes: Andreas Søndergaard, Matty Sorinola, Liam Smith. 

Millwall: George Long, Danny McNamara, Murray Wallace, Jake Cooper (captain), Tom Bradshaw (Jamie Shackleton 75’), Zian Flemming (Shaun Hutchinson 88’), Charlie Cresswell, Ryan Leonard, George Saville (Duncan Watmore 75’), Andrea Voglsammer (Oliver Burke 75’), George Honeyman.

Substitutes: Bartosz Bialkowski, Scott Malone, Roman Esse.

Ollie Cooper has been a revelation in Swansea City colours this season.

With 35 games, six goals and two assists under his belt by mid-March, it’s hard to believe that the 23-year-old made his first league start for the club as recently as September.

His impressive debut season in the Championship has earned him a place in Rob Page’s Wales squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia. But if you think this season has gone better than expected, so does the man himself.

Humble, hard-working and hungry for more, the academy product discusses his season so far and what it means to him to get an international call-up.

Ollie, there’s really only one place to start and that is with the Wales call-up. How happy are you?

I’m over the moon. To finally be involved is amazing. I’m so excited to get away now, meet the players and get involved.

In Get to Know [on the club’s YouTube channel], you said you’d be waiting by your phone to find out if you were in the squad. Did you get a call?

It was announced online. So I just kept refreshing Instagram and Twitter waiting for the announcement to come up. When it finally did, I was just so happy to see my name.

Who was the first person you called?

I told my girlfriend and then I told my parents. They were all over the moon, buzzing!

You travelled with Wales to Qatar as a standby but weren’t in the named squad. Was that almost like a dress rehearsal for what’s coming?

As much as I would have loved to have been involved, it was nice to go and meet the players and train with them without any pressure. I knew I wasn’t going to be playing so it was a bit like an introduction to meet everyone, experience the setup and see how it works.

At that time, for me to have my name even considered for the Wales squad was massive. It was an incredible moment to even be mentioned in the conversation and it would be difficult to take someone who hadn’t been involved in the setup before to the World Cup.

So when my name was being mentioned [in the media], I tried to stay clear of that because my job was to stay focused on Swansea.

But this time when I go, I’m going to know people, I’ll know members of staff and the way they want to do things and I get to fight for my place on the pitch alongside that.

That’s a unique situation isn’t it, there won’t be many players who’ve been able to experience what is almost a trial run of being on international duty.

It was such a great experience. Training with the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey was incredible in itself, but to go away to Qatar to the World Cup and experience that was amazing.

For me, just to be a fan at the games was incredible but to be around and amongst the players made it even better.

Was there anyone in particular who helped you settle in? You obviously would have known Ben [Cabango] and Joe [Allen].

Yeah, I knew all the Swans boys like Dan James, Connor Roberts and Joe Rodon as well as Ben and Joe. Ben Davies too, because he used to be here. We could all talk about a lot of things and our journeys were all quite similar in terms of Swansea.

But it’s such a group that everyone was very welcoming, and down to earth.

There’s been a lot of retirements from the squad, like Joe and Gareth Bale. There’s four players including yourself who have been called up for the first time, does this feel like a new era and challenge?

I think so. People are seeing it that way, but there are a lot of players in that squad who have been there for a long time. It’ll be good to see what we as new players to the squad can offer.

It’s quite a young group too, some of those players with a lot of experience are still in their early 20s.

Yeah, I think it’s an exciting time for everyone – the players, staff and the fans – to see what this group can do with the added more experienced players like Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies. It’ll be interesting.

How long have you been waiting for this moment?

You always want to play for your country. It’s always something I’ve wanted. Did I think it would come this soon? Probably not.

This season, I would probably have been to just get into the Swansea team, but you always have those aspirations so it’s kind of always been there.

Let’s talk about this season then. If I take you back to pre-season, what were your targets for this season because I assume you’re massively ahead of where you thought you’d be?

Massively! Coming back in after last season at Newport County, I think for me I just wanted to show what I could do in pre-season with the game time I was given.

That was it really. I wanted to show the gaffer what I could do, hopefully get myself into the squad and then on the bench and then on the pitch with minutes every now and then and try to build from there.

For this season to have turned out as it has is unbelievable. I don’t think anyone would have predicted it to turn out how it has for me!

If felt at the beginning of this season, you were hitting a milestone every game: first start, first league start, first league goal. Now you’re on 35 games with six goals and two assists – it must be a bit of a dream?

Yeah, and I still want more. I feel like I should have scored more goals and got more assists. We’ve got a few games to go so I’d like to reach double figures. But yeah, if you’d offered me this at the start of the season I’d have said ‘yeah, go on then!’

So it’s gone well.

The 1-0 win against Queens Park Rangers was your first home start and you got an assist that day. How key was that for your confidence? Because I know you had a brilliant season at Newport the year before but the Championship is obviously two leagues higher and offers a different challenge.

Like you said, it is a big step up from League Two to the Championship, but I think the way we want to play at Swansea kind of suits me perfectly. So yes, it’s more high intensity but when you’re a team that keep the ball for most of the game, I think that just helped me adjust to playing in the Championship.

And to get an assist early on gives you a bit of confidence because you think ‘yeah, I can play at this level’ and it’s allowed me to just kick on from there.

The Jack Army sing your song all the time. How important have the fans been for you?

Hearing the fans sing your name is … there’s no better feeling. It’s really nice to hear.

It gives you an added little bit, so if you’ve going through a little tough patch in the game it really lifts you up and I know everyone in the squad feels that. If the crowds behind you, it gives you a push when you’re struggling with a tough moment in the game. It can really help.

But away from that and football, how do you spend your time?

What am I doing? Not a lot to be honest. I spend a lot of time with my girlfriend just going out for food and taking my dog for a walk. Obviously I’m trying to learn Welsh, I’m giving it a go but not a lot else!

I am starting to think about what I’m going to do at the end of my career.

Other than learning Welsh…

I’m learning slowly!

You’re young to be thinking about the end of your career!

That’s why I said think, I’m doing anything yet. I just think it’s an intense job so when I get home most of the time I just want to relax. Maybe have a nap!

Do you speak to your dad [former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cardiff City and Newport County footballer Kevin Cooper] about what you’re going to do after football?

A bit. He’s gone down the coaching and managerial route and I don’t think that’s what I want to do, so that’s why I’m not committing to anything yet.

You’ve mentioned a few times that you talk to your dad a lot about your career because he’s obviously been there and done it in terms of being a professional player, but I was wondering if, when you’re young, having a dad who is a professional footballer adds a bit of pressure?

No, I never felt any pressure. It was the other way around because to have him there for help and guidance was always massive. He was away quite a bit with his job, but he was always there to offer support and guidance.

He can be quite critical, as you can imagine, but you take that with a pinch of salt because he’s been a player and a coach so he’s seen both sides of it.  It’s good that I’ve got him there.

Not players get that kind of support.

Not many, no.

Finally, what are your ambitions for the final part of this season? You’ve said you want to reach double figures in goals.

I just want to play as many of the games as I can and contribute, whether that’s goals or assists. I just want to contribute as much as I can between now and the end of the season.

Answer a question on the article above to be in the chance of winning x2 tickets for the Swans v Coventry match at the Swansea.com Stadium.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Cardiff-born, John Mahoney was brought up in the Manchester area where his father played Rugby League for Oldham. Mahoney signed his first professional contract for Crewe Alexandra in 1966. After just eighteen appearances his potential was spotted by First Division Stoke City, and in March 1967 he moved to the Potteries.

His style quickly developed into the player he would become known as; a busy midfielder, winning the ball, and starting off many an attacking situation. Always making himself available to receive a ball whether in defensive or attacking position, he was the type of player invaluable to any team.

Just weeks after joining Stoke, he made his full Welsh international debut against England at Ninian Park, and though the game ended in a 0-3 defeat for his country, this was just the beginning of a fifteen year association with the international side that saw the popular player win 51 caps.

In 1972, Mahoney came on as a substitute at Wembley in the League Cup final win over Chelsea, but just five years later the club were relegated, and he was sold to Middlesborough in a deal worth £90,000.

His two seasons in the north east saw the club finish in mid-table, and when the chance to move back to south Wales came along - playing for his cousin John Toshack and joining up with many of his International team mates at the Vetch Field - the player jumped at the chance.

Mahoney’s all action style was vital to the Swans’ promotion push that season and when the team hit a slump halfway through the campaign, it was Mahoney's knowhow and experience that helped steady the ship and put the promotion chase back on track.

The end of an historic season saw the club reach the First Division for the first time in its history with a last day 3-1 win at Preston North End. But this final day victory was bitter sweet for the man himself, who had to sit out  the game not being selected in the eleven that took the pitch, though he did win a Welsh Cup winners medal weeks later after a two legged win over Hereford United.

The new season saw the club in uncharted waters competing for the first time in English football's top division, and being involved in five different competitions throughout the season. Once again, Mahoney’s experience at the top level proved invaluable during a record breaking season that saw the club finish sixth. The well documented financial crisis at the club saw many players leave, but Mahoney's career ended on Saint David's day in 1983, when in a game against Brighton and Hove Albion, the player broke his ankle leaving him with a permanent limp and causing his retirement from professional football.

After leaving the Swans he became player manager at Bangor City, taking them into the European Cup Winners Cup in 1985-86, where they defeated Norwegian side Fredrikstad F.K., before putting up a brave show losing 0-3 to Athletico Madrid.

After leaving Bangor  he managed at Newport County for a brief spell, before returning for an unsuccessful three years back at Bangor. His final move was as coach at Carmarthen Town, before concentrating his knowledge around the amateur clubs in the Llanelli area, where his expertise was gratefully received.

Mahoney wasn’t the only member of his family to represented his country with distinction, two of his daughters followed in their father’s footsteps with caps for the netball national team

GOALS FROM RUBEN DAVIES, TIVONGE RUSHESHA AND COREY HURFORD ENSURED SWANSEA CITY UNDER-21S CLAIMED ALL THREE POINTS AGAINST READING AT LANDORE IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE.

Two goals in two minutes from Davies and Rushesha had the Swans well in control in the opening stages. 

The Royals pulled one back in the second half, as Adrian Akande – who spent over a year on Swansea’s books – converted from the spot. Substiutes Iwan Morgan and Hurford made an impact on introduction with the former teeing up the latter beautifully for the Swans' third. 

There were numerous changes to the side that fell to defeat against Queens Park Rangers last time out. Ben Lloyd, Joel Cotterill and Liam Smith returned to the starting line-up, whilst Kian Jenkins, Lincoln McFayden, Cameron Congreve and Josh Thomas missed out with Thomas out through suspension.  

Swansea’s February signing Andreas Søndergaard started between the sticks to earn some needed minutes. Under-18s' Ewan Griffiths on the bench.  

The Swans enjoyed the majority of possession early on. Rushesha slotted in seamlessly to the midfield zipping the ball about with Joe Thomas, winning a couple of key battles before the ball was put out of play by the Royal’s defence. 

Harry Jones chipped a clever ball into the path of Rushesha, who swung in deep to collect, but the assistant had flagged the play offside. 

The home side swiftly took control of proceedings and dominated with the ball at their feet, before they took a 12th minute lead. 

Lloyd drove down the left flank, beating off a crowd of Reading players in the process, before delivering a superb cross to Davies, finishing it off with a tap-in from close range. 

Two minutes had barely passed, and the Swans were two goals to the good. Rushesha – with his second goal in as many games – proved untouchable on the edge of the area before firing home a low effort. 

Down the other end, the visitors had their first real chance of the afternoon with Hamid Abdel-Salam's strike from outside the area parried off the crossbar causing no trouble for debutant Søndergaard. 

Smith found the side netting from close range, after a neat one-two play between Rushesha and Jones – who's initial cross evaded the Reading goal before finding the Scottish international.  

Lloyd had a shot saved by Harvey Collins on the stroke of half-time, but the Swans headed back to the dressing room having barely been troubled. 

The Royals had started the second half with energy and renewed purpose – Lui Bradbury’s free-kick challenged the Swans stopper for the first time, but the referee stopped play due a foul in the box.  

Joe Thomas saw a shot blocked by Boyd Beacroft after Rushesha skipped away down the centre finding the right wing-back in a promising position.  

Soon after, Dan Watts and Hurford came off the bench, Joe Thomas and Lloyd made way, with the latter coming off due to a knock.

Rushesha then came close to a second as his firm strike was tipped away for a Swansea corner, which was well cleared by the visitors. 

The game became an end-to-end battle, with Reading becoming more aggressive, and they were to be rewarded a penalty following a foul in the Swans box. 

And it was former Swansea City academy player Akande who converted from the spot. Søndergaard went the right way, but it proved too strong for the Danish keeper. 

However, the Swans weren't left to woe. Substitute Morgan proved to make an immediate impact on arrival, producing a lovely flick back to Hurford who evaded Reading’s wall of defenders to drill home past Collins. 

The men in white eased control in the final stages, and stood their ground to claim the league double over the Royals. 

Swansea City Under-21s: Andreas Søndergaard, Harry Jones (Richard Faakye 72'), Sam Leverett, Azeem Abdulai, Tivonge Rushesha, Joe Thomas (Dan Watts 52'), Liam Smith, Ruben Davies (Iwan Morgan 72'), Joel Cotterill, Ben Lloyd (Corey Hurford 52’) 

Unused subs: Ewan Griffiths.  

Reading Under-21s: Harvey Collins, Sam Paul, Matthew Carson, Josh Green, Boyd Beacroft, Geneiro Maragh, Adrian Akande, Hamid Abdel-Salam (Jeremiah Okine-Peters 32’), Rakaelen Jeffers (Caycan Vickers 50’), Lui Bradbury (Nahum Melvin-Lambert 50’), Mamadi Camara (captain). 

Unused subs: Ayyuba Jambang, Thomas Norcott. 

SWANSEA CITY ACADEMY WELCOME NEW SCHOLAR JACK FANNING

Swansea City academy welcome new scholar Jack Fanning to SA1 after previously being registered with Southern League Premier Division South outfit Tiverton Town.

He joins Swansea City's academy following a successful week-long trial in January.

The centre-back rose through the youth ranks at Exeter City, spending eight years within their academy set-up before turning his attention to non-league football.   

Fanning spent the last few months at Tiverton Town, making his full first team debut in October 2022 against Poole Town and scoring in the process.

The 16-year-old - who stands at 6'3 - will link up with Darren Davies and Ollie Jefferies' Under-18s squad as they approach the closing stages of the Professional Development League season, and will look to make his debut against Birmingham City Under-18s on Saturday afternoon. 

Jack Chapman, head of academy recruitment, said:

“We’re pleased to welcome Jack to our academy after a short trial period. He demonstrated that he has leadership qualities, is assertive and dedicated to improving himself. It was evident quite quickly that he had the motivation to return to the professional football club setting after a short time out.  

“It’s always important in this game to bounce back after disappointments and have good, supportive environments around you and we feel that this has been the case for Jack through his involvements with Tiverton Town and Exeter College.  

“We look forward to helping Jack develop further as a player and as a young man. He’s moving away from home, settling into a new city and group of peers but we definitely have the staff on hand to make that as smooth a transition as possible so that football can be Jack’s main focus.

"Hopefully he will enjoy his time at the club, grow, develop and make an impact not just in our academy but in the professional game.” 

Swansea City Ladies defender Lucy Finch hopes to continue her side's current form into the rest of the season following a 4-0 win over Cardiff Met Women.

Finch returned for the Swans February having not played since September due to injury. The defender now feels that she is getting back to her best and hopes to maintain the level of performance from opening matches against Cardiff City and Cardiff Met into the rest of the campaign.

“Every time that we play away at Cardiff Met it’s always a difficult game but I thought that we played well, we worked the ball well and we got the result we deserved,” said Finch.

“It’s really important to be able to get the clean sheet, the girls were all buzzing with that, it’s just as good as scoring for the defenders so we are chuffed.

“I think that this is one of the biggest results we have had against Cardiff Met, we can take confidence in that going into the remaining games of the season.

“We were a bit hurt after the draw against Cardiff City, but we carried that grit and determination through into the game against Met and hopefully we can keep it going for the rest of the season.

“At first it took me a while to get back in, but I think I’m starting to get into the flow of my game and to get a start in the last two games was really important for me.”

Swansea City Ladies host The New Saints at Llandarcy Academy of Sport on Sunday March 19.

SWANSEA CITY JOIN WITH TALKING HANDS TO HOST BSL STADIUM TOUR.

Swansea City midfielder Joe Allen surprised group of children and young people from Talking Hands as they took part in a British Sign Language (BSL) stadium tour.

Talking Hands is a charity for Deaf children, young people and their families based in Swansea Deaf Centre on Neath Road. As well as providing support for families and guidance on things such as schools, they also host fun activities.

And recently, the group were invited to the stadium for a tour of the changing rooms and facilities. Not only was it a chance for the children to enjoy the tour interpreted into BSL, they were also joined by former-Wales international Allen who has a personal connection to the Deaf community.

“My brother Harry is Deaf and signs so this is close to me on a personal level,” he explained.

“It was great to meet them. They’re a great group of kids and they seem really excited to be here, do the tour and see the ins and outs of the stadium.

“It’s great that the club have got an initiative like this. You can see how important it is for them and that they’ve got the chance to be included at the stadium and at games.

“It’s all about inclusion and anything we can do to offer support and help is great.”

“It was lovely to see Joe,” added Talina Jones who works for Talking Hands and interpreted the tour.

“He has a connection to the Deaf community so it was nice that he was able to give back. The children – and the adults – were in awe of him.

“This trip was the first time some of them have stepped inside the football stadium so the fact that Swansea City has links with Talking Hands and we’ve been able to set this up, it’s been absolutely amazing.

“We’re really looking forward to coming to the game against Bristol City especially as the children now know that the Swans are embracing their culture, language and community.”

Hello everyone!

We’re looking forward to another Swans match this afternoon.

We really enjoyed learning about Her Game Too at Saturday’s match and this week, we’ve been learning British Sign Language with our friends from Talking Hands.

Our friends at Talking Hands have created these puzzles for you to try here.

And we’ve put a little quiz together to test your knowledge of some of the finger spelling we’ve been learning. You can try that below and let us know how you get on using #JuniorJacks on Twitter.

We’ve also really pleased that our friends at Superbowl UK are offering a discounted price of £5 for Junior Jack members. Find out more about Junior Jack memberships here.

Our joint prediction for this week is 2-1 with goals for our Wales internationals Ollie Cooper and Ben Cabango.

Enjoy the game!

Cyril and Cybil

Take Quiz!

An audio commentary service is available for blind and partially sighted fans – provided by Radio City, the Swansea University Health Board Hospital Radio Service.

Radio City has a long association with the football club dating back to the days when the club was known as Swansea Town.

Since moving to the Swansea.com Stadium, the broadcaster has provided a live descriptive commentary service for free at all Swansea home matches, meaning that blind and partially-sighted supporters in both the home and away ends can follow the action.

In order to book a headset for the match, supporters can contact the accessibility team in advance by emailing accessibility@swanseacity.com, or contacting the ticket office from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm by calling 01792 616629 and selecting option one.

Supporters can also book headsets in person in advance at the ticket office, or on the day by speaking to a Disability Liaison Steward on the day.

To learn more about Radio City, visit www.radiocity1389am.co.uk. To learn more about accessible facilities at the stadium, please click here.

The inclusion room at the Swansea.com Stadium is open every matchday for supporters who may require a quiet space during games.

Supporters will be able to attend live matches at the Swansea.com Stadium with the comfort of knowing there is a designated area should they need it. The room is available to any supporter that may require a quiet space.

The space will be monitored by a designated disability liaison steward and provides a safe space with a disabled toilet, a projector to watch the live game, and dignity packs for those who need it.

While some supporters who require a time away from the crowds may prefer to use this room as a quiet space, it will also be possible to watch the match live on a screen projected onto the wall meaning supporters who require the space for any reason don’t have to miss a moment of the match action.

The room is located in the West Stand and, while supporters who feel they may benefit from the use of the space will be recommended to sit in that stand, it will be accessible for anyone in any part of the stadium.

Any supporter who feels overwhelmed by the matchday environment for any reason can gain access to the room by making themselves known to a steward or disability liaison steward.

Chief Executive - Julian Winter

Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis

Directors

Jason Levien, Julian Winter, Jake Silverstein, Sam Porter, Huw Jenkins, Martin Morgan, Sian Davies (supporter director), Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Gareth Davies.

Director of Business and Legal Affairs: Sam Porter

Associate Directors: Ceri Stone

__________

First-Team Staff

Head Coach – Russell Martin

Assistant Head Coach - Matt Gill

Goalkeeping Coach – Dean Thornton

Head of Physical Performance – Matt Willmott

First Team Performance Analyst - Ben Parker

Set Piece Coach - Andy Parslow

First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary

Head of Performance – Tom Barnden

Head of Rehabilitation – Rhys Owen

Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey

Staff: Ailsa Jones, Bethany Chaddock, Matt Murray, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Connor Lawley, Tom Gittoes.

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Senior Management Group
Andrew Davies (Head of Commercial, Operations, Facilities & Development);
Gareth Davies (CFO);
James Chiffi (Head of Wellbeing & Development);
Josh Marsh (Head of Football Operations).

Club Staff
Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood
Football Operations &
Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Retail: Andrea Morris
Head of Hospitality & Customer Services: Catherine Thomas
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Head of Commercial: Richard Morris
Senior Commercial Sponsorship Manager:  Lee Merrells
Head of Marketing:
Katie Doyle
Head of Media & Communications:
Ben Donovan
Ticket Office Manager: Lewis Bullen
Operations & Events Manager:
Matthew Daniel
Facilities Manager: Gordon David
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Disability Access Officer: Catherine Thomas
Swansea City AFC Foundation Manager: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle

__________

Programme Production
Contributors: Ben Donovan, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Hayley Ford, Cerith White, Rhys Kemish, Fraser Dickson, Rachael Tucker, Dom Hynes, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, Owen Morgan.

Designers: Callum Rothwell,
Jordan Morcom, Lewis Ward
Photography: Athena Picture Agency,
Natalie John-Davis, Alamy