Good afternoon and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium as we face Bristol City in the Championship.
We return to home turf in good spirits after back-to-back wins over Norwich and Coventry which showcased the different qualities we possess in our team.
We played some excellent football, but also showed a lot of heart and desire to make sure we came through to collect the three points.
I know Luke has spoken of the importance of playing football with heart, and that being a key tenet of how Swansea teams have played over the years, and I am sure you would agree there was no shortage of heart shown in the tackles, blocks and clearances the whole team made to ensure those recent victories were secured.
Of course, there is a very long way to go in the season and a lot of tough tests remain ahead of us, but I believe a number of recent performances have provided reason for encouragement, and we hope that trend will continue today as we face Bristol City in a game against a team who, geographically, are one of our closest rivals.
That result against Coventry last weekend was part of a great few days of football for us as a club, as we hosted our Women’s senior team and our under-21 side here at the stadium.
A big thank you to all of you who came out to cheer on the two teams on Sunday and Monday, your support was greatly appreciated and it was great to see so many young supporters in attendance.
Our Women’s team will be back in action here next weekend when they host Cardiff City on Sunday October 6, and tickets remain on sale for that game and we hope to see you there.
Enjoy the game,
Andy
Good afternoon everyone as we return to the Swansea.com Stadium for our Championship fixture against Bristol City.
These games have historically proven to be keenly-fought contests and I am sure that will be no different on this occasion.
For us, this is an opportunity to build on wins over Norwich and Coventry where I felt we were able to do both sides of the game well.
We offered a threat with the ball, we were able to move possession well against two good teams who press very well.
Then, when the opposition had spells where they put us under pressure, the players showed the mentality to work for each other and put their bodies on the line to defend our box and our goal.
There are plenty of positives we can take from those showings but no-one is getting carried away at this stage.
There is a long way to go in the season, we are just six games in and I am sure there are going to be ups and downs along the way.
I’ve been asked a lot about whether these last two results have given us momentum, but I think it is too early to be talking about things like that.
Our aim has to be to continue to train with the level of energy, intensity and accuracy we want to play the game with, and continue to work hard and strive to improve.
Nothing is given to you in the Championship, every game provides a tough test and this fixture will be no different.
Bristol City are a good side who, like us, want to play at a high tempo, control the ball and dictate play and it promises to be an entertaining game; one where we will again look to give you a performance you can be proud of.
Enjoy the game,
Luke
Today we welcome the Robins chairman Jon Lansdown, head coach Liam Manning, and Bristol City players and officials to the Swansea.com Stadium for what many regard as a local derby.
It would be remiss of me not to mention first the hard-fought win over Norwich City at home on September 14.
Player of the match Ben Cabango made an outstanding tackle in the penalty box at the end of the game to secure three points over a lively Norwich side. The Swans success in that game means we are unbeaten in the league on our own ground, banking seven points out of a possible nine, with Lawrence Vigouroux keeping two clean sheets this season in the league.
Mention should also be made of outstanding performances by Goncalo Franco and Jisung Eom as they bed into ‘the Swansea Way’, despite some sustained pressure by Norwich in an open contest.
For last Saturday’s match at Coventry City the Swans kept up their impressive form of late as they completed a 2-1 win.
The Swans have not lost at Coventry in 43 years and they made a quick start with goals from Liam Cullen and Ollie Cooper, before the home side pulled one back with a deflected effort. The Sky Blues pushed for an equaliser only for the Swans to see the game out for an impressive away win to take the Swans up to seventh in the Championship.
The Trust was delighted to announce its first-ever sponsorship of £3,500 to the West Wales Women’s & Girls League (WWWGL) last week.
This sponsorship coincides with the Trust increasing its support for the Swansea Junior Football League (SJFL) and Swansea Schools FA (SSFA) by 75 per cent and 50 per cent respectively, bringing their sponsorship values up to £3,500 and £1,500 for the upcoming season. This is part of a package of 2024-25 support from the Trust to local grassroots football leagues to the value of £8,500. We wish all teams, coaches and players in all of these junior leagues every success for the upcoming season.
With the new campaign under way we will soon be hosting schools - as part of our ongoing schools programme – for visits to the Swansea.com Stadium to whet the appetite of teenagers who will form an important part of the history of our club in the years to come and enjoy an insight into how the Swans operate as a business.
I am sure the youngsters will enjoy the experience, and no tour is complete without time spent in the changing rooms over the autumn and spring terms.
During the last month we’ve held four presentations on the Post-War Period and the Golden Days of the 1950s for Swansea Town Football Club around the city, which were prepared and delivered by renowned local author and Trust Ambassador David Brayley.
We are grateful to Swansea Council’s COAST Grant Funding Programme in helping us deliver those talks as part of our ongoing heritage programme, and they proved to be a big success with the audiences and a most interesting history lesson. There was plenty of lively debate and anecdotal stories from those who attended. We are now looking to see if we can arrange more talks later in the season focusing on different eras of the club’s history.
Members and supporters may also be interested to know the next meeting of the Matchday Experience Working Group is coming up on October 10, so if there are any issues you’d like us to raise please email them in to supporters@swanstrust.co.uk
Finally, can I thank everyone who has renewed their membership or joined the Trust over the past few weeks to help us deliver the type of work I’ve mentioned above. It only takes a few minutes to join the Trust online, or you can come along and join up before kick-off on a home matchday at the Trust Pod.
As always, if anyone has any questions please come and see us or email: supporters@swanstrust.co.uk
Enjoy the match, get behind the team, hopefully supporting them to achieve another win.
Paul
Swansea City hosted the second edition of the Joma Cup last week, with walking football participants from Swansea City AFC Foundation and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation competing for the trophy.
Joma are the kit manufacturer of both Swansea City and Norwich City, providing an ideal opportunity for community and collaboration between the clubs.
The fans pulled on the famous shirts of their respective clubs in a hotly-contested match played as the Swans academy facilities on Friday evening, before the groups went to watch their senior first teams compete in the Championship on the Saturday afternoon.
While the one-hour, seven-a-side walking football match ended in a 1-1 draw, the Swans were victorious the next day with an own goal sealing three points for Luke Williams' side.
Phil Havard captained the Swansea walking football team, having been a regular attendee of the Foundation’s walking football programme, and the lifelong Swansea City supporter was delighted to see everyone come together for the fixture.
“I think it’s a dream for all of us Swansea and Norwich supporters to pull on the shirt of our club and to do that for one hour was fantastic,” said Havard.
“It was a fair result, it’s a great bunch of boys, it’s from the Foundation and from Joma to organise this match and hopefully we will have a rematch.
“We do walking football at least once a week, there is a great togetherness and everyone is so supportive of each other, if someone makes a mistake no one shouts at each other, and I could say the same of Norwich.
“I was probably one of the youngest playing at 55 years old, so it shows you the age ranges of those involved.
Robert Pratley travelled with Norwich City Community Sports Foundation for the event, and feels that such fixtures and initiatives are crucial in supporting men’s mental health.
“It was wonderful, we thought it was a long way to travel, but I will come as far as it takes to play walking football,” said Pratley.
“The game was played in a wonderful spirit, a lot of us have underlying health issues, but we can still do this without getting injured and have a fantastic time with people of a like mind.
“It’s not just physically good, it’s mentally good as well, we have a group every week in Norwich for people who have had some issues in life and it’s really good for that. Men seem to be forgotten in having a network they can talk to and this is a really good forum to do that in.
“We’ve had a fantastic weekend, coming to the academy to play, seeing the football the day after and then going home having had a wonderful time.”
SWANS JOIN APPEAL FOR HELP IN MISSING PERSONS CASE
Request for help in finding Jack O'Sullivan from Bristol.
He was last seen on Bennett Way, walking toward the Plimsoll Bridge in the Cumberland Basin area at approx 3.40 am on Saturday 2nd March.
Lots of vehicles drove past him in the early hours of the morning so please do check dash cams or pass these details onto anyone that may have been in the area when Jack disappeared.
Jack is 5ft 10ins tall, of slim build and has short brown hair.
When last seen, he was wearing a quilted green/brown Barbour jacket over a beige woollen jumper, navy chinos and brown leather trainers with white soles.
If you see Jack, call 999 quoting reference 5224055172, alternatively phone 101 if you have any other information.
FAN SUBMISSION
As part of a new feature in our digital matchday programme for the 2024-25 campaign, we are calling on all Swans fans to share their memories and experiences of supporting the club by submitting your stories and pictures. We will publish a selection over the course of the season, and you can share your stories with us through the link below.
COME ON YOU SWANS!
COYS! Alfie and Archie
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy 60th Birthday Andrew Brayley from all your friends in the DSA committee!
FAN FUNDRAISING
Swans’ season ticket holder Kevin is raising awareness of Kevin is raising awareness of important the important figure in Welsh history Owain Lawgoch.
His efforts have included a 1,600-mile bike ride from south Wales to a monument dedicated to the Welsh prince in France. Money raised during the cycle was split between his own campaign to build a similar monument in Wales, and Parkinson’s UK which is a charity close to his heart.
Fans can follow Kevin’s progress via his website www.lawgoch.com
_______________________________
SWANSEA CITY BACKS 'PLAY SAFE' WEEKEND 2024
Swansea City joins the game of football in uniting this weekend to promote 'Play Safe' – the national campaign to focus attention on the vital importance of safeguarding across our game.
Swansea City is right behind 'Play Safe', which is endorsed by the NSPCC and supported across every level of football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, men’s and women’s National Leagues and across the grassroots game.
Sue Ravenlaw, The FA Head of Safeguarding, added: “The central push behind this year’s 'Play Safe' weekend is to create awareness among individuals of the vital safeguarding role they can play in football. It really is about Everyone Everywhere, Every Time.
"'Play Safe' weekend is a fantastic way of raising the awareness of safeguarding and putting this at the forefront of people’s minds, not just for this weekend, but throughout the season.
"This year, we’re asking everyone to know their role in safeguarding and we look forward to seeing clubs at every level of the game showing their support across the weekend, to make sure football is safe, fun, and enjoyable for all.
"Crucially, 'Play Safe' also has the full support of The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group.
"It’s essential that everyone in football – no matter if they’re actively involved, or on the sidelines – understands that they have an ongoing safeguarding role to play.
"Obviously 'Play Safe' is 24/7 and 365, as is reflected in the Play Safe messaging of ‘Everyone, Everywhere and Every time’, but this weekend helps with raising awareness of how everyone can help to create safe and positive football spaces, what inappropriate behaviours look, sound, and feel like and importantly how to report concerns.”
If you have a safeguarding concern, or would like some advice, you can contact safeguarding@swanseacity.com or use our text service by texting SWANS with your message to 88440
Swansea City remain unbeaten at home in the Championship after Amankwah Forson’s early own goal gave the hosts all three points against Norwich City at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Josh Key, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Kyle Naughton (Josh Tymon 70); Matt Grimes (captain), Gonçalo Franco (Joe Allen 79), Ollie Cooper (Myles Peart-Harris 79); Jisung Eom (Florian Bianchini 70), Liam Cullen (Žan Vipotnik79); Ronald.
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Jay Fulton, Nelson Abbey, Azeem Abdulai.
Norwich City: Angus Gunn, Jack Stacey (Liam Gibbs 80), Shane Duffy, Callum Doyle, Borja Sainz, Josh Sargent, Ben Chrisene (Jose Cordoba 71), Amankwah Forson (Garbriel Forsyth 70), Kenny McLean (captain), Marcelino Nunez (Onel Hernandez 45), Oscar Schwartau (Ante Crnac 58).
Unused Substitutes: George Long, Grant Hanley, Kaide Gordon, Kellen Fisher.
Referee: John Busby
Attendance: 14,097
Swansea City claimed their first away win of the season as first-half goals from Liam Cullen and Ollie Cooper secured victory over Coventry City at the CBS Arena.
Coventry City: Oliver Dovin, Luis Binks, Bobby Thomas, Jack Rudoni, Jamie Allen (Victor Torp 24), Haji Wright (Ephron Mason-Clark 46), Jake Bidwell (Jay Dasilva 94), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Tatsuhiro Sakamoto 62) , Milan van Ewijik, Josh Eccles (captain), Norman Bassette (Ellis Simms 62).
Unused Substitutes: Ben Wilson, Ben Sheaf, Liam Kitching, Joel Latibeaudiere.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Josh Key, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Josh Tymon (Kyle Naughton 90); Matt Grimes (captain), Gonçalo Franco (Joe Allen 90), Ollie Cooper (Jay Fulton 90); Jisung Eom (Azeem Abdulai 64), Liam Cullen (Myles Peart-Harris 64); Ronald.
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Žan Vipotnik, Florian Bianchini, Nelson Abbey.
Referee: James Linington
Attendance: 26,273
Established in 1894, Bristol City, affectionately known as the Robins, initially started out playing within the Southern and Western League, before being admitted to the Football League in 1901.
They have lifted silverware on three occasions in their history, winning the Football League Trophy in 1986, 2003 and, most recently, in 2015.
Their early Football League years coincided with the club's best-ever league finish as they ended the 1906-07 season in second place in the top-flight, behind only Newcastle United.
That came on the back of promotion to the First Division the previous season, while they were beaten FA Cup finalists in 1909 as they suffered defeat to Manchester United at Crystal Palace.
Having gone so close to Premier League promotion in 2008 - losing the play-off final to Hull - they are now in their tenth-consecutive season at Championship level having secured promotion from League One in 2015.
ASHTON GATE
Built: 1887
Location: Ashton Road, Bristol, BS3 2EJ
Capacity: 27,000
Liam Manning is the Robins head coach. As a youngster Manning had spells on the books of Norwich City and Ipswich Town before spending his playing career in non-league.
He made the early decision to move into coaching and held academy roles with Ipswich Town and West Ham United - playing a part in Declan Rice's development with the latter - before joining City Football Group and working at New York City FC and Lommel SK in Belgium.
After making a positive impression as head coach with the latter, Manning was appointed MK Dons boss in the summer of 2021 and led them to the League One play-offs in his first season in charge.
Following a tough start to the following campaign he left stadium:mk and had a spell in charge of Oxford United before being tasked with replacing Nigel Pearson at Ashton Gate.
Jason Knight. The midfielder donned the armband numerous times in the 2023-24 season and took on the role full-time following the departures of Andi Weimann and Matty James in the summer.
The Republic of Ireland international came through the academy ranks at Pride Park – having started his career in his homeland with Cabinteely – to make the breakthrough at senior level.
He made his debut while still a teenager in 2017, and his maturity and impressive performances were such that he would go on to captain the Rams.
Knight won plenty of plaudits for his showings during a turbulent time for the Midlands club, making over 150 appearances in total before his switch to Bristol City after Derby just missed out on the League One play-offs in 2023.
Knight has won 32 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland, having previously featured at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 level.
Attacking midfielder Scott Twine progressed through the Swindon Town academy before signing professional terms with the club in 2017. Loan spells at Chippenham Town, Waterford and Newport County followed and Twine was named Newport County's Young Player of the Season with 14 goals in 49 appearances.
Twine joined MK Dons on a permanent deal in the summer of 2021 and had an impressive first season at the club, scoring 20 goals and making 13 assists as he was named League One Player of the Season and included in the League One Team of the Season alongside teammate Harry Darling.
The following summer he joined Burnley before joining Hull City on a season-long loan in the summer of 2023. He was recalled in January 2024 but joined Bristol City on loan for the second half of last season and scored a header on his debut for the Robins.
His move was made permanent this summer and he has made a bright start to the 2024-25 campaign.
Republic of Ireland international Sinclair Armstrong joined the Robins from QPR in July 2024.
He started his senior career at Shamrock Rovers before making the move to west London in 2020.
The 21-year-old striker enjoyed loan spells at Torquay United and Aldershot Town before returning to the Hoops where he netted three goals in 61 appearances and was named QPR's Young Player of the Season in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Japanese forward Yu Hirakawa joined the Robins on loan from Machida Zelvia in July with a view to a permanent contract.
Having played for the Yamanashi Gakuin University, Hirakawa began his career with Machida Zelvia and helped them to the J2 League title in 2023.
In April, he was awarded the Monthly MVP award for his impressive performances at the start of the J1 League season.
He won the 2024 Asian Cup in Qatar with Japan under-23s earlier this year.
You don’t have to spend long in Josh Key’s company to understand that he could not be further from what many people would consider to be a stereotypical footballer.
The former Exeter defender may be only 24 but he speaks with a thoughtful manner that belies his age.
While off-seasons for may players might include trips to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, Key spent part of the summer of 2023 exploring and training in South Korea.
A devout Christian and talented musician, Key also comes from a family with considerable sporting heritage given his father played rugby for Exeter Chiefs, while his great-grandfather Myles Abraham captained Ireland at rugby and was a national boxing champion and decorated hero of World War 1.
But, while sport has always been a big part of Key’s life, he acknowledges he has a range of hobbies and interests outside of the professional sphere in which he works every day.
And if that does not fit a particular stereotype, you’re unlikely to find that bothering the man himself.
“The best piece of advice I have ever been given is to be yourself,” said Key.
“I think it’s important to be the way you are and to be authentic. I think it is easy to want to fit in, but I would rather not fit in and be myself than try and be someone else.
“If I am fitting in and not being myself then it is not going to be comfortable for me.
“I think it’s just about being authentic, and if you love others then I think you love yourself in the right way, because it is a tiring thing to try and pretend to be someone else.
“I think that goes back to my parents and how we were brought up. The amount of time they sacrificed for me and the patience they had with me.
“I can be quite stubborn at times and I’m sort of the exact reflection of both my mum and my dad. I sort of have my father’s way of thinking but then me and my mum have the same humour and same sort of compassion and way we think about other people.
“Some people say I can be too nice at times but it’s just because of the way my mum and dad brought me up and I think one big thing that they really taught me was to be humble and really think about my character and to try and put others before myself.
“In football it’s a hard thing to do because you have to kind of be in it for yourself, but I never think of myself as being above others.
“My mum and dad were big people in teaching me that, they disciplined me in the right ways and gave up so much time for me, I really wanted to become a footballer and without them I wouldn’t be here so it’s quite a simple one but I love them and they’d probably be my biggest inspirations.”
An example of those values can be seen in how Key sought out Jisung Eom when the South Korea international joined Swansea City from Gwangju in the summer.
Key had picked up little bits of the Korean language from that aforementioned holiday and, despite there still being a language barrier, the pair have quickly built up a good rapport.
"I can speak a little bit," says Key.
"It’s only enough for Jisung to laugh at me, but I will try and learn a bit more because I went to Korea a couple of years ago and it's a completely different experience of anywhere I've been and I really enjoyed it.
"The people are amazing. Obviously, Jisung came in and I thought it was a great opportunity to speak a little bit.
"On the pitch it's not as easy but I try and help him with his English.
"He asks me a few things and he tries to help me mumble in Korean, so it's a bit of a best of both worlds for me, really.
"But I enjoy it and he's a really good lad. I think the Korean word for friend is chingu, so he always says 'chingu' when he sees me.
“The trip out there was incredible. I had some friends out there who were coaching, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to go somewhere with a totally different culture that I hadn’t experienced before. And it was a real culture shock, the way they live is a totally different to our westernised culture.
“I really enjoyed it, it was boiling hot. It was a completely different place, the food, how they live, and I really enjoyed it.
“South Korean people are friendly people, always laughing, so he’s really good to have around, and he’s a fantastic player, you can see that already, and I think the Swans fans should be excited to see him in full flow.”
Key made a bright start to his first season in Swans colours last term, only for injury to disrupt the campaign and limit his involvement.
The full-back admits that left him feeling frustrated as he headed into the off season, and he now feels he is in the best physical shape of his career.
But the undoubted highlights of that maiden campaign in SA1 were eye-catching goals against Plymouth and Stoke.
The former saw the ex-Exeter man complete a 3-1 win over Argyle by rounded off a sweeping stoppage-time counter-attack at Home Park, while his energy led to him finishing a sweeping attack against the Potters with a composed touch and strike.
Key ranks them as the favourite goals of his career to date, and revealed how his celebration of the latter, raising the index fingers of each hand as he wheeled away, owed something to one of Swansea City’s modern greats.
“Those goals meant a lot,” he says.
“Obviously the one at Plymouth was my first Swansea goal and – being an Exeter fan – it was pretty special to score against Plymouth. It’s a bit like being a Swansea fan and scoring against Cardiff. Going up there and scoring my first goal in a win meant a lot to me.
“You could see that in my celebration and my family were in the stands. That was a big moment for me and one I’ll remember.
“I mean obviously I’m a wide player, so I’m a supply line for others, but there’s just no better feeling than scoring a goal.
“It’s actually even better being a defender because you’re like ‘I can’t believe I scored’.
“If you look at all my goals from the past it’s like I don’t know what to do, I have no celebration, it’s almost like I panic and I’m like ‘Oh what do I do now?’ Apart from the Angel Rangel one against Stoke.
“I obviously remember him when I was younger and Swansea were playing, then I saw there is a picture of him in the tunnel where he is celebrating like that after scoring.
“I thought it was quite a nice, simple one and it’s not too out there. It was just instant inspiration for me, I thought ‘if I score I’m going to do it’ and I managed to score so it was a no-brainer really.”
Key has been among those to catch the eye as the Swans have made a positive start to the new season under Luke Williams.
There is little chance of Key getting carried away, but he is confident the Swans are heading in the right direction under the former Notts County boss.
“There’s more to come from us. I am thankful for the trust the manager is putting in me to go out there and play and I am enjoying my football,” he said.
“We have had a really good performance against Norwich, and a result that we want to build on.
“I think we are pretty happy with where we are, although there are games we look at and feel we could have had a few more points.
“But I think we have shown there is plenty we can build on and we want to carry that on.
“I feel like I had a good pre-season, and I feel strong.
“I am finding the balance in my game between attack and defence, I have players and coaches who are great for me to learn from too.”
As a fully paid up, albeit long retired, member of the centre-half union, I get disproportionately excited by a perfectly-timed tackle.
So, you can imagine I was absolutely beside myself as the clock clicked over to 89 minutes during the Swans last home match against Norwich.
The Swans were leading 1-0 when Borja Sainz found himself one on one with goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux inside the penalty area.
Now I have every faith in the Swans keeper’s ability to have thwarted Sainz given his current form, but by anyone’s standards it was a golden opportunity for the Canaries to score.
A clever backheel had put the Norwich man goal-side of Ben Cabango but, despite having to make the tackle from behind, the Wales international managed to almost surgically win the ball cleanly with a brilliantly executed sliding challenge.
It was the perfect example of a tackle being as valuable as a goal with the Swans going on to earn three welcome points.
Whoever choses the Au Vodka moment of the match for the Swans social media channels certainly knows their defensive stuff.
Cabango’s heroics have been highlighted in each of the two most recent matches. The last-ditch intervention against Norwich and a superb double tackle at Coventry, where he slid in to win one challenge and then immediately jumped up to win another were both more than worthy choices.
It’s great to see defenders getting recognition for what is generally considered the less glamorous side of the game.
It’s the attacking players who usually claim the headlines for grabbing the goals.
There’s a famous bit of commentary from the 1974 FA Cup final after Kevin Keegan scores in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Newcastle which emphasises this.
As the ball nestles in the back of the Geordies’ net, the legendary David Coleman says: “Goals pay the rent, Keegan does his share.”
But I would contend a tackle like Cabango’s against Norwich is every bit as valuable as a goal when it comes to paying the footballing “rent”.
Just think back to some of the big defensive interventions over the years that may have changed not just the history of this football club, but that of the national team too.
Scott Sinclair quite rightly grabbed the national headlines with his hat-trick in the Championship play-off final against Reading at Wembley back in 2011.
But every Swans fan who was there that day will tell you how important Ashley Williams’ and Garry Monk’s challenges were in the space of a couple of seconds during the second half.
The Swans were apparently cruising at 3-0 when the half-time whistle blew. But, within 15 minutes of the interval, the Royals had pulled two goals back and were pressing hard for an equaliser.
First a sprawling Williams challenge deflected Jem Karacan’s shot past a diving Dorus de Vries onto the foot of a post.
When the rebound fell at the feet of Noel Hunt, De Vries was on the ground and the goal was at the attacker’s mercy.
But Monk’s lunging block remarkably put the ball safely past the post and the Swans’ lead had been brilliantly maintained.
I for one am convinced that had Reading scored then they would have gone on to win the game, but the momentum swung back towards the Swans and the rest, as they say, is history.
And what about Ben Davies, once of this parish, who so spectacularly cleared a goal-bound shot early on against Slovakia in the first match of Wales’ Euro 2016 campaign in France.
Many people forget Wales were under the cosh in the opening stages of that match. Had the effort by Marek Hamsik gone in, Chris Coleman’s team could have ended up having a very different tournament to the one that saw them unforgettably reach the semi-finals.
And just last season, I waxed lyrical about Kyle Naughton’s brilliant tackle against Blackburn when Sam Gallagher chested the ball perfectly into his own path inside the Swans’ penalty area. A goal appeared to be inevitable.
As the big front man drew back his foot to shoot, seemingly out of nowhere, Naughton snaked out a boot to whisk the ball away to safety a split-second before Gallagher pulled the trigger.
Great tackles don’t always have to be goal-saving either. A brilliant defensive challenge can set the tone for a whole game.
It’s great to see that Harry Darling’s tackle on Cardiff’s Callum O’Dowda here in 2022 gets just as many outings amongst Swans fans on social media as some of the goals we have scored in the south Wales derby.
And, for those you of an older vintage, what about Tommy Smith’s tackle on new Tottenham signing Ossie Ardiles back in 1978? The challenge set the tone for the League Cup tie, which the Swans eventually won in a replay at White Hart Lane.
Granted, Tommy’s tackle would in all likelihood attract a straight red card and a lengthy ban these days. But back then it was the type of early ‘reducer’ which left the First Division fancy dans – boasting their two newly-crowned Argentinian World Cup winners and the likes of Glenn Hoddle - in no doubt the Third Division outfit would be no pushovers on that famous night.
Defenders’ roles, and the way the game is played and refereed, have changed dramatically since Tommy’s day.
But their job is still primarily to stop the opposition’s forwards from scoring. So, there is still a place for a good old fashioned ‘stopper’. On current form, Cabango and his partner in crime Darling are as good as any in the division.
The head coach is certainly aware of their importance. When asked about their contract situation after the Coventry game, Luke Williams said: "The two players are very important to us. I do not want to lose those guys, two top players who we think a lot of."
‘The Swansea Way’ has always been associated with attacking attractive football.
The likes of Ivor Allchurch, Cliff Jones, Alan Curtis, Leighton James, Lee Trundle, Michu, Wilfred Bony et al are quite rightly held up as examples of what ‘the Swansea Way’ is all about.
But every attacking team has to be built on firm foundations.
For each of the above, you need at least one Mel Nurse, Mel Charles, Ante Rajkovic, Dzemal Hadziabdic, Keith “Sky” Walker, Kevin Austin, Ashley Williams, Angel Rangel, Marc Guehi and many more.
Swans fans have always recognised a whole-hearted defender. Wyndham Evans is still a cult hero at the club, although it may be more for his enthusiastic and energetic commentaries these days, but it’s not so long ago we all used to dream of a team of Alan Tates.
And, of course, there was a certain song about Joe Rodon’s magic hat – a piece of headwear Ben Cabango appears to have inherited.
So, here’s to the boys at the back - may their sheets be as clean as their tackles.
C’mon you Swans!
The 2024-25 campaign marks Swansea City’s 20th season at the Swansea.com Stadium following the ground’s opening in 2005. Throughout the campaign, club historian Gwyn Rees will reflect on some of the notable moments and personalities that have shaped the history of our home. We continue with a thrilling 3-2 League One win over Leeds United over the 2007 festive period, a game which continues to be remembered as a classic nearly 17 years on.
Having taken over the Swans managerial reins towards the end of the 2006-07 campaign, Roberto Martinez – with a full pre-season under his belt and the likes of Warren Feeney and Paul Anderson added to his squad – had every reason to be pretty content as Christmas 2007 rolled around.
The Spaniard’s side sat top of the League One table, and were receiving a number of plaudits for their attractive and controlled pass and move style.
Leeds, meanwhile, were also enjoying a good season on the pitch but were locked in a wrangling with the football authorities over a 15-point deduction they had been issued owing to financial issues.
The fixture on December 29 was eagerly-anticipated, and the sense of expectation was only heightened by Swansea’s 1981 team – who had beaten Leeds 5-1 on the opening day of the club’s first-ever top-flight campaign – being paraded on the pitch before kick-off.
The emotions from the packed stands fed through to the players and they produced a frenetic opening that underlined why the Swans were at the summit of the league.
Time and again they stretched the Leeds defence and eventually the pressure told as Alan Thompson brought down Andy Robinson on the edge of the area, with the Swansea man dusting himself down to take the free-kick and dispatch a curling strike beyond Casper Ankergren in the Leeds goal.
But just three minutes later the visitors levelled as Denis Lawrence’s header sold Dorus de Vries short and Jermaine Beckford added the finishing touch from an acute angle.
The Swans quickly reassumed control of proceedings with Leon Britton and Darren Pratley dominant in midfield, and they would restore their lead when Garry Monk scored from an Anderson corner with a firm near-post header.
There were further twists to follow, however. The hosts had Ferrie Bodde sent off eight minutes before the break for a kick out at Jonny Howson, but extended their lead on the stroke of half-time when Jason Scotland surged onto an Anderson ball and held off two defenders to fire home from a tight angle. The home support were in dreamland.
But the two-goal lead would last barely 60 seconds of the second half before Thompson produced a trademark 25-yard free-kick to narrow the deficit.
When the former Celtic man struck the woodwork with a similar effort a couple of minutes later it looked as though a long half lay ahead for the numerically disadvantaged Swans.
But the hosts dug in and, aside from a Beckford effort that was blocked by Angel Rangel, Swansea kept their discipline and shape to claim a thrilling win.
It meant the Swans had lost just once in 14 league games, and would head into 2008 sitting proudly at the top of the league. Promotion and the title would duly follow.
First football shirt: I think it was a 2010-11 Rooney Manchester United shirt.
First football game: I went to watch the Swans vs Middlesbrough during the 2009-10 season!
First appearance for Swansea City/or Pro appearance? I made my debut against Forest Green in pre-season ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.
First football hero: Lionel Messi.
First major tournament you can remember: The World Cup in 2010.
Guest one: Lebron James.
Guest two: Lamar Jackson - I love watching the NFL.
Guest three: Matthew McConaughey.
Swansea City Under-21s extended their winning record at the Swansea.com Stadium as goals from Ben Lloyd and Glory Nzingo saw off their Bristol City counterparts.
The development side have won every game at the home of the Swans since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, and they had led at the break from a fine Lloyd finish following excellent pressing work.
They doubled their lead in spectacular fashion after the interval through Nzingo to seal the win, whilst also securing a clean sheet with keeper Evan Watts making a handful of important stops.
The win and the three Professional Development League points were well deserved, with the Swans having by far the better of the second period after an evenly-contested opening 45 minutes in SA1.
The Swans had soaked up an early spell of Bristol City pressure before good play by Aimar Govea down the flank saw the winger pick out Lloyd.
The midfielder dug out a cross from an acute angle with Nzingo unable to turn the ball home acrobatically.
The Swans got into more promising positions a few minutes later, but Lloyd was twice caught offside as he raced into space.
Swansea then had a let-off after losing possession in their own third. Phillips strode onto the loose ball and hit a rasping, rising drive over the crossbar.
Phillips threatened again after tricking his way past the final defender after good build-up, but Evan Watts was equal to his effort, with the Swansea keeper also blocking Tommy Backwell’s strike a few moments later.
But it was the Swans who broke the deadlock through Lloyd, who fired beyond the onrushing keeper after good pressing work had seen the ball fall kindly for the midfielder.
The Robins almost replied immediately, Watts saving superbly to keep our a close-range header from Marley Rose, with Sebastian Dabrowski on hand to block Phillips’ follow-up strike on the line.
The Swans held the lead at the break, and Nzingo had a fierce drive blocked early in the second half, before Govea was unable to bring a through ball under control as he raced towards the area.
Lloyd forced Stefan Bajic into a good save from his strike, and the Robins keeper then got out quickly to deny Henia-Kamau
But there was nothing he could do to prevent Nzingo doubling Swansea’s lead as the forward received the ball, drove to his right and then smashed an unstoppable strike back across goal and into the far corner of the net.
Watts parried a strike from Jack Witchad as the visitors sought a response but the Swansea keeper's opposite number was soon saving from Jacob Cook at the other end as the hosts ultimately eased to victory.
Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Watts, Arthur Parker, Sebastian Dabrowski, Dan Watts (Thomas Woodward 79), Richard Faakye, Iestyn Jones, Glory Nzingo, Mitchell Bates (captain), Sammy Henia-Kamau (Morgan Bates 84), Ben Lloyd (Josh Pescatore 84), Aimar Govea (Jacob Cook 58).
Unused Substitutes: Ben Hughes.
Bristol City Under-21s: Stefan Bajic, Ross McCrorie, Zak Ali, Adam Murphy, Rob Atkinson (Brandon Bak 79), Josh Campbell-Slowey, Marley Rose (Jack Witchad 63), Jed Mearholz, Tommy Backwell (captain), Billy Phillips, Elijah Morrison.
Unused Substitutes: Kai Churchley, Jack Hooper, Joseph James.
Referee: Matthew Jackson
Swansea City Under-18s suffered late heartbreak in their south Wales derby after Leeyon Phelan netted a 95th-minute winner for Cardiff City.
The Swans had through a Yori Griffith goal inside 20 minutes, before Thomas Woodward doubled the home side’s lead before the break.
However, a red card for Brogan Popham meant the young Swans played out the final half-hour with 10 men and the momentum of the game shifted.
Joseff Edwards pulled the first goal back for the visitors, before a brace from Phelan secured all three points for Cardiff.
It was harsh on the Swans, who had been in control of the contest for much of the night.
They had taken control from the off with Cardiff keeper Luke Armstrong having to clear as Woodward closed in during the opening few minutes.
Woodward was then off target from a Ramon Rees-Siso free-kick while, at the other end, Cardiff’s Jake Davies saw two efforts saved by Sam Seager.
Rees-Siso got involved again down the right again with a mazy run, but his final ball flashed across the face of goal and evaded a sea of Swans shirts.
But the hosts would break the deadlock in the 17th minute.
And it was Griffith, on his second game back from injury, who weaved his way through the Bluebirds’ defence before drilling a low shot into the back of the net for the opener.
It was almost a second for the Swans moments later. A neat one-two between Woodward and Josh Pescatore in the Cardiff half threatened the visitors’ backline, but Pescatore’s shot was collected by Armstrong.
But Swansea did double their lead just before the break as Woodward surged through the Cardiff defence before sending the ball into the bottom corner.
The restart started the second half brightly, Harry Watt testing Seager early on with a high curling effort.
Substitute Ben Phillips tried his luck for the Swans after a Rees-Siso lay-off, but Armstrong pushed his strike away for a corner, and Pescatore drilled wide from the resulting set-piece.
But the game changed when Popham was dismissed on 65 minutes after being shown a second yellow card.
Cardiff capitalised on the numerical advantage and pulled a goal back following a scramble in the box, with Edwards tapping home from close range.
Pescatore came close to restoring Swansea’s two-goal cushion when his thunderous strike forced Armstrong into a fingertip save.
But Cardiff would prevail late on as Phelan grabbed a brace in the closing stages, including a winner deep in stoppage time, to give his side all three points.
Swansea City Women extended their unbeaten record at the Swansea.com Stadium but suffered frustration as they were held to a goalless draw by Barry Town United Women.
The Swans dominated territory and possession for much for much of the afternoon, but could not beak down a dogged and well-organised Barry defence.
Robyn Pinder and Katy Hosford forced good saves from Barry keeper Molly Arnesen, while Stacey John-Davis and Maddy Murray also went close.
Jamie Sherwood’s side also had two goals ruled out for offside in their home opener in the Genero Adran Premier.
The result means the hosts are unbeaten in four games at the Swansea.com Stadium, but they would undoubtedly have been targeting all three points after starting their campaign with a win over Cardiff Met a week ago.
The Swans enjoyed the majority of possession during the opening exchanges, and John-Davis headed an Emily Thomas cross over the bar in just the fourth minute.
They also had a 12th-minute strike from Taite Trivett ruled out as the forward ran onto a through ball to finish, only for the offside flag to quickly be raised.
But the visitors defended stubbornly for the most part, and lifted the siege to win a free-kick that led to a Lauren Harris strike that Claire Skinner in the Swansea goal did well to hold.
Barry came forward again, and Erin Murray went close to finding the net with a stunning volley that flew narrowly over the bar.
Swansea responded, John-Davis fired over before her pass found Robyn Pinder in space, with the forward’s near-post shot tipped away by Molly Arnesen.
And the Barry keeper followed that up with a fine save from a rising Hosford drive.
It remained goalless at the break and the pattern of the game remained unchanged early in the second period, Swansea having plenty of the ball and trying to break down a deep-lying Barry defence.
Sherwood turned to his bench as Aimee Deacon replaced Trivett, and the teenager was soon appealing for a penalty after she appeared to be pushed in the box but the referee was not interested.
Instead Barry had the next sight of goal as a ball over the top freed Ellie Preece seconds after her introduction as a substitute, but Skinner held her low shot.
The hosts had the ball in the back of the net with 19 minutes to go when Maddy Murray tapped in John-Davis’ low pass but the assistant referee adjudged the latter had been narrowly offside in the lead up.
Hosford was then found unmarked in the area, but her header was cut out by an excellent covering challenge from the Barry defence.
Murray then steered a strike agonisingly wide after good link work on the edge of the area.
Swansea City Women: Claire Skinner, Lucy Finch, Sophie Brisland-Hancocks, Danielle Broadhurst (Maddy Murray 67), Robyn Pinder, Katy Hosford (captain), Stacey John-Davis, Taite Trivett (Aimee Deacon 55), Emily Thomas, Jess Williams, Nia Jones.
Unused Substitutes: Steph Turner, Rachel Cullen, Emily Richards.
Barry Town United Women: Molly Arneson, Lauren Harris (captain), Holly Jenkins, Erin Murray (Chloe Tiley 82), Amy Long, Keira Harris (Ellie Preece 63), Jasmine Turner (Sienna Stone 63), Ingrid Aadland (Lucy Attwood 82), Carys Bufton, Ellie Gunney (Grace Corne 73), Angharad Beman.
Referee: Ben Williams
Swansea City Women host Cardiff City Women at the Swansea.com Stadium on Sunday October 6 (5.45pm) and tickets can be purchased here.
We are all Jacks is Swansea City’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion both within the club and throughout the local community.
Working with international and local charities, as well as supporter groups, Swansea City strives to ensure that a visit to the Swansea.com Stadium is a welcoming experience for everyone regardless of sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion, race, disability, or age.
The club takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying and abuse.
Supporters are encouraged to report instances of abusive and discriminatory language within the stadium by using the anonymous safe text number 88440, starting the message with the word SWANS and providing details of the incident.
Messages will be charged at the standard rate for your network provider.
The details from the message will be received at the match control room, where any necessary investigation and/or action will be taken. The club will also record the mobile number of the individual reporting an incident to aid with any inquiries.
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.radiocity1386am.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.
WELCOME BACK JUNIOR JACKS!
We're so pleased to be back at the Swansea.com Stadium and we can’t wait to see you all later.
We really enjoy taking photos with you, and joining in the dance part in the south stand.
Cyril and I had a great time watching the Coventry City game and it was great to see “two of our own” score with goals for Liam Cullen and Ollie Cooper.
We think the final score will be 2-1 to the Swans and we think Cullen will score again today with Franco getting the second.
Don't forget - if you see us at the stadium, make sure you come and say hi!
Uppa Swans!
Cyril and Cybil
Head Coach Luke Williams
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
3 Kristian Pedersen
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango
6 Harry Darling
7 Joe Allen
8 Matt Grimes ©
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
11 Josh Ginnelly
14 Josh Tymon
17 Gonçalo Franco
19 Florian Bianchini
20 Liam Cullen
21 Nathan Tjoe-A-On
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
25 Myles Peart-Harris
26 Kyle Naughton
29 Nathan Broome
31 Ollie Cooper
32 Nelson Abbey
33 Jon McLaughlin
35 Ronald
37 Aimar Govea
40 NUMBER RETIRED
41 Sam Parker
42 Evan Watts
43 Dan Watts
47 Azeem Abdulai
50 Filip Lissah
1 Max O’Leary
2 Ross McCrorie
3 Cameron Pring
4 Kal Naismith
5 Rob Atkinson
6 Max Bird
7 Yu Hirakawa
8 Joe Williams
9 Fally Mayulu
10 Scott Twine
11 Anis Mehmeti
12 Jason Knight (c)
14 Zak Vyner
15 Luke McNally
16 Rob Dickie
17 Mark Sykes
18 Ayman Benarous
19 George Tanner
20 Sam Bell
21 Nahki Wells
22 Taylor Gardner-Hickman
23 Stefan Bajic
24 Haydon Roberts
26 Josh Stokes
27 Harry Cornick
29 Marcus McGuane
30 Sinclair Armstrong
32 Lewis Thomas
40 George Earthy
Referee - Andrew Kitchen
Assistant Referee 1 - Andrew Fox
Assistant Referee 2 - Hugh Gilroy
Fourth Official - Anthony Backhouse
STAFF LIST
Chairman - Andy Coleman
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis MBE
Directors
Jason Levien, Andy Coleman, Nigel Morris, Brett Cravatt, Jake Silverstein, Martin Morgan, Paul Meller (supporter director), Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Heinrich, Todd Marcelle, Gareth Davies.
Chief of Staff and Head of Strategy: Ken Gude
Associate Directors: Diane Hughes
FIRST-TEAM STAFF
Head Coach - Luke Williams
Assistant Head Coach - Ryan Harley
Assistant Head Coach – Alan Sheehan
Head of Goalkeeping – Martyn Margetson
First Team Coach Analyst - George Lawtey
First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary
Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey
Staff: Ailsa Jones, Bethany Chaddock, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Jake Dayus, Patrick Orme, Aden King, Maxwell Cambridge, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP
Paul Watson (Sporting Director);
Andrew Davies (Head of Operations);
Gareth Davies (CFO).
CLUB STAFF
Head of Football Administration: Ben Greenwood
Head of Women's Football: Alice Weekes
Football Operations & Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Commercial: Richard Morris
Head of Marketing: Katie Doyle
Head of Partnerships: Lee Merrells
Head of Hospitality: Catherine Thomas
Head of Retail: Andrea Morris
Head of Ticketing: Lewis Bullen
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Head of Facilities: Gordon David
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Head of Supporter Services: Hayley Ford
Head of Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle
PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Contributors: Andrew Gwilym, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Jack Otter, Sophie Davis, Dom Hynes, Sammy Wynne, Fraser Dickson, Hayley Ford, Owen Morgan, Gwyn Rees.
Designers: Callum Rothwell,
Jordan Morcom.
Photography: Athena Picture Agency,
Natalie John-Davis, Alamy.