Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for today’s visit of Coventry City.

There is a great deal of excitement and buzz around the club at the moment, which has been heightened with the news Matt Grimes has signed a contract extension until 2027.

Matt has been here for eight years, he’s our captain, our leader on the field, and to have him extend his stay just adds to what we feel has been a really positive summer so far.

While that excitement is great, it’s only the first step in our journey as we continue to make important strides to get this club in a better position – on and off the pitch.

This week has been a prime example of that as we announced the successful transition of Swansea City Women into the football club and their move to semi-professional status.

Make no mistake, this is a huge moment for us as a club and one that I’m deeply passionate about.

Women’s football is reaching new heights across the world, and we are keen to help grow the women’s game here in Wales to inspire the next generation of girls in our community.

We are taking steps to ensure our players have the support and resources they need in order to be successful, and our vision for women’s football in Swansea is something I will be personally driving.

Last Saturday I was in the away end at West Brom with three of my children and, while we didn’t get the result we all wanted, it was an incredible experience to feel the energy, passion, and commitment of our supporters and meet so many of them before, during, and after the game.

It was great to hear from fans about their belief in the direction the club is heading, and we will continue to work hard to achieve our goals together.

Positive feedback is one thing but also hearing about how we can improve is just as important to me, so you should always feel like you can approach me and talk to me about anything to do with our club.

I also had the pleasure of chatting to people in the fan zone against Birmingham on the opening day of the season, and I’ll be there again this afternoon as we help to raise money for Maggie’s, our charity partner for 2023-24.

The fan zone is about creating an inclusive family environment at our home games and the feedback I’ve received about this has been overwhelmingly positive, which is great. This too, however, will get better.

So please come along, bring the family and say hello.

We cannot achieve the success we need without the support of our fans, and engagement is key to that.

As part of that effort, we have our family fun day and open training session here at the stadium on Tuesday, and I can’t wait to meet you all in what is shaping up to be a really exciting day for everyone. We have already had 3,000 people claim a free ticket which is phenomenal, and you can get yours HERE.

I’m proud of the work everyone at the club has done over the summer, I know we have much more to do, and I will ensure that this level of effort continues.

Enjoy the game,

Andy

 

 

Good afternoon and welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium for our Championship fixture against Coventry City.

We come into this weekend on the back of some great news for the football club, with captain Matt Grimes having signed a contract extension through to 2027.

Grimesy has been at this football club for nearly a decade, he has the respect of his teammates and everyone, and his experience and consistently high-level performances in the Championship make him a very important figure for us.

He is an integral part of our side, and he will be again as we face a Coventry team who were close to being promoted to the Premier League last season.

From our point of view, we will be looking to respond after the frustration of defeat at West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

I was pleased with how the players stuck together when we found ourselves 3-0 down, no-one let their heads drop and no-one went under.

In the end, we had chances to take something from the game, but I know, and the players know, that we have to start games better.

In our two Championship games so far we have finished really strongly, which is a real positive from a fitness point of view, but we don't want to be waiting until we are behind in a game before showing the energy, intensity and purpose we want to see with the ball.

Obviously things take time to implement and football is never as easy as ABC, but I have been pleased with the way the players have responded and worked on the training pitch this week.

We have a lot of respect for the job Mark Robins has done at Coventry, they have been through some really hard times but have built an identity and a way of working over time.

Beyond today's game, we will be hosting an open training session and family fun day here at the stadium on Tuesday, and I look forward to seeing you and many of our younger fans for what will hopefully be an enjoyable day.

Enjoy the game,

Michael

 

 

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our game against last season’s play-off runners-up, Coventry City.

Having been at Wembley three years ago when we suffered the same heartbreak against Brentford, I know that sense of crushing disappointment of being so close and yet so far. I’m sure we all know how their fans must have felt over the summer – the what-ifs, the frustration at opportunities missed and, ultimately, the acceptance of facing another season in a highly-competitive Championship division.

Coventry have had some tough years, with multiple relegations, a forced relocation from their home ground, takeovers and several big stars heading for pastures new.

Throughout this, the supporters have stuck with them fervently. Elements of Coventry’s story aren’t uncommon across the EFL, including at Southend United – where we’ve engaged with their different supporters’ groups and offered support and guidance in recent months.

On a more positive note, it was fantastic to see Bury play their first game back at Gigg Lane after four years in exile. Congratulations to their supporters for their passion and dedication, and we wish them luck on their ascent back through the football pyramid.

We at the Trust are acutely aware of the impact that financial mismanagement, poor governance, and a lack of consistency in leadership can have for a club – our primary focus is ensuring those same pitfalls are avoided at Swansea City through our regular engagement and oversight of the running of the club.

We have had some excellent engagement with the club already this season, and with Andy Coleman now at the helm, we are looking forward to strengthening that relationship.

Andy clearly recognises the importance of the Jack Army and has been openly supportive of the work we do on behalf of you all. In February, we privately and publicly challenged the owners to empower local decision makers to run the club after a poor January transfer window, where there were clear breakdowns in process.

We are delighted to see this has come to fruition. Credit goes to the work that Paul Watson and his team have done, with local decisions by Andy enabling us to reshape the squad for head coach Michael Duff. 

It's a busy time at the Trust too. We have some big ideas planned, first and foremost through the establishment of a ‘Supporter Office’ – your place to chat with us directly, give feedback and ask for support to resolve issues that you may be experiencing with the club.

This will be a virtual office, but one that enables any member or supporter to chat with us about goings-on within the club and share your views on anything and everything – from the matchday experience to ticketing, from questions about the playing squad to longer-term strategy.

We will endeavour to answer as much as we possibly can. This relies on engagement in good faith, with focused and constructive discussions. We hope you will come along with us in this exciting time for the club, where the Trust has a strong and active voice in how things are run. We truly can make a difference when all parties work constructively together.

Recent examples of this include our work with the club on the decision to refund those who purchased matchday passes for our pre-season game against Reading, and the recent communication and explanation of the resetting of Jack Army loyalty points to enable loyal supporters to have the best chance to secure tickets for the upcoming south Wales Derby.

We’d like to thank Richard Morris, Catherine Thomas, and their teams for their work with us on this.

If you’d like to talk to us, please send us an email supporters@swanstrust.co.uk

We’d also love you to take a few minutes to join the Trust this year – every additional member gives us a stronger voice, and we’d love to see our membership increasing over the coming season.

Today will undoubtedly be a tough test as Coventry have picked up where they left off late last season. I’m sure the Swans will be eager to get three points on the board and address some of the issues in last week’s defeat. Whatever the outcome, I know the Jack Army will be in loud voice once again.

Enjoy the game!

Adam Lewis

 

A Joel Piroe brace and a stunning Josh Ginnelly effort sealed a place in the Carabao Cup second round for Swansea City with victory over Northampton Town.

They were Piroe’s 45th and 46th goals for the Swans and it was a case of right-place, right-time for both as he finished off a neat move from close range to open the scoring early in the first half, before stretching the lead early in the second by turning in Liam Cullen’s cross.

And it could have been an even more comfortable night for the Swans who created a raft of chances in each half, while Carl Rushworth was largely untroubled at the other end of the pitch but for a smart stop to deny substitute Sam Hoskins just after the hour mark.

Ginnelly then rounded off a good evening with a superb strike from 30 yards to mark his Swans debut in style.

 

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth; Harry Darling, Kyle Naughton (Mykola Kuharevich 82), Nathan Wood; Azeem Abdulai, Joe Allen (Jay Fulton 61), Matt Grimes (captain) (Jamie Paterson 61), Ollie Cooper, Harrison Ashby (Josh Key 61); Liam Cullen, Joel Piroe (Josh Ginnelly 61’.

Unused substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jerry Yates, Brandon Cooper, Filip Lissah.

Northampton Town: Max Thompson, Aaron McGowan, Sam Sherring (Akin Odimayo 63), Louie Appere, Mitch Pinnock (Jack Sowerby 63), Manny Monthe, Ali Koiki (Patrick Brough 63), Kieron Bowie (Sam Hoskins 63), Marc Leonard (Peter Abimbola 72), Will Hondermarck, Max Dyche.

Unused substitutes: James Dadge, Jacob Scott.

 

Swansea City suffered a first defeat of the season as a rousing late fightback came up short against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

The hosts had led at the break through Semi Ajayi’s close-range effort following a long throw into the Swansea box.

Another long throw led to an own goal from keeper Carl Rushworth as he attempted to keep out Darnell Furlong’s deflected effort, before John Swift netted the Baggies third from the penalty spot.

However, Harry Darling pulled one back for the Swans with a thumping header from a corner with 16 minutes to play, and there were were 10 minutes plus stoppage time to play when Nathan Wood found the net for the first time in a Swansea shirt, but they could not find a leveller.

 

West Bromwich Albion: Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong, Conor Townsend, Cedric Kipre, Semi Ajayi, Jed Wallace (captain) (Jeremy Sarmiento 78), Jayson Molumby, Matt Phillips (Alex Mowatt 69), Erik Pieters (Kyle Bartley 82), John Swift (Josh Maja 78), Okay Yokuslu (Nathaniel Chalobah 68).

Unused Substitutes: Josh Griffiths, Kyle Bartley, Jeremy Sarmiento, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Tom Fellows, Ethan Ingram.

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth; Harry Darling, Ben Cabango, Nathan Wood; Harrison Ashby (Charlie Patino 61), Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Ollie Cooper (Liam Cullen 61), Josh Key; Joel Piroe, Jerry Yates (Josh Ginnelly 89).

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Joe Allen, Jamie Paterson, Mykola Kuharevich, Kyle Naughton, Azeem Abdulai.

Referee: Samuel Barrott

 

VIKTOR GYÖKERES

The young Swedish striker joined the Swans on loan from Brighton during the summer of 2020, making 12 appearances for the club before being recalled by his parent club in January 2021. He scored his solitary Swansea goal in his final outing against Stevenage in the FA Cup.

He went out on loan to Coventry during that same transfer window and went on to join the Sky Blues in a permanent move.

Gyokeres scored 43 goals in 116 appearances, helping Coventry reach last season’s play-off final where they lost to Luton, before making a big-money move to Sporting Lisbon.

 

Coventry City connections. That was what came to mind when I started thinking about what to write for this column and I’ll be honest, besides Chris Coleman, I couldn’t come up with any.

It’s always interesting when you start researching a theme or an idea, not really knowing what’s likely to turn up, because often the information you uncover leads you down memory lane or offers you insights that are fresh discoveries – and in the main, that’s what I ended up with.

Let’s start, though, with Swansea-born former Wales manager Coleman, who made almost 200 appearances for the Swans after his debut game as a 17-year-old in 1987.

An interesting fact, (which would make a good pub quiz question) is that a year before, Coleman started his career on a Youth Training Scheme - known back in the day as a YTS - with Manchester City. However, he failed to settle in Lancashire and returned to his hometown club, which was then being managed by Terry Yorath.

Coleman’s connection with the Sky Blues came when his playing days were over - in February 2008 he was appointed manager just two months after the club had been taken over by Sisu, a London-based hedge fund.

 

 

He was appointed in place of Iain Dowie and was charged with building an exciting young squad of players capable of challenging for promotion to the Premier League. He was sacked after the club finished 19th at the end of the 2009-10 campaign, their lowest league position in more than 45 years.

The man who brought Coleman to the Vetch Field, Terry Yorath, was once a familiar face in Coventry colours, captaining the side during their top-flight years in the late 1970s.

He made 99 league appearances for the Sky Blues and scored three goals before moving to Tottenham Hotspur in 1979. Yorath made one appearance for the Swans during his time as player-manager, a role he had from 1986 to 1989, before returning for a second spell as manager in 1990 and 1991.

For those whose memories go back a bit further, the name Ronnie Rees may be familiar. Rees was an outstanding but unknown winger in the Coventry reserves when Jimmy Hill promoted him to the first team in 1962. Rees hailed from Ystradgynlais, and during his six years at Highfield Road (where Coventry played until 2005) he was an ever-present, making 262 appearances and scoring 52 goals.

Rees ended his playing career as a Swan, signing for Roy Bentley in 1972 from Nottingham Forest for a club-record fee of £26,000. He played 86 times for the Swans, scoring five goals.

And then, there was Swansea-born Richard Duffy, who started his career with his hometown club in 2001 before a move to Portsmouth in 2004. From there he spent four years on the road on loan spells with Coventry and a brief return to the Swans sandwiched in between in 2007.

And the man managing the Coventry side between 2005 and 2007 was Micky Adams, who also has a brief but memorable Swansea connection – he was in charge at the club for 13 days in 1997.

Mae Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Abertawe yn sicrhau bod cefnogwyr sydd ag anghenion ychwanegol yn cael cyfle i wylio'u gemau yn fyw mewn awyrgylch diogel a chyfforddus, ac mae'r ymateb yn arbennig, medd y trefnwyr.

Mae'r ystafell synhwyraidd yn y Stadiwm Swansea.com wedi cael ei llunio gan Gymdeithas Cefnogwyr Anabl y clwb.

Cath Dyer yw ysgrifenyddes y gymdeithas, sydd wedi gweithio gyda'r National Autism Society i osod yr ystafell.

"Roeddwn ni eisiau rhoi'r cyfle i bobl sydd ffili dod i'r pêl-droed fel arfer i ddod mewn," meddai.

"Ma' drysau gwydr ar yr ystafell so ma pawb yn gallu gweld y gêm, gweld beth sy'n digwydd, gweld y warm-ups, gweld hanner amser.

"Ond, ma' nhw mewn lle tawel, llonydd, preifat, s'neb yn poeni nhw, ma nhw'n gallu bloco'r sŵn mas os ma' angen a jyst ymlacio.

Mae'r ystafell yn cynnwys nifer o bethau er mwyn helpu creu awyrgylch tawel a diogel i'r cefnogwyr.

Mae teganau, taflunydd, chwilair, seinydd cerddoriaeth a llawer mwy yno.

Un peth sydd yn wahanol i ystafelloedd mewn stadiymau eraill yw'r drysau gwydr, fel bod modd gwylio'r gêm o'r ystafell.

"Chi'n dod mewn, ma'r golau 'mlaen, ma' pob dim yn 'mlaen yn barod," meddai Mrs Dyer.

"A 'ma teganau sensory mewn 'na, wordsearches, beiros, llyfrau bach i liwio.

"Ma' nhw'n lico wotsho'r gêm, ond rhai weithiau 'ma plant bach, oedolion, pobl gydag anghenion, ma' nhw ffili edrych ar 90 munud 'so ma pethe arall 'da nhw neud tu fewn i'r ystafell hefyd."

Profiad

Mae nifer o gefnogwyr wedi defnyddio'r ystafell ers iddo gael ei chyflwyno, gyda llawer yn diolch i Cath Dyer a'r Gymdeithas Cefnogwyr Anabl am y profiad.

"Pawb sy'n dod mewn ac yn defnyddio'r ystafell, 'na gyd fi'n cael yw, 'O ystafell grêt, diolch yn fawr am y profiad. Popeth yn grêt'.

"Ma' nhw'n gallu cued y drws os mae'r sŵn yn mynd rhy uchel. Ma' nhw gallu edrych tu ôl y gwydr os ma nhw mo'yn temptio i ddod mas wedyn.

"Ma' nhw'n cael y cyfle i wneud beth ma nhw mo'yn i gadw nhw'n esmwyth, popeth. Ma' nhw'n ddigon hapus i fod 'ma ac yn eu ffordd eu hunain nhw hefyd."

Safle i bawb

Ers creu'r ystafell, mae'r clwb wedi mynd ati i sicrhau bod gan bob cefnogwr fynediad at safle tawel a diogel yn ystod gemau.

Ym mis Gorffennaf 2022 cyflwynodd y clwb ystafell gynhwysiant lle mae cefnogwyr sydd yn gwylio yn yr eisteddleoedd yn medru mynd draw iddi, os ydynt eisiau llonydd.

Fe all pob un cefnogwr ddefnyddio'r ystafell os ydy'r amodau yn y stadiwm yn eu llethu, ac mae adnoddau ar gael i gefnogwyr sydd â dementia, gorbryder neu gyflyrau tebyg.

Mae gwylio'r gêm yn dal yn bosibl tra yn yr ystafell honno.

"Ma' cefnogwyr yn gallu gofyn i stiward os ma nhw'n gallu defnyddio'r ystafell cynhwysiant. S'dim rhaid gweud beth sydd beth neu pam maen nhw mo'yn defnyddio fe", medd Cath.

"Mae'r stiward yn cymryd nhw mewn i'r ystafell, mae sgrin yn dod lawr, ma' teledu mewn 'na, mae'n awyrgylch saff eto.

"Ma nhw'n gallu aros fynna ar hyd y gêm, neu os ma nhw'n teimlo'n well ma' nhw'n gallu mynd nôl mas mewn i'r stondin. Ma' unrhyw un gallu defnyddio fe.

"S'dim rhaid bwco fe, jyst gofyn i'r stiward i gymryd nhw i'r ystafell a ma nhw'n gallu setlo lawr, teimlo'n well a wedyn dod mas pryd ma nhw mo'yn."

Aled Biston/ Newyddion S4C

😌 ‘Ma nhw'n gallu bloco'r sŵn mas os ma' angen a jyst ymlacio.’

Mae ymateb ‘arbennig’ wedi bod i ystafell synhwyraidd Clwb Pêl-droed Abertawe ar gyfer cefnogwyr sydd ag anghenion ychwanegol. pic.twitter.com/qKagCOpnh6

— Newyddion S4C (@NewyddionS4C) August 15, 2023

Jamie Paterson would be the first to admit his time at Swansea City has had its highs and lows, but the attacking midfielder is feeling invigorated after getting a first full pre-season under his belt in the club’s colours. The 31-year-old is itching to showcase his best form again with his injury problems hopefully behind him, and to take on the responsibility of being a senior figure in a youthful squad.

 

 

For most players, pre-season is not often a period they would profess to enjoy, but for Jamie Paterson coming through the build-up for the 2023-24 season has carried a particular significance.

Although the midfielder has now been with the Swans for two years, having joined on the eve of the start of the 2021-22 season, this has been the first summer where he has gone into a campaign with Swansea on the back of a full pre-season.

Paterson, 31, arrived so late on in the summer of 2021 that he barely had time to take on board the names of his new teammates before making a goalscoring debut in defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

Fast forward 12 months and the former Nottingham Forest and Bristol City playmaker was hit by a groin injury that limited his involvement in the lead up to the 2022-23 season, and then became a niggling issue that did not fully clear until the second half of the season.

Looking to avoid a repeat, Paterson put in plenty of work during the off-season in order to make sure he was in the best possible shape to hit the ground running when he reported back for duty under new head coach Michael Duff.

So, as he looks to recapture the form from a first season in SA1 that saw him register nine goals and nine assists, it’s understandable that Paterson is in positive mood after coming through preparations for this term and starting the opening league game against Birmingham City.

“Getting a pre-season under my belt has been massive, and it feels a bit mad to say that this is the first time I’ve been able to do that during my time here,” he said.

“I can feel the difference when I’m training and playing. I’ve got that extra bit of sharpness and if gives you belief in your body really, which is so important.

“Last year, I was chasing my tail the whole time trying to get fit while playing. I kept picking up little niggles and that affects your form and confidence. Then I had two or three months out.

“This time I’ve got through pre-season, and felt really good. I played 75 minutes in one of the games during pre-season, which was the most I’d played in a single game in over a year.

“I worked really hard over the summer to come back with a base level of fitness. Pre-season was hard but I am feeling all the better for it and I’m just itching to be playing football again.”

 

 

Paterson gave supporters a glimpse into just how demanding pre-season was with some of the clips he shared on social media during Swansea’s training camp in La Finca, showing he and his teammates exhausted after a hard day in the hot Spanish sun.

“Pre-season was really tough, we had games every two-three days.

“I had some tough pre-seasons when I was younger. The last five or six years were hard, but not as tough as this pre-season, but I enjoyed it. That’s why I wanted to show supporters the hard work that was going into it.

“I think it’s funny too just to show how shattered you are. You have to have a laugh about it, and that’s why I wanted to show people how hard we are working and how much sweat goes into being ready.

“The fitter you are, the better you perform – that’s just a fact. We have a fit team, you’ve been able to see that in the games so far, but you can always be that little bit fitter which keeps you going for 90 minutes and then you can go again on the Tuesday, which is the key in the Championship.

“We’ve been put into some tough places this summer. We’ve had the gaffer’s day, which is very, very tough. There’s no doubt about it, but it’s not just the physical side, it’s the mental side of it.

“When you are hurting, or your mind is trying to tell you to stop, you have to be able to carry on and get through it. That’s only going to help you when you have tough moments in game, when you know you can all dig deep and find something more.

“But, I’m not going to lie, it’s a really good feeling when it’s over.

“The gaffer and his staff have been good with us, it’s early days and in many ways we are still getting to know each other.

“We’ll be a different looking team this year. It will still be the Swansea way, we like to keep the ball and we will keep the ball but we’ll be a lot more solid without it as well.”

While there has been a significant turnover of players across the summer, Paterson remains one of the older heads in a Swansea squad which remains youthful in its make-up.

As a man fast closing in on 450 senior career appearances and with 13 years of EFL experience under his belt, Paterson is better placed than most to provide an arm round the shoulder and words of encouragement to the members of the squad still in the early stages of their fledgling careers.

“It’s mad how time seems to go so quickly, but over the course of a career you realise you have to adapt because of how football is,” he said.

“For some of the younger lads that might not be so easy because they might not have had all the different experiences you can go through, so I am always there to help. I do enjoy that side of it.

 

“I like to try and help people relax with a joke and a smile, you go through good and bad moments in your career and it’s about being able to adapt and adjust and keep moving forward, keep learning and keep improving.”

Paterson acknowledges that his spell in Swansea colours has had its good and bad moments, its highs and lows.

He enjoyed a sensational start to his first season with the club, dovetailing superbly with Joel Piroe to inspire a chant that continues to remain popular with supporters.

He then missed a month of the season, including a lengthy period where the Swans did not play owing to a rise in Covid-19 cases, before returning by contributing the assist for the winner in a victory over Blackburn, with four more assists and a goal arriving before the season was out.

Injury then severely disrupted last term, but Paterson continues to love life as a Swans.

“I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said of his time with the club.

“At times there have been a lot of things said and written about me, but I have never fallen out with anyone and I think that was shown by the times I came back from injury and was able to be part of the team.

“I’ve been linked with clubs during transfer windows, which is out of our control and is part of the nature of football.

“You’ve just got to keep your head down, but I’ve loved every minute here. I’ve had two years which have gone quite fast.

“When I was fit when I first came in, everything was really good but pretty much from when I first got injured I’ve felt like I’ve been chasing it a little bit.

“Last season was difficult for me, but I haven’t had many seasons where I’ve been injured so that was really the first time and that was hard to deal with at the time.

“It’s especially hard when the team was having a tough run and you feel like you can’t help. That’s the most difficult thing.

“Also, being three or four hours from home is not easy when you’re injured, whether you are a young lad or an experienced player.

“It’s difficult to stay positive when you keep getting setbacks but I’m over that now and I want all that to be behind me.

“I feel good. I just want to get back to playing football.

"I feel like with how all the staff and the fans – it’s a family club – support us, we just want to do well, and have a good season this year.”

But Paterson does admit that the level of abuse players are exposed to on social media, something he has himself had to face, has a considerable impact.

“It’s hard to explain how it makes you feel,” he said.

“Social media is so full of opinions and often someone says something – whether it’s true or not – and people will jump on it and treat it as though it's fact, it's gospel.

“When that’s being said about you and you know that what they are saying is not true, it’s hard not to come out and respond or say something, but you also know that doing that will not solve anything or make things better.

“But that’s the game we’re in. I love football and I love playing. I never want to not play, and I always want to win. I love it here and that does not change no matter what anyone else says or thinks.

“It can be isolating at times but, at the end of the day, when you cross the white line you’ve got to try your best and find a way to shut the noise up somehow, whether that’s through a goal or your performances. That’s how I choose to approach it.

“You can let if affect you and it gets worse, or you can think ‘it is what it is, I can’t change it’ and just try to keep as positive as possible, even though it is difficult.

“It’s also very hard for your family to see some of the things people say, people who do not know you as a person, or as a character.

“But then I know I’ve been through stuff in my life that’s a lot worse than things that happen in football. That’s the way I look at it.

“There are things that happen in life that are far more serious and difficult than football, so it helps you put it in perspective. That’s the key.

“But the overall feeling I get from the fans is they want you to play and do well, and I want to play well and do well for them and for the team.

“Probably my downfall is that I’ve played on injuries because I just want to play.

“Now, I just want to get playing football again. I feel like for the first time in a long time, I’m playing injury-free and without fear. I’m itching to be playing with high fitness and no injuries.

“I want to maintain that, have a good season and hopefully me playing well benefits the team.”

 

 

 

“Be proud to be a Swan”.

Some will remember the above slogan from the start of the 1980s when the club launched its drive to refurbish the old Vetch Field.

I’ve always been hugely proud to be a Swan during my 40-plus years supporting the club.

But few initiatives have made me prouder than the current ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign.

As a cancer survivor and someone who has lost close relatives and friends to the disease, the initiative is particularly close to my heart.

The year 2003 will be significant for all Swans fans as the year the club survived the threat of relegation from the Football League.

But it was also the year I survived testicular cancer and subsequent secondaries in my lymph nodes.

My cancer treatment coincided with the latter stages of the Swans fight against relegation, which proved a hugely valuable distraction for me.

I’m not going to claim following the Swans was responsible for me recovering from cancer.

The highly-skilled teams at Glangwili and Singleton hospitals, who looked after me during that worrying time, are by far and away the number one reason I am still here today. Along with the early referral by my GP.

The only thing that came close to remotely matching the immeasurable importance of their expert treatment and care was the love and support I received from friends and family in helping me overcome the disease.

I can never thank all those people – both professional and personal – enough for the role they played in my eventual recovery.

I owe them a debt I will never be able to fully repay.

But distractions such as my interest in sport certainly played their part in getting me through the darkest days in the wake of my diagnosis in January 2003 and my resulting treatment.

The Swans’ battle against relegation was a bittersweet distraction for me during periods I had to spend on the cancer ward at Singleton, where the suffering of people far more unwell than myself sometimes amplified my own fears.

Of course, I would have preferred the Swans not to be involved in a relegation dogfight! However, their plight gave me something a little less pressing to worry about following my surgery and during subsequent chemotherapy cycles.

Far be it from me to disagree with the great Bill Shankly, but football really isn’t a matter of life or death.

However, it is hugely important to people and can provide a welcome escape from the concerns of daily life. Sport in general can be a distraction and an inspiration.

The story of New Zealand-born French rugby international Tony Marsh, who recovered from testicular cancer to play at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, was a massive inspiration during my recovery.

At the time, Lance Armstrong’s cancer-defying Tour De France victories also gave me huge hope – although it was later revealed he had been guilty of doping.

So, following the Swans’ trials and tribulations in the league, as well as Wales’ exciting attempts to reach the 2004 European Championship finals, were a welcome diversion from the day to day worries of a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Dates within the football season became little targets I could aim for.

Would I be well enough to make it to Wales’ home qualifying match against Azerbaijan in March? And then, of course, the Swans must-win match against Hull in May.

Thanks to the care and treatment I received, I made both, although not entirely with the blessing of my consultant.

I virtually had to be smuggled off the ward as I finished another chemo cycle on the morning of the Azerbaijan match in Cardiff.

Attending a football match at a sold-out Millennium Stadium when your immune system is compromised probably isn’t the best idea.

In every other way I had followed the directions of my doctors to the letter – you have no choice other than to put all your faith in the treatment they give you. If they say ‘jump’, you ask ‘how high?’ But seeing Wales win 4-0 certainly gave my morale a huge boost!

Likewise, a couple of months later, watching the Swans beat Hull 4-2 on the last day of the season was another much-needed distraction and injection of positivity.

As an enthusiastic, but limited, parks football player, I also set myself the goal of pulling on my boots once again – even as the days after chemotherapy cycles left me weak and low on energy.

I had been warned that one of the cocktail of chemicals which made up my chemo treatment could possibly damage my lungs irreparably.

Would I be able to play football again?

There’s sometimes a dark humour around cancer treatment and I can remember being tempted to recycle an old joke during one session with my consultant.

“If I recover, will I be able to play football?” I planned to ask him in the hope he would reply: “Yes, of course.” To which I had prepared the punchline: “That’s brilliant, because I couldn’t play before!”

Boom, boom!

As it turned out, I didn’t go through with my joke in case it backfired with him answering “no, you won’t be able to play again” which could have taken away one of the incentives I had listed in my head to help me hopefully return to a normal life.

But I did play again. Not only did I play, but the following year I scored a late goal in the last game of the season which sealed my club’s promotion back to top division of the Neath and District League following an absence of more than a quarter of a century.

Okay, it wasn’t quite Bob Champion recovering from cancer to win the Grand National, but it felt like it to me.

It was one of those things that made me feel like life was returning to something approaching the normality I had enjoyed before the diagnosis turned life upside down.

It gave me hope that life could be completely normal again.

Now, 20 years later, I hope my story can give similar hope or encouragement to someone currently going through cancer treatment, or to anyone who may be unfortunate enough to be diagnosed in future.

Not everyone will be as lucky as I was. I’m all too aware from bitter personal experience that there isn’t always a happy ending after a cancer diagnosis.

But if sharing my story helps give anyone even the slightest glimmer of hope during dark times, then I will be absolutely delighted.

So, thank you to the Swans’ ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ initiative for encouraging me to share my story after all these years. Hopefully, many others will be inspired to do the same.

C’mon you Swans!

 

Swansea City Under-21s fell to defeat against Barnsley in their opening game of the season despite a strong fightback at the Tykes’ Oakwell Training Ground.

The first half saw five goals, with a hat-trick from Aiden Marsh giving the hosts a three-goal lead inside 22 minutes.

However, the Swans pulled two goals back before the break as Iwan Morgan and Liam Smith found the net, only for Fabio Jalo to seal the three points for Barnsley with a second-half penalty.

Swansea’s first Professional Development League outing of the season saw a debut for Maliq Cadogan following his summer arrival, while Cameron Congreve started on his return from injury.

The home side started with purpose, Marsh forcing a sharp save from Evan Watts before Filip Lissah cleared the loose ball as it bobbled back towards the net.

Swansea responded, a quick-thinking free-kick from Morgan found Congreve driving forward, but his cross found no men in white on hand to finish.  

It could have been 1-0 to the Swans moments later, with only a headed clearance from Jack Shepherd preventing Cadogan from marking his debut with a goal as his effort bounced down of the bar.

Instead it was the home side broke the deadlock with just over 10 minutes on the clock. Jalo's deflected shot from the left fell kindly to allow Marsh to head in the opener.

The striker Marsh wasted little time adding his second, doubling his side’s advantage moments later by tapping in from close-range following a Barnsley corner.

And it was soon 3-0 when Marsh completed a quickfire hat-trick with a curling effort from just outside the box.

 

 

It left Swansea with a mountain to climb, but they responded by pulling one back as Morgan drilled into the net from close range after good build-up.

The visitors seized the initiative and enjoyed a prolonged spell of pressure, which yielded their second goal.

Smith turned infield before launching a superb strike beyond the despairing dive of Rogan Ravenhill in the Tykes goal.

Swansea trailed at the interval, but continued to be on the front foot early in the second half as they asked questions of the Barnsley defence.

Cadogan’s mazy run down the left sent Mitchell Bates racing in on goal, but the youngster was denied the chance to get a shot away by good covering defending.

The chances kept coming as the Swans chased an equaliser. A lovely one-two between Cadogan and Kian Jenkins worked Morgan in on goal, with his chipped finish agonisingly rattling the crossbar. 

And Barnsley would make the most of those let-offs by putting the game to bed with their fourth goal of the contest.

Jalo made no mistake from the spot after a foul in the area had given him the opportunity from 12 yards.

Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Watts, Sam Parker, Kian Jenkins, Joel Cotterill (Captain) (Jacob Cook 84), Filip Lissah, Richard Faakye (Kai Ludvigsen 45), Liam Smith, Mitchell Bates, Iwan Morgan, Cameron Congreve (Josh Carey 60), Maliq Cadogan. 

Unused Substitutes:  Remy Mitchell, Ben Blythe. 

Barnsley Under-21s: Rogan Ravenhill, Josh McKay, Mylan Benjamin, Jack Shepherd, Conor McCarthy, Nathan James, Hayden Pickard, Harrison Nejman (Captain), Fabio Jalo, Trialist A, Aiden Marsh (Josiah Dyer 68). 

Unused Substitutes: Trent Carter-Rogers, Trialist B.

Swansea City is pleased to announce the club’s women's squad have become a semi-professional team with immediate effect.

 

🗣 "The club has come such a long way and to be given semi-professional contracts is the icing on the cake." 🦢@katyhosford

👉 https://t.co/WNGr1TTQS9 pic.twitter.com/zozcNwKXri

— Swansea City Women (@SwansWomen) August 16, 2023

 

The change in status saw the team formally brought under the umbrella of Swansea City and the club’s football department, and they are now known as Swansea City AFC Women.

Previously known as Swansea City Ladies and run by hard-working volunteers for a number of years, this move will help continue to raise standards and grow the women’s game in our region, with Swansea City having been the most successful team in the recent history of the Welsh women’s football pyramid.

As part of the move, 16 Swansea City Women players have signed semi-professional contracts with the club. Eleven of those have been awarded to players retained from last season's squad.

The Swans have won six league titles since the formation of the current top-flight, including three of the last four, as well as enjoying success in the Welsh Women’s Cup and the Welsh Women’s League Cup.

They have also represented Wales in the Champions League on six occasions and will be out to reclaim the title in the upcoming 2023-24 season.

 

This season marks the 30th anniversary of Swansea City’s first trip to Wembley for the Autoglass Trophy final in 1994. To mark it, our club historian Gwyn Rees will take us back through the story of that campaign and some of the key figures involved. 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 1993

The start to the season had been a pleasing one with the Swans sitting high in the Second Division table, but there were still nine long months lying ahead and manager Frank Burrows had been in the game long enough not to be seduced by a promising handful of games.

And his reluctance to engage in any discussions over promotion hopes proved well founded as Plymouth Argyle visited the Vetch Field and took all three points in the early September sunshine.

The Swans never really fired as an attacking unit and veteran former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton was rarely tested during the contest.

Paul Dalton got what proved to be the only goal of the game, with John Ford unable to convert a late penalty for the Swans with regular spot-kick taker John Cornforth off the pitch.

It proved something of a reality check, but the Swans did take a point next time out at Brentford courtesy of a thunderous free-kick from Cornforth.

The visitors had looked on course for all three points as they defended stoutly under mounting pressure, only for a deflected Simon Ratcliffe effort to cruelly deny them victory.

An away defeat to lowly Cambridge United followed, but Burrows’ side bounced back with a home win over Bradford thanks to goals from Martin Hayes and Keith Walker.

Three days later and it was back to cup action and a Coca-Cola Cup first-round tie against Premiership side Oldham Athletic.

The Swans started the brighter and were rewarded when Steve Torpey scored his first goal for the club after 11 minutes.

They remained on top but were pegged back by a deflected strike from former Everton striker Graeme Sharp that wrong-footed Roger Freestone in the Swansea goal.

But Colin Pascoe restored the Swans’ lead with a lobbed finish as the keeper raced off his line to secure a one-goal lead to take into the second leg.

The final two games of the month were played in the south-west, with the first seeing the team suffer a slender 1-0 defeat after a tame performance at Exeter.

However, Swansea hit back with a commanding 3-1 win over Plymouth in the first round of the Autoglass Trophy as Andy McFarlane, Andy Cook and Darren Perrett.

 

Name
Nieve Jenkins.

Your date of birth
09/11/2001

Your nationality (according to UEFA)
Welsh.

What position do you play?
Midfield.

Which is your preferred foot?
Right-footed.

Which clubs did you play for before joining Swansea City?
Newcastle Emlyn U14s/U16s; Carmarthen Stars U14s.

What is your best moment in a Swansea City shirt?
Winning the league three times in a row and the Champions League experience.

What is the first position you played in football?
Midfield.

Do you have any pre-match rituals or superstitions?
I always make sure my hair is tied back as tight as possible!

What is your full-time occupation?
I work as an intensive care nurse

Do you play any other sports?
I play futsal.

What is something that is on your bucket list?
I’d love to have a trip to Australia.

Who is your favourite musical artist?
Doja Cat.

What is the best TV series you've watched?
Happy Valley.

What is the best concert you've been to?
Harry Styles.

What was your favourite subject in school?
PE!

 

Welcome back, Junior Jacks!

We hope you’re enjoying our new outdoor fan zone. We’re having such a fun time getting to meet you all especially the ones who aren’t usually in the family stand who we don’t get to see as often.

Our joint prediction for today’s match is a 2-1 win for the Swans. We think Joel Piroe and Ben Cabango will score the goals!

This week’s Junior Jack of the week is Jac Pennock and you can be in the next programme by filling out the form below.

APPLY

And back for 2023-24, we’ve created a quiz for you to have a go at before kick-off.

We’ve signed eight new players this summer – you just need to match the player to their career path.

 

 

Age: 12

What was the first Swansea City game you attended? 
Against Hull City in 2016

What is your favourite memory of watching the Swans?
Watching us beat Cardiff last season.

Who is your favourite Swans player and why? 
Harry Darling, because he is physical.

What do you like most about supporting Swansea City?
It makes me proud to be a Jack.

Why did you start supporting Swansea City?
Because it’s my local club.

Do you play football? If yes, what position do you play?
Yes. Striker or winger.

Do you play any other sports? What are they?
Cricket and sometimes rugby.

What is an interesting fact about you?
My father and uncle are both former Swans.

What is your favourite subject in school and why?
Sport!! Because I hate my other lessons!!

 

 

STEVEN BENDA

You’d have to have him, he’s absolutely massive. You’re not beating him in five-a-side goals.

ADAM WEBSTER

A really good defender one on one.

 

JÉRÉMIE BOGA
 

STEVEN PIENAAR

I was with him at Everton and the amount of talent he had was just scary.

 

BOBBY DE
CORDOVA-REID

 

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.

 

INCLUSION ROOM

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.

STAFF LIST

Chairman - Andy Coleman
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis

Directors

Jason Levien, Andy Coleman, Nigel Morris, Brett Cravatt, Jake Silverstein, Sam Porter, 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 – Michael Duff

Assistant Head Coaches - Alan Sheehan and Martin Paterson

Head of Goalkeeping – Martyn Margetson

First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary

Head of Performance – Tom Barnden

Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey

Staff: Ailsa Jones, Bethany Chaddock, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Connor Lawley, Jonathan Jones, Jono Aveston, Jake Dayus.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP

Paul Watson (Sporting Director); Andrew Davies (Head of 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
Senior Commercial Sponsorship Manager:  Lee Merrells
Head of Commercial:
Richard Morris
Head of Media & Communications:
Ben Donovan
Ticket Office Manager: Lewis Bullen
Operations & Events Manager:
Lee Davidson
Facilities Manager: Gordon David
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Disability Access Officer: Catherine Thomas
Head of Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle

PROGRAMME PRODUCTION

Contributors: Ben Donovan, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Hayley Ford, Fraser Dickson, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Rhys Kemish, Dom Hynes.

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