Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our Championship fixture against Plymouth Argyle.

I would like to start my programme notes by talking about this match, which is dedicated to our charity partner of the season, Maggie’s.

It makes up part of our season-long ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign to raise awareness of all the facets of a cancer journey, from the initial diagnosis, to the mental health impact, and the financial struggles that can often occur.

'Tackling Cancer Together' is encompassed by our striking pink third kit, which is both eye-catching and poignant, with the interwoven colours representing the 25 most common cancer types, while the individual spots represent the individual stories of those in Swansea and the wider community.

There is a whole host of activity planned across the day, and it is all for a fantastic charity.

As a club we are unbelievably proud to have Maggie’s as our charity partner for this season, and they do an unbelievable amount of great work in the local community, providing care and support for those dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

I also want to thank all the staff here at Swansea City who have been actively involved in putting together the events for this dedicated matchday, many of which have gone above and beyond to ensure this day is a success.

This week also saw the January transfer window draw to a close.

We were able to bring in three new additions in the form of Ronald, Charles Sagoe Jr and Przemyslaw Placheta – all of which will add something to Luke’s squad in the remaining part of this season.

Our objective was to make the squad stronger and we feel we have done that. It was clear that we needed more pace and athleticism in the team and our three new additions give us those attributes and we are excited about what they can bring to the squad.

There was a lot of work that went on behind the scenes – led by Paul Watson and his recruitment team - to identify the right players that could help us. Not every deal we lined up came off, but we were prepared for every eventuality and we were ready to act when we needed to.

But we feel we now have we have players in the squad who can improve us in the last third of the season and move us up the table.

As always, get behind the team like you have done all season and let’s hope we are celebrating together come the final whistle.

Enjoy the game,

Andy

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our dedicated Maggie’s matchday against Plymouth Argyle.

You will notice a difference around our home on Saturday as we seek to raise awareness and funds for our official charity partner, who do such magnificent work for so many impacted by cancer within our city and community.

Cancer affects so many of us and that fact will be underlined when you see our players warm-up in Maggie’s t-shirts bearing the names of people connected to them and our football club who have been affected.

Our jerseys for this game will also carry the Maggie’s logo, and we are proud to do so, and hope all the events and activities you see today will encourage people to reach out to them for help when they need it, and aid with raising the money to allow the charity to continue to deliver its vital range of services.

This week has been a busy one with the closing of the transfer window. An awful lot of hard work has gone on behind the scenes during – and before – the time I have been back at the club as head coach and we have made three additions in the form of Ronald, Charles Sagoe Jr and Przemyslaw Placheta.

They are players we hope will bring pace and athleticism, attributes we have needed to add, and we now need to make sure we help them settle as quickly as possible and help them with all the support and information they need to help us as a team and to develop and improve as players.

We go into this game on the back of defeat at Leicester in midweek, where we paid for lapses in concentration at key moments in both boxes.

We want the players to be brave and show personality, and there were periods in the game where we did that.

At 1-0 we had our chances, which we did not make the most of, and then – when you are playing a side of that quality who are on course to go straight back to the Premier League – you cannot afford to gift them anything, and unfortunately we did that for the second and third goals.

We will learn a lot from that, and for us it is now about building out these periods in games where we are showing signs of the team we want to be.

Every time we play, we are learning as a group and the challenge for us now is to make sure we keep making strides in our performances and deliver a team that you connect with and are excited to come and watch.

Enjoy the game,

Luke

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our match against Plymouth Argyle.

The Swans have faced a difficult run of fixtures recently, playing promotion hopefuls Leicester and Southampton, as well as Premier League Bournemouth in our last three outings, and the run doesn’t get much easier.

However, as head coach Luke Willimas has said, the team have learned some hard but valuable lessons from our recent games. If we can replicate some of the excellent play we saw against Leicester, and cut out some mistakes and sustain the intensity over 90 minutes, then there will be plenty of positive signs moving forward.

One thing that will be front and centre for many supporters’ minds is the chance to see our new players in the flesh after the January transfer window closed on Thursday night.

Firstly, I’d like to take this opportunity to formally welcome Ronald, Charles Sagoe Jr, and Przemyslaw Placheta to the club and the city.

I think it’s fair to say that most observers of our team in the first half of the season would have said we were crying out for some pace, especially as we look to implement the new head coach’s preferred style of play. Hopefully the new additions will bring that.

I’d also like to send best wishes to those who have headed out of the club in January, especially Brandon Cooper, who has left the club permanently. It’s always sad to see players who have come through our academy leave, but it is part of the game, and we wish him the very best.

This January certainly felt quieter and less dramatic than any in recent memory across the football pyramid, something backed up by the numbers.

The Premier League had the lowest spending in three years (£96m total), and Championship clubs brought in just 79 players. This is a 20 per cent reduction on last year, and much of the activity happened late in the window this year.

It’s clear that Profit and Sustainability rules are on the minds of a number of clubs at the moment.

As a fan, I always want to see us bring in exciting players who will get supporters off their seats and help deliver better performances and results. However, with my Trust hat on, I will always want that to be balanced with a desire for long-term financial sustainability.

It’s so easy to get swept up in the emotion of what happens in the 90 minutes on the field, but the bigger picture and a clear strategy is so vital to achieving sustainable success.

Football is game of opinions and views, and inevitably that means there are varying degrees of satisfaction with the outcome of any window.

We have continued to discuss with the club the importance of expectation management, consistent communications, and transparency about future plans and the club’s financial situation.

Recent accounts have shown the club – like numerous Championship clubs - runs at an annual deficit, and this has to part of the considerations when it comes to player trading.

Off the pitch, I’m delighted to share that our Matchday Experience Working Group has been formed and will be meeting later this month to discuss the recommendations of our report. The group will be tasked with building out these recommendations and identifying other initiatives that will improve the atmosphere and experience in and around the stadium.

We know the wheels are in motion within the club. There is never going to be a magic bullet, all we ask from supporters is that they give this every chance to succeed, and where things aren’t quite working, that they engage with us constructively with suggestions.

It’s all too easy to jump on social media platforms and forums and just start complaining – that helps nobody. I ask that you channel that time and energy into working with us and embracing the ethos of what the Trust and club are trying to do, even if it’s not 100 per cent aligned with what you want personally.

That is truly the only way this can succeed. There are some brilliant examples of clubs who have nailed their matchday experience, and we want to learn from them, without losing the authenticity that makes our club so unique. If you have any suggestions, please email them to supporters@swanstrust.co.uk

Enjoy today’s game, and let’s back the boys to bring home the points.  

Adam

In early October, Swansea City supporter Matthew Collins had an operation on a brain tumour and a few weeks later, he was given the devastating news that - even with the best treatment the NHS could offer - he likely only had months to live.



But hope came in the form of an immunotherapy vaccine called DcVax-L.

DcVax-L has been shown to double life expectancy for people like Matthew, and increase a prognosis from months to years. However, the vaccine is yet to be approved by the NHS and, as a result, a full course of the vaccine will set a patient back £250,000.

“Obviously, I can’t afford quarter-of-a-million quid, most normal people can’t,” Matthew says of the astronomical cost of trying to extend his life.

And that is what has driven the typically shy and self-proclaimed introvert to share his story via a GoFundMe page.

“I'm having to do this publicly,” he wrote in his first post in November. “If I don't die of shame and embarrassment [that comes with sharing his story] in the meantime, I certainly will of the brain cancer.”

However uncomfortable it was to share, Matthew’s story has captured the hearts of the football-watching public in Wales.

Most people reading this are probably already aware of Matthew, whether that be through the Swans’ social media, the FAW’s promotion for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Turkey, or a video of Elis James, in which the comedian and broadcaster shone a spotlight on Matthew’s cancer journey.



Matthew has an aggressive form of brain cancer called Glioblastoma which, even with an all-consuming course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, has a prognosis of around 12 to 18 months.

On August 5, while watching the Swans open their 2023-24 campaign with a draw against Birmingham City, he became ill in the stands at the Swansea.com Stadium and was taken to hospital.

It was one of a series of similar hospital visits for the 36-year-old, who had started having unexplained seizures a month earlier.

Constant tests had been unable to determine a cause until things took a turn for the worse in mid-August when Matthew suffered a stroke while at a music festival.

“I started having seizures and headaches in July and I was in hospital for three or four days,” he explains.

“I was discharged, but about a month later I was at the Green Man festival and I had a stroke, which left the left side of my body completely paralysed.

“I spent about a month in hospital but then, after two weeks back at home, I noticed my headaches were getting worse.

“I went back into hospital and they did another scan, and that’s when they found the brain tumour.

“That was the end of September, and then I had the operation on October 6 to remove it. It was a few weeks after the operation when I actually found out what the diagnosis was.

“They’d said to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. It turned out to be the worst.”

Matthew was in the middle of changing jobs when he fell ill. He’d given up his communications role in Birmingham for a new challenge at Barnardo’s Children’s charity, based in south Wales.

He was moving home and was ready to support his beloved Swans and follow the Wales men’s national team across Europe with his friends.

Two months later, he was sat down in a cold, clinical hospital room being informed he had a type of brain cancer with no cure.

Without treatment, his life expectancy would be three months, with aggressive treatment he has a less than 10 per cent chance of blowing out the candles on his 40th birthday cake.

“My dad took me to the hospital and they were doing all these checks: checking my heart rate and breathing,” he continues.

“They told me I had a brain tumour, and I was lucky I was sat down because my legs just went to jelly.

“Ever since the diagnosis, I’ve been back and forth to Velindre for cancer therapy. I had 30 sessions of radiotherapy and I had chemotherapy, which is in tablet form so I take that at home before bed.

“I’ve finished that now, but I’m resuming chemotherapy next week. That’ll be six months of treatment, one-week on and then three weeks off because it wreaks havoc with your body.”

But there is hope.



After the operation, while recuperating at home, Matthew began researching his options and found a new treatment which has been shown to extend the life of a person with Glioblastoma by years.

The NHS were doing all they could within the parameters of approved brain tumour treatments, but Matthew explains that medical advancement in this area has been slow, with little having changed in the past three decades.

“I found the vaccine through my own research,” he adds.

“Initially, it was just ‘you’ve got a brain tumour and we need to take it out’ and that was all I was focused on, but after that I was just doing my own research into it.

“The vaccine is quite new, so it hasn’t been approved for use on the NHS yet, and I don’t know how long that will take.

“Because it’s not been approved, they didn’t mention it. Obviously, they recommend the treatments that have been approved, but there hasn’t really been any development in about 30 years for brain tumours, so this vaccine is the biggest breakthrough they’ve had in a generation.

“It’s not guaranteed of course, but it can add years to your life.

“It’s really expensive, about £250,000 for treatment. Obviously, I can’t afford that, most people can’t.

“But I’ve had more than 7,000 donations on that GoFundMe page now and that’s mind blowing. I can’t believe how supportive everyone has been. I’ve raised over half of my target so that’s gone really well.

“I’m starting the vaccine next month – thanks to the donations.

“I have to travel to London and it takes four to six weeks to develop the vaccine. They take a bit of my tumour and my white blood cells, and then they engineer it in a lab which trains my cells to attack it.”

Fundraising is going well, thanks in no small part to the Welsh football family. The Football Association of Wales included Matthew on a pre-match graphic shortly after his story garnered international attention, and highlighted the GoFundMe page at the men’s home match against Turkey.

But it was really the support of comedian, presenter and devoted football fan James which brought the campaign to the forefront and helped raise thousands virtually overnight.

“I just love Elis,” smiles Matthew.

“I don’t know how he got involved. My mate actually interviewed him about the history of the bucket hat, and so I had a message from Elis the night before my operation wishing me well.

“And it just spiralled from there. He found out about my diagnosis, and then I was on the way back from Velindre one day and suddenly I was getting loads of messages from people saying ‘your fundraiser is going through the roof’'.

“He had put a video on his social media talking about it and – just from that one video – I had about £40,000 worth of donations. Without him, I’d be stuffed – I’d be nowhere near the funds I’ve got.

“I think he mentioned it on his radio show too – he’s been unbelievable. Obviously, he’s a massive Swans fan as well so I think maybe it struck a chord with him somehow.

“He said my story has really resonated with him, and he just wants to try to help. He’s obviously got a big platform for football fans in Wales and so a lot of the donations have come off the back of him.”



With each vaccine dose costing around £25,000, the money donated so far means Matthew could be set to begin his treatment as early as next month.

And, while that fills him with optimism of what may be to come, it does not take away from what has been a very challenging road so far.

“I feel tired most of the time,” he says, trying to explain a typical day.

“Having radiotherapy on your brain is a tiring process – I think it’s tiring anywhere but especially when it’s in your head.

“You have to go every day. I’m not allowed to drive because I’ve had brain surgery, so my parents have been ferrying me back and forth to Cardiff for treatment.

“It causes a lot of inflammation too, so I’m on a lot of medication to control that such as steroids, but that makes me balloon and none of my clothes fit me.

“I’m still able to get up and about most of the time, but some days are harder than others.

“There are some days where getting up the stairs can be a challenge. It varies from day to day, but I’m trying to stay hopeful and the vaccine is giving me some positivity.

“My friends and family have been unbelievable. I’d have fallen to pieces without their support. Some days, I think that I can do things by myself, but then the next day I need all the support.”

As well as the invaluable support of his friends, his family, strangers who’ve been moved by his story and James, Matthew explains that the Maggie’s Centre in Cardiff – which is located in the grounds of specialist cancer hospital Velindre – has been a real source of comfort too.



Maggie’s centres across the UK follow the same set of guidelines and offer the same homely comforts when you step through the door.

It is physically meters, but emotionally miles, from the hospital setting which can feel so terrifying, frenzied and sterile during a cancer journey.

“I think it’s incredible that the club has chosen to partner with Maggie’s,” says Matthew of the 'Tackling Cancer Together' campaign between Swansea City and the cancer support charity.

“There’s a centre near Velindre in Cardiff and I found them to be absolutely incredible. It’s on the hospital grounds, but it’s so peaceful and tranquil in there.

“Everyone is so caring and gentle. It’s like you’ve got the whirlwind of the hospital and then the retreat of Maggie’s.

“There’s lot of support for health and wellbeing, and then they tell you about the financial support because I’ve had to give up work.

“It costs a lot of money to run the service that Maggie’s provide, and having the backing of the Swans is probably massive for them. Being associated with Maggie’s is good for the Swans because they’ve always been a community club.

“It’s just incredible that they’ve come together to support each other. I think when you look at the kits and you see a charity, that’s really nice.  It’s really positive and the Swans have always had that relationship with the community.”

You can visit Matthew's GoFundMe page here.

Fresh from playing the larger-than life Dame Penny Pockets in the Swansea Grand’s 'Cinderella', Kev Johns MBE is already looking forward to personifying another exuberant pantomime dame next Christmas.

But there was a time just over a year ago when he feared he might never play the iconic role again after a cancer diagnosis left him wondering what his future might hold.

Johns has a naturally positive outlook – “that’s a Kev thing,” he jokes sitting in the famous old theatre to discuss his cancer journey ahead of Swansea City’s home match against Plymouth Argyle on Saturday which is dedicated to cancer support charity Maggie’s.

However, he admits there were quiet car journeys when he feared the disease would take him too soon for his grandchildren to be able to remember him.

Cancer had taken his father, uncle and grandmother and, while the medical professionals had been optimistic from the start, it is almost impossible to hear the word cancer and not imagine the worst.

In March last year, Johns withdrew money from his pension and took his family to Disneyland in Paris. It was a tough day where 100-yard walks were followed by a sit down and a break. But, after receiving the all-clear at the end of 2023, he’s looking forward to returning to the theme park’s Main Street, and visiting Cinderella’s castle just “to prove to myself that things are different now".

His story underlines just how a cancer diagnosis can turn anyone's life upside down, and lifelong Swansea City fan Johns revealed how his pride the 'Tackling Cancer Together' campaign - an initiative born out of the club's partnership with Maggie's led him to find the courage to tell his story publicly for the first time at a fans' forum in the autumn.

“I’d gone for a blood test and went to the GP for the results,” he says, explaining how his cancer journey began.

“They said, 'you’re lacking iron so we need to do another test'. I went for another test, and they said 'we want to you have an endoscopy'. I went back to hospital and had that, and they said ‘there’s a an area we can’t really see, there’s a bit of a shadow there’.

“So then I went for a CT scan, I didn’t think anything of it. I had that and then I was just upstairs in the house the following day and my wife was downstairs. The phone rang with a withheld number.

“It was the doctor and she said, 'we’ve had the scan results' and then she asked if I was on my own.

"I said that my wife was there and then she said 'we have spotted something on your kidney and we think it’s a tumour'.

“I asked if it was cancerous and then she said yes.

“She told me I needed to get some biopsies done, but it still didn’t feel very real, and I was still thinking ‘it’ll be fine, I’ll be fine'.

“I had the biopsies, and then I saw the oncologist and she said those words you dread: ‘There’s nothing we can do'.

“They’d found secondary lesions on my lungs. If they hadn’t found that, they could've operated straight away.

“They started me on a course of immunotherapy.

“I was told at the beginning that immunotherapy is a game-changer in cancer treatment. It is, it’s incredible.

“Even after the first course of treatment, they said my lungs had started to clear, and the tumour had shrunk.

“On the second scan result, the lesions on my lungs were completely gone and we could start talking about surgery.

“My lungs cleared, and then I could have the operation to remove the tumour. I went in on a Friday morning, had the operation Friday afternoon and was back home 48 hours later.

“Within a fortnight, I was on stage at the Maggie’s Ball at Swansea Arena sharing my story. That was only the second time I’d said it publicly. The first time was at the Swansea City fans' forum.

“Now, I can say my latest scan – my first post-surgery scan – showed no signs of cancer anywhere.”

 

The prognosis had always been positive for Kev, but there were still difficult days, not just for him, but for all the people around him.

And there are moments where he was faced with thoughts of what could have been without treatment, early detection and the help of the NHS.

“I had to take the funeral service of someone who had the same diagnosis, treatment and even the same oncologist as me. They were in the same room as me and they’d lost their life,” he recalls.

“I had a bit of survivor's guilt, and you realise how it could have gone.”

And there were times when his thought process spiralled into the imagining the worst-case scenario.

“Nothing had been said to make me think I wouldn’t make it, the doctors were very positive, but every cancer experience I had been through had been negative," he says.

“My dad died of cancer, my uncle and my grandmother all passed away, so I really thought I wouldn’t see another Christmas.

“I don’t think I’ll ever know how much it affected my family. It’s only really now that my wife is letting me know because at the time she couldn’t show it.

“But it does play on your mind. It was when I was in the car on my own with nothing on the radio; that’s when you start thinking ‘what does the future hold?’

“I’ve got a grandson, my second grandchild was born a few weeks before my surgery and I remember thinking ‘I just want them to remember me’. It wasn’t a case of wanting to be there for their wedding, or graduation, or any particular milestone. I just wanted them to remember me.

“If anything had happened now. They wouldn’t have remembered their Bampa.”

The 'Tackling Cancer Together' campaign had a profound impact on the club’s presenter, lounge host and PA announcer.

As he went through a course of immunotherapy treatment, he watched his colleagues – who he almost exclusively describes as friends – launch a bright pink third kit, covered in coloured spots.

The base colour was deliberately eye-catching, while the colourful spots represented the most common cancer types, with each individual spot representing a different person’s cancer story.

'Tackling Cancer Together' has given supporters the chance to share their stories and it was this platform which prompted Johns - who has never been shy of wearing his heart on his sleeve - to publicly reveal his own story at the club’s fans’ forum in October.

“The support I’ve had from the football club has been incredible,” he explains.

“And when the news came out that they were going to do the Maggie’s shirt – I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of my football club

“My pride in the campaign is why my story came out in the fans’ forum.

“I got a bit emotional. Someone in the audience had said they wanted to praise the club for the work they were doing with Maggie’s.

“I just started talking, and once I started it all just came out.

“Then it was on Swansea Online. I didn’t intend that, because that night wasn’t about me, I was just speaking to the audience.

“I’m not a medical expert, but a lot of people have been in touch because they have been encouraged by my situation. It took me a long time to say ‘I have cancer'.

“Some people live their lives on social media and I do to a point, if I cook a nice meal I put that photo on Instagram, but I did tell people.

“I was in one of the health and wellbeing Cwtch Coffee mornings at the club, and I just thought ‘it’ll help people if I tell them now'.

“Even with everyone around me, all my friends and family, I still felt very alone. But you’re not alone.”

As well as his friends, family, his faith and the NHS, Johns cites Maggie’s as one of the pillars of support he relied on throughout his treatment.

“My first day on the chemotherapy ward was a tough day, because there were people walking around who you could tell had cancer,” he adds.

“People were walking around with machines which administer chemotherapy. I remember looking at them thinking 'that’s my future, that will be me in a couple of months'.

“I remember one day sitting in the chair in the chemotherapy day unit where I was going once a month. A guy came down from Maggie’s just to say 'this is where we are if you want to pop in'.

“I sat down, and they gave me an information pack and central to that was Maggie’s – some other charities as well – but Maggie’s mainly. They don’t have the funding the NHS has, but they can do a lot of the jobs the NHS can’t.

“It’s not just about the fundraising – that is essential – but it’s also the awareness which will tell people that Maggie’s is there for you.

“And it’s not just for the people who have cancer, it’s there for their families and friends too.

“Some people have tests, and then have to wait for treatment later that day, and where do they wait? Maggie’s.

“Some people travel a long way, or are brought to the hospital by ambulance so they might not have anywhere to wait. But if they go to Maggie’s they will be made to feel at home.

“It’s not just the Maggie’s Swansea centre who will benefit from this promotion either. Cardiff has a Maggie’s, there are Maggie’s centres right across the country.

“It’s so important for people to know that they are not on their own.

“There are those who will stand with them, talk with them, sit with them and have a cup of tea.

“People will do anything to make it a little easier while they go through the treatment.

“The club have just been so, so supportive. I couldn’t even begin to list the number of people I want to say 'thank you' to.”

Johns is contemplative as he rounds off his story and, unprompted, offers a final anecdote which perhaps best describes where his journey has taken him, and how it has changed him.

“I’m probably a different person than I was two years ago,” he reflects.

“I think I’m probably more grateful for everything, but I still wish I hadn’t gone through it.

“Last March, I thought the worst, so I took some money out of my pension and took the family to Disneyland Paris.

“My thought process was, if they want something, I’m paying for it. If they want chewing gum, I’ll buy it.

“Walking around Disneyland Paris, somewhere I’ve been a few times as we love Disney, I don’t think I was going more than 100 yards without having a sit down. I was absolutely exhausted.

“I want to go back now, because I want to prove to myself that things are different now.

“I’m a lot fitter now, and a lot healthier.”

New Zealand striker Rory Fallon’s time with the Swans is probably best remembered for when he opened the scoring with a fantastic overhead kick during the 2006 League One play-off final.

Starting his career at Barnsley through their academy in 1999, Fallon played over 50 league games for the Yorkshire club before he signed for Swindon Town in 2003 for an undisclosed fee.

He spent three seasons at the Robins where he scored 21 goals in 83 league appearances, while also having a short loan spell at Yeovil Town, before joining the Swans in January 2006 for a fee of £300,000.

The New Zealander spent a year in SA1 where he scored 13 goals in 44 league appearances, including that wonderful acrobatic effort at the Millennium Stadium which Swans fans will remember well despite unfortunately losing that play-off final on penalties.

Fallon then left Kenny Jacket’s side to join Championship side Plymouth Argyle for a fee of £300,000, and played over 140 times over five years at the club, scoring 22 league goals. He had a short loan at Ipswich Town during the 2010-11 season before returning to Plymouth in January 2011.

Fallon also had spells at Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Crawley Town, Scunthorpe United, Bristol Rovers, Truro City, Torquay United and Dorchester Town before retiring in 2017.

The New Zealander represented his country on 24 occasions, scoring six goals, while he featured in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Nations Cup.

Since retiring, Fallon has worked as assistant manager for the New Zealand national team and is currently in charge of New Zealand side Waterside Karori AFC, having also briefly had a role with the Swansea academy.

 

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” So said Juliet of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

The playwright was telling us here that what someone is called is inconsequential, their intrinsic qualities remain the same, regardless.

If, like me, you’ve lived your life with a relatively unusual name, you’ll probably dispute that a name doesn’t matter.

I was one of three girls called Julie in my class, but no-one else in my school shared my surname. I liked the contrast of the ‘common’ and the ‘unique’. Maybe if I’d been born into a family of Jones’ or Thomas’ I’d have felt different… but it is something I would never change.

I reflected on that sense of a name reflecting individual identity when I heard the news of Ronald’s signing earlier this week. We’re used to having and using more than one name in the UK, which means that being known by a single name immediately makes someone stand out.



He’s not the first Brazilian footballer to use only one name of course, the most famous being Pele, but there have been many - Ronaldo, Kaka and Neymar among them.

Lyris Wiedemann, from Stanford University, explained the reason for the single name being used in Brazil. “We don't use the last names. It reflects a trait in the culture that's more personalised. We care about the person, and the person is not the family name. It's who they are.”

Many of us will remember caring deeply about another player who donned a Swans shirt emblazoned with a single name - a certain Spaniard, Michu. He was a club legend, a player who stole the hearts of every Swans fan during his brief but magical time with us.

There has only ever been one Michu, but how many Ronald’s have there been? It’s fair to say that it is not a name widely selected today – according to one source it was the 563rd most popular boys’ name in 2021.

But in the history of the club*, there have been a fair few, though most have adopted an adaptation or shortened version, either Ronnie or Ron.

The last Ronald to wear the Swans shirt was, I’m reliably informed, Ystradgynlais-born Ronnie Rees in 1971 and Ronnie Williams, back in 1967. Ronnie Briggs arrived at the Vetch Field in 1964.



Rees played more than 100 games for the Swans while Williams managed nine appearances. Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Briggs made 27 during his 12-month stay.

The first Ronald (Ron) was another Williams, almost a century ago, back in 1929. He made his league debut on Christmas Day, scoring a hat-trick against Notts County.

He remained at his hometown club until 1933 when Newcastle signed him for £1,500 after scoring 46 goals in 141 appearances for the Swans. He returned three years later and added seven more goals and 43 games to his tally.

Our newest Ronald shares a name with some of those who have contributed to the history of the club.

Croeso Ronald. We’re all keen to see how you write your name into the Swansea City archives.

*My thanks to Gwyn Rees and Esme Allchurch for their help in researching the Ronalds of Swansea City.

Dw i'n ysgrifennu'r golofn hon cyn i'r ffenest drosglwyddo gau ar Chwefror 1, felly erbyn i chi ei darllen byddwn ni'n gwybod pa mor llwyddiannus fu'r mis diwethaf i'r Elyrch yn y farchnad drosglwyddiadau. Fe fu'n gyfnod tawel hyd yn hyn, ond fe wyddon ni gystal â neb pa mor wyllt all yr oriau a'r diwrnodau olaf fod!

Un chwaraewr ddaeth i mewn â digon o amser cyn i'r ffenest gau oedd yr asgellwr 22 oed, Ronald o Frasil, sydd wedi llonfodi cytundeb tan 2027, gyda'r opsiwn o flwyddyn ychwanegol. Dywed y clwb y bydd e'n ychwanegu cyflymder ar yr asgell wrth iddyn nhw geisio lledu'r bêl. Mae'n deg dweud nad ydyn ni'n gwybod llawer iawn amdano fe hyd yma, ond mawr obeithio y byddwn ni'n clywed ei enw ar y terasau rhwng nawr a diwedd y tymor. Gwyliwch y gofod...
 

Ar wahân i'r fuddugoliaeth o 2-0 dros Morecambe yn y gwpan ddechrau'r mis, dydy'r Elyrch ddim wedi ennill yn y gynghrair ers curo West Brom o 1-0 ar Ddydd Calan. Maen nhw wedi colli'n drwm yn erbyn Caerlyr, Bournemouth yn y gwpan, a Southampton, ac wedi cael gêm gyfartal gyda Birmingham.

Pedwar pwynt allan o ddeuddeg eleni, felly, a dim ond un allan o naw ers i Luke Williams gael ei benodi'n rheolwr. Ond byddai buddugoliaeth dros Plymouth, sy'n gydradd â'r Elyrch ar 33 o bwyntiau, yn ddechrau da i adfywiad yr Elyrch o dan y rheolwr newydd. Yn wir, mae'n allweddol ar drothwy mis Chwefror anodd (ar bapur, o leiaf), pan fydd yn rhaid iddyn nhw herio Hull, Leeds, Ipswich a Sunderland - pedwar tîm sy'n anelu am ddyrchafiad.

Maen nhw'n wynebu tîm Plymouth Argyle sy'n ddi-guro yn 2024, yn dilyn gemau cyfartal yn erbyn Watford a Huddersfield a buddugoliaeth dros Gaerdydd. Ar ôl i Steven Schumacher gael ei benodi'n rheolwr Stoke, Ian Foster yw'r prif hyfforddwr newydd. Mae Foster yn adnabod un o gyn-reolwyr yr Elyrch yn dda iawn, ar ôl bod yn cydweithio â Steve Cooper yn nhîm hyfforddi dan 17 Lloegr.



Mae arwyddocâd pellach i'r gêm hon oddi ar y cae heddiw hefyd, wrth i'r Elyrch gefnogi elusen ganser Maggie's, sy'n un o bartneriaid y clwb. Agorodd canolfan yr elusen yn Abertawe yn 2011, ac maen nhw'n cynnig pob math o gymorth i gleifion a'u teuluoedd - o wybodaeth am driniaethau corfforol a chefnogaeth feddyliol, i gymorth gydag arian a budd-daliadau, a llawer mwy.

Gall cefnogwyr gymryd rhan mewn ocsiwn i gael gafael ar grys un o'r chwaraewyr yn y gêm heddiw - cit sydd wedi'i ddylunio'n arbennig ar gyfer y diwrnod fydd yn dwyn logo Maggie's. Bydd holl elw'r ocsiwn yn mynd at Maggie's, sy'n disgwyl y bydd hi'n costio oddeutu £700,000 i redeg yr elusen eleni. Bydd modd rhoi cynnig am un o'r crysau o'r gic gyntaf heddiw, a bydd yr ocsiwn ar agor tan 8 o'r gloch y nos ar Chwefror 14. Bydd pob ceiniog allwch chi ei sbario'n gymorth mawr.

 

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 takes us back through the story of that campaign and some of the key figures involved. Here, he profiles the captain on that famous day; John Cornforth.



A native of Whitley Bay in Northumberland, John Cornforth excelled as a schoolboy footballer. He represented Northumberland schoolboys, and went on to join Sunderland as an apprentice in October 1985.

At the end of his first season he made his Football League debut against Ipswich Town as a substitute in the final league game of the campaign, but it was a bittersweet time for the midfielder as, though proud to have made his senior debut, the Wearside club were already relegated and would begin the next season in the Second Division.

These were difficult times at Roker Park, and just two seasons later this proud club would play in the Third Division of the Football League for the first time in its history.

Throughout these troubled times Cornforth featured in the first team on just 33 occasions, and found himself loaned out to Doncaster Rovers, Shrewsbury Town and Lincoln City over the course of the next handful of seasons, although he did play his part in Sunderland’s 1988 Third Division title success.

After six years at his hometown club, Cornforth decided to make a permanent move away from his native north-east, with Swansea manager Frank Burrows paying a £50,000 fee for the player's signature.

His time at the Vetch Field started off with a debut in the opening game of the 1991-92 season away at Stockport County, but after just three games Cornforth suffered a broken leg in an away game at Chester City that kept him out for seven long months.

However, on his return from injury, he was able to show the fans what they had missed during his time out. He was a player with an eye for a pass, who was comfortable on the ball, and was a threat from  dead-ball situations.

Chosen as captain of the Swans, his leadership was evident in his second season at the Vetch Field, with the side narrowly losing out to West Bromwich Albion in the Second Division play-off semi-finals.

There had been hopes of another promotion challenge during the 1993-93 campaign but when that did not materialise despite those high expectations, it was Cornforth’s leadership that helped keep the side together and rally to reach Wembley for the first time ever.

Cornforth had the honour of leading Swansea City onto the pitch at the famous old venue when they faced Huddersfield Town in the Autoglass Trophy final on April 24, 1994.

The game would finish 1-1 after extra-time, but Cornforth again showed his leadership by stepping forward to take and convert the first penalty in a shootout that the Swans went on to win 3-1.

His hero status within the club was secure, but more was to come for the player as he went on to gain gaining of the first of his two Wales caps against Bulgaria and Georgia in 1995.

The midfielder qualified because his grandparents were from Llantrisant, giving him an opportunity at the game’s highest level.

But, just when everything seemed to be going in Cornforth’s favour, a cruciate ligament injury the following season interrupted his career, and with player-manager Jan Molby in charge at the club, he was soon sold to Birmingham City with the Swans receiving £350,000.

Unfortunately, the move did not work out and, after just eight appearances at the Blues, he was on the move again, this time to Wycombe Wanderers.

In the three seasons at Adams Park he only managed to play in 47 games, and he was loaned out to Peterborough United in 1998.

But injuries continued to dog him, and in the next three seasons he played for Cardiff City and Scunthorpe United, before signing on at Exeter City for a season, and then becoming manager at the Grecians.

He took over as manager at Newport County in 2004, before being sacked a year later, and his final managerial position in the Football League was at Torquay United.

His experience has since seen him coach in places as diverse as South Korea, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

Refuse and landfill created by the Swansea.com Stadium has been reduced by around three-quarters following the introduction of new stricter recycling methods throughout the venue.

As more and more businesses are doing their bit in the effort to slow global warming and preserve the environment for future generations, the home of the Swans has also taken considerable strides to help the country reach its net zero targets.

A commitment to recycling throughout office spaces, staff breakrooms, and catering areas has had a big impact on the stadium’s waste, with further measures - including concourse recycling - expected to be introduced in the coming months.

The maintenance and operations teams at the stadium have also been making incremental changes in recent years to help the stadium become more energy efficient. These have included a switch to LED lighting throughout office and hospitality areas throughout club venues; ensuring 60 per cent less energy is being used.

This Saturday, to mark Green Football Weekend, the stadium's Centenary Lounge will be providing a fully plant-based menu for the home fixture against Plymouth Argyle, while deserts across all hospitality lounges will be plant-based.

“We recognise there is still plenty of work to be done to meet the sustainability targets we have set for ourselves, but we are pleased to be able to report we are making constant progress in this area,” said Swansea City head of facilities Gordon David.

“The support from staff, supporters and everyone who comes to the stadium to help us meet our recycling targets has been excellent, and has helped us reduce landfill by around 75 per cent.

“It’s a brilliant effort from everyone involved, and we look forward to doing more going forward.”

Swans fans can get involved in helping football become greener by viewing the club's 'green guide to the stadium'. Fans can also join Green Football Weekend's Green Football Cup to track their green goals and win prizes.

Swansea City 1 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Championship - December 8, 2009
 

Lee Trundle came off the bench to grab the winner as Swansea City climbed into the Championship play-off places with victory over Plymouth Argyle.

‘Magic Daps’ was on the mark early in the second half as he turned in Gorka Pintado’s cross for his third goal in two games.

That broke the resistance of a stubborn Pilgrims’ team, who had Shane Lowry sent off during the final moments as Swansea made it nine home games unbeaten.

 

Kev Johns has always been a man to wear his heart on his sleeve.

His love of Swansea City is well known, and he has long been a popular and much-loved figure within our city and community, as well as being the ringleader when it comes to geeing up the crowd right here at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Who can forget that wonderful Wembley day when the Swans took on Reading in the Championship Play-off Final.



It was arguably Kev’s finest moment in his long and illustrious career as the club’s stadium announcer.

Kev's motivational speech on the pitch and the way he put down Reading's "anthem" as "their lovely song from Glee", cemented his place in Swans legend forever.

It was a moment of pure theatre, which is no surprise considering Kev has been an integral part of the cast at the Grand Theatre’s annual panto for the past quarter-of-a-century.

Moments like that have made Kev one of the city’s favourite sons.

It’s well-documented he has endured more than his fair share of adversity in the past few years, included a cancer diagnosis which he revealed for the first time last year.

The fact that such a high-profile member of the Swans family has been through such an experience adds to the significance of the club’s ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign, which is being highlighted in this programme and throughout Saturday’s matchday against Plymouth.

Kev has spoken openly about the challenges of dealing with his diagnosis and subsequent treatment – praising those who have helped him through the ordeal.

“People tell me that they are proud of me, but I couldn’t have done this without my wife, my family, and the incredible NHS staff that we have here in Swansea Bay,” he said.

“I had the most amazing team looking after me. I had regular consultations – sometimes in person, sometimes on the phone, and sometimes on Zoom.

“I saw a surgeon for a consultation in Neath Port Talbot Hospital, had my operation in Morriston, and went for treatment in Singleton.

“Those are the three hospitals that I have seen... and they have all been exemplary. They saved my life.”

Just like on that unforgettable day at Wembley, others have added their voices to Kev’s.

Many fellow Jacks have opened up about their own very personal experiences of the disease.

From teenagers to pensioners, from first-hand accounts detailing their own stories to people’s experiences of seeing family members or friends facing the disease, they can all be found on the Swans website’s ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ page.

If you haven’t already taken a look, pay a visit to the page and I’m sure you will be moved and inspired by the stories and their honesty.

It will also make you realise that cancer does not discriminate; it can strike against any one of us. We all need to unite to fight this awful disease and support those suffering from it.

There are stories of hope which will emphasise a cancer diagnosis isn’t always the life-threatening hammer blow it once was for so many.

However, even in the most serious of cases, where the prognosis and outcomes sadly aren’t positive, the stories emphasise the fact that no-one need face the disease alone, whatever the outcome.

As the name suggests, that’s what the ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ initiative is all about. It’s why the Swans joined with cancer support charity Maggie’s to launch the campaign.

The club’s striking pink third kit, which has proved so popular so far this season, is dedicated to the campaign, with each coloured spot featured within the design representing a different type of common cancer.

The digital version of the shirt, which appears on the website’s ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ page, brings together the stories and experiences of those who have been touched by cancer.

Each coloured spot provides a platform to share your story – whether you are - or have been - a cancer patient, a medical professional, carer, friend or family member of someone affected by this terrible disease.

Having read some of the stories on there as I prepared this article, I have been inspired to add my own cancer story, which I shared in this column earlier in the season.

Why not add your own story? Perhaps someone will find hope from a story of cancer survival, or even strength and inspiration from the love and bravery displayed when the outcome is sadly not what we’d hoped for.

Together, one way or another, we can all help to tackle cancer.

C’mon you Swans.

 

Terry Taylor's early strike proved the difference as Swansea City Under-21s were narrowly defeated by Charlton Athletic at Sparrows Lane.

The hosts had the advantage with just three minutes on the clock after Taylor struck a fine shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

The Swans had some promising moments through Cameron Congreve, Ben Lloyd and Maliq Cadogan, but were unable to make them count. 

The visitors had Kit Margetson in goal as he made his first competitive start for the under-21s, coming in for  Nathan Broome following last week’s Premier League Cup fixture against Brighton.

The bench was made-up of a number of players from the younger age group. They included Iestyn Jones, Ewan Griffiths, Jack Fanning, Aimar Govea and Yori Griffith, who had all featured for the under-18s against Charlton at the weekend.

The hosts had a chance to take an early lead when the ball dropped for one of their forwards in the box, but Margetson was equal to that effort.

However, there was nothing he could do just a few moments later when Taylor struck.

The striker intercepted a loose ball on the edge of the Swansea box and the Welshman’s bent his strike round the keeper and into the bottom corner.

The Swans looked to respond and had some moments of promise. Congreve linked with Dan Watts before seeing his shot denied by Harry Isted in the Charlton goal.

The game was proving an open affair with both sides enjoying spells of pressure.

But the hosts were seeing the better of the chances, with Taylor and Micah Mbick sending shots wide of the target when well-placed.

Charlton remained ahead at the break, but Swansea created a pair of half-chances immediately following the restart. Watts pressed well to win the ball before Lloyd put Cadogon through on goal, but Isted raced off his line to collect.

Lloyd and Cadogan then combined again, the former working the ball well down the left before picking out the forward, only for the final effort to go over the bar.

Coach Anthony Wright sent on Jones and Griffith for their under-21s' debuts alongside Govea, who looked threatening on the left flank following his introduction.

The Swans didn't stop fighting in the final stages, and Govea chipped a half-volley wide of the near post from a Cadogan lay-off.

But the development side were left to rue their missed chances as they were defeated in the league for the first time in 2024.

Swansea City Under-21s: Kit Margetson, Harry Jones, Kian Jenkins, Mitchell Bates, Dan Watts (Iestyn Jones 58), Richard Faakye, Ben Lloyd (Yori Griffith 82), Joel Cotterill (captain), Maliq Cadogan, Glory Nzingo (Aimar Gove 66), Cameron Congreve.

Substitutes: Ewan Griffiths, Jack Fanning.

Name
Kyrell Wilson

DOB
01/12/2004

Position
Winger or striker

Right or left-footed
Right

Nationality
English

Signed for the Swans
2020

Previous clubs
Chelsea

Best memory in a Swansea shirt
Beating Cardiff City!

Favourite thing about Swansea
How friendly the staff and players are.

Football idol
Lionel Messi.

Favourite film The Harry Potter series.

Favourite music artist
Drake.

Cheat meal
KFC.

Best subject at school
P.E.

What’s on your football bucket list?
To get in the first team and play for England one day.

A stadium you would love to visit (as a player or a fan)
Stamford Bridge.

Your first football memory
When I was a kid I was walking past a football tournament and asked if I could join in and take part. They let me and got named as the best player in the competition. That was the start of my football career!

First football shirt you owned
It was a Manchester United shirt from about 2009.

Other positions you have played
I’ve played as a number 10, as well as striker and winger.

Other sports you’ve played
I’ve done a bit of boxing and I used to do athletics.

Favourite shirt number
Nine.

Roommate for away games
Charlie Veevers, we have a good laugh and get on well.

Favourite video game
EAFC.

Goal for the season
To make my senior debut.

Most famous person you have met
I met Ashley Cole and Kevin De Bruyne at Chelsea.

What is an interesting fact about you?
When I did QuadKids athletics as a kid I broke some of their records for the 800m and the 100m.

Name
Emily Thomas
 
Date of birth
03/06/2004
 
Nationality
Welsh
 
What position do you play?
Winger or striker
 
Which is your preferred foot?
Right footed
 
Which clubs did you play for before joining Swansea City?
Johnstown and Aberystwyth
 
When did you sign for the Swans?
October 2023
 
What is your best moment in a Swansea City shirt?
I scored five goals against Llandudno in the cup!
 
What is your favourite thing about playing for Swansea City?
I love the style of football
 
Who is your football idol?
Lucy Bronze and Lionel Messi
 
What is the first position you played in football?
I was a fullback
 
What is your first memory of football?
Probably watching my brother play. I remember watching and just wanting to play and be better than him!
 
What is the first football shirt you owned?
Tottenham Hotspur
 
Do you have any pre-match rituals or superstitions?
I eat porridge and drink a can of Monster every game day without fail
 
What is an interesting fact about you?
I’m a fluent Welsh speaker.
 
Who is the most famous person you've met?
Jess Fishlock – I met her at Wales camp
 
What is something that is on your bucket list?
I want to travel the world.
 
What is your favourite film?
Mean girls
 
Who is your favourite music artist?
Dave
 
What is the best TV series you've watched?
Stranger Things
 
What is the best concert you've been to?
Coldplay
 
What was your favourite subject in school?
Physical education.

Shwmae Pawb!

Welcome back, Junior Jacks!Today's match is dedicated to the club's charity partner Maggie's and our pink third kit.I love the third kit, I've been wearing it all season, and I'm so excited to see that the corner flags have the same design today.

We face Plymouth Argyle and Cyril and I have predicted that the Swans will win 2-0.

We think our new signing Ronald will score one and Matt Grimes will get the other.Talking of Ronald, to celebrate his arrival at the club, this week's quiz has five questions about Brazil!

 

 

 

Enjoy the game!

Cyril and Cybil

 

Name:
Barney
 
Age:
4
 
What was the first Swansea City game you attended?
We played Gillingham in a friendly and we won 4-1. I was 11 weeks old.
 
What is your favourite memory of watching the Swans?
I always enjoy seeing the Swans scoring goals and winning games. I have only recently started going with my mum and dad and now have a season ticket.
 
Who is your favourite Swans player and why?
Jay Fulton
 
What do you like most about supporting Swansea City?
Supporting my local team!
 
Why did you start supporting Swansea City?
Because my mummy and daddy love the Swans and have been watching them since they were kids. Now take me with them.
 
Do you play football?
Yes! I play in midfield.
 
Do you play any other sports? What are they?
I do swimming and kick boxing.
 
What is an interesting fact about you?
I am the youngest volunteer at Matthew's House, which is a leading homeless charity in Swansea.
 
What is your favourite subject in school and why?
I enjoy play time and counting. I love asking and finding out different sums and like to work out the answers using my fingers.

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 Hernreich, Todd Marcelle, Gareth Davies.

Chief of Staff and Head of Strategy: Ken Gude

Associate Directors: Adam Lewis.

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: Anthony Wright, Ailsa Jones, Bethany Chaddock, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Shaun Howl, Jonathan Jones, Jono Aveston, Jake Dayus, Patrick Orme, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP

Paul Watson (Sporting Director); Andrew Davies (Head of Commercial, Operations, & Facilities);
Gareth Davies (CFO);
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, Events & Fan Engagement: 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
Head of Facilities: 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: Andrew Gwilym, Hayley Ford, Sophie Davis, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Rhys Kemish, Dom Hynes, Sammy Wynne, Fraser Dickson, Ben Donovan, Alun Rhys Chivers, Julie Kissick, Owen Morgan, Gwyn Rees, James Dow.

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