Good afternoon and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our first Championship home fixture against Preston North End.
We are back on home turf following our midweek win over Gillingham here in the Carabao Cup, and we would like nothing more than to back that up with a first league victory of the season this afternoon.
I know Luke spoke about the professional nature of the performance on Tuesday, and there were positive signs as a number of players got more valuable time on the pitch and continue to build their relationships and understanding.
There were lively performances from our new recruits, who have made a positive impression since their respective arrivals, and we know we will need to make further quality additions to our squad before the transfer window closes at the end of this month.
Our recruitment work is constantly ongoing, and our efforts in this window are far from finished as we aim to improve and strengthen Luke’s squad.
Off the field, we honour a true Swansea City great today as we formally open the ‘Mel Nurse Bar’ in the stadium’s East Stand.
We are privileged to have Mel’s family in attendance as we pay tribute to a man who served our club with tremendous distinction over two spells as a player, and went on to play a crucial role in saving Swansea City from potential extinction at the turn of the Millennium.
The refurbishment of what was known as the ‘Riverside Lounge’ includes a collection of images from Mel’s long and illustrious history with our club, as well as a number of additional acknowledgements of our rich football heritage.
We hope the ‘Mel Nurse Bar’ will become a focal point on matchdays at the Swansea.com Stadium, and thank Mel’s family, our Supporters’ Trust and Former Players’ Association for their efforts in making this a reality.
We also have a range of new food and beverage options available on the concourses this season and, working with our catering partners Levy, we recently hosted a tasting evening for a selection of supporters.
The event allowed fans to try out the updated and overhauled retail menu, which includes a twist on classic football staples.
As well as giving supporters the chance to provide feedback on the new menu – which is sustainably sourced and made almost entirely from Welsh produce – the event was hosted by the stadium’s head chef Martyn Guest who explained the menu choices.
We hope you will enjoy these new offerings, and our first league matchday of the new season is a successful one, on and off the field.
Enjoy the game,
Andy
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our first home Championship fixture of the season against Preston North End.
We are excited to be back here in front of you, having picked up our first win of the season against Gillingham in midweek.
We produced a professional performance although we were disappointed to concede in the manner we did.
But the nature of the challenge of fixtures like that is to keep focused and keep concentrated, and through that we were able to control nearly all of the game.
We could have made our lives easier by taking more of the chances that we created, but I was pleased with the quality of the goals we did score.
Ronald’s was a fine individual finish from a player whose performance gave me flashbacks to a time when I can remember watching the likes of Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge playing out wide for Swansea.
He has a little way to go to reproduce the levels they showed in a Swansea shirt, but that level of energy and one-on-one skill is something I want to be an integral part of our team moving forward. It’s a key part of the idea of the team we want to be.
The other two goals came from really good team play, and I was pleased for Azeem Abdulai, who had a tough day at Middlesbrough but responded well and kept getting himself into good positions before getting his first Swansea goal late on, a moment I am sure he will savour.
We face a very different challenge today in the form of a Preston side who had an excellent win over Sunderland in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
They have Mike Marsh, a vastly-experienced and knowledgeable man who knows our club well, in charge and they will be seeking to build some momentum, as we are looking to do ourselves.
It will be a tough test, but one we are excited about. We had a really good experience in midweek and we really appreciate the support you give us and the players.
You’re backing makes such a difference wherever we go, and particularly when we are in our own back yard.
Enjoy the game,
Luke
It is great to see the Jack Army return to the Swansea.com Stadium today as we embark on our first Championship home match of the 2024-25 season against Preston North End. The first game of the season is always a special one, but this is especially meaningful as the club officially launches the refurbished ‘Mel Nurse Bar’ (formerly ‘The Riverside Bar’) in the East Stand.
Mel means so much to the club and the city; affectionately known as ‘Mr Swansea’ he was instrumental in the rescue of the club in the early 2000s and, before that, our memories were of a larger-than-life centre-half who in his day took no prisoners.
The Supporters’ Trust, together with the club, has been involved in completing this well-deserved project, and ahead of kick-off at this fixture Mel’s family will be joining us for the opening of the refurbished ‘Mel Nurse Bar’. We hope that this will be a long-standing fixture at the club, which recognises the importance of the great man in the history of the club we all love.
That’s not the only change that supporters will see and around the stadium – refurbishments have been going on all summer, and we were also delighted to see the opening of the safe standing area in the north- east corner of the stadium.
The Trust has been involved in discussions on safe standing for several years, and our Matchday Experience Survey identified it as a critical opportunity to build the atmosphere at the stadium on matchdays. We sincerely hope that this will add to the already superb atmosphere created by the Jack Army and take us back to those never forgotten days on the famous North Bank.
The Matchday Experience project has brought together supporters with members of the club in a formal setting, and we are very pleased to see some of the changes being proposed by supporters being taken forward by the club. We are always looking for new ideas and participants in this exercise, so please email us on supporters@swanstrust.co.uk if you would like to get involved.
It was a somewhat disappointing result in our first away outing at Middlesborough last weekend. It was a better second half and a little more luck we could have returned with a point, but it was not to be on the day.
Tuesday evening’s match was more promising, and it was great to see Luke Williams playing a few of our younger squad members, who didn’t let themselves or the club down.
It was good to see Ronald warming up nicely for the season ahead with was a man-of-the-match performance and hopefully it bodes well for the future.
With the additions of Jisung Eom and Goncalo Franco, plus Lawrence Vigouroux between the sticks, the club have added hungry ambitious players with potential who will hopefully shine in the black and white of Swansea City. Hopefully we will see further additions in the weeks before the window closes.
It’s not just a new season for the club, but the Trust also celebrates the start of our new membership year this month – we have recently been through an election period and brought on fresh faces to the Trust Board.
We would love to see more members join us this season as we look to build on our successes of last year. You can sign up online by following this link (www.swanstrust.co.uk/join-the-trust) or by visiting our new Matchday Pod, located by the club shop.
Today we welcome the players, management and staff of Preston North End to SA1, under the interim management of our former assistant manager Mike Marsh, who worked with Steve Cooper.
We wish him well for the future, although we hope he doesn’t have too much to cheer in this particular fixture.
Enjoy the game.
Peter Thomas & Howell Williams
Having suffered heart attacks in recent years, Peter and Lynda Rodgers sought advice and guidance on exercise and healthy eating, and feel they have found a new lease of life since completing Swansea City AFC Foundation's FIT Jacks programme.
Peter suffered a heart attack in May 217, but the couple’s challenges didn’t end there as Lynda suffered her first heart attack five years later in July 2022.
Lynda experienced further distress less than a year later as she fought her way through a second heart attack in April 2023.
The husband and wife actively sought exercise, mainly through public gyms, to help improve their fitness and wellbeing, but this was something Lynda in particular didn’t feel was working for her.
They instead signed up for FIT Jacks, a free 12-week health and wellbeing programme that combines information about healthier life choices with weekly fitness sessions, and Lynda and Peter feel they have made real progress since attending in Morriston.
“We’ve both had heart attacks so the discussions on healthy eating have been really valuable to us,” says Lynda.
“We did eat well because of the dietary advice we were giving after the heart attacks, but there’s more to it and the coaches have explained that. They have talked us through what’s good to eat, what’s not so good to eat and the reasons behind it, which has really helped our understanding.”
“We both wanted to lose weight and get more exercise,” adds Peter.
“Although I go to the gym myself, I wanted to do a bit more and I felt that with FIT Jacks it was going to take me to a new level.”
A key feature of the FIT Jacks programme that has been particularly important for Lynda has been having the support and expertise of the Swans Foundation coaches to call upon. They were able to show her alternative exercises as she continues to manage a back injury.
“Lynda has had a back problem and we thought it would really do her good, and it has worked. She has more energy and feels better within herself,” explains Peter.
“FIT Jacks has taught Lynda that there’s always an alternative to an exercise. You can sit on a chair, use the wall, whereas in the gym she wouldn’t know that.”
Lynda is originally from Liverpool and moved to Swansea in 2004 to continue her life with Peter, but she struggled to meet new friends after moving over 150 miles away from home, leaving her feeling isolated when Peter was not around.
Not only has FIT Jacks helped the couple get fitter and healthier after their heart attacks, but it has provided Lynda with a support network, a community and a group of new friends who have rejuvenated her energy.
“It’s not just the weight loss, it’s the mental side. I work from home and it’s lonely,” said Lynda.
“I don’t have any friends down here as I’m from Liverpool, so since we’ve been coming to FIT Jacks my mental health has been amazing. I’m a totally different person, the people here have been amazing and I’m gutted the programme is over.”
To date, FIT Jacks has helped more than 300 people lose over 800kg in weight and lose over 1500cm from their waistlines.
You can sign up for the next cohort of FIT Jacks, starting in September, by clicking here.
Rest in peace, Alun Davies
Remembering Alun Davies (Gelli/Milk), Pen y Cae, Upper Swansea Valley. He was a lifetime supporter who sadly passed away on July 6. Once a Jack, always a Jack.
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A message from Swans fans Andria & Cara
Disabled actresses, Cara Jayne (The Story of Tracy Beaker, Baker Boys) and Andria Doherty (It's a Sin, The Way) are big supporters of Swansea City Football Club.
In 2022 Cara and Andria were both asked to be ambassadors for Swansea City Disabled Supporters Association, already being members of the DSA, they both accepted looking forward to how they could help, particularly in raising awareness of how the Swansea City DSA was formed, how it helps its members and how they can help many more supporters.
This is when they came up with the idea of producing a documentary highlighting the fantastic work of the DSA. If anybody is able to help us to tell our story, please visit our JustGiving page: Here
You can use this page to shine a spotlight on the achievements of members of the Swans family, or any other news you’d like to share.
To add your notice, click on the button below.
SWANSEA CITY TO BRING BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE TO MATCHDAYS
Swansea City is pleased to announce it will be introducing British Sign Language to the 2024-25 matchday.
Beginning with today's home league match against Preston North End, the Swans will be creating a more inclusive matchday experience for Deaf supporters.
Following the success of one-off BSL social media gifs marking Deaf Awareness Week in 2022, the first BSL stadium tour in 2023, and the recent introduction of BSL interpreters to the club’s Fans' Forums, Swansea City is delighted to go one step further with the introduction of BSL on a matchday for the new league campaign.
Our interpreter, Talina Jones, will appear on the stadium big screen with stadium announcer Kev Johns to bring the matchday to Deaf supporters at the stadium.
And Talina will also be on hand to support fans for whom BSL is their main language.
“I am very excited for this opportunity with Swansea City,” said Jones.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to work with a football club that is promoting inclusion for all fans.”
Swansea City head of supporter services, Hayley Ford, added: "We're delighted that Talina is on board for the 2024-25 season.
"We are always looking for new ways to make matchdays more inclusive, and this is an important step forward in improving the matchday experience for our Deaf supporters."
SWANSEA CITY HONOUR MEL NURSE WITH LOUNGE REFURBISHMENT
Swansea City has honoured one of the most important figures in the club’s history by re-furbishing and re-naming the 'Riverside Lounge' as the 'Mel Nurse Bar' in the Swansea.com Stadium’s East Stand for the 2024-25 season.
The club, with support from the Former Players’ Association and the Supporters’ Trust, have been keen to have a permanent place at the club’s home that recognises Mel’s outstanding contribution to Swansea City, and the bar is being formally opened ahead of today's fixture against Preston North End with Mel's family in attendance as special guests of the club.
Mel has been a crucial figure for the Swans on numerous occasions and in many different capacities across his life.
It is no wonder he is often simply known as ‘Mr Swansea City’, and it is fitting that – as we seek to do more to highlight the history and heritage of our great club – Mel is among those to be recognised.
Representing the club as a player, the former defender – who hailed from Alice Street in Cwmbwrla - made over 250 appearances across two spells with the Swans totalling 10 years, and also won 12 caps for Wales between 1960 and 1961.
After hanging up his boots, he would later return to the club as a director and – during great upheaval at the turn of the millennium – he would, not once, but twice, step in to help save the club and safeguard it from financial disaster.
Without his intervention, the near two-decades of success that followed may never have come to pass.
He is, unquestionably, one of the most important figures in our history and a true Jack.
The renaming of the Riverside Lounge is a nod to the old Mel Nurse Bar, which was situated by the North Bank at the club’s former Vetch Field home, with the sign for the renamed venue modelled on the original.
SWANS AND LEVY HOST TASTING SESSION FOR SUPPORTERS AT THE SWANSEA.COM STADIUM
Swansea City joined with Swansea.com Stadium catering provider, Levy, to invite a selection of supporters to a tasting evening ahead of the new season.
The tasting evening welcomed season ticket holders chosen at random and members of the matchday experience group to the Swansea Building Society Lounge in order to try out the brand new retail menu which included a twist on classic football staples such as hot dogs, chicken burgers and pies as well as completely new items such as Mac and Cheese.
As well as giving supporters the chance to provide feedback on the new menu – which is sustainably sourced and made almost entirely from Welsh produce – the event was also hosted by the stadium’s head chef Martyn Guest who explained a bit more about the thinking behind the menu.
“We wanted to get the fans engaged in what we’re doing and the changes we’re making,” explained Guest.
“It was important to get their thoughts so we had the tasting session which I think has been really successful.
“A lot of it was about showing the sustainability. We’ve got such quality food here in Wales, so one of the key things is that almost everything is Welsh.
“We’re moving a little bit away from pie, pie, pie – and I know it’s football and we love a pie and a pint – but we’re introducing a new chicken burger, a Bah-bah Bhaji wrap, and southern fried chicken with lattice fries. The feedback from the fans has been really good and that interaction has been really important.
“Another massive thing for us in Levy is sustainability and we’ll be delivering locally sourced produce from hospitality to the concourses.”
Among the supporters in attendance were east stand season ticket holders siblings Tom and Sophie Hughes.
“I think it’s good that we have the opportunity to be involved and have our say,” said Sophie.
“It’s a range of people and a diverse age range who have been able to come and give their opinions and talking directly to the head chef is brilliant. It means our opinions are being heard.
“I learned that they’re investing in getting cooks directly in the kiosks, so that they can give the same quality that we’ve had in the tasting sessions on a matchday in the concourse that’s something I’m impressed with.”
“It’s been nice to be more involved in the club,” added Tom who was invited due to his role within the matchday experience working group.
“It was nice to hear that all of the food is from Wales – that kind of surprised me, and it is good that the club is investing in Wales and companies in Wales.”
Formed in 1880 Preston were among the founder members of the Football League and won the first two top-flight titles in 1889 and 1890. North End are also two-time FA Cup winners with the first of those completing a double in the maiden EFL season.
That spell proved to be a golden era for the Lilywhites and it is success they have not found easy to replicate during their long history.
The Deepdale club have spent large parts of the post-Millennium period in the second tier of the Football League but have never played in the Premier League since it’s formation.
The closest the club came to promotion was in 2001 and 2005, when they suffered play-off final defeats to Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United respectively.
DEEPDALE
Built: 1875
Location: Sir Tom Finney Way, Preson, Lancashire
Capacity (Record): 23,408 (42,684)
Former Swansea assistant Mike Marsh is in charge of the visitors having been placed in caretaker charge following Lowe's departure.
The former midfielder and defender made over 100 appearances for Liverpool, and also played for West Ham and Coventry City in the top flight.
After making the switch to coaching, Marsh was part of Brendan Rodgers’ first-team coaching staff at Anfield, and went on to join David Wagner at Huddersfield before a move to the FA.
There he worked alongside Steve Cooper in helping England Under-17s win their World Cup in 2017, and went on to follow Cooper to SA1 in 2019.
The pair helped the Swans to reach the play-offs in successive seasons, before Marsh returned to his north-west roots by joining the coaching staff at Deepdale.
Midfielder Ben Whiteman has proved an impressive acquisition since his arrival from Doncaster in January of 2021 and has taken on the armband following Alan Browne's departure.
The former Manchester United and Sheffield United trainee made his senior bow for the Blades in 2014, and had loan spells with Mansfield and Doncaster before making his move to the latter permanent in the summer of 2018.
He wasted little time making a big impact at the Eco-Power Stadium, and he was named club captain at the age of just 23 such was his form and professionalism.
His showings put him on the radar of a number of Championship clubs, with Preston securing his signature.
A dynamic player with an eye for goal, he has been a real driving force for North End in time with the club.
There is a familiar figure to Swans fans in the Preston goal in the form of Freddie Woodman, who spent two successful seasons on loan in SA1 between 2019 and 2021 as the Swans narrowly missed out on a return to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs.
Having come through the academy ranks at Crystal Palace and Newcastle, Woodman - an under-20 World Cup winner with England - the gloveman had loan spells with Hartlepool, Crawley, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen before his stints with the Swans.
He won the Championship golden glove in his second season in SA1, and was in superb form for Preston in his first campaign with the club as he kept 17 clean sheets and was named the club's player of the season as he collected the Sir Tom Finney Award.
His second campaign was tougher, but Woodman - the son of Bromley manager Andy - is a proven Championship performer.
Brad Potts has been a stalwart for the Lilywhites since joining from Barnsley during the 2019 January transfer window.
The midfielder has shown himself to be a player with an eye for goal, and an ability to produce the spectacular.
Potts came through the ranks at Carlisle and went on to make 113 first-team appearances for the Brunton Park club before joining Blackpool, who he helped secure promotion via the League Two play-offs in 2017.
He also had Barnsley on course for promotion in 2019 before his move to Preston, for whom he has made 205 appearances and scored 17 goals.
Danish striker Emil Riis has had a tough spell following a serious knee injury, but will be hoping to get back to his dangerous best this season.
Riis was Preston's 17-goal topscorer during the 2021-22 season, but injuries stymied his progress, with a knee problem sidelining him for almost the entirety of 2023.
A flurry of six goals in seven appearances shortly after his return highlighted his goalscoring calibre and he will be keen to make up for lost time.
The former Randers striker is a hand full aerially at six foot three, but is capable of far more than playing as a target man.
Lawrence Vigouroux may be one of the older heads in the Swansea City squad, but the new goalkeeper’s eyes glint with a youthful enthusiasm when he talks about his desire to make the most of his Championship opportunity.
The 30-year-old joined the Swans from Burnley earlier this summer as he linked up once again with Luke Williams, having previously worked under the Swans boss during his time at Swindon.
Earlier in his career, Vigouroux was on the books of Tottenham, Liverpool and Brentford and was a highly-rated prospect.
However, with the aid of hindsight and wisdom that inevitably comes with maturity, the Chile youth international is honest enough to admit that his attitude and application were not what they could and should have been during that period.
Spells with Swindon, Waterford, Everton de Vina del Mar and Leyton Orient followed, and his outstanding three-year stint with the latter paved the way for a move to Premier League Burnley 12 months ago.
Now, he is getting his first exposure to the Championship, and it is a chance he is determined to seize.
“This is a really big opportunity for me, there’s no doubt about it,” he said.
“It has taken me a long time in my career to get back to this level, and I know I simply have to make the most of it.
“I am working with a coach who gives players so much confidence to express themselves on the pitch, and who I loved working with at Swindon.
“I also get to work with the England goalkeeping coach (Martyn Margetson) every day, so there are no excuses for me.
“I have got to work hard to prove myself and improve myself every day, there are really good goalkeepers here so, if I want to play regularly, I have got to be ready for that battle.
“We’ve got staff here who just want to work hard to help you and make you better, I am going to lean on them and try and play as many games as I can.
“I’m excited about the season ahead and giving it my best shot because, like I say, I’ve had to wait a long time to get back to this level and have this chance.”
Initially on the books at Brentford, Camden-born Vigouroux was snapped up by Tottenham and spent over two years with the White Hart Lane club across a period where Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood were the managers.
A switch to Liverpool – where former Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers was in charge at the time, followed, but as he looks back, Vigouroux knows he did not do himself justice at those clubs.
“When I was younger I had a reputation as being a good goalkeeper, I was up and coming and I think I took that reputation for granted,” he says.
“But that only gets you so far, and I was not the most professional guy when I was younger. I was sloppy, and you cannot be sloppy.
“It would be things like being a few minutes late for meetings of for training, and those things hamper you.
“I was not mature enough to recognise those things at the time, but sometimes you have to learn your lessons the hard way for them to hit home.
“I hope this is the case with me because how you are on a day-to-day basis, how you treat people and the respect you show to the people around you is incredibly important and I am better at those things now than I was then.”
His move to Swindon – initially on loan before a permanent switch – provided a reset of sorts for Vigouroux and he made a considerable impression at the County Ground.
His form also saw him included in the Chilean national squad – Vigouroux’s father hails from the south American nation – and it would be to that nation that he would head when he was released by Swindon.
But that experience proved a challenging one, as anti-government demonstrations saw the country’s league season curtailed, leaving Vigouroux in limbo.
“It’s been a long process to get me here, and working with Luke Williams again was one of the things driving it for me because of the time we spent together at Swindon,” he said.
“He gives me freedom and, the kind of goalkeeper that I am, that is really important because I don’t feel rigid. Tactically, he gives me really good pictures of what I am going to face and be up against.
“He is a big influence on how I see the game. He was assistant when I joined and them became the manager.
“I enjoyed at Swindon but, when I left there, I had nothing on the table in English football. I had been getting in the Chile squad during my last season but, because I had a bit of a reputation because of some the things I mentioned previously – and that was fair, I hold my hands up – there was nothing for me to stay in England, which was what I wanted to do.
“The chance to go to Everton in Chile came up, and I felt it was a good chance to try something new. But, not long after I got there, there was a lot of social unrest. There were demonstrations and, when you are 15 hours from home and things are happening that are new to you and you don’t fully understand, it was a bit scary.
“I was phoning home every day, but the club there were good and allowed me to come back to the UK even though I had a year on my contract. The season was cancelled and I had nothing planned but I felt it was best to head home.”
He would get the chance to return to England with Leyton Orient and he would enjoy three excellent seasons there.
Vigouroux helped them secure the League Two title in 2023 – playing alongside former Swan Darren Pratley. Vigouroux’s showings during that season saw him win the club’s player of the year prize – which he had previously won in 2021 and 2022 - the League Two Golden Glove award, and be named in the PFA and EFL teams of the year for the division.
“I heard about the chance to join them literally as I was landing from Chile,” he said.
“Ross Embleton, who had also been at Swindon, was the manager and he gave me a call.
“I signed there and it was a big turning point for me. After leaving Swindon I had been at rock bottom, and I told myself if I every got to play again in the English pyramid I had to grasp the chance with both hands.
“Those three years were so successful, I felt like I was in such a good place and I was able to get a move to the Premier League from a League Two title-winning side.
“That does not usually happen, and I got a year of working at that level every day, and now I am at a great club in Swansea. It’s a massive club and I have all these experiences I can call on, and I feel I am a better person for them.”
When Vigouroux joined the Swans, Williams spoke of the keeper’s bravery on the ball, an important facet of the game for a possession-based team.
And the stopper acknowledges the appeal of playing for a team with a clear identity.
“That was another reason I wanted to come here, because this is a club that is defined by the way they play,” he said.
“The fans appreciate the way the team plays, and as long as the team has the attitude to play that way them I am sure the fans will understand.
“That is really important, I want to be somewhere I can express myself but also be able to come up and make the big saves when they are needed in games.
“It’s the best of both worlds for a goalkeeper and I am really looking forward to it.”
Ar ôl haf hir yn llawn tywydd anrhagweladwy ac Ewro 2024 gwych a'r Gemau Olympaidd, mae pêl-droed clwb yn ôl.
Mae Abertawe’n chwarae o flaen eu cefnogwyr cartref am y tro cyntaf yn nhymor Pencampwriaeth 2024-25 heddiw wrth iddyn nhw groesawu tîm Preston North End sydd eisoes heb reolwr yn dilyn penderfyniad Ryan Lowe i adael y clwb dim ond pedwar diwrnod i mewn i’r tymor.
Mike Marsh fydd yn gyfrifol am yr ymwelwyr heddiw, ac mae’n ddyn mae’r Elyrch ond yn ei adnabod yn rhy dda yn dilyn ei gyfnod yn ne Cymru fel cynorthwyydd i Steve Cooper.
Mae angen dweud bod gêm agoriadol dydd Sadwrn yn erbyn Middlesbrough yn siom enfawr.
Roedd tîm Luke Williams ymhell oddi ar y cyflymder yn yr hanner cyntaf, a doedd hyd yn oed gwelliant bach yn yr ail hanner ddim yn ddigon i godi naws y cefnogwyr a wnaeth y daith hir i ogledd ddwyrain Lloegr.
Roedd buddugoliaeth nos Fawrth 3-1 dros Gillingham yn sicr wedi helpu i godi’r hwyliau, gyda Ronald, Liam Cullen ac Azeem Abdulai i gyd yn sgorio goliau i’r Elyrch.
Mae'n deg dweud y bydd gan Abertawe wythnosau olaf prysur yn ffenestr drosglwyddo'r haf, gyda dim ond pedwar llofnod newydd yn cyrraedd adeg cyhoeddi.
Mae'r Bencampwriaeth yn hir, ac yn caled. Yn syml, ni fydd carfan denau yn ymdopi â gofynion tymor o 46 gêm.
Diolch byth, mae wedi bod yn galonogol gweld chwaraewyr newydd Lawrence Vigouroux, Eom Ji-Sung, Goncalo Franco a Zan Vipotnik yn cael amser gêm yn gynnar yn eu gyrfaoedd yn Abertawe.
Bydd ganddyn nhw i gyd ran fawr i’w chwarae’r tymor hwn, ac yn dilyn siom Boro ddydd Sadwrn, fe fyddan nhw wir eisiau taro’r tir yn rhedeg heddiw yn erbyn tîm Preston sydd wedi cael eu paratoadau dros yr haf wedi’u chwythu ychydig ddyddiau i mewn i’r tymor newydd o ganlyniad ymadawiad Lowe.
Roedd form cartref cartref yn bryder mawr i’r Elyrch y tymor diwethaf, ac mae’n sicr yn rhywbeth y bydd Williams yn gobeithio mynd i’r afael ag ef y tro hwn.
Ar ol buddugoliaeth nos Fawrth, gallai gemau cartref gefn wrth gefn yn erbyn Preston a Caerdydd fod yn gatalydd i Abertawe tanio'r tymor newydd.
Byddai ychydig mwy o ychwanegiadau i’r garfan, tua phedwar yn ôl y prif hyfforddwr Williams ei hun, wedyn wir yn rhoi’r clwb mewn lle da i adeiladu o dan y dyn oedd wedi gorfod llywio’r Elyrch i ffwrdd o 'r tair safle isaf ar ôl ymuno o Notts County ym mis Ionawr.
Mae llawer iawn o waith i'w wneud, ar y cae ac oddi arno.
Byddai perfformiad a chanlyniad cadarnhaol y prynhawn yma yn mynd yn bell i setlo unrhyw nerfau cynnar gan gefnogwyr, tra hefyd yn codi’r hwyliau cyn gwrthdaro darbi yn gynnar yn y tymor gyda’r Adar Gleision.
Ian Mitchelmore
Welcome to our first home game of the 2024-25 campaign to all those reading. And for everyone at the Swansea.com Stadium, let’s hope we get to see a fantastic feast of football this afternoon.
Our visitors have made the long trip down from the north-west of England to south-west Wales and, like us, they will be looking for their first win of the new Championship season.
There’s no doubt when the fixtures are released that certain games spark more emotion than others and, for me, this is very much one of those matches that transports me back to the glory days of our club.
Anyone with an association to either Swansea City or Preston North End will be aware of the history we share and for us Jacks, particularly those of us of a certain vintage, there will always be that match - Deepdale on May 2, 1981 – the game that gave us promotion to the top-flight of English football for the very first time.
Every time our two clubs meet, home or away, I’m transported back to what, for me, will always be the best days of my life as a football fan. The excitement I felt that day and the journey to get there shaped my childhood and, by default, my adult life in ways I could never explain.
Promotion was the icing on the cake and a 3-1 win over Preston made that possible. From the old Fourth Division to the First Division in four years, that experience was something else.
Of course, 43 years later (how did that happen?!) so much has changed, yet so much stays the same.
As football fans the insatiable desire for our club to do well, to thrive not just survive, never leaves us.
Players, coaches, owners, directors all come and go but, as fans, once a club is in your blood, it becomes a part of you and an unbreakable bond is formed. The will to win and progress is constant, and we inadvertently sign ourselves up to a lifetime of riding an emotional rollercoaster!
The Lilywhites arrive in Swansea following the departure of Ryan Lowe just one game into the season and the man in charge of the visitors this afternoon is a familiar face in these parts. Mike Marsh was assistant to Steve Cooper from 2019-2021 before joining Lowe at Preston.
And someone else we know well is goalkeeper Freddie Woodman. He played a significant role in our side during two loan spells with us at the same time as Marsh.
Like thousands of others, they are part of the history of our club and no doubt have fond memories of their time with us.
This afternoon though, sentiment is put aside, and the business of winning is what matters. Let’s get behind Luke Williams and the boys from the get-go and practice being loud and proud in SA1 because next Sunday we’re back again - and it’s the big one.
Julie Kissick
CLUB NEWS
with Richard Morris, Head of Commercial
In a new feature in this season's matchday programme, club staff from across various departments will share updates from their teams and outline the work they do for Swansea City. Our first club notes of the season are penned by Richard Morris, Swansea City's head of commercial.
Since joining the club in February last year, I have been taken aback by the strong sense of community and support of important charitable initiatives in the local area. Our ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign, which raised valuable funds for Maggie's, highlighted just what can be achieved when we collaborate, with the Jack Army, players, staff and commercial partners all contributing to a successful and impactful campaign.
This season the club has announced the Swansea Bay Health Charity Cwtsh Clos Appeal as our charity partner of the year. It’s another fantastic cause, and we hope to make some headway into their £160,000 fundraising target, which would refurbish five homes away from home for families with sick and tiny babies in Singleton Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Upon hearing Mal Pope share his experience, and the important role Cwtsh Clos played in supporting his family, I felt compelled and inspired to play my part and show my support. I will be running 5km every day, during the 2024-25 EFL season – that’s 1,335km in 267 days, perhaps with a bit left in the tank for a play-off run!
There’s no doubt that everything from my waist down will hurt, but that's nothing in comparison to what the children and parents go through in their time of need, and I'm sure that our community will pull together and get behind this important cause.
We are starting to consider how we might mark some of those key dates in the footballing calendar, perhaps with some group runs, with more details to follow. In advance of that, if anybody would like to join me for a 5km, you’re more than welcome!
The start of a new season is always an exciting time.
There’s so much to look forward to. New players, new kit, new opponents – this year we’ve even got new floodlights!
Unfortunately, today’s visitors have been in the spotlight for other reasons as they are currently looking for a new manager after just one game.
We wish them well in their search and better fortunes for the rest of the season – other than today, of course, and for the return match at Deepdale.
As far as the Swans are concerned, I’m excited by the new players we’ve brought in so far, and hopeful there will be more fresh faces to welcome to the city before the end of the transfer window.
I’m sure the whole Jack Army will join me in welcoming the new players to the club and offering our support to all of them as they bed themselves in.
It can’t be easy coming to a new club, especially when you are joining from another country and a different culture, so let’s do all we can do make our new players feel as at home as possible.
The new kits those players will be wearing will always divide opinion and I can be as critical as anyone about them.
But for the second season running, I like all three kits, but particularly the home one.
I’m something of a traditionalist, so the fewer frills on the home shirt the better, as far as I’m concerned. The designers can be as creative as they want with the away strips!
I’m sure those crisp white jerseys will look particularly good under our new floodlights! And I like the nod to the past with the orange trim which harks back to our 1960s kits.
Talking of tradition, it’s fantastic to see a safe standing area at the Swansea.com Stadium for the first time.
Many of us will have watched our first football matches from terracing back in the day.
Standing up at football matches would have been all many fans knew until the introduction of all-seater stadiums.
Apart from a school trip to watch a schoolboy international and once sneaking into the top tier of the ‘Double Decker’ for a Welsh Cup tie, I never sat in the Vetch Field stands.
At grounds like the Vetch, the vast majority of supporters would have been standing at every match. Having to sit at the football came as something of a culture shock for many of us.
Don’t get me wrong, I was fully supportive of the move to all-seater stadiums in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. It was sad to see terraces being replaced, but the reason behind it was genuinely tragic.
We must always remember why seated stadiums were seen to be a necessity. So, it’s vitally important the privilege which has been returned to fans is not abused.
In the words of Elton John, if we want to be ‘still standing’ let’s make sure we don’t do anything to endanger that privilege.
If all goes well, hopefully the safe standing area can be expanded in future if there is a demand for it.
Another hugely welcome introduction this season, which will particularly please the old fogeys like me, is the re-naming of the Riverside Lounge.
The term “club legend” is sometimes bandied about way too freely these days.
But in Mel Nurse’s case, it almost isn’t enough to sufficiently describe his place in this club’s history.
In fact, the club’s history may have been significantly shorter than it currently is, if it wasn’t for Nurse’s monumental contribution to securing its future.
Nurse was one of the famous five residents of Alice Street, four of whom went on to play for the Swans and Wales, whilst the other – John Charles - never played a senior game for the Swans, but became a legend for Leeds United, Juventus and Wales.
Nurse’s playing career was enough to secure his legendary status with the Swans on its own.
In two playing spells at the club, separated by a stint at Middlesborough, the man who would eventually be known as ‘Mr Swansea’ played more than 250 times for the Swans and was capped 12 times by his country.
After hanging up his boots, Nurse had an even greater influence on the club’s fortunes.
With the club’s future under genuine threat, Nurse - who had become a successful businessman - twice stepped up to help save the Swans when they were on the brink of bankruptcy.
In 2001, he re-mortgaged all his businesses to underwrite the club's debts.
Ten years later, the Swans were promoted to the Premier League, where they spent seven seasons.
Nurse was honoured with the freedom of the city in recognition of his service to the club and the community.
Now the club, with the support of the Former Players’ Association and the Supporters’ Trust, has decided to re-name and refurbish The Riverside Lounge in Nurse’s name.
The signage for the venue is also a nod to the past as it is based on the sign that used to grace the old ‘Mel Nurse Bar’, which was situated at the back of the North Bank at Vetch Field.
The old bar wasn’t the most salubrious of watering holes by today’s standards, but when it was first opened it was a big step up on the previous offerings available for North Bank regulars. It had a roof, for a start!
A visit to the ‘Mel Nurse Bar’ quickly became a part of the pre-match routine for many North Bank regulars and I’m sure the new version will prove to be equally popular.
More importantly, it will continue to inextricably link Nurse’s name with the club he has done so much to serve, support and protect.
C’mon you Swans!
The 2024-25 campaign marks Swansea City’s 20th season at the Swansea.com Stadium following the ground’s opening in 2005. Throughout the coming campaign, club historian Gwyn Rees will reflect on some of the notable moments and personalities that have shaped the history of our home. We start of with the first competitive fixture here, against Tranmere Rovers.
August 6, 2005 – Swansea City 1 Tranmere Rovers 0
It had felt like a long time coming, but finally the big day had arrived.
Swansea City were set to play their first competitive game at their shiny new stadium, and there was plenty of reason for optimism.
Under Kenny Jackett the Swans had secured promotion from League Two in their final season at the beloved Vetch Field and, with their new home completed at a reported cost of £27million, Landore would play host to Swansea City after 93 years in the city centre.
Prior to this opening weekend clash, there had been two friendlies played at the ground. One had been a testimonial for club great Alan Curtis against Fulham and the visit of another Premier League club in Blackburn Rovers.
But the clash with a fancied Tranmere side was the true start of the new era. The visitors – managed by former Aston Villa and Leicester City boss Brian Little – boasted the likes of ex-Liverpool captain Jason McAteer and Wales international Gareth Roberts in their squad and many pundits had them as promotion contenders.
But the Swans made all the early running in an electric atmosphere. Debutant Adebayo Akinfenwa had a shot at goal inside 30 seconds, while Lee Trundle had an effort cleared by Paul Lanwood as it looked destined for the net.
The visitors started to settle but the Swans were good value for the breakthrough, which arrived after half an hour. Sam Ricketts found Trundle, and the striker’s cross was powered into the net by Akinfenwa.
Rovers responded strongly and had a chance to level nine minutes later when Ricketts was adjudged to have impeded Calvin Zola in the area, but McAteer’s poor spot-kick was saved by Willy Gueret.
But there was more drama to come before the interval as the Swans missed a penalty as Trundle saw his effort saved by John Achtenberg after being brought down in the box.
The second half saw Garry Monk unable to shake off a thigh injury and be replaced by Alan Tate, with Ricketts moving to the left off the defence and Kevin Austin switching to the middle.
The visitors were more positive after the break and Gueret made a fine save to deny Chris Greenacre, while Iain Hume also went close to a leveller.
The Swans were struggling to find any rhythm in their play, but were grateful that the visitors were wasteful in attack.
With time running out Trundle should have made sure of the points but, having broken clear of a flat-footed defence to round the keeper, he pulled his shot wide.
Adrian Forbes also went close with a strike from distance that was tipped over the bar, but it did not matter as the three points were secured on an historic night for the club.
First football shirt: Newcastle United
First football game: Celtic vs Hearts. Can’t remember the year!
First football club: Jimmy Johnstone FC
First appearance for Swansea City/or Pro appearance? August 9, 2022 – Oxford United in the Carabao Cup
First football hero: Cristiano Ronaldo
First major tournament you can remember: World Cup 2010.
Guest one: Kevin Hart – I think he’s hilarious, he’d have us all laughing.
Guest two: Adam Sandler – I think I’ve seen every Adam Sandler film. He is one of my favourite actors.
Guest three: David Beckham – his football stories would be unreal, and he was one of the best.
Swansea City Academy have added defender Zac Jeanes to their ranks following a successful trial, subject to international clearance.
Jeanes puts pen to paper on a two-year deal with an option of an additional 12 months, keeping him at the club until at least June 2026.
The 18-year-old joins from Worthing FC following the expiration of his registration, after joining the club in July 2023. Jeanes had a previous stint at Horsham YMCA.
He was a regular for the National League South's under-18' side, and featured on the bench for the first team on numerous occasions.
Head of academy recruitment Paul Compton said: "Zac had been brought to my attention whilst he was at Worthing.
"I'm a firm believer that there is a lot of undiscovered talent in non-league football. I went to watch him play for Worthing Under-18s, and he did very well.
"When he came in on trial, he was everything about the way we play. He's got good ball management and likes to go forward.
"He's never been in the academy system, and I'm sure he'll be a great asset to Swansea City."
Swansea City Under-18s had to settle for a point after a thrilling contest against Peterborough United in their first home Professional Development League fixture.
Striker Harvey Gray got his second goal in as many games, whilst Ramon Rees-Siso bagged a brace for the hosts.
The visitors twice came from behind, before taking the lead through Andre Chungunda in the 87th minute, but Rees-Siso' free-kick rescued a point for the Swans in stoppage time.
Coach Jarred Harvey had fielded a youthful squad with Gray, 14-year-old Alex Godfrey and Kai Rhodes named in the starting XI, whilst Alfie Jones, Carter Heywood, Bobo Evans, Kaven Bloniarczyk and Elis Thomas made up the bench.
The Swans started brightly, Rhodes burst into space down the left-hand side and delivered for Rees-Siso, whose effort was deflected out for a corner.
Rhodes was soon involved again as he received a brilliant ball from Osian Williams, but Posh’s Thomas Unwin made a crucial intervention as Rhodes looked to pick out Rees-Siso in the box.
However, Swansea opened the scoring with 15 minutes played, Gray finishing from close range after being teed up by an Aidan Higgins lay-off.
The Swans controlled possession but needed Sam Seager to save when Max Beech looked to take advantage of a scramble in the box.
Seager was tested again moments later, Bolu Shofuwoke picked his way into the area and forced the Swans stopper to parry his effort away for a corner.
But the equaliser did arrive when Changunda broke into space and teed up Joe Davies to rifle a strike into the net.
The scores were level for barely three minutes before Swansea re-established their lead, Rees-Siso picking the ball up to curl a wonderful strike over Benjamin Westcott and give the home side the interval lead.
Peterborough came out of the blocks quickly at the start of the second half, Changunda and Shofuwoke both having close-range shots blocked.
And the Posh did bring the themselves back level within five minutes of the restart. Davies again finding the net with a long-distance strike.
The play continued to sweep from end to end, but the visitors had the next big chances as Shofuwoke went clean through on goal only for Seager to make a crucial save, before Evans saw his effort from distance parried by Westscott.
Boro's Changunda and Shofuwoke continued to cause problems for the Swansea defence, and they combined to help the visitors take the lead as the latter tapped in with just three minutes remaining.
But Rees-Siso stepped up in stoppage time to dispatch an excellent free-kick into the net and ensure the spoils were shared.
Swansea City Under-18s: Sam Seager, Billy Clarke, Callum Deacon, Milo Robinson (Kaven Bloniarczyk 75), Brogan Popham, Osian Williams (Carter Heywood 75), Aidan Higgins, Alex Godfrey (Alfie Jones 60), Harvey Gray (Bobo Evans 60), Ramon Rees-Siso, Kai Rhodes.
Substitutes: Elis Thomas.
Four second-half goals got Swansea City's Under-21s' Professional Development League campaign off to a flying start with victory over Crewe Alexandra at Landore.
Glory Nzingo netted a 15-minute hat-trick, with last term's under-18s' topscorer Thomas Woodward also getting on the scoresheet for the hosts.
Second-year scholars Jacob Cook, Iestyn Jones and Woodward were named in the starting XI. Ramon Rees-Siso, Callum Deacon, Milo Robinson and Billy Clarke - who were all involved in the under-18s' victory over Barnsley at the weekend - were named among the substitutes.
The opening stages proved even with both sides enjoying good spells of possession.
The first chance went Swansea's way when Harry Jones and Seb Dabrowski worked space in the visiting defence before finding Nzingo, whose effort was well held by Mikolia Cenarik.
Harry Jones was soon involved again. Woodward's neatly cut the ball across to the defender, who unselfishly returned the pass to tee up the 17-year-old in the box, but the final strike as straight at the keeper.
Woodward tested the Crewe defence again moments later, but the visitors got bodies around the ball to block his final effort.
The visitors lifted the pressure and appealed for a penalty following a Filip Lissah challenge in the area, but the referee quickly waved away the appeals.
Crewe keeper Cenarik was soon back in action again as he denied Liam Smith and Nzingo in quick succession, before Mitchell Bates rattled the woodwork after racing on to Cook's lofted pass.
It was somehow goalless at the break, but it was not long before the Swans broke the deadlock as Nzingo latched onto a ball down the left and drove infield to curl a fine strike into the net.
Just four minutes later and the forward would grab another goal. The Irishman was left unmarked at a Swans corner, and smashed a finish straight down the middle from inside the box.
The Swans were firmly on top, with chances coming thick and fast for Woodward and Smith. But Nzingo would soon complete his hat-trick, again cutting inside the area to beat a handful of Crewe defenders and curl the ball over Cenarik's despairing dive.
Woodward went on to round off the scoring after a scramble in the box ended with the striker prodding home.
The visitors had a decent spell after that goal, although without ever truly causing concern for Evan Watts in the Swansea goal as the hosts started the new campaign in fine style.
Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Watts, Harry Jones, Iestyn Jones, Jacob Cook, Filip Lissah, Arthur Parker, Liam Smith, Mitchell Bates (captain), Thomas Woodward, Glory Nzingo, Sebastian Dabrowski.
Substitutes: Ramon Rees-Siso, Sam Seager, Callum Deacon, Milo Robinson, Billy Clarke.
Friday (August 16) marks one year since Swansea City Women became a semi-professional side. Here we hear from some of the club's key figures on the changes over the last 12 months, and the plans for the future.
The move was an important first step in growing the women's game in south-west Wales, as part of a commitment to inspire and provide real opportunities for the next generation of girls in our local community to play football, while raising standards at the senior level.
The change in status saw the Swans formally brought under the club's umbrella, while 16 players were signed to semi-professional contracts.
This brought changes such as the additional amount of time available to the side for training, an increase in access to facilities at Swansea City’s training grounds, and improvements to matchday amenities and necessities.
The Swans would go on to finish second in the Genero Adran Premier during the 2023-24 season. They brought an end to eventual champions Cardiff City Women’s 18-month unbeaten run in the league, as well as reaching the final and semi-final of the Adran Trophy and Bute Energy Welsh Cup respectively.
Another key development was the appointment of the club's first head of women’s football, with Alice Weekes joining Swansea City in March.
Weekes is a matter of months into her role, but is excited by the work that has been done so far, and feels the previous campaign has given the side a clear focus ahead of the new season.
“The first year was partly learning about what being semi-professional looks like and outlining what it means and what it feels like for a lot of the players,” said Weekes.
“That has given us quite a clear focus on what actions we need to take moving forward to support them.
“We’ve started taking a lot of those actions already but there is a lot more we can do this year and everyone is feeling really positive about the season ahead.
“The programme has become a lot more aligned with the club as a whole, with things like medical provisions, strength and conditioning, nutrition, that is all coming under the club umbrella and we are getting a lot more support from the club as a whole.
“We’ve introduced some analysis technology so that we can review training and matches, which is going to help us make big steps forward next season.
“On pitch success is what we are striving for, (first-team manager) Jamie Sherwood has come in with vast experience across the women’s game, he’s brought in Yzzy Taylor as his assistant, so we have two brilliant coaches who have incredible pedigree.
“In terms of the longer-term strategy and where we want to be in three to five years’ time, that is something that we will be looking at over the coming months. We have already made an important step when it comes to starting to put in place a pathway for younger players to represent the club and help their development.
“We want to become more aligned with the club, and playing more games at the stadium is a big goal for this season and beyond.”
Captain Katy Hosford acknowledged there were challenges to overcome with the change in status, but is confident those experiences will only be beneficial moving forward.
“It’s been a challenging first year, but it’s been really positive as well,” said Hosford.
“I think it was a year of learning for everybody, we’ve learned a lot from 2023-24 and hopefully we can take that into the new season.
“We are a lot more comfortable with semi-professional status now, and hopefully we can continue building on what was done last year.
“Going from amateur to semi-professional, there is more expected of you, which has been a challenge but the players have adapted really well.
“The professionalism has been one of the biggest changes for us, the standards and expectations for all of us, not just when we are in training or in matches but in your free time, too.
“I think that is something we’ve gotten better at, what we do in our own time obviously helps us on the pitch, but there is a lot we’ve learned, it was a big transition and it’s looking a lot more positive this year.
“We’ve had more contact time, we’ve got used to using the gym at Landore, being together more has helped us push on the field, but I think we’ve all got really high standards, we know we underachieved the year before.
“It was great to reach a semi-final and a final, finishing second as well, but we know that isn’t good enough and hopefully we can improve on that this year."
And Hosford believes Weekes' appointment has been a very positive step that is already making an impact.
“Alice has made a massive difference for us, she’s our point of contact as players, if we need anything we can contact her, and she’s always there for training and at matches," added the forward.
“She is someone who can push the game forward, not just in Swansea but in Wales, she’s already started to do that in the few months she’s been here, starting with our younger girls’ teams all the way to our women’s side.
“She is making a huge difference and it’s a really positive change for the football club.”
Swansea City recently announced the introduction of under-15 and under-13 sides ahead of the new campaign, a step towards increasing opportunities for young players.
Weekes is excited about what this will mean for Swansea City Women and beyond, hoping it can inspire change.
“We want to have the best talent from the local area coming through our system, so from a young age we want to keep those girls at Swansea and hopefully see them play for the first team," she said.
“Beyond that, the bigger picture is to increase opportunities for girls to play football, I think that is somewhere we can make a big impact through and be proud of.
“If that means that more girls get the chance to pull on the Swansea shirt, I see that as a success no matter what happens on the pitch.”
An audio commentary service is available for blind and partially sighted fans – provided by Radio City, the Swansea University Health Board Hospital Radio Service.
Radio City has a long association with the football club dating back to the days when the club was known as Swansea Town.
Since moving to the Swansea.com Stadium, the broadcaster has provided a live descriptive commentary service for free at all Swansea home matches, meaning that blind and partially-sighted supporters in both the home and away ends can follow the action.
In order to book a headset for the match, supporters can contact the accessibility team in advance by emailing accessibility@swanseacity.com, or contacting the ticket office from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm by calling 01792 616629 and selecting option one.
Supporters can also book headsets in person in advance at the ticket office, or on the day by speaking to a Disability Liaison Steward on the day.
To learn more about Radio City, visit www.radiocity1386am.co.uk. To learn more about accessible facilities at the stadium, please click here.
The inclusion room at the Swansea.com Stadium is open every matchday for supporters who may require a quiet space during games.
Supporters will be able to attend live matches at the Swansea.com Stadium with the comfort of knowing there is a designated area should they need it. The room is available to any supporter that may require a quiet space.
The space will be monitored by a designated disability liaison steward and provides a safe space with a disabled toilet, a projector to watch the live game, and dignity packs for those who need it.
While some supporters who require a time away from the crowds may prefer to use this room as a quiet space, it will also be possible to watch the match live on a screen projected onto the wall meaning supporters who require the space for any reason don’t have to miss a moment of the match action.
The room is located in the West Stand and, while supporters who feel they may benefit from the use of the space will be recommended to sit in that stand, it will be accessible for anyone in any part of the stadium.
Any supporter who feels overwhelmed by the matchday environment for any reason can gain access to the room by making themselves known to a steward or disability liaison steward.
Welcome back, Junior Jacks!
We hope you’ve had an amazing summer, and you’re looking forward to our first home match of the season against Preston North End this afternoon.
We saw lots of you at the open day and we hope you had a great time. We really enjoyed it and it was great to see so many of you even if it was a bit too hot for swans!
Cyril and I prefer the rain!
Tuesday’s game was great too and we enjoyed sending our friends to select a few supporters from the stands to take part in the guard of honour – we hope everyone who took part enjoyed it.
For this season’s first matchday programme Junior Jacks quiz – we test your knowledge of new signing Eom Ji-sung.
Uppa Swans!
Cyril and Cybil
Head Coach Luke Williams
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
3 Kristian Pedersen
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango
6 Harry Darling
7 Joe Allen
8 Matt Grimes ©
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
11 Josh Ginnelly
14 Josh Tymon
17 Gonçalo Franco
20 Liam Cullen
21 Nathan Tjoe-A-On
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
26 Kyle Naughton
29 Nathan Broome
31 Ollie Cooper
35 Ronald
37 Aimar Govea
40 NUMBER RETIRED
41 Sam Parker
42 Evan Watts
43 Dan Watts
44 Josh Thomas
47 Azeem Abdulai
50 Filip Lissah
Interim Head Coach Mike Marsh
1 Freddie Woodman
4 Ben Whiteman ©
5 Jack Whatmough
6 Liam Lindsay
7 Will Keane
8 Ali McCann
9 Emil Riis
10 Mads Frokjaer
11 Robbie Brady
12 Ched Evans
13 David Cornell
14 Jordan Storey
16 Andrew Hughes
17 Layton Stewart
18 Ryan Ledson
20 Sam Greenwood
21 James Pradic
22 Stefan Thordarson
25 Duane Holmes
28 Milutin Osmajic
29 Kaine Kesler-Hayden
30 Kian Taylor
31Theo Mawene
32 Kacper Pasiek
33 Kian Best
35 Noah Mawene
36 Josh Seary
44 Brad Potts
Referee - Stephen Martin
Assistant Referee 1 - Mark Dwyer
Assistant Referee 2 - Carl Fitch-Jackson
Fourth Official - Tom Reeves
STAFF LIST
Chairman - Andy Coleman
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis MBE
Directors
Jason Levien, Andy Coleman, Nigel Morris, Brett Cravatt, Jake Silverstein, Martin Morgan, Paul Meller (supporter director), Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Heinrich, Todd Marcelle, Gareth Davies.
Chief of Staff and Head of Strategy: Ken Gude
Associate Directors: Diane Hughes
FIRST-TEAM STAFF
Head Coach - Luke Williams
Assistant Head Coach - Ryan Harley
Assistant Head Coach – Alan Sheehan
Head of Goalkeeping – Martyn Margetson
First Team Coach Analyst - George Lawtey
First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary
Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey
Staff: Ailsa Jones, Bethany Chaddock, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Jake Dayus, Patrick Orme, Aden King, Maxwell Cambridge, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP
Paul Watson (Sporting Director);
Andrew Davies (Head of Operations);
Gareth Davies (CFO).
CLUB STAFF
Head of Football Administration: Ben Greenwood
Head of Women's Football: Alice Weekes
Football Operations & Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Commercial: Richard Morris
Head of Marketing: Katie Doyle
Head of Partnerships: Lee Merrells
Head of Hospitality: Catherine Thomas
Head of Retail: Andrea Morris
Head of Ticketing: Lewis Bullen
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Head of Facilities: Gordon David
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Head of Supporter Services: Hayley Ford
Head of Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle
PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Contributors: Andrew Gwilym, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Jack Otter, Sophie Davis, Dom Hynes, Sammy Wynne, Fraser Dickson, Hayley Ford, Julie Kissick, Owen Morgan, Ian Mitchelmore, Gwyn Rees.
Designers: Callum Rothwell,
Jordan Morcom.
Photography: Athena Picture Agency,
Natalie John-Davis, Alamy.