The holiday season is a time for reflection, gratitude, and celebration, and I am incredibly grateful for the unwavering support you have shown our team throughout the year.
This festive period has been particularly special as we have been working hard on our charity initiative - a Week of Giving. The full week of work in and around the community to help those who need us most, has once again been a tremendous success, bringing joy and support to many. From food drives to charity events, the generosity and spirit of our fans and players have made a significant impact.
It is heartwarming to see the Swansea City family come together to make a difference in the lives of those around us.
I am also pleased to share some fantastic news with you all. Our very own defender and Welsh international, Ben Cabango, has committed his future to the club by signing a new contract that will keep him with the Swans until 2028.
Ben's dedication, talent, and passion for Swansea City is inspiring, and we are excited to see him continue to grow and contribute to our success in the coming years.
Thank you for your continued support and for being the heartbeat of this club!
Wishing you all a belated Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Andy
Hello and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for this Boxing Day fixture against Queens Park Rangers.
I hope you all enjoyed the Christmas festivities with your friends, families and loved ones and that you continue to make the most of the festive period.
As a club we have already had one particularly good Christmas present with the news that Ben Cabango has signed a new contract through to the summer of 2028.
Ben is an outstanding defender and has been enjoying an excellent season for us. He is a warrior but is also so important in how we build up in attack, and I am grateful to everyone involved in ensuring one of our academy products - and a Wales international - will be a Swan for a number more years.
This is undoubtedly a special time of year in the football calendar, which creates its own demands for players and coaches with a number of games in a very short timeframe, but is one we all love being a part of because of our own memories of watching football over Christmas and New Year.
We had training on Christmas Day as we prepared for this game, but that is something we are all used to, and we did manage to have a squad Christmas dinner last week, prepared by head chef Chris Watkins and his team, and it was greatly enjoyed by all.
We want to make sure you are entertained by your team over this home double header that rounds out 2024, and hopefully with the right performance and result we can spread some festive cheer of our own.
But, if we are to do that, we know we are going to have to be an awful lot better than we were against Hull at the weekend.
There is no getting away from it, the performance was poor and we did not deserve to get anything out of that game.
I had talked in the build-up to the game about the different pressures that football can throw at you. For instance, we had been on a very good run against the teams sitting below us in the table, so the challenge was for us to try and continue that against an opponent motivated by the appointment of a new manager.
We started poorly and, although we could easily have come away with a draw, I just don’t think our performance would have merited that.
We know we have to do better and I am confident we will against a QPR side who have been on an improving run of form, and who I feel have been in a false position in the table so far this season.
Off the field, I also want to say how much the players and I enjoyed being part of the club’s Christmas Week of Giving, which aims to bring some Christmas cheer to those who may be facing a difficult time during the festive season.
We pride ourselves on being a community club, and being part of this range of events and initiatives underlines the positive impact Swansea City can make in our home region.
Enjoy the game,
Luke
On behalf of all of us at the Swans Trust I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our members, supporters and their friends and families our very best wishes over the festive period.
As is traditional in football at this time of year, games are coming at us rapidly and I’m sure Luke Williams is going to have to call upon the majority of his squad to really step up over the next couple of weeks as we look to bounce back from the disappointing performance up in Hull last weekend.
On the flip side it was a boost to learn on Christmas Eve that a new contract had been agreed with Ben Cabango. This comes after many weeks of speculation and it’s great to see Ben commit himself to the club again for the next few years.
Today we welcome QPR to the Swansea.com Stadium for our Boxing Day fixture. It’ll be another tough encounter as they are on a really good run of form that’s seen them move well away from the bottom three over the past few weeks.
That said there always seems a slightly different atmosphere at matches this time of the year, where families and friends meeting up to come along to a game or two is often part of that tradition. I really hope that can inspire the team to get back playing on the front foot again and leave us all feeling optimistic as we head towards 2025.
There’s certainly been no lack of drama or goals in recent games at the Swansea.com Stadium. While it was back on Bonfire Night we last picked up 3 points here, we’ve seen a further 16 goals in home encounters since then.
While that may be exciting to some, I struggle at times to look beyond the importance of those 3 points and the impact that has in and around the stadium, not just to our supporters but everyone else who is involved with the Swans. That’s probably not healthy for any of us but I suppose it’s just one of the reasons why we love – and sometimes hate – football.
Does age have any relevance when it comes to how Swans results can have such an impact on some of us? Quite possibly, as the last few home games haven’t seemed to dim the enthusiasm of my 13-year-old son, who came out with quite a revealing statement as we were leaving the stadium after the frustrating loss to Sunderland the other week.
As I was trying hard to come to terms with losing a game we were winning 2-0, he said to me: “It’s fine Dad. I know we lost but I really enjoyed it. And I also enjoyed all the other home games we’ve been too recently because they are fun to come to again.”
Being honest, that was so refreshing to hear as earlier in the season when we were struggling to score there were times he’d be quite happy giving our home games a miss and that isn’t what supporting your team is all about. It shouldn’t become a chore or coming along purely out of a sense of duty.
A similar story happened a few weeks previously when I arranged for my local junior football club to take up the offer of the club’s excellent grassroots ticketing offer. Eleven children came down for the seven-goal encounter against Leeds, many for the first time ever to watch the Swans. Again, I was devastated with how we lost, but I got so many messages afterwards to say what an amazing day they’d all had and that they were already looking forward to “next time”.
These instances remind me of when I started coming down to the Vetch as a 12-year-old way back in the 1970s, very often on a Friday evening. I would just look forward to and enjoy absolutely everything about it – win, lose or draw – plus, of course, the obligatory call back for pie, chips and gravy in Pontarddulais before the long journey home.
Am I being melodramatic in that going along to matches in these more sanitised and opinionated times has lost some of that appeal?
So, do we sometimes need to reflect that it’s not all about results, which so many of us hang our weekends upon? It’s more than that for our upcoming generation of supporters. It’s about the anticipation, goals being scored and being in an environment where supporters come together and create an atmosphere like nothing else.
That’s when you realise why football is such a huge part of our lives from the very first games we go to as youngsters right up to when we become old enough to come along with our own family and their children, especially around this time of year.
My lad is now pestering me to go to another away game in the next few weeks. In my view, our supporters are among the very best in the Championship for the atmosphere they generate. The fixture list and inconsiderate TV scheduling gives little or no acknowledgement to the difficulties endured by our travelling fans, so we felt it only right to offer a £10 discount for our supporters travelling by official coach to the Portsmouth game on New Year’s Day, more details of that offer are outlined HERE.
This is just one part of what the Supporters’ Trust aims to do behind the scenes to represent the interests of all fans.
We are now looking forward to the New Year where we can update supporters on some of our heritage themed projects and the outcome of the most recent Matchday Experience Working Group meeting, which are now held every two months to discuss all aspects of matchdays.
Also, please keep a look out for the imminent release of our latest strategy document for our Trust members to provide their feedback on.
Here’s to another exciting match v QPR but hopefully one where we can take all three points – if only to keep Dad happy!
Dave
Swansea City AFC is delighted to announce that defender and Wales international Ben Cabango has signed a new contract, committing his future to the club until the summer of 2028.
The 24-year-old Wales international’s previous deal had been due to expire at the end of the season, but his new terms extend his stay with the Swans, which stretches back to when he first joined the club at 14 years old.
Ben has made 206 appearances for the Swans, and has skippered the club at every level he has featured at during his journey from the academy to the senior team.
Swansea City AFC Foundation took participants from their Premier League Kicks session in Newtown to The New Saints’ Europa Conference League fixture against Panathinaikos.
Premier League Kicks offers almost 3,000 participants across south and mid-Wales the opportunity to take part in free football sessions on a weekly basis.
The programme has also given multiple participants the opportunity to see Swansea City in action.
But, with Newtown over two hours away from the Swansea.com Stadium, the Foundation took the opportunity for participants to see a game a little closer to home.
The New Saints were in action as part of their Europa Conference League campaign at Shrewsbury Town’s Croud Meadow, just 50 minutes from the venue for their weekly sessions.
Premier League Kicks coach Jamie Bessant leads the weekly sessions in Newtown, and felt it was a great experience for the young participants.
“It’s a really great opportunity for them to be able to see European football so close to where they are from,” said Bessant.
“It’s great to see a Welsh side taking part in games like these against high-level European sides, I remember when Swansea City were taking part in the Europa League and it was just incredible to see.
“I don’t think any of them would expect to be able to see European football so close to home, so to be able to give them that chance is really great.”
Swansea City head coach Luke Williams and lounge host Mal Pope joined with Joe Allen, Josh Key and Josh Tymon to show support for the Swansea Bay Health Charity Cwtsh Clos appeal Christmas Memory Tree campaign.
The Swans partnered with Cwtsh Clos - the club's charity of the year - to host a Christmas Memory Tree in the club shop.
The memory tree gives people who have sadly lost loved ones – particularly those who have lost children in infancy – to remember them this Christmas with a personalised bauble which will hang on the tree.
The wooden baubles were designed and created by Stephen Hughes of Grumpies Crafts. He donated them free of charge to the campaign as the charity is one that is close to his heart. His granddaughter Eryn's bauble hangs on the tree.
Supporters and those across the community who wish to have one of the baubles are asked to make a suggested minimum donation of £3 to the charity before ordering.
Baubles are still available to order via the link below and in-person at the club shop until January 4 (the day of Swansea City's home match against West Bromwich Albion). All baubles will be sent out once the tree is removed from the shop, so supporters can keep them for years to come.
As part of a new feature in our digital matchday programme for the 2024-25 campaign, we are calling on all Swans fans to share their memories and experiences of supporting the club by submitting your stories and pictures. We will publish a selection over the course of the season, and you can share your stories with us through the link below.
CHRISTMAS WEEK OF GIVING | SWANS STARS SPREAD CHRISTMAS CHEER WITH MORRISTON HOSPITAL VISIT
Swansea City stars made a special visit to Morriston Hospital to meet young patients and spread some early Christmas cheer.
Players from the Swans’ men's and women's teams spent time chatting with children in Ward M, Oakwood Ward and the Paediatric Assessment Unit, and also delivered some festive toys as an extra treat.
Wales international Ben Cabango, Kyle Naughton and Jay Fulton were joined by women’s captain Katy Hosford, Robyn Pinder and Emily Richards for the visit.
“It’s a difficult time of year for children to be in hospital, but this visit really put a big smile on the faces of the patients and staff," said Lisa Morgan, children’s services play team manager at Morriston Hospital.
“Many of the patients are Swans fans, so for the players to come and visit them and spend time chatting is a really big boost.
"It also switches their focus from the reason they’re in hospital, which is a nice distraction.
“We are so grateful to the Swans for coming to visit our young patients – all the players were so generous with their time and were a credit to the club in the way they interacted with the children."
While the smiles remained on the faces of the young patients well beyond the visit, the same could be said for the players themselves.
Swans midfielder Fulton, who is a father of two, said: “It must be very difficult for children to be in hospital at any time of year, let alone during the festive season, so we’re glad we could come to meet them and chat.
“I joined Swansea City nearly 11 years ago, and we’ve always been a club that takes pride in the community and being aware of how we can help.
“Spending time with the children in Morriston Hospital is always a special visit for us as a club and as players. We understand how much of a lift it can give kids who are spending time in hospital in the build-up to Christmas.
“I am a father myself and I have so much respect and appreciation for all the incredible work the staff do in looking after us all when we need it.
“All the players really enjoyed chatting to the children and staff. For us, it’s a privilege to get to do that.”
Swansea City suffered another agonising defeat to a Championship pacesetter as Sunderland came from behind to win a thriller at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Josh Key, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Josh Tymon; Matt Grimes (captain), Gonçalo Franco, Liam Cullen; Myles Peart-Harris (Jisung Eom 71), Ronald, Žan Vipotnik (Florian Bianchini 71)
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin Jay Fulton, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Cyrus Christie, Kyle Naughton, Nelson Abbey, Azeem Abdulai.
Sunderland: Anthony Patterson, Dennis Cirkin (Luke O’Nien 70), Dan Neil (captain), Dan Ballard, Jobe Bellingham, Patrick Roberts, Chris Rigg, Eliezer Mayenda, Wilson Isidor, Chris Mepham, Trai Hume.
Unused Substitutes: Simon Moore, Nazariy Rusyn, Adil Aouchiche, Aaron Connolly, Milan Aleksic, Leo Hjelde, Aji Alese, Harrison Jones.
Referee: Andy Davies
Mason Burstow’s late goal gave Hull City all three points at the MKM Stadium as Swansea City were punished for a sluggish performance.
Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux; Josh Key, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Josh Tymon; Matt Grimes (captain), Jay Fulton, Liam Cullen; Myles Peart-Harris, Jisung Eom (Ronald 64), Žan Vipotnik (Florian Bianchini 64).
Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Gonçalo Franco, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Cyrus Christie, Kyle Naughton, Nelson Abbey, Azeem Abdulai.
Hull City: Ivan Pandur, Lewie Coyle (captain) (Cody Drameh 70), Ryan Giles, Alfie Jones, Charlie Hughes, Joao Pedro, Ryan Longman, Steven Alzate (Xavier Simons 60), Gustavo Puerta (Marvin Mehlem 85), Regan Slater, Abu Kamara (Mason Burstow 60).
Unused Substitutes: Anthony Racioppi, Sean McLoughlin, Chris Bedia, Abdus Omur, Matthew Jacob.
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Founded in 1886, the R's played at 20 different grounds before settling down at Loftus Road in 1917.
They joined the Football League three years later in 1920, and their highest-ever league position coming in the 1975-76 season when Dave Sexton led the club to the runners-up position in Division One as they narrowly missed out on the title by one point.
They went on to reach the quarter-finals of the Uefa Cup the following season, losing out to AEK Athens on penalties.
They won their only major honour courtesy of a League Cup triumph in 1967 when they beat top-flight West Bromwich Albion whilst playing in the Third Division.
Rangers were in the Premier League at its formation in 1992, and their most recent top-flight campaign came during the 2014-15 season.
LOFTUS ROAD
Built: 1904
Location: Shepherd's Bush London, W12 England
Capacity: 18,439
Spaniard Marti Cifuentes started his coaching career with short spells in the youth set-ups of Ajax and Millwall.
His first senior management role came back in 2014, when he took over Segunda Division B club Sant Andreu, he then moved to fellow Division B club Hospitalet ahead of the 2015-16 season.
He joined Norwegian club Sandefjord in May 2018. He was unable to prevent them being relegated despite losing just six of his 18 games in charge after taking over midway through the campaign, but guided them to promotion in his first full season in charge.
A year in Denmark with Aalborg BK followed ahead of a switch to Sweden with Hammarby IF in 2022.
He guided the latter to the final of the Swedish Cup, where they lost on penalties to Malmo that same year. They finished third in the Allsvenskan last year to qualify for the Europa Conference League before Cifuentes joined the R's in October 2023.
He went on to guide them clear of danger and securing their Championship status.
Steve Cook. The experienced defender joined QPR on a free transfer during the summer of 2023 after leaving Nottingham Forest.
The 33-year-old is best known for his decade at Bournemouth, where he helped the club rise through the leagues to reach and establish themselves in the Premier League.
He made 388 appearances in all competitions for the Cherries, having originally come through the ranks at Brighton as a trainee.
Cook had loan spells with Eastbourne and Mansfield prior to his time at Bournemouth, and his nous and knowledge have proven to be a big asset to Rangers since his arrival.
Defender Jimmy Dunne, a Manchester United academy product, joined Burnley’s youth set-up in 2016.
He progressed to the senior team a year later and enjoyed successful loans at a series of clubs – including Hearts and Sunderland - before moving to QPR permanently in 2021.
The centre-back earned plenty of plaudits during his first season at Loftus Road and has been a key figure ever since, making just shy of 140 appearances.
He is effective aerially in both boxes, and has nine goals to his name for the west London side after netting in last weekend's win over Preston.
Sam Field is an important figure in the middle of the park for the west London club.
The West Brom product came through the ranks with the Baggies, and went on to make 45 first-team appearances, with his debut coming in a Premier League draw against Liverpool in 2016.
Field - who stands at 6ft 3in - spent the 2019-20 campaign on loan at Charlton, and then enjoyed a positive loan spell with QPR over the closing stages of the 2020-21 season.
A permanent move followed that summer and he has been an integral part of the squad since. He already has more than 150 appearances to his name for the club.
Lively forward Paul Smyth’s pace and trickery make him an awkward proposition for opposing defences.
The Northern Irishman has two goals and two assists so far this term, with his goal recently securing the R’s a point at Bristol City.
Smyth first emerged at Linfield as a teenager, and helped the Northern Irish club to a domestic treble before making the move to Loftus Road.
He enjoyed a dream debut, netting the winner against Cardiff City in January 2018 and he was named the club’s young player of the season by supporters at the end of the campaign.
Smyth went on to have loan spells with Accrington Stanley, Wycombe Wanderers and Charlton Athletic and left Rangers for Leyton Orient in 2021.
He had a fine two years with Orient, playing alongside Lawrence Vigouroux and Darren Pratley and helped them to the League Two title in 2023.
From there he returned to QPR and has been a regular in the first team for the majority of the time during his second stint with the Hoops.
There were more presents than ever to open in the Darling household at Christmas this year, and Swansea City centre-back Harry hopes a first visit from Santa for daughter Gigi can coincide with Luke Williams’ side unwrapping themselves from the Championship mid-table dogfight with some important festive results.
Defender Darling, 25, is in his third year with the Swans, having joined from MK Dons during the summer of 2022.
He has acknowledged it took him time to adapt to Championship level, but this term he has been an ever-present in the league, and has been part of a defence that boasted one of the best records in the division for much of the campaign to date.
Indeed, the Swans still rank eighth for the fewest goals conceded, having let in a little over one a game (24) from the 22 games so far.
Defeat at Hull, where Darling was on the scoresheet, has left the Swans 11th in the standings, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the table. They are eight points from the play-offs and nine points clear of the bottom three.
Now, with 12 points on offer between the QPR fixture and the home game against West Bromwich Albion on January 4, Darling hopes it can be a memorable Christmas on and off the field.
“It’s certainly a very different Christmas for us, Gigi has just changed our lives so much for the better. She is brilliant and it is such a special time for me, my partner Sofia and our families,” said Darling.
“We have had them all coming down for Christmas and they will be at the Boxing Day game, which will be great, and it is one we will enjoy.
“It will be my mother, father, brother, his girlfriend and my nephew coming down, so the house is going to be very busy, but that’s all part of the fun at Christmas, to have all your family around.
“We’ve been looking forward to it, and becoming a dad has made a difference in terms of my outlook on life. I love football, and that will never change, but it comes second to life and family.
“I can feel down if we have a bad game but the minute she sees me and her little face lights up with a smile it just changes my mood instantly. I am loving it.
“It’s a great time of year for everyone who loves football too. You get used to how busy it is as a player. It can be tough if you are away and you travel away on Christmas Day, but it is what it is and we have the best job in the world.
“Having grown up watching Christmas football as a fan, you know it’s special for everyone who watches too. There is something about football over the festive period.
“But it’s also really important, they are not many periods where you can pick up 12 points in about nine or 10 days.
“Those points can do a lot for a team and we want to make sure we are one of the teams putting them on the board.”
Darling was honest in admitting he knew he needed to make a step up from his showings during his first season with the Swans, there were signs of that happening during his second campaign, and by the end of that season he and Ben Cabango had established themselves as the first-choice pairing.
That has continued into this campaign, and Darling is unequivocal in his opinion that he is playing the best football of his career to date, and he is equally clear as to why he thinks that is the case.
“I think this is definitely one of the best periods of my career when it comes to playing consistently, having a run of games. I am really enjoying playing under Luke, he is great with me and with the whole group. We all love him and the coaching staff, they have been brilliant,” said Darling.
“But I know I have to keep that up, as we’ve been saying we are only halfway through the season, I have to keep being consistent and keep striving to improve.
“The big thing for me is confidence, and the gaffer gives us all that in heaps. He really encourages us to go and express ourselves. He knows our best attributes, I really enjoy playing with all the boys but I have a particularly good relationship with Ben.
“We get on really well on and off the pitch, which really helps, we know each other’s game inside and out. We complement each other well.
“We want to defend and do the basics well, but there is a big responsibility on us boys at the back – Ben, myself and Vigs (Lawrence Vigouroux), who has been great since coming in – and we all enjoy that. We play good football and it’s football we enjoy playing.
“Our defensive record has been good, although we have had a bit of a blip recently, but we are comfortable and confident with each other, we would like to have more clean sheets.
“It’s a really good relationship that I have with Ben too. He is a guy who is really good to be around, he is a real character. That helps on the pitch, but we are close off it. We spend a lot of time together, I do get sick of him sometimes, but he is a great lad.”
We are fast approaching a year since Williams took charge of the Swans at the start of January 2024.
The former Notts County boss faced a challenging run of fixtures when he first came in, facing all the promotion favourites in the space of a few weeks.
Some tough results followed, but Darling believes the head coach’s clarity and commitment to his way of playing laid the foundations for a strong end to last season, and the clear improvements that have been seen this season despite frustration at points being dropped from strong positions in games.
“I think we are seeing the benefits now of how the gaffer approached it when first came in. We had a really tough run of fixtures, everyone could see that, but we knew the style he would want to bring and we were excited by it,” added Darling.
“It was always going to be a tough start, but the work we put in during that period… you could see it starting to pay off when we had a good run towards the end of last season.
“Now, this season, you look at the games against some of the teams we faced right at the start under Luke and the games have been very different.
“The Leeds game is the obvious one. I know we lost, but when you look at the game against Leeds last season I think most people would agree they were worlds apart.
“So it does give you a boost when you go toe-to-toe with these teams.
“We know how good we can be playing this style of football. We had some tough results but we did not go away from it because he was so clear in terms of what he wanted and the message was consistent.
“That has meant performances have come to be pretty consistent. We have come a long way, but it’s about that consistency and using it to set us up well for the future.
“I loved working with him at MK. He was, and is, a great coach. There is a difference in that he is the gaffer now but in a good way. Working with him just excites me.”
All of which, Darling acknowledges, makes it all the more frustrating that the Swans do not sit higher in the table at this stage of the season.
There is confidence that Swansea have shown they can compete with all-comers in the division – even in defeat they have yet to lose a game by more than a solitary goal – is tempered by a sense of opportunities missed.
And that is something Darling knows has to change if the Swans are to launch a genuine tilt for the top six.
“If you are looking at the season, I think it’s been alright so far, but I think we are looking back at some games feeling we could and should have had better results than we have had,” says Darling.
“That shows us clearly what we have to improve on, and how we can improve our position in the table. That has to be the aim, and I think we can do that.
“We had a good run of performances coming into this Christmas period before the weekend, where we were poor, no question, but we are excited about the second half of the season and hopefully trying to achieve something special.
“The motivation is there because you only have to look at the table and think where we could be. The flip side is knowing we have the capability to be in there but we have to excited about that.
“We have dropped points in games we shouldn’t have, I think we have played pretty well in those games, but the bottom line is if we want to achieve anything we gave got to make sure we come up with points from those games to go with the performances. We feel we can be a top team and that’s what we have to aim for.”
Season’s greetings, all. I trust wherever you spent it and whether you celebrated or not, you had a good day yesterday. Boxing Day watching football is always a highlight of the festive calendar, and for us Jacks we’re hoping Santa will remember our request for a belated gift of three points today.
We all know the importance of good results and exciting displays on the pitch, and the focus at this time of the year is seeing both and adding to the celebrations of the season.
This is the time when results matter to the end-of-season position. This is the time when things can change, for better or worse.
Queens Park Rangers arrive here today having extended their unbeaten run to seven games. They were bottom of the Championship table three weeks ago. After their 1-1 draw with Bristol City earlier this month head coach Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio London how tough the Championship was.
“This is a relentless, ruthless league and you need to be on top of your qualities every time,” he said.
"It'd be a huge mistake as a team, as a club, to think that everything is fine. Football is about small margins, right now those small margins are helping us to get points and of course the team keeps growing.
“But the reality is there are a lot of things we need to improve and hopefully everyone can understand that.”
True for pretty much every football club at any given time. But we’ve been reminded again this month that while wins and draws are important, there is so much more to football.
A much-loved member of the Swansea City family passed away earlier in December. Vic Gomersall never lost his Manchester accent, but he was a Jack through and through.
A former player, Vic called Swansea home when he hung up his boots. He was an effervescent character, well-known across the city in entertainment as well as football circles. He was loved by many, as the heartfelt tributes expressed across social media will testify. Some from those who worked with him, others from those who called him a friend, some from people who met him once and never forgot him.
Vic loved Swansea City, the club, the place, the people. A few weeks ago he stopped to chat to my dad at the stadium. They hadn’t seen each other for many years, but that didn’t matter. They picked up as though the time between conversations was days.
They had so much in common, exchanging stories about everything from Vic’s playing career to their mutual connections across the decades, and the rollercoaster journey they had both been on as loyal Swans fans.
As he was leaving, Vic told us about his illness and the last words he said to us as he returned to his seat were “you’ve got to keep smiling”.
I will remember those words, and the person who said them, always. Football is about so much more than results on the pitch. Football, if you’re lucky, is about friendships and making and sharing memories. It is about the people you encounter along the way, as much as it is about the results that shape your story as a football fan.
Thanks for the memories, Vic. And keep smiling.
Julie Kissick
Ar ôl colledion rhwystredig i Sunderland a Hull, mae Abertawe'n gorffen 2024 gyda gemau cartref cefn wrth gefn.
Mae'r cyntaf o'r rheiny yn gweld tîm Luke Williams yn croesawu Queens Park Rangers y prynhawn yma.
Ar bapur, roedd hon yn sicr yn edrych fel gêm bositif i'r Elyrch nid rhy bell yn ôl, ond, yn sydyn iawn, mae hwyliau'r ddau glwb wedi newid yn ddiweddar.
Sicrhaodd QPR fuddugoliaeth hwyr ddramatig yn erbyn Preston ddydd Sadwrn - eu pedwaredd buddugoliaeth mewn saith gêm.
Mae’n golygu eu bod nhw bellach yn ddiguro mewn saith gêm gynghrair.
Bydd tîm Martí Cifuentes yn gobeithio parhau â’u record drawiadol pan fyddan nhw’n mynd i dde Cymru, ac maen nhw’n gwybod os ydyn nhw’n teithio nôl i Lundain gyda’r tri phwynt, byddan nhw’n dringo uwchben Abertawe yn tabl y Bencampwriaeth.
Mae’r Nadolig yn aml yn gyfnod tyngedfennol i glybiau o ystyried natur brysur yr amserlen, ac ni all Abertawe fforddio gadael i’r safonau lithro wrth fynd ymlaen i 2025.
Mi fydd mis Ionawr yn cyfnod enfawr i Williams wrth iddo edrych i ychwanegu at ei garfan yn y ffenestr drosglwyddo.
Pwysleisiodd y prif hyfforddwr yn ddiweddar pa mor bwysig yw hi i Abertawe weithredu fel tîm os ydyn nhw am gael unrhyw obaith o herio am le yn y chwech uchaf yn ystod ei gyfnod yn y clwb.
Reodd y cefnogwyr yn llawn cyffro yn dilyn gwerthiant y clwb yn ddiweddar, ond yn anffodus mae'r hwyliau wedi mynd braidd yn wastad yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf.
Mae Williams wedi ei gwneud yn glir nad yw wedi ymuno â'r Elyrch i fod yn "gyfartaledd".
Mae’n rhaid edmygu ei uchelgais, ac mae’n hollbwysig bellach bod ei chwaraewyr yn un meddylfryd yn llwyr wrth iddynt geisio gwella ym mhob ffordd bosibl i helpu’r clwb i herio am le yn y gemau ail gyfle.
Mae'r ddwy gêm, sy'n dechrau gyda heddiw yn erbyn QPR, ar ôl y Nadolig yn rhoi'r cyfle perffaith i Abertawe fynd yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn ar y blaen i fis tyngedfennol ar y cae ac oddi arno.
Mae'n bell o fod yn gam na'i gilydd, ond fe allai dwy gêm olaf y flwyddyn wneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i'r darlun ehangach yn y clwb.
Ian Mitchelmore
It doesn’t take much to send me on a trip down memory lane – especially at such a nostalgic time of year as Christmas.
And that’s exactly what I did before the Swans’ 3-2 defeat at the hands of Sunderland a couple of weeks ago.
Unusually, I had to pop into the city centre before the match – something I haven’t done for a number of years.
Living and working in the Amman Valley, I generally go straight to the stadium on matchdays, but the other Saturday was different.
On arrival in middle of the city at around noon, I was instantly transported back to my youth of the late 1970s.
When I first started supporting the Swans, my mate and I used to catch the old 123 bus service from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, which left the village like clockwork on the half hour, every hour.
We were usually the only ones decked out in Swans colours back in those days. The rest of the village was still rugby mad thanks to it being the birthplace of a certain scrum-half called Gareth Edwards.
The John Toshack revolution hadn’t quite fully kicked off in the Amman Valley. It largely remained a rugby stronghold riding on the wave of success still just about being enjoyed by Welsh rugby.
We’d jump on the bus at 11.30am and be pulling into the Quadrant station at bang on 12.30am. Our matchday routine was underway.
There wasn’t much time to spare, so our movements were planned with almost military precision. First up would usually be a visit to WH Smith for a look at the football magazines and books.
It would be particularly exciting in the run up to Christmas with all the football annuals adorning the shelves.
But if we were feeling particularly brave, and there were no staff around, we’d have a furtive flick through the ‘Joy of Sex’, otherwise it was comedy collections like ‘A Hundred and One Uses for a Dead Cat’. They were different times!
Both publications featured fairly rudimentary – if very different - line drawings to illustrate the written content. I’m not sure which used to make us giggle the most! Fair play, we were only about 12-years-old at the time.
Then there would be a choice to be made. Sport or music.
The sports shops, Linnard’s and Edwards were in High Street, with Edwards right at the top end near the train station.
Meanwhile, Derricks Records was in Oxford Street. There wasn’t time for a proper look around both.
If Derricks was the choice, at least it wasn’t far to Macari’s Chip Shop in Dilwyn Street. Here we would buy our pre-match meal of rissole and chips, eaten on the hoof as we made the short walk to the Vetch.
On the way, we would always buy a programme – making sure to wipe the chip grease off our fingers first.
At the start of the 1979-80 season, a few of the programmes had shiny green covers, which would easily smudge with one touch of a greasy finger.
Not only would this turn your fingers a suspicious shade of green, it would thwart any hopes of keeping the programme in pristine collectable condition.
We seemed to have the idea back then that if we kept the programmes in mint condition for long enough, they would become priceless in a few years’ time. If only!
As I approach my 60th year, I don’t think I’ll be retiring on the proceeds of my old programme collection any time soon.
Anyway, programmes safely purchased it would be into the ground and a dash to our favoured position leaning on the wall above the entrance tunnel towards the east end of the vast North Bank.
From here we could enjoy an uninterrupted view, apart from the pillars and the ladder up to the precariously suspended commentary gantry, of course.
After the match, there would be another dash, back to the Quadrant and straight up to the electronics department on the first floor of Debenhams. Here we would check out all the full-time results on the display televisions before heading back down the escalator to catch the 5.30pm bus back to G-C-G.
Near the bus stop in the village was a newsagent where I’d buy the Sporting Post – if there was one left - to read all about what we witnessed a few hours earlier at the Vetch – marvelling at how quickly we were able to read about the match in print!
All these memories came flooding back into my head, thanks to my lunchtime wander around the city centre before the Sunderland game. Even though a number of the above mentioned shops we routinely visited don’t exist anymore.
I don’t want this to sound completely like a rose-tinted-specs-clad ramble down memory lane.
Despite losing some of the nostalgic landmarks of my youth, so much has changed for the better since then.
These days, there’s no need for a dash to the nearest television shop to find out the day’s results.
A quick scroll of a mobile phone will tell us the latest on every match across the globe in real time. No need to wait for the Grandstand vidiprinter to flash up the results to find out how promotion rivals Watford had got on in the old Third Division.
And as much as I loved the old Vetch, there’s plenty I don’t miss about the ugly, lovely old ground back in the 1970s and 80s.
Today’s modern grounds like the Swansea.com Stadium are light years away from grounds like the Vetch, which may have been packed with atmosphere and memories but lacking on the facilities front.
But I do think I’ll have another stroll around the city centre on matchday before the season is out, just for old time’s sake.
They say the past is a foreign country and they do things differently there, but it’s still nice to pay a visit every now and again – especially on a matchday morning when the Swans are playing at home.
C’mon you Swans!
The 2024-25 campaign marks Swansea City’s 20th season at the Swansea.com Stadium following the ground’s opening in 2005. Throughout the campaign, club historian Gwyn Rees will reflect on some of the notable moments and personalities that have shaped the history of our home. We continue with a dramatic night under the lights that sent the Swans to their first major cup final.
Swansea City 0 Chelsea 0 (Aggregate: 2-0) – Capital One Cup semi-final, second leg – January 23 2012
When Brendan Rodgers left for Liverpool in the summer of 2012, there had been fears about how Swansea City might get on in their second season in the Premier League.
Ultimately, supporters needn’t have worried, the astute appointment of Michael Laudrup saw the Swans pick up where they had left off and they were enjoying a hugely impressive campaign.
The Dane had privately targeted cup success at the outset of his tenure and, following successes over Barnsley, Crawley, Liverpool and Middlesbrough, the Swans were handed a daunting two-legged assignment against reigning European champions Chelsea in the semi-finals.
An outstanding showing in west London, with Michu and Danny Graham on the scoresheet, gave the Swans a two-goal advantage to take back to the then Liberty Stadium.
There was more good news on the day of the game when Michu agreed a new contract with the club with his form attracting the admiring glances of a number of the continent’s elite teams.
And, despite heavy snowfall, the game was able to go ahead as referee Chris Foy gave the go-ahead.
Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez opted to play Demba Ba ahead of Fernando Torres in attack as he sought a physical presence in the final third.
But it was the hosts who made the better start. Petr Cech pulled off an excellent save to deny Michu, while Wayne Routledge had an effort blocked by Cesar Azpilicueta.
At the other end, Ba went tumbling in the box as he and Ashley Williams competed for a through ball from Juan Mata, while Gary Cahill saw a thumping header cleared off the line by Angel Rangel as the first half ended goalless..
The visitors, desperately needing a goal, cranked up the pressure early in second half, but they could not break down an organised and determined Swansea rearguard, with a midfield of Leon Britton, Jonathan de Guzman and Ki Sung-yueng working hard to limit the workload of their backline.
Then, with 10 minutes remaining, and the game seemingly meandering towards an aggregate win for the Swans, there was controversy.
The ball went out of play and when Eden Hazard was unable to immediately retrieve it from ball boy Charlie Morgan, he opted to try and kick the ball out from under the youngster.
The incident sparked a melee with players from both sides involved and, after consulting with his assistant, referee Foy sent the Belgian star off.
The 10 men of Chelsea through everything at the Swans in the closing stages, but the Swans would see out the game and secure a place in a first major final in the club’s centenary year.
League Two Bradford would lie in wait for them at Wembley the following month, where a glorious chapter in the club’s history would be written.
A depleted Swansea City Women side were handed back-to-back league defeats for the first time in 2024 as they lost at Briton Ferry Llansawel in the Genero Adran Premier.
Lucy Powell struck for the hosts in the first 45 minutes as she took advantage of a loose ball in the Swansea half.
Alison Witts would double the home side’s lead late on to secure three points against a Swansea City side nursing a long injury list and featuring four under-19s’. players.
Goalkeeper Saffron Davies was among them as she made her debut for the first team, stepping between the sticks in the absence of Charlie Haynes, Claire Skinner and Opal Rayner.
The game started in feisty fashion, with two off-the-ball fouls committed by Ferry in the opening five minutes and each side seeing players cautioned.
Katy Hosford came agonisingly close to opening the scoring for the visitors, turning Emily Thomas’ cross to back post just wide of the goal with her headed effort.
But it would be the hosts that would take the lead, Briton Ferry won the ball in the Swans half before Megan Kearle’s cross was nodded on for Powell to power an effort into the bottom right corner.
Taite Trivett looked for an immediate response, and her driven effort from distance forced a good save from former Swans goalkeeper Courtney Young.
Young was called into action again soon after. Robyn Pinder found Nia Jones in the box, but the defender’s effort would be easily held by the keeper and the Swans remained a goal down at the break.
Briton Ferry thought they had doubled their lead early into the second half when Witts tapped in from close range, but she was adjudged to be offside.
Chivers tried an effort from distance as the Swans looked for a way back into the game, but her effort from a free-kick would fly wide of the post.
Trivett then came agonisingly close to an equaliser with time ticking away. Pinder nodded down a cross from Thomas, Trivett’s leftfooted strike would whistle narrowly wide of the target.
But it would be the hosts that would find the second goal of the game as Witts headed home from a corner to seal three points.
Briton Ferry Llansawel Ladies: Courtney Young, Laura-May Walkley, Alice Broadley, Fleur Jenkins, Brooke Llewellyn, Lowri Ridings (captain), Lucy Powell (Maia Owen 67), Megan Kearle, Alison Witts, Anya Welch, Jess Denscombe (Ela Roberts 67).
Unused subs: Ella Smitham, Alexsie Clayton, Aimee Heath.
Swansea City Women: Saffron Davies, Lucy Finch, Sammy Wynne, Robyn Pinder, Chloe Chivers, Katy Hosford (captain), Maddy Murray, Emily Richards (Jasmine Guymer 67), Taite Trivett, Emily Thomas, Nia Jones.
Unused subs: Rhian Williams, Grace Tilley, Sophie Parvin, Ellie Latronico.
Swansea City season tickets are now on sale for the 2025-26 season, offering fans incredible value with prices frozen across all categories.
The club is pleased to announce new family-friendly ticket options, reductions on previous family ticket options, and can confirm an increase in age ranges on select concessionary categories giving young Swans the opportunity to watch live football for less.
To launch the 2025-26 season ticket campaign, Swansea City will be encouraging fans to make new memories, whilst also celebrating twenty years since the Swansea.com Stadium first opened.
For the first time in recent years, season tickets will be available for all supporters to purchase from day one of launch. Of the exciting new offers available for next season, an adult and child (Under 14) package will mean that they can attend all home games for just £350 per season in the South Stand, which is just over £15 per game combined. This is a significant saving from this season’s current offer of £420, providing a £70 saving.
The Swans will continue to offer one of the most affordable season ticket packages in the Championship after the price freeze, with a standard adult season ticket costing just £411 - the lowest average adult season ticket price when compared to fellow Championship clubs. All Swansea City season ticket price classes (adults, seniors, youth, junior, and child) are below the league average, with adults £91.67 below.
Andy Coleman, Chairman of Swansea City, said:
"We want to offer our supporters exceptional value both on the pitch, and off the pitch, and that is why we’ve decided to defy inflation and freeze season ticket prices. We’re also going one step further and introducing new family-friendly options to get the South Stand bouncing in the 2025-26 season. Our commitment to keeping football accessible and affordable remains, and we look forward to what we are sure will be another exciting season at the Swansea.com Stadium."
Swansea City Under-21s suffered defeat in their final fixture of 2024 as Charlton Athletic came from a goal down to claim the three points at Sparrows Lane.
Glory Nzingo opened the scoring following a nice one-two between Iestyn Jones and Arthur Parker, before the hosts drew level 10 minutes later through Kaheim Dixon.
Ibrahim Fullah netted straight after the break to give his side the lead, and he completed his brace in the closing stages; chipping the ball into the net from close range.
Kyrell Wilson got his first 90 minutes under his belt for the Swans since returning from injury, whilst Jack Fanning returned to the pitch for the first time since April as a substitute.
The first real chance of the afternoon fell to the hosts and Dixon, who was found unmarked at the edge of the box during a Charlton corner, but his low shot was wide of the target.
At the other end, Josh Pescatore was played in by Nzingo, but his effort from a tight angle effort was well saved by Tommy Reid in the Addicks goal.
But the Swans broke the deadlock with 25 minutes played. More fine work from centre-half Jones saw him send Arthur Parker advancing into space down the right. The full-back's cross cross fell perfectly at the feet of Nzingo, who smashed home from inside the six-yard box.
High-flying Charlton sought an immediate response and Dixon proved dangerous again, this time looking to provide for Henry Rylah, but the forward's drilled shot flashed across the face of goal.
But Dixon would get his reward minutes later with the equaliser. Tayo Edin latched on to a loose ball in the middle of the park before sending his teammate in on goal with a lovely through ball to fire the ball into the far corner of the net.
The hosts carried the momentum into the start of the second half, and they took the lead within three minutes of the restart. Fullah calmly finished from
The second half started in favour of the young Addicks, and they took the lead within three minutes of the restart, Fullah calmly finishing off from Kai Enslin's slide-rule pass.
Charlton would soon have a pair of chance to extend their advantage when Fullah sent a strike just wide of the near post, before Parker blocked Enslin's attempt on goal.
Swansea had an opportunity to to get back on level terms through Wilson and Ben Lloyd, but they were denied by the Charlton backline after a poor final pass.
Five minutes from time, the hosts had their third goal, and it was Fullah again. Manu Wales' ball across the box of goal found Fullah's run at the near post, and he needed no second invitation to find the net and get his second goal of the contest.
Richard Faakye hit the crossbar in stoppage time for the Swans, and Lloyd and Wilson saw their efforts blocked on the follow-ups, but there was no way back for the visitors.
Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Watts, Arthur Parker, Sebastian Dabrowski, Mitchell Bates, Richard Faakye, Iestyn Jones, Josh Pescatore, Glory Nzingo, Sammy Henia-Kamau, Ben Lloyd, Kyrell Wilson.
Substitutes: Jacob Cook, Ben Hughes, Jack Fanning, Morgan Bates, Ben Phillips.
We are all Jacks is Swansea City’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion both within the club and throughout the local community.
Working with international and local charities, as well as supporter groups, Swansea City strives to ensure that a visit to the Swansea.com Stadium is a welcoming experience for everyone regardless of sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion, race, disability, or age.
The club takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying and abuse.
Supporters are encouraged to report instances of abusive and discriminatory language within the stadium by using the anonymous safe text number 88440, starting the message with the word SWANS and providing details of the incident.
Messages will be charged at the standard rate for your network provider.
The details from the message will be received at the match control room, where any necessary investigation and/or action will be taken. The club will also record the mobile number of the individual reporting an incident to aid with any inquiries.
An audio commentary service is available for blind and partially sighted fans – provided by Radio City, the Swansea University Health Board Hospital Radio Service.
Radio City has a long association with the football club dating back to the days when the club was known as Swansea Town.
Since moving to the Swansea.com Stadium, the broadcaster has provided a live descriptive commentary service for free at all Swansea home matches, meaning that blind and partially-sighted supporters in both the home and away ends can follow the action.
In order to book a headset for the match, supporters can contact the accessibility team in advance by emailing accessibility@swanseacity.com, or contacting the ticket office from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm by calling 01792 616629 and selecting option one.
Supporters can also book headsets in person in advance at the ticket office, or on the day by speaking to a Disability Liaison Steward on the day.
To learn more about Radio City, visit www.radiocity1386am.co.uk. To learn more about accessible facilities at the stadium, please click here.
The inclusion room at the Swansea.com Stadium is open every matchday for supporters who may require a quiet space during games.
Supporters will be able to attend live matches at the Swansea.com Stadium with the comfort of knowing there is a designated area should they need it. The room is available to any supporter that may require a quiet space.
The space will be monitored by a designated disability liaison steward and provides a safe space with a disabled toilet, a projector to watch the live game, and dignity packs for those who need it.
While some supporters who require a time away from the crowds may prefer to use this room as a quiet space, it will also be possible to watch the match live on a screen projected onto the wall meaning supporters who require the space for any reason don’t have to miss a moment of the match action.
The room is located in the West Stand and, while supporters who feel they may benefit from the use of the space will be recommended to sit in that stand, it will be accessible for anyone in any part of the stadium.
Any supporter who feels overwhelmed by the matchday environment for any reason can gain access to the room by making themselves known to a steward or disability liaison steward.
Nadolig Llawen Junior Jacks!
We hope you had a great day, ate a bit too much, and that Santa brought you some lovely gifts.
We really enjoyed meeting you all at the fan park at the last game, and we had a great time helping Santa out by sending on all the letters you wrote him.
Cyril and I had a lovely Christmas dinner with all our Swan friends and families and we played games all day. I’m very good at charades … I had to perform Swan Lake.
We’re excited that you’re all back for another game though and we’re predicting a 2-0 win. We think Liam Cullen will get another goal. Ronald will score the other one.
As it’s Christmas, we’ve got another short Christmas quiz for you to try.
Don’t forget to say hello if you see us at the ground.
Uppa Swans,
Cyril and Cybil.
Head Coach Luke Williams
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
3 Kristian Pedersen
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango
6 Harry Darling
7 Joe Allen
8 Matt Grimes ©
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
11 Josh Ginnelly
14 Josh Tymon
17 Gonçalo Franco
19 Florian Bianchini
20 Liam Cullen
21 Nathan Tjoe-A-On
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
23 Cyrus Christie
25 Myles Peart-Harris
26 Kyle Naughton
29 Nathan Broome
31 Ollie Cooper
32 Nelson Abbey
33 Jon McLaughlin
35 Ronald
37 Aimar Govea
40 NUMBER RETIRED
41 Sam Parker
42 Evan Watts
43 Dan Watts
47 Azeem Abdulai
50 Filip Lissah
Head coach Martí Cifuentes
1 Paul Nardi
3 Jimmy Dunne
4 Jack Colback
5 Steve Cook ©
6 Jake Clarke-Salter
7 Kader Dembele
8 Sam Field
10 Ilias Chair
11 Paul Smyth
12 Michael Frey
13 Joe Walsh
14 Koki Saito
15 Morgan Fox
16 Liam Morrison
18 Žan Celar
19 Elijah Dixon-Bonner
20 Harrison Ashby
22 Kenneth Paal
23 Hevertton Santos
24 Nicolas Madsen
25 Lucas Andersen
40 Jonathan Varane
Referee Ben Toner
Assistant Referee 1 Andrew Fox
Assistant Referee 2 Hristo Karaivanov
Fourth Official James Durkin
STAFF LIST
Chairman - Andy Coleman
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis MBE
Directors
Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Jason Cohen, George Popstefanov, Chris Sznewajs, Tyler Morse, Nigel Morris, Todd Marcelle, Martin Morgan, Paul Meller, 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
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 Media & Communications: Kieran Watkins
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 Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle
PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Contributors: Andrew Gwilym, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Jack Otter, Sophie Davis, Mackenzie Squires, Dom Hynes, Sammy Wynne, Hayley Ford, Owen Morgan, Gwyn Rees, Julie Kissick, Ian Mitchelmore.
Designers: Callum Rothwell, Lewis Ward
Jordan Morcom.
Photography: Athena Picture Agency,
Natalie John-Davis, Alamy.