Chief Executive - Julian Winter

Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis

Directors

Jason Levien, Julian Winter, Jake Silverstein, Sam Porter, Huw Jenkins, Martin Morgan, Sian Davies (supporter director), Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Gareth Davies.

Director of Business and Legal Affairs: Sam Porter

Associate Directors: Ceri Stone

__________

First-Team Staff

Head Coach – Russell Martin

Assistant Head Coach - Matt Gill

Goalkeeping Coach – Dean Thornton

Head of Physical Performance – Matt Willmott

First Team Performance Analyst - Ben Parker

Set Piece Coach - Andy Parslow

First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary

Head of Performance – Tom Barnden

Head of Rehabilitation – Rhys Owen

Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey

Staff: Ailsa Jones, Bethany Chaddock, Matt Murray, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Connor Lawley, Daniel Nisbet.

__________

Senior Management Group
Andrew Davies (Head of Operations, Facilities & Development);
Gareth Davies (CFO);
James Chiffi (Head of Wellbeing & Development);
Josh Marsh (Head of Football Operations).

Club Staff
Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood
Football Operations &
Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Retail: Andrea Morris
Head of Hospitality & Customer Services: Catherine Thomas
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Senior Commercial Sponsorship Manager:  Lee Merrells
Head of Marketing:
Katie Doyle
Head of Media & Communications:
Ben Donovan
Ticket Office Manager: Lewis Bullen
Operations & Events Manager:
Matthew Daniel
Facilities Manager: Gordon David
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Disability Access Officer: Catherine Thomas
Head of Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle

__________

Programme Production
Contributors: Ben Donovan, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Hayley Ford, Fraser Dickson, Rachael Tucker, Richard Bond, Dom Hynes, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, Owen Morgan, Owain Llyr.

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

Good evening and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for tonight’s game against Reading.

We return to action on home soil following last Saturday’s disappointing 4-0 defeat at Burnley, and I know Russell, his staff and the players will be looking to put things right here tonight.

We have enjoyed a good run of form of late, and while there will always be bumps in the road during any season, it is important to take stock, look at the positives and focus on the next challenge.

The Championship is a fiercely competitive division which throws up a mix of results every single week and I’m sure supporters of all clubs will look at the table already and see that it is extremely close.

Today’s game is our dedicated Rainbow Laces fixture as we proudly support Stonewall and back their campaign for LGBTQ+ fans, players and staff across the game.

Stonewall’s focus is to create a broader, louder and more impactful movement for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, with the hope that every conversation will take them one step closer to achieving their ambition of making sport everyone’s game.

The club have also been working closely with Proud Swans, our official supporter group for LGBTQ+ supporters of Swansea City, for some time now and their mission is to empower, support and build LGBTQ+ inclusion for fans and staff at Swansea City. As a club we aim to be a safe, friendly and inclusive space for fans visiting the Swansea.com Stadium and work to tackle homophobia in football.

Director and shareholder Jake Silverstein arrived in Swansea on Monday and he is here to take in the games against Reading and Cardiff.

It is sure to be a productive week for us all with Jake making his second visit of the season following a trip to Wales back in August.

He will also be taking part in a fans’ forum at the stadium on Thursday (October 20) which I’m sure will be well attended by supporters.

Finally, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the directors, management, players and supporters from Reading who have made the trip to Wales for today’s game.

We have won three of our last four games here at the Swansea.com Stadium so continue to show your magnificent support for the players and hopefully we can continue that recent good form.

Enjoy the game,

Julian

Good evening and welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium for our Championship fixture against Reading.

We have been on a good run of performances and results here in SA1 of late, winning three of our last four on home soil, and we are looking forward to trying to continue to perform at those levels under the lights tonight.

We return home following our defeat to Burnley at the weekend, where we were disappointed and hurt to lose in the manner that we did.

As I said when speaking to the media post-match, it’s a result and performance I take full responsibility for, and it’s an experience I will learn from.

I had an idea leading into the game of some bits we could look to adapt, but the lads were in a really good place and we had won four games in a row which means it’s not always easy to change things.

It was a difficult day for us, the most difficult we have faced this season up against the best team we have faced. The challenge for us is to make sure the feeling we had after the game is the worst one we have all season.

But this group has already shown their ability to deal with setbacks and respond in the right way.

I cannot praise the players and staff enough for the way they dealt with the frustration we felt at times over the opening weeks of the season, where our results were not reflecting how we were performing in games.

To use it as motivation, to bounce back from that and put together a run like the one we have been on is a real indicator of what the group is made of.

It’s a journey we are on together, we are all in it together, we all believe in what we are trying to do here, and I have no doubt we will show that character and resilience again.

We also had magnificent support, as we always do, at Burnley. To hear the fans cheering on the team as they did on a tough day was fantastic, and we just wish we could have really given them something to cheer about.

The connection between the team and you the supporters has been a big part of our good run.

On home turf you have helped us get over the line in tight games, and I am sure we will feel that special energy again this evening as we face a Reading side who will provide a tough test.

Paul Ince and his side have enjoyed a strong start to the season, and we had three entertaining and hard-fought games against them last season.

I am sure tonight will be no different.

Enjoy the game,

Russell

Good afternoon and welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for this evening’s Championship fixture against Reading at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Last time out at home we rounded off a brilliant week with our third win in the space of seven days thanks to a 2-1 victory over Sunderland.

It was a real battling performance and to finish the week with nine points out of a possible nine was massive for us.

We enjoyed more of the ball in the first half and had to defend a little more in the second half, but overall it was a performance to be proud of in both defence and attack. The home support was superb and definitely helped us get over the line.

Saturday’s result at Burnley was disappointing. We conceded a couple of sloppy goals and could have done better at the other end converting our chances.

We were frustrated ourselves but also for the fans who had made the long journey to support us. We started the game well but were trailing by three goals at the break and demand much better of ourselves.

Burnley were a very good side who showed their quality, but we felt we didn’t do ourselves justice or play to the levels we’ve been playing at recently.

The aim is to now get back to the form and performance levels we have recently got accustomed to and be the best version of ourselves regardless of the opposition. We will use the loss at Burnley as a learning experience looking forward to the rest of the season.

Reading have had a good start to the season, they’re a side with a lot of experienced players and it will be a tough game. We’ll use playing at home to our advantage and we’re looking forward to it and aiming to bounce back from Saturday.

Tonight, we welcome Reading for the second instalment of another draining three-game week. ‘Fresh’ from a visit to Burnley at the weekend, one of a number of 500+ mile round trips this season, we face opposition who, like most visiting teams to the Swansea.com Stadium, are experiencing one of their longer away trips of the season.

As we head into the winter period, facing up to the realities of the cost-of-living crisis, many of us are adapting to more eco-friendly lifestyles to help reduce our outgoings, such as: better insulating our homes; buying more energy-efficient products or reconsidering the way we travel.  In doing this we are also by default reducing our carbon footprint and helping to tackle climate change.

Football clubs are dealing with these issues on a much bigger scale. They have huge carbon footprints – particularly through the amount of travelling they do, as well as high energy and water use and waste generation, etc. The associated costs need to be reduced if we are to become more sustainable and as efficient off the pitch as we are on it.

It was therefore pleasing to hear at the recent fans’ forum that the club has engaged sustainability consultants to look at such matters. There are plenty of quick wins to be had, ranging from more energy efficient lighting systems and on-site energy generation, to recycling water and use of local supply chains.

However, the most difficult task to tackle will be travel. Our remoteness on the footballing map puts us at a disadvantage compared to other clubs, both in terms of cost and also the toll it places on players.

The reverse fixture against tonight’s visitors Reading will represent the fourth-shortest away journey of the season - a round trip of over 300 miles:  a supposed two hours and 19 minutes by train; two  hours and 41 minutes by car or three hours and 27 minutes by coach.

More sustainable options for fans need to be looked at but inter city buses are virtually non-existent and walking or cycling to games is only an option for those living near grounds. 

Our matchday experience going forward, ranging from ticket prices to catering, is inevitably going to become more expensive, and if we are to sustain levels of support- so valued by the team, especially away from home - then reducing travel costs will be key.

Central Government intervention is clearly needed to make rail transport more affordable, but that seems a long way off. Whether it’s a new railway station in Landore; discounted bus and rail transport to games; discounted tickets for away games; improved bus scheduling; better park and ride facilities; car sharing schemes; or cycling initiatives, a travel plan is a must.

We have the small matter of a local derby next up, and who really cares about the cost of attending this one, eh? However, the bigger picture is the long and uncharted road to sustainability, and the Supporters’ Trust will be working with the club and fans over the coming seasons to help reach this destination.

Any new initiatives will no doubt have us jumping through bureaucratic hoops, much like the ones on Reading’s home jersey. Here’s hoping their journey home tonight is a sustainable one rather than a happy one.

C’mon you Swans

Paul

Ryan Manning and club ambassador Lee Trundle joined Swansea City AFC Foundation at Ysgol Penrhos last Tuesday to support Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The Swans defender joined a Premier League Kicks session in the Llanelli school, with Dyfed Powys police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn delivering a workshop focused on hate crime.

Manning was pleased to support such an important campaign and engage with the local community.

“With the age that a lot of the kids here are at, it’s important for them to understand how it works and how damaging hate crime can be if it’s not dealt with in the right manner,” said Manning.

“The police were able to explain to them how to deal with it properly and the right way to process it, rather than fighting fire with fire.

“It’s massive to get all the kids down here playing and doing something that’s constructive, the longer you can get them doing things like this the better, and the opportunities that they can get from this can stand with them for life."

“This type of session breaks down a lot of barriers with the kids, so having the hate crime message shared through football with the professional footballers and the police officers is so impactful," added Llywelyn

“It’s great to see the support of the Foundation, helping us to deliver these sorts of messages, not just in Llanelli but across the force area during the week.

“Having superstars like Ryan Manning and Lee Trundle coming here adds that extra spark to the whole thing, the kids have had their selfies, but they’ve also had that really important message about hate crime and that it’s not acceptable to treat people in that way.”

“I think it’s particularly important with kids of a younger age because they can soak up more information and it’s good for the police to come down and explain all about hate crime and for me and Ryan to discuss what we have seen over the years,” club ambassador Trundle said.

“Ryan’s come down and spoken to the kids, spent time with them and talked about the hate crime campaign, and that’s what you need because as a football club we do influence the local kids.”

Swansea Galaxy – the city’s first LGBTQ+ football club – have become an official Swansea City supporter group and are in attendance at tonight's fixture to celebrate the new partnership.

The Reading match will also be the club’s dedicated Rainbow Laces match.

Swansea Galaxy was started by Scott Coleman who had been in a similar team in Bristol known as the Bristol Panthers. Once arriving in the city, he quickly learned that the closest LGBTQ+ team was in Cardiff.

Having taken so much from being part of the Panthers, Coleman decided to start his own team in his new hometown in order to give LGBTQ+ people access to football in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

“We want to be an inclusive space for everyone as soon as we start playing, nothing else is thought about,” he said.

“We’re a friendly bunch and we want to make sure that we’re open to everyone.

“From my perspective, I grew play up football in traditional teams – very heterosexual environments – it’s not always a place where you feel you can be yourself or not at that time in the early 2000s.

“I think for me it’s really important to have that social aspect and be confident that the people around you won’t discriminate against you because of your sexual preferences.

“It’s so important that people who are local to Swansea to be able to come and play football without fearing discrimination no matter who they are.

“We’ve got regulars now and we’ve got more and more people turning up every week. We don’t turn anyone away and we try to cater for everyone: all abilities, all gender identities, everyone is welcome.”

Scott hopes that by becoming an official supporter group of Swansea City, Swansea Galaxy will be able to reach more people across the city and raise awareness of their team.

“One of my first aims here was to try to establish that link with Swansea City so that we can reach out to football fans in Swansea and let people know that we’re here,” he added.

“The support from the club has been amazing so far in terms of seeing the stadium, going to the Reading match and now we’re becoming an official supporters' group.

“I haven’t had chance to go to a game at Swansea yet, so it’ll be great to go. We’re all really looking forward to it.”

SWANS GREATS HELP RAISE MONEY AT FUNDRAISING EVENT IN MEMORY OF LENNY JOHNROSE

More than £3,000 was raised to be split between the Swansea City Former Players' Association and Motor Neurone Disease Association Wales at a recent event in memory of the club's former midfielder Lenny Johnrose.

The 'Evening with Curt and Friends' was held in collaboration with fundraising fanzine A Touch Far Vetched and took place at Morgans Hotel.

Hosted by Kevin Johns, the evening saw a number of former colleagues share fond memories of Johnrose.

Honorary club president, Alan Curtis MBE, club ambassador Lee Trundle and first-team coach Kris O'Leary were in attendance and took part in a Q+A session and spoke fondly of Johnrose, who scored a crucial goal to keep in the club in the Football League back in 2003.

He sadly passed away in August after a brave and dignified battle with Motor Neurone Disease.

The event also featured entertainment, and a raffle to help raise funds for the two charities.

"Thank you to everyone who attended tonight, it’s been a long process of organising," said event organiser Nigel Davies of A Touch Far Vetched.

"But it has paid off. We have smashed our fundraising target thanks to everyone buying raffle tickets, auctioning, and to Martin Morgan for contributing £1,000.  

“The money will help those with MND and their families, as well as helping former players of Swansea City.” 

FPA Chair Lee Trundle added: “The Former Players’ Association seeks to unite ex-players and re-connect them with the club, even if they have only played one game.  

“Lenny was a brave man, who did so much good in his life. He started his foundation, he let cameras into his life and wanted to show everyone what was happening to him.

"To me, that goes to shows everything good about the man. 

“We need more events like this, they are so important in raising awareness for this disease and having those important conversations.” 

“A very bad day at the office” was Swans legend Alan Curtis’ summary of Saturday’s away defeat to Burnley.

We’ve all experienced them in our working lives – days when you just want to get home, close the door behind you and forget it ever happened.

Professional footballers are used to shaking off the dust of those bad days and getting themselves ready for the next challenge. 

They have to be resilient and able to manage their mindset so that they learn from defeat and disappointment and don’t dwell on what was, rather use it as a way to ensure the same thing isn’t repeated.

That will have been the focus of the last couple of days in preparation for this evening’s visitors, Reading, who arrive at the Swansea.com Stadium off the back of their own ‘bad day at the office’.

Theirs came courtesy of manager-less West Bromwich Albion scoring two goals and taking three points from them at home at the weekend.

Listening to the pre-match build-up ahead of the Burnley game, it was clear that the pundits expected it to be a tight, entertaining encounter at Turf Moor. I did my usual flit around the radio stations to gauge the view of the experts and it was pretty unanimous.

Not that football is an exact science and while two teams might look closely matched on paper, clearly there are always other factors at play. There are far too many variables in the beautiful game!

That said, I expect tonight’s match will deliver a more balanced display as two sides determined to gain ground in the league seek to show they can bounce-back swiftly.

We all know what an unpredictable league the Championship is. Three points currently separate us in eighth and our friends in south east Wales in 18th. What better way to prepare for the derby on Sunday than to lay the ghost of Saturday’s defeat to rest and get a win this evening?

And on a different note, while we’re all rightly focused on what’s happening on the pitch, there is so much happening off it that we should be incredibly proud of.

Last weekend alone saw several fund-raising events take place and members of the Jack Army showed once more that we are a club with a real heart for the community.

On Sunday, An Evening with Curt and Friends took place at Morgans Hotel. The event was organised by Nigel Davies of A Touch Far Vetched and was held in memory of former Swan Lenny Johnrose who died earlier this year.

Many of you will remember Lenny, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2017. The event raised funds for the MND Association and our own Former Players’ Association.

And a 24-hour football marathon was held at Pure Football in aid of the Bootroom and the FPA. The Bootroom has donated over a thousand pairs of boots since it began in 2019. Curt was also involved in that, alongside Lee Trundle and Leon Briton.

Well done to everyone who took part or supported these events. We are proud of you and grateful for you. Once a Jack …

JULIE KISSICK

Er y siom o golli yn Burnley ddydd Sadwrn mae Abertawe wedi profi yn ystod yr wythnosau diwethaf eu bod nhw’n ddigon da i fod yn brwydro am le yn y chwe safle uchaf ar ddiwedd y tymor. Cyn colli yn Turf Moor roedd yr Elyrch wedi ennill pedair gêm yn olynol, gan sgorio 10 gôl yn y pedair gêm yna. Mae angen anghofio am y golled yn erbyn Burnley mor fuan â phosibl, a mynd ar rediad da arall.

Mae’n bwysig cofio bod Abertawe wedi bod heb ddau o’u chwaraewyr mwyaf dylanwadol yn ddiweddar oherwydd anafiadau – Joe Allen a Jamie Paterson. Roedd rhai yn poeni ar ddechrau’r tymor nad oedd digon o ddyfnder yn y garfan, ond bellach mae’r ofnau yna wedi eu tawelu. Mae Jay Fulton wedi perfformio’n wych yn lle Allen yng nghanol y cae, tra fod Olivier Ntcham, Luke Cundle ac Ollie Cooper wedi sgorio goliau pwysig yn absenoldeb Paterson.

Mae cystadleuaeth dda am safleoedd wedi datblygu yn yr amddiffyn hefyd. Roedd pawb yn disgwyl i Harry Darling fod yn un o’r enwau cyntaf yn y tîm ar ôl iddo ymuno o MK Dons dros yr haf. Ond mae o wedi gorfod bodlonni gyda lle ar y fainc yn ddiweddar gan fod Kyle Naughton, Ben Cabango a Nathan Wood wedi bod yn chwarae cystal. Gyda Joel Latibeaudiere wedi gwella’n gynt na’r disgwyl o anaf i’w ysgwydd, mae yna opsiynau da ar gael i Russell Martin yn safleoedd y cefn-asgellwyr (wing backs) hefyd.

Yr unig le dwi’n poeni amdano ydi’r llinell flaen, yn enwedig gan fod Joel Piroe wedi ei wahardd am y tair gêm nesaf. Dim ond dwy gôl mae Michael Obafemi wedi eu sgorio y tymor yma, ond o leiaf fe gaiff o’r cyfle nawr i brofi fod ganddo’r gallu i sgorio’n rheolaidd ar y lefel yma.

Er bod Reading wedi cychwyn y tymor yn wych, dydyn hw ddim wedi ennill eu tair gêm ddiwethaf, gan golli dwy yn olynol. Os llwyddith Abertawe i gael y triphwynt heno fe all hynny fod yn ddigon i’w gweld nhw'n codi nôl i’r chwe safle uchaf. Ac am hwb fyse hynny cyn y gêm ddarbi yn erbyn Caerdydd ddydd Sul.

OWAIN LLLYR 

Well, that'll teach me!

I committed the cardinal sin of writing most of the article for tonight's match before the Swans played against Burnley on Saturday.

I'd decided to praise the team on their winning run and how they had turned things around following a difficult series of matches where results had not gone their way.

I know it was a tough assignment, but I was confident the Swans were capable of continuing their excellent form.

I should know by now that the Championship will come back and bite you on the backside when you start to get ahead of yourself - and I'd got ahead of myself!

If one thing is predictable in the Championship, it is its unpredictability.

Winning runs can come to sudden, juddering halts. Just as the Swans run came to an abrupt end on Saturday.

It was a timely reminder that this is a tough league and teams like Burnley are no pushovers.

The Claret and Blues went to the top of the table with an emphatic win on home soil.

However, despite Saturday's heavy defeat, I feel the praise I had decided to heap on the Swans is still justified.

Much has been said and written about the style of play Russell Martin is trying to instil within his team.

The gaffer wants us to play in a style which many would associate with “The Swansea Way”.

Enterprising, possession-based football which is easy on the eye.

But in recent weeks this Swans team has displayed a couple of additional attributes which some believed to be lacking from their armoury.

The past month or so has seen them add some ‘steel’ and ‘spirit’ to the ‘style’ they have been seeking since Martin’s arrival.

Earlier this season, the Swans were in danger of gaining a reputation for being a little bit ‘soft’, especially during the closing stages of matches.

They had developed a worrying habit of letting leads slip between their fingers when in dominant positions during games.

Everything started, of course with that remarkable match against Millwall where the Swans surrendered a 2-0 lead.

The Londoners, who had barely managed a shot in anger throughout the match snatched the unlikeliest of draws as the home side conceded two own goals in the 93rd and 95th minutes.

There was a sense of déjà vu in the Potteries a couple of weeks later when Joel Piroe’s early goal was equalised in the 91st minute to earn Stoke a draw and rob the Swans of another two points.

Then, the Swans suffered further late heartache against high flying Sheffield United when they were denied a much-deserved draw by Reda Khadra’s 94th minute winner.

Swans fans had started dreading injury time and those outside of the club started asking questions about the team’s resilience.

With the fans getting nervous every time the clock ticked over the 90 minute mark, the situation must have started to play on the players’ minds.

However, if it did, they weren’t about to show it.

Since that defeat to The Blades, the Swans emphatically turned around any talk of them gaining a lasting reputation for conceding expensive late goals.

Following a morale-boosting 3-0 win at home to Hull, the team has shown they certainly have the spirit for a fight.

With the scores tied at 2-2 against West Brom at the Hawthorns - as the clock clicked towards the end of normal time - it was the Swans who were about to celebrate a late winner.

Michael Obafemi’s 89th minute goal ensured it was the visitors who would be going home with all three points.

Four days later, the Swans repeated the feat in even more spectacular nature at Watford.

With a massive 17 minutes of added time having been signalled due to a problem with the officials’ communications system, there was huge potential for late drama with the scores tied at 1-1.

But the Swans once again showed they were up to the task when Ben Cabango headed what would turn out to be the winner in the 98th minute.

Russell Martin and the team deserve huge credit for the way they have turned things around in recent weeks.

They transformed themselves from an apparent “soft touch” in the final moments of a game to spirited and resilient “smash and grab” merchants.

This proves there is a huge amount of substance to go with the style we already knew this team had.

Another indication of the resilience this team boasts came at home against Sunderland.

With the Swans leading 2-0 at half time, the visitors – presumably stung by a Tony Mowbray dressing down at the interval - came out for the second half with all guns blazing.

Cheered on by a big away following, the Black Cats halved the Swans lead and looked in the mood to overwhelm the home team.

But the Swans were having none of it. Once again they showed the kind of spirit which they’d shown on the road against West Brom and Watford.

And the home fans responded in style as they recognised the efforts of their team in holding off Sunderland’s challenge.

All this contributed to a nervous final few minutes to the match, but once again the Swans were up to the challenge and earned their fourth win on the bounce.

As I have already alluded to, the winning run came to a halt on Saturday.

But hopefully the Swans will show the fight and resilience I have been talking about when they take to the field tonight and bounce back in style against Reading.

C'mon you Swans!

OLLIE COOPER’S FIRST LEAGUE GOAL FOR SWANSEA CITY AND A SECOND OF THE SEASON FOR CENTRE-BACK HARRY DARLING GAVE SWANSEA CITY THEIR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE WIN AS THEY TOOK ALL THREE POINTS AGAINST SUNDERLAND.

Swansea City: Steven Benda; Nathan Wood (Matty Sorinola 77’), Ben Cabango, Harry Darling; Joel Latibeaudiere, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Ryan Manning; Luke Cundle (Michael Obafemi 60’), Ollie Cooper (Olivier Ntcham 60’), Joel Piroe (Armstrong Oko-Flex 87’).

Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Fin Stevens, Kyle Naughton.

Sunderland: Anthony Patterson, Corry Evans (captain), Danny Batth, Elliot Embleton (Jay Matete 77’), Patrick Roberts (Jewison Bennette 64’), Lynden Gooch, Luke O'Nien, Jack Clarke, Alex Pritchard (Amad Diallo 77’), Daniel Neil (Abdoullah Ba 77’), Aji Alese.

Substitutes: Alex Bass, Dannis Cirkin, Bailey Wright.

TEN-MAN SWANSEA CITY SAW THEIR RECENT WINNING RUN COME TO AN END FOLLOWING DEFEAT AGAINST BURNLEY AT TURF MOOR.

Burnley: Arijanet Muric, Jack Cork (Manuel Benson 77'), Ian Maatsen (CJ Egan-Riley 83'), Nathan Tella (Johann Berg Gudmundsson 62’), Vitinho, Josh Brownhill, Anass Zaroury (Samuel Bastien 77'), Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Josh Cullen, Jordan Beyer, Jay Rodriguez (Ashley Barnes 77').

Substitutes: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Charlie Taylor.

Swansea City: Steven Benda; Nathan Wood, Ben Cabango, Kyle Naughton; Joel Latibeaudiere, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Matty Sorinola (Fin Stevens 75'); Olivier Ntcham (Ollie Cooper 62’), Joel Piroe; Michael Obafemi (Liam Cullen 62’).

Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Harry Darling, Luke Cundle, Armstrong Oko-Flex.

OLIVIER NTCHAM RECENTLY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN SWANSEA’S WINS AT WEST BROM AND WATFORD BY SCORING IN CONSECUTIVE GAMES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JOINING THE CLUB. HERE, THE MIDFIELDER TALKS US THROUGH HIS BEGINNINGS IN FOOTBALL, JOINING MANCHESTER CITY AS A TEENAGER, AND HIS WORLD CUP ASPIRATIONS.

What are your first memories of playing football and being scouted?

My first memories of football were playing at under-15 or under-16 level in France, I was already playing for Le Havre and before that I was playing for Paris FC. When I signed for Le Havre I then went to play in the France national set-up and I did well over there. From there Manchester City and Inter Milan tried to sign me and I chose to go to Manchester City.

You signed for Manchester City at the age of 16 for 1m Euros, what was it like signing for a club of that size at such a young age?

At the time I didn’t realise how big the club really was, because I wasn’t watching too much football even though I was playing a lot.

I was familiar with some of the players but I wasn’t really interested in watching football, I was just playing for fun and because I enjoyed it, I was not obsessed with watching games or a particular team or league.

At the time, I think it was the right decision for me to go there because they were a club with big ambition and facilities. When I was 17 or 18, I was training with the first team and Roberto Mancini was the coach.

The day before a game the under-21s would train with the first team and it was a good experience.

When I got the chance to travel to Australia with Manuel Pellegrini and the first team for the pre-season tour, that was another good experience.

You went on loan to Genoa and went straight into the first team there, playing regularly in Serie A. How did you find the step up from youth football to Serie A, playing against some of the biggest names in world football?

Although it is obviously a step up, I felt I was quite mature for my age and I felt I could adapt to it.

I was so happy playing for Genoa and learning there. Going there is a decision I will never regret, when I was in Italy I learnt so much and I felt like in my two years there I gained 10 years’ worth of experience.

I had good times there, but there were tough times too. There were times when I was not playing, but I was still improving my understanding of the game. It was an unbelievable experience for me.

Next you made the switch to Celtic and made your debut in the Champions League. Was it always an ambition of yours to play in the Champions League, and how much did you enjoy playing in Celtic?

Yes, I always wanted to play in the Champions League, it is such an amazing competition.

But, because I was already playing against the likes of Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli, it felt like I had already played in the Champions League already. I was used to playing against teams of their calibre and I felt that helped me to handle it.

As for my time at Celtic, I had an unbelievable good time in Glasgow and at Celtic. It is just an unbelievable club.

You scored a winner in the Old Firm derby, how would you describe that feeling?

It was an amazing feeling. When you score in these kind of games and the team win 1-0 and you scored the only goal, for the fans you are the hero of the day and it is spoken about for a long time.

It was just an unbelievable feeling, one I will not forget.

What was it like playing under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic? Do you see any similarities between Brendan’s style of play and the style of play here under Russell Martin?

Yes, they both want to play football and love playing with the ball. There are a lot of similarities, maybe some of the smaller details are different but the idea of playing football is the same.

They want to play football, they aren’t coaches who want to throw the ball from the back and start to fight, they’re not like that.

You joined Marseille at a difficult time for the club, the club was going through tough times both on and off the pitch. Was that difficult for you, joining at that time?

When I signed for Marseille, it was at a tough moment for the club, but I will never regret that choice to sign for them.

If I went back 100 million times, I would make the same decision every single time. For the people outside, they thought I wasn’t playing a lot and I wasn’t happy but I was really happy there.

I really enjoyed my time there and I still watch Marseille all the time, every single game. If I have the opportunity to go and watch a game in person I will and I have done before. They have unbelievable fans.

What was behind the decision to come to Swansea last summer? How did you find your first season playing in the Championship?

I was talking to some Spanish clubs but was also talking to Mark Allen about coming to Swansea. I made the choice because I knew Mark Allen well. He had signed me for Manchester City and I was watching the statistics of Swansea and the way they like to play football. The style of play played a big part.

Last season I joined after pre-season so it was tough for me physically to play a lot of games in the league. I hadn’t played for around six months at Marseille and even before that I wasn’t playing a lot of games at Celtic.

It had been maybe one year without playing every three days. To get back playing consistently was a little tough physically but I was happy.

You’ve recently found fine form for the Swans, with three goals and two assists, how much are you enjoying helping the team?

I’m very happy for the team because we are heading towards the top of the league now and as a team we deserve everything that is happening right now.

We’ve been through a tough time. Personally, I’m very happy with the recent form I’ve been in, but I know there are some things I can improve on my game too. I hope we can continue playing like we have done and keep getting as many points as possible.

What made you decide to change from representing France to represent Cameroon at international level? How proud does it make you to represent Cameroon?

I was born in France but my parents and myself are Cameroon nationals, I am proud of my heritage so it was always in my mind.

I had the opportunity to grow up in France but I always had the option of both. It is a proud moment for myself and my family when I represent Cameroon.

The game was cancelled when I was due to make my debut for Cameroon but we ended up playing the under-21 side so that was kind of my debut for the country.

My full debut was against Uzbekistan and it was nice, I was proud for myself and my family.

What would it mean to you to represent Cameroon in the World Cup?

It would be a dream come true to play in the World Cup for Cameroon. I’m so happy to be part of the team and it’s something every young footballer dreams of.

Away from the pitch, you have a keen interest in boxing. Where did that love of boxing come from and how long have you been interested in it?

For maybe two or three years. Before that I loved kick-boxing and those kinds of sports. I really love boxing and I just enjoy it. If I wasn’t a footballer I’d be a boxer and it’s definitely something I’d look at when I retire.

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HIS NAME WAS MIGUEL PEREZ CUESTA AND HE ARRIVED IN SWANSEA AS A LARGELY UNHERALDED NEW ARRIVAL. BUT, WITHIN MONTHS, HE WOULD BE THE TALK OF BRITISH FOOTBALL, HELPING THE SWANS TO A LEAGUE CUP SUCCESS AND A TOP-HALF PREMIER LEAGUE FINISH. INJURIES WOULD ENSURE HIS STAR SHONE BRIGHTLY BUT BRIEFLY. HOWEVER, AS CLUB HISTORIAN GWYN REES EXPLAINS IN HIS LATEST ‘CULT HEROES’ FEATURE, NO-ONE WILL FORGET MICHU.

Miguel Perez Cuesta, or Michu as he was known to everyone, came to Swansea City as a relative unknown in this country, but in his opening season at the Liberty Stadium he took the Premier League by storm, and in doing so earned his reputation as a Swans legend.

His career began at his home town club of Oviedo in 2003, and by 2007 his performances saw him join Celta B, progressing to the first team soon after in the Spanish Second Division.

By 2011 he had signed for Rayo Vallecano, making his La Liga debut, and in his one season at the club scored 15, making him the highest scoring midfielder in the Spanish top-flight that campaign.

His performances had caught the attention of new Swansea manager Michael Laudrup, and he signed for a fee of around £2million in readiness for the beginning of the club’s centenary season in 2012.

The opening game saw the Swans travel to London to take on Queens Park Rangers on a boiling hot August day. It would set the tone for much of what was to come.

It took the new signing just eight minutes to get off the mark for his new club, with a shot that went under the body of goalkeeper Rob Green. But, if his first was somewhat fortuitous, then his second was sublime, with a beautifully executed curling strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.

This was just the beginning of a season that would see the player become the talk of the Premier League, with many top managers demanding to know how the player could slip through their scouting systems.

With his wonderful ball control, and his awareness of when to make his devastating runs into goal scoring positions, he became an instant fans’ favourite.

As the season went on he just got better and better, scoring goals against the country’s top clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

He was a footballing sensation, but to see him off the pitch with his rucksack on his back and his casual clothes, you could easily mistake him for a student travelling on a gap year.

This historic centenary season for the club was topped off with the winning of the League Cup at Wembley with a 5-0 victory over Bradford City, and Michu got his name on the scoresheet with the second goal of the game. He had previously scored the vital opening goal with a finish of typical class and aplomb in the semi-final first leg at Chelsea.

The winning of the League Cup saw the club qualify for the Europa League the following season, and Michu began the new campaign with the opening goal in a 4-0 win over Malmo, before scoring at the Mestalla in a famous 3-0 win over former Champions League finalists Valencia.

Due to his exceptional performances in the Premier League, Michu was called up to make his full international debut for Spain in a World Cup qualifier against Belarus, coming on as a substitute for David Villa.

Then in November, in the first-ever Premier League game featuring two non-English clubs at Cardiff, Michu was seen sitting on the pitch with play up the other end, holding his ankle.

This unfortunately proved to be the beginning of the end for the forward as injuries would cruelly derail his career.

He joined Napoli on loan in November 2014, featuring in only three games, and was released by the Swans at the season's end.

After leaving Swansea he found himself back in Spain in the Segunda B with U.P. Langreo, before ending his career at his boyhood club Real Oviedo, retiring at the end of the 2016-17 season aged just 31 due to persistent ankle injuries.

In his one and only full season at the club the player would score 22 goals, and win both Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters’ Player of the Year prizes.

His time in Swansea colours may have been all too brief, but his place in the club’s history is assured.

TEN-MAN SWANSEA CITY UNDER-18S FELL TO A HEAVY DEFEAT AT IPSWICH TOWN AS A RIO MORGAN HAT-TRICK AND TWO LATE GOALS FROM OLI DAVIS AND ASHTON BOSWELL ENSURED THE TRACTOR BOYS TOOK ALL THREE POINTS IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE.

Kyrell Wilson was dismissed with just over 20 minutes to go, following a scuffle between himself and goalscorer, Morgan.

The Swans had some promising spells of play early on, with some nice play in the middle from Under-18s debutant, Iestyn Jones and Zane Myers to play Geoff Bony and Iwan Morgan in on goal, but solid defending from Ipswich made sure they denied the Swans from finding the net.  

The Tractor Boys took the lead with just over ten minutes played. Morgan was found in space on the right side of the area and curled a shot into the top of the net.  

Minutes later, Morgan almost netted his second of the game as he picked up a short cross from the left, before he tapped the ball just wide of the far post. 

The best chance of the afternoon for the visitors was led by Myers down the left flank, who looked to pick out Bony in the centre of the box, but the striker forced a close save from Dan Cullum. 

Nearing the interval, Ipswich’s Morgan caused trouble in front of goal once again, setting up Finlay Corrigan from 25 yards, the forward's strike forced Kit Margetson to produce an incredible fingertip save.

Following the restart, Ipswich got their second and once again it was Morgan. He cut in from the right-hand side and drilled a low shot into the bottom left corner. 

Just over five minutes later, the Northern Irishman completed his hat-trick as he was found un-marked in the centre of the six-yard box and fired home from close-range. 

A scuffle between the young sides occurred following the third goal, resulting in Swans’ forward Wilson being shown a red card, after an altercation with the hat-trick scorer.

Ten minutes from time, captain Josh Carey produced a fine effort from a free kick, after Jacob Cook was fouled in the centre, however, Cullum was there to collect.

Swansea's pain was compounded late through goals from Davis and Bowsell in the 85th and 90th minute.

Swansea City Under-18s: Kit Margetson, Arthur Parker (Jacob Cook 70'), Iestyn Jones (Richard Faakye 31'), Josh Carey (C), Seb Dabrowski, Dan Watts (Cameron Llewellyn 80'), Kyrell Wilson, Iwan Morgan, Rohan Davies (Jada Mawongo 70'), Geoff Bony, Zane Myers. 

Unused subs: Ewan Griffiths.

Swansea City Under 21s sealed a thrilling Professional Development League victory over Charlton Athletic at Landore as substitute Ben Lloyd struck the winner moments after being introduced from the bench.

The sides had gone into the break level after Tarrelle Whittaker’s immediate equaliser cancelled out Daniel Kanu’s 11th minute opener for the Addicks.

Charlton then took the lead five minutes into the second half through Harvey Kedwell, but once again the young Swans levelled with an instant response from Joel Cotterill’s deflected effort, before substitute Lloyd’s strike took all three points for the hosts. 

In-form under-18s' striker Geoff Bony had replaced suspended top scorer Josh Thomas for the young Swans, who showed three alterations to the side which lost 4-3 last time out against Cardiff. There was a change in goal with Ben Hughes replacing Remi Mitchel, with Cameron Congreve coming in for Lloyd 

The Swans were looking to build on their unbeaten home record in the PDL, while Charlton looking to improve a run of one win from their previous five games.

The game started at a frenetic pace, both sides keen to put their imprint on the opening proceedings, both intent on producing neat crisp passing football, with the Swans edging possession without fashioning a clear-cut opportunity. 

It was the visitors who took the lead. A free-kick was whipped in from the right-hand side by Kedwell, to find Lucas Ness at the back post unmarked.

Ben Hughes made a fine stop to keeper out his header, but Kanu was on hand to tap home his seventh goal in five league games this season.

The lead was not to last long. The Swans responded straight away, breaking up the right-hand side with Joe Thomas. His low driven cross across the box found Whittaker unmarked at the far post to smash home his fifth goal of the season. 

The goal sparked a dominant spell for the Swans. Congreve stung the palms of the keeper with a rasping effort from range, with Azeem Abdulai also forcing another smart save. 

Charlton though were the side to have the next opportunity on the counter-attack. The impressive Kanu and midfielder Tolu Ladapo combined before the latter’s curling effort looked to be heading into the bottom corner from 25 yards, only for Hughes to make an excellent fingertip save.

The young Swans continued to dictate the tempo but could not find the breakthrough as the sides moved into the break level.

Wasiri Williams came close to a third goal in two games just after the restart, but was unable to connect properly with Cotterill's corner.

The Addicks continued to threaten on the counter, but found Hughes in imperious form in the Swans goal, denying Jason Adigun from close range.

It was the Addicks who then re-took the lead after Brandon Cooper was caught in possession by Kedwell. The midfielder raced through on goal to unleash a powerful effort that flew into the net via the woodwork.

But Swansea again replied almost immediately Swans, Cotteril driving in a low corner which found the Charlton net via a deflection.  

Both sides had chances to add to their tally but it would be substitute Lloyd who would prove the matchwinner.

Moments after his introduction the young midfielder fired home from Cotterill's centre to put the young Swans side in front for the first time. 

The hosts defended well through the latter periods of play to protect their lead and earn an impressive victory, which maintains their 100 percent home record this season against a strong Addicks outfit.

Swansea City Under-21s: Ben Hughes, Joe Thomas, Wasiri Williams, Azeem Abdulai, Brandon Cooper (captain), Nathanael Ogbeta, Tarrelle Whittaker (Corey Hurford 77), Joe Cotterill, Geoff Bony (Ben Lloyd 68), Cameron Congreve, Lincoln McFayden. (Kai Ludvigsen 82).

Unused subs: Remi Mitchell, Kian Jenkins. 

Charlton Athletic Under-21s: Ahmed Kone, Richard Chin, Tobey Bower, Karoy Anderson, Lucas Ness (captain), Zach Mitchell, Tolu Ladpo (Mack Reilly 86), Harvey Kedwell (Seydil Toure 62), Daniel Kanu, Jason Adigun, Sahid Kamara (Ryan Viggars 82).

Unused subs: Henry Molyneux, Aaron Henry. 

SWANSEA CITY LADIES SEALED A THIRD CONSECUTIVE WIN IN ALL COMPETITIONS, CLAIMING THREE POINTS WITH VICTORY OVER THE NEW SAINTS WOMEN.

The Swans found themselves two ahead early, with Nia Rees and Emma Beynon both netting inside the opening 12 minutes.

A first-half penalty, converted by captain Beth Lewis, pulled TNS back into the contest.

But Katy Hosford would seal all three points for the Swans late on, firing a stunning strike from 30 yards out to secure all three points.

Despite some early pressure from the hosts, Rees put the Swans ahead after just five minutes. Shaunna Jenkins’ low cross was parried by the goalkeeper, but only as far as Rees who continued her goal scoring form from her five goals against Coedffranch Women last time out.

Beynon, who led the Swans line, made it two just six minutes later, her audacious flick beating the goalkeeper after Emily Freeman found her in the six yard box with a header.

TNS continued to apply pressure, giving the Swans less time on the ball than they have had in their previous fixtures, but rarely troubled Chelsea Herbert between the posts.

Hosford came close to making it three within 25 minutes, breaking down the right before her low effort was pushed behind for a corner.

But TNS would find their way back into the game after Jenkins was adjudged to have brought down a player in the box. Saints captain Lewis stepped up to the spot and sent Herbert the wrong way to pull one back for her side, bringing the Swans run of three consecutive clean sheets to an end.

Kelly Adams almost restored the Swans’ two goal lead right before the break, her chipped effort from the edge of the box leaving the goalkeeper scrambling, but it went just over the bar.

After the break, Jenkins did excellently to carve a chance for herself, winning the ball back in her own half before bursting forward, but her low effort was parried by the goalkeeper.

Beynon got onto the rebound, but she could only hit the side netting from a tight angle.

Hosford also came close, another great ball from Jenkins finding the midfielder’s head, but her effort would go just past the post.

It would be Hosford who would eventually seal all three points in spectacular fashion, firing an incredible 30-yard strike over the keeper’s head that would ensure the Swans came away with all three points.

The New Saints Women: Sarah Parkes, Beth Lewis (captain) (Jen Jarvie 90), Lexie Harrison, Danielle Staley, Chantelle Teare, Lucie Platt, Tia Lockley, Caitlin Chapman, Helen Evans, Isobel Redding, Lia Lewis.

Unused subs: Libby Rubin, Nicole Samson, Lily Whitefoot, Olivia Rathe.

Swansea City Ladies: Chelsea Herbet, Alicia Powe (captain), Shauna Jenkins, Ellie Lake, Emma Beynon (Imogen Harris 90), Kelly Adams, Nieve Jenkins, Katy Hosford, Emily Freeman (Rachel Cullen 69), Nia Rees (Gwen Horgan 80), Jess Williams.

Unused subs: Jasmine Guymer, Halle Brace.

Good evening, Junior Jacks!

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium.

Last time we were here we invited Plantasia to bring some of their animals to meet the Junior Jacks. We really enjoyed meeting the animals and we hope you did too.

We have all the activities for you to try and Rolypoly is joining us again for a disco and party games.

We have the usual Take Five quiz, so you can test your football knowledge below.

We also have some news! Our friends in the media team have helped us update the website, so there’s even more for our Junior Jacks.

Click here to visit the Junior Jacks site.

Enjoy the game!

Cyril and Cybil

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.radiocity1389am.co.uk. To learn more about accessible facilities at the stadium, please click here.