Jon Beale hoping to continue bright start to the season

Swansea City Under-18s have made an impressive start to their 2026/27 campaign in all competitions, going seven games unbeaten.

The age-group side currently sit top of the South Division of the Professional Development League, with four wins and one draw to their name.

And they have claimed those victories in emphatic, high-scoring fashion, scoring 20 goals in league action alone across their five games.

They have followed suit in the PDL Cup, winning back-to-back fixtures 5-0 against Oxford United and Coventry City respectively. Swansea currently sit top of Group B with one fixture remaining.

With a new-look squad featuring 12 new scholars, as well as a number of players from the Under-15 and Under-16 age groups, head coach Jon Beale has praised the side's fine start to the season.

"We're all really pleased with the start we've made. We've been super competitive in all games we've played so far this season," said Beale.

"The way they've applied themselves, paid attention to detail in training has obviously come out on the pitch, and that's resulted in really good performances and results. 

"There's been a big intake in external scholars this year, and then there's boys who have moved up from the under-16s, boys we've worked with and have played for the under-18s before.

"How they've all integrated and have come together as a team is brilliant, and again, that's showing on the pitch."

In seven games, both league and cup, the Swans have scored 30 goals, the most of any other club so far this campaign.

"Scoring and being more clinical is something we spoke about and worked on in pre-season, and it's something we had to be better at last season," he added.

"I know we've scored a lot of goals, but there's been instances this season where we could have scored even more. But we can't fault the boys, especially at the top end for being creative in terms of their play, and the quality of their finishes."

With players constantly playing an age-group up, opportunities haven opened up for many Youth Development Phase youngsters to slot into the under-18s squad. 

Players such Ifan Harding, Llewelyn Gregson, Jacinto Merrony-Janota, Archie Devine and Damian Dabrowksi have made considerable step-ups this campaign, also contributing to goals for the upper-age group.

Further chances for these players to shine come in the Under-17 PDL Cup, a relatively new tournament in the category two programme. A tournament in which the Swans were finalists in the 2024/25 season. 

And the strong results have continued in the youth competition, with Swansea winning their opening group-stage game 6-1 against Swindon Town before edging past Exeter City 3-2.

"We're happy to have continued our unbeaten run in this competition also, I know the age-group made the final a few years ago, and we hope to do that again," he continued.

"It also allows us to bring more players in to play with the scholars, and we can expose them to competitive football as part of their development pathway.

"We'll always look to give opportunities to those players, that's what it's about."