Under-18s prepare for Leicester City test
7th August
The Under-18s kick-off their debut season in the Barclays U18 Premier League South with a home game against Leicester City at Landore on Saturday (11am).
The young Swans go into the opening weekend off the back of a tough pre-season which saw the squad play four games in six days against European opposition in the Czech Republic, before earning a 1-1 draw against Chelsea this week.
Meanwhile, ten players have made the step up from last season's Under-16 squad to become first-year scholars with the Swans in 2015-16
And coach Gary Richards says the step up to category one football will bring its own set of fresh challenges.
"I'm excited to get started and I know the players are really looking forward to it," he said. "It will be a new challenge but one we are relishing. Every game will be different but this level of football will only help develop our players.
"Our young lads have progressed well since our first pre-season match against Dagenham last month. Since then the squad have got some good game time under their belts and tactically we have made strides with our organisation.
"It has been a tough pre-season, the lads have worked hard and taken on board the different things myself and Cameron (Toshack) have asked of them and we go into the season with more positive results than negative ones.
"We are coming up against a very good team in Leicester this weekend, they had a very good season last year and made the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup, so they will be tough opponents to start against."
Entry to Landore on Saturday is FREE but supporters are reminded that there is no parking at the facility.
SWANS U18 SQUAD (from): Lewis Thomas, Ben Jones, Aaron Lewis, Ben Morgan, Daniel Jefferies, Causso Darame, Mael Davies, Thomas Dyson, Jordan Jones, Liam Edwards, Jack Evans, Keiran Evans, Brandon Griffiths, Sean Hanbury.
