Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for the visit of Huddersfield Town.

Today’s game is the start of a very busy month as the festive period begins, with eight fixtures alone between now and January 1.

It was incredible to see almost 500 members of the Jack Army make the long journey to Leeds on Wednesday to support Michael and the team.

With Christmas fast approaching and the cost-of-living crisis continuing to bite, your support for our club is magnificent and we really appreciate the efforts you continue to go to.

This week I had the pleasure of attending my first structured dialogue alongside other club representatives, with supporters able to ask the questions that matter to them.

It was another opportunity to further engage with the community and the heartbeat of our great club, as we continue to offer transparency where possible on a range of topics.

It was a really engaging evening and the minutes will be published on our website in the coming weeks.

As well as a number of first-team fixtures this month, the Swansea.com Stadium will be playing host to Wales against Germany in the UEFA Women’s Nations League on Tuesday, December 5.

This is an opportunity for supporters to watch international football and continue to show support for the growth of the women’s game here in Wales.

Today’s game also provides an opportunity to back The Boot Room’s boot donation campaign ahead of Christmas.

The Boot Room was launched by Swans supporter Carl Bradley in 2019 with the aim of breaking down financial barriers to playing football by providing free boots and kit to children and young people who need them.

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and with prices of football boots rising year on year, The Boot Room project is even more pertinent now than when it launched four years ago.

If you have wearable boots which you no longer use, you can donate them to The Boot Room at a specific drop-off point located in the club shop in the lead up to the game.

With so many games coming up between now and January 1, your continued support is hugely appreciated as we all work together to progress this club on and off the pitch.

Enjoy the game,

Andy

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our fixture against Huddersfield Town.

We return to home soil frustrated not to have taken more from games against Hull and Leeds where we showed positive signs in our performances, particularly in the first halves of those matches.

But we also know we need to be better at keeping hold of leads in games. It’s frustrating that we have not been able to see games out and there’s been a lot of that frustration in the last few weeks.

The flip side of that is we see things are improving, we are looking more and more like the team we want to be.

The nature of the Championship means that over a season you can have good runs and bad runs, but what has to be consistent is that focus on your work and on the next game and the next performance.

That is how I have always worked and that will never change. You have to keep coming in to work every day with the mindset that you want to work hard and you want to improve.

The players have been excellent in terms of their attitude and their application, they are giving us everything and that is all we can ask of them.

You are not due anything in football, you cannot take anything for granted. I have said it many times, but this is the most competitive league there is and it poses you with a number of different challenges, and Huddersfield will ask different questions of us.

We have seen they can be a dangerous side in transition so we need to make sure we have tempo in our play and we make sure we are accurate and do not give them the opportunities to hurt us in those situations.

It’s a different challenge for us, it’s about us having the balance of getting the ball but having that penetration with it.

We can’t play slowly, we will need to move the ball quickly, find space early and that’s the beauty of the Championship, because you always face new challenges.

This week has also seen us add Yannick Bolasie to our squad on a short-term contract.

Yannick brings a considerable amount of experience, and offers us something different to what we have in the squad.

He enjoyed being back out on the field for us in midweek. We need to build up his match fitness but he showed signs of why we wanted to bring him in and we hope he can help us on and off the pitch during his time with the club.

Enjoy the game.

Michael

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our game against Huddersfield Town.

After the midweek results today’s opponents, Huddersfield Town, sit just one point and three places below us in the table following our own draw against Hull and defeat against Leeds.

Hopefully we can turn our results around, starting with this game, and carry some momentum into the busy festive schedule. Hopefully the noise from us, the Jack Army, can help galvanise the players on the pitch.

Any match versus Huddersfield always takes me back almost 30 years to our first-ever Wembley Stadium visit – this was the ‘old’ twin towers version - in the final of the then Autoglass Trophy in April 1994.

We lifted the cup that day following a penalty shootout after the match finished 1-1 after extra time. Big Roger Freestone saved the key penalty to allow Frank Burrows’ side to secure silverware.

Our head-to-head record against Huddersfield is evenly-matched with five wins for us, five draws and six wins for the Terriers – so this game should be close. Let’s hope we can level up those wins and collect all three points.

The work of the Trust continues apace and we will be looking to update you all on the recent Matchday Experience Survey results later this month. We want to send our thanks to the almost 1,000 Jacks who took the time to complete to help with this work.

The Global Jacks working group has arranged the next virtual fans’ forum, aimed more towards supporters who live outside of Swansea, and this will take place on Sunday December 10 at 6pm, and will be hosted by Mal Pope.

If you’d like to join our Swans supporters from all over the world and ask some questions to a panel of legends that includes Lee Trundle, Leon Britton and Kris O’Leary, just drop us an email to globaljacks@swanstrust.co.uk or you can register directly HERE.

If you would like to learn more about these types of member and fan engagement events in the future - plus the wide range of other work we are doing - you can do so by joining the Trust online HERE

Since our last home game there have been good victories for our women’s team - wining 8-3 at Cwmbran Celtic -  and our under-21s, who saw off Ipswich 4-0.

The teams would appreciate your support at future fixtures. The women have three away games on the spin but are back at home on January 14 against Cardiff Met.

The under-21s, meanwhile, travel to face Cardiff in their south Wales derby on December 5, before being back at home against QPR on the December 18.

It’s going to be another cold day so let’s get off our seats and make some noise to cheer the boys on to what we all hope will be a good win.

Enjoy the game and stay as warm as you can.

Chris Golledge

Swansea City superfan Eli Fisher had long dreamed of emulating his hero Matt Grimes by representing the club he loves, and thanks to Swansea City AFC Foundation’s pan-disability Premier League Kicks sessions, his dream came true earlier this year.

The disability sessions have been running since the start of 2023, and 11-year-old Eli has been a consistent participant from the very beginning, which meant he earned the opportunity to represent the Swans at the Premier League Disability Festival tournament in Wolverhampton in June.

After winning that tournament, the squad were invited to walk out with their Swans heroes as mascots for the Northampton Carabao Cup game in August, and Eli led the team out with his favourite player, captain Grimes.

As a thank you for being an inspirational representative of both Swansea City and the Foundation, Eli was recently joined by Grimes for a game of bowling at Superbowl UK - sponsors of the family section of the Swansea.com Stadium's South Stand - and the Swans midfielder thinks it is brilliant that the junior Jack has been able to emulate him by representing his club.

“It gave me goosebumps walking out with Eli as mascot; it was absolutely amazing,” said Grimes.

“He’s such a great lad and to give him opportunities to pull on the Swans shirt and do what he’s always dreamed of is just brilliant.

“You can see his face light up every time he goes on the pitch, so everything that we can do to make the lives better for people like Eli is fantastic, and he and I really enjoyed the evening at Superbowl UK.

“It’s been class, I love spending time with Eli and his father, Greg.

“They’re such a great family and we’ve built a really special relationship over the last five or six years.”

Grimes also hailed the positive impact of the pan-disability sessions, and the enjoyment they bring for the participants and their families.

“Opportunity is massive in life, so to bring as much joy as we can to brilliant kids like Eli is something that can’t be overlooked,” he added.

“It’s just a brilliant time when everyone is happy and we can give Eli the opportunities to fulfil his dreams.

 “The work that goes into the Foundation’s disability sessions is incredible, and it’s inclusive so everyone can have the opportunity to wear the kit like Eli, to enjoy themselves and live their lives to the max. It’s a great way to be able to give back to the community.”

The pan disability sessions are for children aged eight to 18 who are facing challenges such as autism, learning difficulties, physical or mobility issues and sight or hearing impairment, and provide the opportunity to take part in inclusive football sessions, which are completely free to attend.

“Giving them the chance to kick a ball around with people that they may not have played with a lot, and understanding people with different disabilities, that’s the main aspect of it,” said Andrew Dyer, the Foundation’s PL Kicks coach who started the pan-disability sessions.

 “We’re seeing Eli become more confident, learn different skills, improve his footballing ability, it’s so fulfilling to be a part of his journey.

“The bowling opportunity was brilliant for everyone involved.

“We wanted to show we’re so grateful to Eli and his family for their commitment to the Kicks sessions, representing our club and turning up every week with a big smile on his face.

“We are glad to be able to give him something special in return by meeting his favourite player.”

In addition to attending the Foundation sessions Eli, along with his family, has admirably raised awareness of Down’s Syndrome through Hands up for Down’s, a charity treasured by his mother, Sam.

And Eli’s father Greg says attending the sessions has done wonders for Eli’s confidence.

“The sessions have been fantastic, the club have been superb as well. Being part of a team, that team spirit, inclusivity of playing football, celebrating and winning as a team, it’s so important for his development,” he said.

“Seeing the little smile on Eli’s face is fantastic, we can’t ask for anything better than that.

“I am a lifelong Swans fan and seeing Eli walking out with the captain against Northampton, it made me so proud and it all came from taking part in the Kicks sessions.”

Jamal Lowe spoke openly of his sense of unfinished business when he returned to Swansea City on loan from Bournemouth at the end of the summer transfer window. Here, the forward explains why reaching his goal of playing in the Premier League has not quelled the fire in his belly, and why his experiences early on at Barnet mean he feels a responsibility to look out for younger players.

Jamal Lowe’s career path is far from the well-trodden one of the academy graduate coming through the ranks to become a senior star. The forward’s early career had its share of challenges and setbacks, and those experiences have forged a hunger that has not left him, even as he has made it all the way to Premier League and international level.

Lowe initially emerged at QPR before joining Barnet, but the arrival of Edgar Davids as manager started a difficult period that saw a number of non-league loan spells and an eventual departure from the Bees. .

During his time outside the professional ranks, Lowe would work as a PE teacher but, with his appetite for the game replenished as he enjoyed a positive spell with Hampton & Richmond Borough, he made the decision to quit that job and joined a number of his friends in training in a local park to hone his game.

It paid off with a move to Portsmouth, and he has not looked back since.

He helped the south-coast club to promotion from League Two and EFL Trophy success, scoring in the game to secure promotion and at Wembley.

Moves to Wigan Athletic and Swansea in the Championship followed, helping the Swans to the 2021 play-off final with 14 goals that season.

From there he went to Bournemouth and reached the top-flight with the Cherries, before short stint with QPR last season.

Now, he is back with the Swans and has made a fine start to his second stint with four goals and three assists.

And Lowe admits that, even though reaching the top-flight was a career goal he was desperate to complete, it hasn’t quelled his hunger or desire when it comes to the game he loves.

“To have come from where I was to play in the Premier League is something I’m massively proud of,” he says.

“To be able to say I’ve done it is great for me, but I don’t think I’ve done it the way I wanted to do it.

“I've played in the Premier League, but I've never started in the Premier League or scored in it. Those are still things I want to do and achieve. It’s not like every box has been ticked just because I’ve played at that level.

“For me, personally, I’ve still got that fire in my belly inside of me and I want to achieve more.

“Internationally, I want to play more and get more caps and goals. 

“I’ve still got work to do. Sometimes, you get there, and you know there’s more to do.

“It does burn me that I’ve haven't played many games in the Premier League and I haven’t scored up there, and that’s something I’d love to do.

“I also want to help Swansea because I loved my time here the first time around. I said when I came back that I felt I had unfinished business here, there is more I want to achieve for this club.

“I was really happy here. We got to the play-off final and then the next year I was looking to try and go again.

“I wasn’t looking for anything, it just happened and that was part of the game, and that’s part of football. There were no grudges or anything, it didn’t end badly at all.

“When I heard that the Swans were interested again, I was never turning down the opportunity to come back.”

Another reason for Lowe’s drive is his memories of his early career and those times in and out of the pro ranks.

One period at Barnet stands out.
Lowe broke into the first team from the youth ranks, but was not on a pro deal or even a scholarship meaning he was playing senior football in League Two but not earning a wage.

It meant his mother effectively had to provide the then-teenage forward with pocket money for food when travelling for away games.

“When I first broke into the first team at Barnet, I wasn’t contracted. It was through the college programme, and I wasn’t even a scholar,” he says.

“You pay £200 a term to be on it, I played in this college development league, and I scored a hat-trick like three weeks in a row.

“They moved me into the youth team to start off and I scored a few more goals. Then someone was injured in the first team, and they needed someone to train.

“I played in some cup game, and I scored a couple of goals in that cup and then they boosted me into the League Two squad.

“I wasn’t getting paid a penny, although I did manage to not have to pay the £200 a term after that.

“They didn’t give me a deal for a while, and I played for free for a while. I was on all these overnight stays for games with the older players and my mum used to give me money.

“My mum would always have bags of £2 coins from the bank, and she’d give me £2 or £4 to go on an away trip.

“That had to last me on the way there, and on the way back and it never did because service stations are pretty expensive and that money would not go very far. 

“But a few times, some of the boys saw that I had one sweet at the services and they’d offer to buy me a drink and snacks.

“I did eventually get a scholarship and go on to become pro. That was a mad time, but it was a humbling experience and I still remember that feeling very clearly.

“That’s why whenever I see young lads come into the first team or join the club, I like to try and make sure they are okay, to offer them any advice and help them settle in.

“I know how it can feel to come into an environment like that where you sometimes don’t feel sure of yourself, or you don’t want to tell anyone if you are worried about anything. So, that’s important to me.”.

While Lowe hopes to still have a fair few years ahead of him in his playing career, he has had thoughts about returning to a previous profession when the time does come to hang up his boots.

Having been a PE teacher and then ran training sessions for himself and a number of other non-league players as they tried to reach the professional ranks, Lowe does have one eye on a future in personal training.

“When I quit my job as a PE teacher, I still had all of the equipment. So, at first, I used to go to the park, and I was playing with Nicky Kabamba at the time,” he said.

“We were at Hampton together and we both ended up signing for Portsmouth, and now he’s playing for Barnet. 

“We were trying to get back into the league and we would just put on sessions together.

“I thought that this was something I wanted to do, and I started posting on Instagram to see if I could get any traction.

“It started off with five or six of us, all playing in Conference South. We just used to train, do shooting and drills.

“We didn’t even have a goalie, we used to put a bib in the top corner for target practice and try and get it through the gaps.

“We were trying to train as professionally as we could. A few of us ended up signing for clubs, I was with Portsmouth in League Two.

“Junior Morales signed for Peterborough after that, so I actually thought that I’d done alright! I played a small part in helping a few people get a move.

“There was no payment, I was just training anyway. It worked out better if I had more people as well.

“If football never worked out, that’s what I would have loved to have done. I’ve always followed a guy called ‘Jamie Velocity’ on Instagram, he works for Nike and he mostly works for Nike athletes.

“He does one-to-one sessions with all of these pro athletes, and I thought it was amazing. I could see me doing that, but obviously I was doing it on a lot smaller scale.

“If I didn’t get the move when I did, I probably would have done more and posted more. Thankfully, I did get a move, but I sometimes still think about doing it after football.

“I’ve got a few things I’d like to do, but personal training is definitely one as I’ve got a bit of experience in it.”

But first of all, Lowe will keep working away with that fire in his belly, intent on taking care of that unfinished business.

Polish striker Pawel Abbott arrived at the Swans from Huddersfield Town for £150,000 in January 2007.

A Poland Under-21 international, he was brought in to fill the void left by Rory Fallon, who had left to join Plymouth, having scored 44 goals in 105 league appearances for the Terriers.

York-born Abbott made his debut as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Gillingham and scored his only goal for the Swans in a 2-1 victory at Rotherham in Roberto Martinez’s first game in charge.

Abbott featured in the side that narrowly missed out on a place in the play-offs at the end of the 2006-07 season, before departing during the summer for Darlington after 18 appearances and one goal.

He went on to play for Oldham, Charlton and Polish clubs Ruch Chorzów, Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Arka Gdynia and Stomil Olszty before retiring in 2018.

Goals from Jamie Paterson and Jerry Yates weren’t enough as Swansea City had to settle for a point after being pegged back by Hull City at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, Jay Fulton, Ben Cabango, Matt Grimes (captain), Jerry Yates, Jamal Lowe (Liam Walsh 76’), Jamie Paterson, Josh Tymon, Harrison Ashby (Harry Darling 9’), Ollie Cooper (Josh Key 86’), Bashir Humphreys.

Unused ubstitutes: Andy Fisher, Charlie Patino, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Kyle Naughton, Cameron Congreve, Kyrell Wilson.

Hull City: Ryan Allsop, Lewie Coyle (captain), Jacob Greaves, Alfie Jones, Sean McLoughlin (Cyrus Christie 46’), Ozan Tufan (Jason Lokilo 46’), Tyler Morton, Liam Delap (Aaron Connolly 86’), Jaden Philogene, Jean Michael Seri, Scott Twine.

Unused substitutes: Matt Ingram, Greg Docherty, Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, Harry Vaughan, James Furlong, Andy Smith.

Swansea City fell to defeat at Elland Road despite Jamie Paterson finding the net inside the opening minute for the visitors. 

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, Josh Key (Harry Darling 70), Jay Fulton (Charlie Patino 71), Ben Cabango, Matt Grimes (captain), Jerry Yates (Yannick Bolasie 78), Jamal Lowe, Jamie Paterson (Liam Walsh 78), Josh Tymon, Ollie Cooper (Liam Cullen 71), Bashir Humphreys.

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Kyle Naughton, Cameron Congreve.

Leeds United: Illan Meslier, Ethan Ampadu, Joel Piroe, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville (Jaidon Anthony 80), Joe Rodon, Dan James (Wilfried Gnonto 7), Pascal Struijk (captain) (Liam Cooper 89), Archie Gray, Georginio Rutter (Patrick Bamford 70), Sam Byram (Junior Firpo 80).

Unused Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Ian Poveda, Djed Spence, Ilia Gruev.

Referee: Sam Allison

Attendance: 34,905

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s always quite a thrill to get an early Christmas present, especially if it’s unexpected.

Ditto if it’s something someone may have hinted at giving you, but you were too afraid to ask about or get your hopes up for because you didn’t want to be disappointed.

The prospect of said gift having a very decent pedigree, once being valued in the millions and potentially being versatile enough to be used in a variety of ways, makes the gift seem even more special. 

Well, when we unwrapped the surprise package that is Yannick Bolasie this week, after growing speculation and many reports of him being ‘spotted’ in Swansea, excitement levels reached a peak.

The former Crystal Palace and Everton man certainly managed to put smiles on faces after the disappointment of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Hull City and the talk from fans on forums and social media groups was positive, with many recalling his previous encounters in an opposition shirt, and excited that we’ll get to see the famous ‘Bolasie flick’ on the field sometime soon.

It can’t be an easy time for a player who once commanded a £25million pound fee to then find himself without a club and with little certainty. But, that’s the one thing that is certain about football – the lack of sureness.

Our new man has experienced his fair share of that in a career that started at youth level with Rushden & Diamonds and took him all the way to the Premier League.

There were loans and injuries resulting in long lay-offs and, after leaving Sporting Lisbon in 2020, he wrote about some of the challenges he and his family faced as a result of moving clubs and countries.

“If people were to ask me about my time in Lisbon I'd say life lessons and mental strength were key things," he wrote on his Instagram.

"Football wise it's been a rollercoaster as we had four managers in seven months, which for any team can't be helpful as that's different philosophies/different line-ups but I still feel me and the boys rose to the challenge and kept fighting on all fronts.”

And, despite the setbacks, that fighting spirit is strong. It’s easy to forget that footballers have families that are also affected by the uncertainty that hangs over so many playing careers and, while the tales of perseverance and determination are inspiring to hear, they’re often much more challenging to experience.

But, for the next two months there is certainty; there is a place to call ‘home’ in SA1 for the footballer who has had something of a nomadic existence in recent times.

And there is a traditionally warm Welsh welcome and a promise of love and affection if he gets the time to shine on the pitch and, of course, if he can get us some goals and assists he will be admired and adored for as long as he’s wearing our shirt – and maybe beyond.

No-one knows what will happen after the end of January, but if this pre-Christmas gift turns out to be a cracker, we’ll be celebrating him long after the festive season is over.

Croeso adref, Yannick Yala Bolasie, you’re a Jack now.

Roedd Yannick Bolasie yn werth £25m pan gafodd ei brynu gan Everton o Crystal Palace yn 2016. Mae hyn ychydig dros £2m yn fwy na'r record o £22.8m gafodd yr Elyrch gan West Ham am Andre Ayew.

Saith mlynedd yn ddiweddarach, mae'r asgellwr sy'n enedigol o Ffrainc ond sy'n cynrychioli Gweriniaeth Ddemocrataidd y Congo wedi cyrraedd Stadiwm Swansea.com yn rhad ac am ddim ar ôl bod yn yr anialwch ers gadael Caykur Rizespor yn Nhwrci.

A bydd gan y chwaraewr 34 oed ddeufis yn unig i greu argraff ar Michael Duff, gyda'r Elyrch yn brin o opsiynau ymosodol ar hyn o bryd, yn ôl cyfaddefiad y rheolwr ei hun.

Dw i'n ysgrifennu'r golofn hon cyn y gêm yn erbyn Leeds, a bydd hi'n ddiddorol gweld a fydd Duff yn ddigon dewr i daflu'r chwaraewr newydd yn syth ar y cae.

Ond yn sicr, dyma'r cyfle cyntaf i ni weld Bolasie yng nghrys yr Elyrch yn Stadiwm Swansea.com. Efallai y bydd rhai yn cofio'i ymweliadau blaenorol hefyd - i Middlesbrough yn 2021 ac i Aston Villa yn 2018.

Mae gan Bolasie gryn brofiad gydag Everton, Crystal Palace a thros gant o gemau yn y Bencampwriaeth mewn sawl safle ar y cae y tu ôl iddo fe. Gyda charfan yr Elyrch yn un gymharol ifanc, mae'n cynnig y profiad sydd ei angen, felly, wrth iddyn nhw frwydro i godi o waelodion y Bencampwriaeth i safle tebycach i'r hyn ddaethon ni'n gyfarwydd ag e dros y tymhorau diwethaf.

"Mae angen cyrff yn yr adeilad, mae angen help arnon ni," oedd ymateb Duff i'r trosglwyddiad yr wythnos hon. "Does ganddo fe mo'r cyflymdra na'r pwer oedd ganddo fe o'r blaen, ond dydych chi ddim yn cael eich prynu am £25m os nad ydych chi'n gwybod sut i drin pêl-droed."

Un i gadw llygad arno fe o safbwynt y gwrthwynebwyr heddiw yw'r Cymro Sorba Thomas. Dyw e ddim wedi gwisgo'r crys coch ers y gêm gyfartal 1-1 yn erbyn Croatia ym mis Mawrth, ond mae ei berfformiadau diweddar i'w glwb wedi creu argraff, nid lleiaf yn y golled o 1-0 yn erbyn Southampton, lle cafodd e sawl cyfle o flaen y gôl.

Mae e wedi sgorio un gôl yn ei 16 gêm hyd yn hyn, ac wedi creu pedair arall. Ac yntau wedi chwarae yng ngêm gyntaf Cwpan y Byd gwta flwyddyn yn ôl, bydd yr asgellwr/ymosodwr yn awyddus i atgoffa Rob Page o'i allu rhwng nawr a gemau ail gyfle Ewro 2024.

Yn ôl at Abertawe, sydd heb fuddugoliaeth ers curo Blackburn o 1-0 oddi cartref ar Hydref 28. Byddan nhw'n sicr yn awyddus i osgoi mis heb ennill gêm a dyma gyfle i wneud hynny yn erbyn tîm sydd un safle uwchlaw safleoedd y gwymp. Dydy'r Terriers heb ennill gêm ers Hydref 21. Mae'r ddau dîm yn brwydro, felly does wybod pa fath o ornest gawn ni'r prynhawn yma. Ond byddai'r triphwynt yn sicr yn werthfawr i'r Elyrch ar drothwy mis prysur, gyda saith gêm i ddod rhwng Rhagfyr 1-29.

ALUN RHYS CHIVERS

This season marks the 30th anniversary of Swansea City’s first trip to Wembley for the Autoglass Trophy final in 1994. To mark it, our club historian Gwyn Rees takes us back through the story of that campaign and some of the key figures involved. Here, he profiles Kwame Ampadu.

Bradford-born Kwame Ampadu was born in 1970 to a Ghanaian father and an Irish mother, and subsequently moved with his parents to Dublin, where he spent his formative years.

He played his youth football with Sherrard United and Belvedere in the Dublin area, and his ability with a football saw him move overseas to join the star-studded ranks at Arsenal in November 1988.

While at Highbury, he was selected for the Republic of Ireland Youth team, progressing on to win the first of his four under-21 caps when he lined up against Turkey in October 1990.

He would make two substitute appearances for the Gunners in March 1990 but, with his game time limited, he decided to move on loan to Plymouth Argyle later in the year where would make seven further first-team appearances.

At the end of that season he made the decision to leave North London, moving on loan to West Bromwich Albion; a switch he would subsequently make on a full-time basis in the summer of 1991.

Ampadu was a regular at the Hawthorns in his first season, but the change of manager from Bobby Gould to Ossie Ardiles saw opportunities become increasingly limited and he would make the move to the Vetch Field for a fee of £15,000 in February 1994.

Swans manager Frank Burrows was a shrewd operator in the transfer market, and his capture of the defender was one of his best deals.

Ampadu made his Swans debut two days after signing for the club, featuring as a substitute in a 2-0 win at home to Barnet, and would become a regular for the club over the next four years, featuring in nearly 200 first-team games.

A left-sided defender or midfielder, Ampadu was an exceptionally skilful player with a sublime first touch, and was always a threat in dead-ball situations.

Allied to his skill, was a competitive edge that saw him feature in the notebooks of referees on a regular basis.

A matter of weeks after first joining Swansea, he found himself playing in the club’s first-ever Wembley final against Huddersfield in the Autoglass Trophy final.

It proved a nervy affair, and the game ended all square at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra-time.

However, the Swans would keep their composure in the resulting penalty shootout, with Ampadu converting his spot-kick as the Welsh club prevailed 3-1.

Three seasons later Ampadu and the Swans were back at Wembley for the Third Division play-off final against Northampton, but this occasion would end in tears rather than cheers as John Frain’s retaken free-kick deep in stoppage time found the net to break Swansea hearts.

The following year and Ampadu would be on the moving, joining Leyton Orient on a free transfer, before moving on to Exeter City to link up with his former Swans captain John Cornforth in July 2000.

His final move as a full-time professional player saw him return to Wales with Newport County, where he once more played alongside Cornforth in midfield.

After hanging up his boots he enjoyed coaching spells with Exeter City Under-18s, Arsenal academy, Monaco and Montreal, and he is currently assistant manager at Columbus Crew in the United States.

His football legacy is carried on by his son Ethan, who as a defensive midfielder plays for Leeds United, and is a regular in the Wales national side having played in two major tournaments already despite being just 23 years of age.

I was delighted to read Swans chairman Andy Coleman’s recent update on what is happening at the club.

The statement touched upon positive moves regarding further investment, the development of the women’s team and the club’s continued commitment to supporting the wider community.

But the thing that pleased me most was a comment he made about the club’s academy.

“We recently appointed Gavin Levey as our academy manager,” he said.

“The academy is a huge part of this club’s history and its future, and I have no doubt Gavin will be a fantastic addition given his outstanding background in player development.”

It was brilliant to hear that the academy will continue to play a huge role in the future of the club.

Recent history has shown just how productive our academy can be.

Joe Allen, Ben Davies, Joe Rodon, Dan James, Connor Roberts, Ben Cabango, Ollie Cooper, Liam Cullen . . . just some of the players who have graduated to the first team as home-grown players from within the club’s development system.

But a look further back reminds us just what a hotbed of footballing talent Swansea and its surrounding areas have always been.

Historically, south-west Wales is one of the most productive areas in the whole of the United Kingdom as far as footballing talent is concerned.

It has been a production-line for players who have gone on to represent not just the Swans, but football clubs up and down the country and beyond. As well as, of course, their country.  

I know modern day academies aren’t just made up of local players – young talent is sometimes identified from further afield. Winger James being an example of this.

But it is vital the Swans have an instrument to tap in to the historic tradition of local talent this area boasts and give those players a chance to fulfil their potential hopefully with the club, or possibly elsewhere.

If Andy, or anyone else who may not be familiar with this tradition, is in need of some proof of Swansea’s remarkable ability to produce footballers, there is a brilliant recently-released documentary which will provide them with some compelling evidence.

If you haven’t seen ‘Wonderland – The Alice Street Story’, produced by Swansea University’s Taliesin Arts Centre, then I recommend you look it up on YouTube as soon as you possibly can.

Compiled with obvious affection and a huge amount of pride, the documentary tells the story of how four houses in Alice Street, Cwmbwrla, produced five international footballers during a 13-year period starting in 1946.

It’s an achievement not matched anywhere else in British football.

Writer David Brayley and producer Amina Abu-Shahba deserve a huge amount of credit for the short film which more than does justice to the stories of the five players and the remarkable street in which they were raised.

I’m sure people who aren’t necessarily football fans would enjoy the film – it is a fascinating snapshot of Swansea’s wider social history.

The story began with full-back Jackie Roberts and winger Ernie Jones.

Roberts lived at number nine Alice Street, while Jones was at number 10.

Roberts earned one cap for Wales and played for Bolton Wanderers as well as the Swans. On his debut for the Lancashire club, he scored a hat-trick against Everton.

Jones earned four caps for his country, and starred for Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Bolton and Swansea.

Both their careers were interrupted by the outbreak of World War Two. Who knows what other honours they would have achieved but for the war robbing them of a huge chunk of their careers?

The production line continued with the Charles brothers, John and Mel, who lived at number six Alice Street. Both played in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, which was then the only time Wales had qualified for a major tournament.

John became recognised as one of the greatest players in the world, but sadly never made a first-team appearance for the Swans, as he was whisked away to Leeds before being offered a professional contract by his hometown club.

When he moved from Leeds United to Juventus in 1957, it was for a British record fee of £65,000. A year later he was valued as the most expensive player on the planet.

The ‘Gentle Giant’ earned 38 caps for Wales, scoring 15 goals, and rivals Gareth Bale for the title of Wales’ greatest ever player.

Mel earned 31 caps, scored six goals, and played for Swansea, Arsenal and Cardiff City. When he moved from the Vetch to Arsenal it was for another British record transfer.

Mel played centre-half in the 1958 World Cup quarter-final against Brazil, and although a 17-year-old Pele scored the eventual winner, he described him as the best centre-half he faced. The Welshman was also named in the team of the tournament.

The final member of the Alice Street quintet was Mel Nurse, known affectionately as Mr Swansea.

Nurse won 12 caps for his country and made over 300 appearances during two stints at the club, which were separated by a spell at Middlesbrough.

But he was arguably more famous for what he did after his playing career. A successful businessman, he twice stepped up to save the Swans when they were on the brink of bankruptcy. In 2001, he re-mortgaged all his businesses to underwrite the club's debts.

Ten years later, the Swans were promoted to the Premier League, where they spent seven seasons.

Alice Street, of course, is just part of the story of Swansea’s rich history as a breeding ground for professional footballers.

The Charles brothers were part of the Wales squad for the 1958 World Cup, but they were also joined by other Swansea-born players.

Also on the plane to Sweden were Llansamlet-born Jack Kelsey; former Plasmarl school pupil Ivor Allchurch – nicknamed ‘the Golden Boy of Welsh football’; Sandfields boy Cliff Jones, and Terry Medwin, who was born opposite Swansea Prison.

There could have been more Swansea-born players in the squad. Ivor Allchurch’s brother Len, Ray Daniel, Trevor Ford and Munich Air Disaster survivor Ken Morgans could all have made legitimate claims for places at the World Cup.

Later, the Swans’ incredible rise to the old First Division at the start of the 1980s was built on a foundation of local talent such another member of the Charles dynasty – Mel’s son Jeremy Charles, along with the likes of another Swansea boy and club legend Robbie James.

Even during less successful times for the club, the city has been a breeding ground for hugely influential players.

Of course, one of them, Chris Coleman, not only starred for club and country on the field but went on to lead Wales to their first international tournament since those heady days of 1958.

And that squad, which Coleman managed to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, included Swansea academy products Ben Davies Jazz Richards and Joe Allen.

Here’s to Gavin Levey making sure the footballing production line doesn’t go the same way as some other traditional industries in the locality.

There is a rich vein of footballing talent in and around Swansea, hopefully the academy continues to mine it and reap the kind of remarkable rewards we have enjoyed in the past.

One thing’s for sure, there’s plenty of inspiration from the past for young local players of the future.

As Swansea University history professor Martin Johnes says in the film when discussing the success of the Alice Street inhabitants: “If you see people like you making a career out of this, then it makes you think, ‘I can do that’, rather than just saying ‘well I can play football but I’ll end up in the steelworks’.

“If people from your community and your street have made it in the game, then that, I think, encourages people to be ambitious and follow that line as well.”

C’mon you Swans!

A Kristian Fletcher hat-trick and a Kyrell Wilson effort saw Swansea City Under-21s secure a routine home win over their Ipswich counterparts at Landore.

The Swans had control of the Professional Development League encounter from the off and led when Wilson coolly claimed his 12th goal of the season.

The forward then turned provider to allow Fletcher to net for an 11th time in Swansea colours, and the American forward brought up his dozen by stepping inside two defenders to smash an unstoppable strike in off the far post late on.

But he was not done there, sending a low shot into the net to round off an excellent Swansea move in the closing stages.

While the forwards will take the attention, this was a fine all-round team performance from the development side with a number of players - including centre-half Richard Faakye - turning in accomplished showings with the Swans able to keep the Tractor Boys at arm’s length for much of the afternoon as they secured a clean sheet.

The win also moved Swansea above the visitors in the south section table.

Swansea had shown three changes from victory over Bristol City. Remy Mitchell came in for Evan Watts in goal, with Lincoln McFayden and Fletcher starting in place of Maliq Cadogan and Cameron Congreve respectively.

The Swans took an early lead with a sweeping attack in just the sixth minute. Sam Parker was sent into space down the right by skipper Filip Lissah and the winger’s well-weight cross was controlled and calmly steered into net by the in-form Wilson.

The hosts were soon on the front foot again, Wilson just unable to tee up Fletcher before Dan Watts sent an effort wide.

Watts then worked the keeper from the edge of the box, before the Swans had a let off when Leon Ayinde’s shot beat Remy Mitchell but rebounded to safety off the inside of the far post.

Swans made the most of the fortune by doubling their lead. Wilson was the provider this time, laying the ball on a plate for Fletcher to send it back across the keeper and into the far corner.

However, Fletcher was guilty of not taking the chance to return the favour when he tried to finish from an acute angle with Wilson among several white shirts awaiting a pass in the middle.

The hosts were playing some terrific stuff, and strong play stepping out with the ball from Faakye kickstarted another attack, which ended in a Parker cross being turned behind for a corner.

The Swans were in control and Lincoln McFayden threatened to score a superb solo goal following a wonderful run and cut inside from the left, but he was crowded out as he prepared to shoot.

The lead could have been greater, Liam Smith volleying way over from McFayden’s accurate cross, but the Swans retained a deserved two-goal advantage at the interval.

The hosts remained on the front foot early in the second period, excellent hold-up play from Wilson seeing him link with Smith and eventually win a corner, which Lissah nearly turned in at the near post.

A lovely pass from Joe Thomas then allowed Parker to drive infield and get away a low drive that was blocked, before Fletcher fizzed an effort wide from distance.

Ryan Carr had a rare effort on goal for the visitors but his low strike was easily gathered in by Swansea keeper Mitchell.

But the chances were all coming Swansea’s way, and Wilson was left with his head in his hands after excellent work by Faakye, Watts and Fletcher teed him up only for the forward to snatch at his effort and send the ball wide.

Osman Foyo was off the mark from distance for Ipswich as the contest reached its closing stages, before Thomas had a header ruled out from a corner to deny Swansea a third goal.

But another Swans goal would soon arrive with Fletcher producing an emphatic finish after jinking away from a pair of defenders on the left side of the area.

And there was still time for another as the Swans moved the ball forward fluently to find Fletcher in space, with his low strike beating the keeper to cap off a fine team performance.

Swansea City Under-21s: Remy Mitchell, Joe Thomas, Lincoln McFayden (Zane Myers 46), Mitchell Bates, Filip Lissah (captain), Richard Faakye (Jack Stafford 84), Sam Parker, Liam Smith (Charlie Veevers 84), Kristian Fletcher, Dan Watts (Aimar Govea 84), Kyrell Wilson.

Unused Substitutes: Kit Margetson.

Ipswich Town Under-21s: Woody Williamson, Edwin Agbaje, Michael Lavin (Ayyuba Jambang 62), Jacob Mazionis, Dan O’Connor, Ryan Carr, Matty Roberts (Tommy Taylor 62), Trialist (Steven Turner 46), Ash Boatswain, Osman Foyo (Paul Moodie 76) , Leon Ayinde.

Unused Substitutes: Danny Cullum.

Name
Glory Nzingo

DOB
04/11/2004

Position
Attacking Midfield

Left Footed / Right Footed
Right

Nationality (according to UEFA)
Irish

Signed for the Swans
June 2023

Previous club  Mountview, Castleknock Celtic, Home Farm, Cherry Orchard, St Patrick's Athletic, Reims.

What is your best memory in a Swans shirt?
My first goal.

What is your favourite thing about Swansea?
The people are very nice here.

Who is your football idol?
There are a few, but I’ll say Cristiano Ronaldo.

What is your favourite film?
Rush Hour.

Who is your favourite music artist?
Dave.

What is your cheat meal?
Pizza, just pepperoni with barbecue base from Domino's.

What subject were you best at in school?
English and French.

Football bucket list
Make my professional debut.

A stadium you’d love to visit (as player or fan)
Santiago Bernabeu.

Your first football memory
One of my goals that I scored in Mountview, my first ever local club in mini leagues.

First football shirt you owned
LA Galaxy, I can’t remember why, but I just saw it and I liked it.

Other football position you played
Everywhere in midfield, left wing, striker and right wing.

Any other sports
I’ve played Gaelic football, I’ve played hurling, I’ve done athletics as well for my school.

Preferred shirt number
10

Favourite computer game
FIFA, or EA FC as it now is.

Aim for the season?
Help the team as much as possible to win games and develop a lot as a player to hopefully breakthrough into the first team.

Who is the most famous person you’ve met?
Ian Rush when we played the Victory Shield in Wales.

An interesting fact about you
My hidden talent is I can play the drums.

Swansea City Under-18s progressed to the quarter-finals of the Professional Development League Cup after a tense and dramatic draw against Plymouth Argyle.

The Swans finished the group stage campaign top of Group E after wins over Cardiff City and AFC Bournemouth in previous rounds, holding off a late Argyle fightback on their travels to advance to the last eight.

The visitors knew they would go through if they avoided defeat, while a win would send the home side into the quarter-finals, and it made for an entertaining contest with so much at stake. 

Fin Wilkes opened the scoring by tapping in a rebound for Plymouth inside 20 minutes, before Rohan Davies netted an equaliser from close range moments later.

The Swans were on the front foot from then on as Thomas Woodward sent a stunning header into the back of the net, before bagging his second from the spot in the second period.

It looked as though Swansea were about to progress in comfort but the hosts had other ideas.

They pulled one back from a penalty kick converted by Welsh youth international Joe Hatch, and had a glimmer of hope when Freddie Issaka's deflection found the net in the closing stages.

But the Swans saw out the remainder of the game and made sure there was no repeat of 12 months ago, when defeat to Plymouth had dumped them out of the same competition.

There were two changes to the Swans line up that faced Millwall last time out. Jack Fanning came back into the starting XI following a brief injury and suspension, replacing Iestyn Jones.

Teo Minchev made his first competitive start in Swans colours in place of Ben Phillips, who was named amongst the substitutes. 

It was an open start to the contest, with both sides pressing aggressively in and out of possession. 

Yori Griffith and Aimar Govea combined on multiple occasions, with the latter’s promising half-shot, half-cross into the box eventually being blocked.

Govea was soon involved again down the left, and the 17-year-old was awarded a free-kick after being pulled back. A whipped delivery from the set-piece looked to find Fanning’s head, but it was cleared away by a Plymouth defender. 

Whilst the Swans had enjoyed some good opportunities , it was the hosts who broke the deadlock inside 20 minutes.

Wilkes was the man who had the ball in the back of the net after teammate Josh Bernard's initial shot had been blocked by Kit Margetson.

Swansea had a decent spell of pressure in response. Govea’s mazy run into the box fed Josh Pescatore, but the skipper’s ball flashed across the face of goal. 

Margetson then made an instinctive save to deny the Pilgrims a second, keeping a Cole Fisher effort out with his fingertips. 

But the equaliser came for the Swans, and it was well deserved. Woodward teed up Davies after a lovely gliding run, and the in-form striker tapped in.

The hosts looked to hit back and Issaka was sent through one-on-one down the middle of the park but he was chased down by Fanning and Arthur Parker before dragging his shot wide. 

Instead, it was the Swans who led at the break. Woodward powering in a header from a fine Harlan Perry delivery.

The Swans started the second period brightly as Griffith was denied by Dan Holman, who palmed his shot behind for a corner. 

And it got better for the Swans when the referee awarded the visitors a spot-kick after Griffith was fouled by the Plymouth keeper. 

Woodward stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to complete his brace, and score his ninth of the season in all competitions. 

But the gap was closed with 10 to go as the hosts were given a penalty of their own after Jones was fouled in the box. Hatch – whose goal sent the Swans out of the competition last term – drilled it past Margetson from the spot. 

Plymouth then found the equaliser through Issaka and it took a brilliant stoppage-time save from Margetson to deny Hatch a dramatic winner and ensure the Swans progressed. 

Swansea City Under-18s: Kit Margetson, Jack Fanning, Arthur Parker, Jacob Cook, Teo Minchev (Iestyn Jones 45), Harlan Perry, Josh Pescatore (captain) (Osian Williams 83), Yori Griffith (Ben Phillips 66), Rohan Davies, Thomas Woodward, Aimar Govea. 

Substitutes: Ewan Griffiths, Aidan Higgins. 

Six of the best from Chloe Chivers helped Swansea City Women progress to the quarter-finals of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup with an emphatic victory in a goal-laden contest at Cwmbran Celtic Ladies.

Chivers had put the Swans two goals to the good early in the first half, but Cwmbran quickly responded to turn the tie on its head with three goals in six minutes.

But Chivers would net twice more before the interval to restore the visitors’ lead.

The Swans completely dominated the second half, Emily Thomas forcing an own goal before Chivers netted twice more to make it a double hat-trick for the forward.

Brisland-Hancocks made it eight late on, firing a strike from the edge of the box past the goalkeeper to round off the win and build on the momentum of their Swansea.com Stadium victory over Wrexham a week ago.

The Swans had made the perfect start to the game, Chivers tucking past the keeper after just two minutes thanks to a ball over the top from Steph Turner.

Chivers then doubled the lead after the Swans had continued to dominate play, calmly tucking the ball past the keeper once again.

But the Swans would let their dominance slip, Cerys Shipley puller a goal back by heading home after the a frantic goalmouth scramble following a Cwmbran corner.

The hosts were level just three minutes later, Eloise Meaney’s free-kick cannoned off the post before falling to Shipley to tap home her second.

Four minutes later Cwmbran would lead, Jade Crofts worked her way into the Swansea box before firing into the bottom-left corner.

But the frantic nature of the contest didn’t stop there, with Chivers claiming her hat-trick five minutes before the break after latching onto a great ball from Jess Williams.

Chivers would then restore the Swans lead just before the break, getting her fourth of the afternoon and sending her team into the break with the advantage.

The momentum was with the visitors and they carried it into the second half, Thomas’ excellent run down the left opened up space, before her cross was turned into her own net by Cwmbran’s Fiona Anthony.

Chivers goalscoring rampage continued as she made it 6-3 to the Swans after a clever ball  by Robyn Pinder from a free-kick was powered home by the forward.

She would make it a double hat-trick just four minutes later, Thomas pulling the ball across for Chivers to tap home her sixth.

Brisland-Hancocks would then add the Swans eighth, a fantastic strike from the edge of the box beating the keeper and rounding off the scoring.

The win sees the Swans progress to a quarter-final tie against Cascade YC Women.

Cwmbran Celtic Ladies: Alex Cridland, Amy Roderick (Kristina Jasicova 80), Sian Anthony (Alex-Marie Bond 74), Jodie Challenger, Elena Scrivens (Olivia Fairfax 69), Eloise Meaney (captain), Fiona Anthony, Cerys Shipley, Jade Crofts, Natalia Shwartz, Georgia Shwartz.

Swansea City Women: Claire Skinner, Alicia Powe (captain), Lucy Finch (Halle Brace 76), Steph Turner, Rachel Cullen, Robyn Pinder, Chloe Chivers (Lindsay Wilson-Morgan 76), Sammy Wynne (Sophie Brisland-Hancocks 61), Monet Legall (Katy Hosford 61), Emily Thomas, Jess Williams (Ellie Lake 57).

Date of birth

18/08/1997

Nationality (according to UEFA)

Welsh

What position do you play?

Midfield

Which is your preferred foot?

Right-footed

When did you sign for the Swans?

2013

What is your best moment in a Swansea City shirt?

Scoring in the Swansea.com Stadium.

What is your favourite thing about playing for Swansea City?

My team mates, the passion that the club has and the pride when wearing the shirt.

Who is your football idol?

Lionel Messi.

What is the first position you played in football?

Right Winger.

What is your first memory of football (either watching or playing)?

Going to watch the Swans play Blackpool with my dad when I was about 9.

What is the first football shirt you owned?

Brazil

What is your full-time occupation?

Education co-ordinator

What is something that is on your bucket list?

To qualify for the Champions League.

What is your favourite film?

The Greatest Showman

Who is your favourite music artist?

Dave

What is the best TV series you've watched?

The Lincoln Lawyer

What is the best concert you've been to?

Coldplay

What was your favourite subject in school?

Maths

Do you play computer games? If so, which ones?

EA FC 24

Croeso nôl, pawb!

It’s good to see you all back at the Swansea.com Stadium for today’s game.

The Christmas period is fast approaching, and the matches are coming thick and fast. We love having so many opportunities to watch the Swans and hang out with you all.

Our score prediction for today’s match is that the Swans will win 2-0 and we think Jerry Yates and Jamal Lowe will score the goals.

What’s your prediction for today?

As Huddersfield Town are today’s visitors, we’ve put together a quiz with five questions all about them. Test your knowledge below!
 
Enjoy the game!
 
Cyril and Cybil

Chairman - Andy Coleman
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis MBE

Directors

Jason Levien, Andy Coleman, Nigel Morris, Brett Cravatt, Jake Silverstein, Sam Porter, Martin Morgan, Paul Meller (supporter director), Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Todd Marcelle, Gareth Davies.

Director of Business and Legal Affairs: Sam Porter.
Associate Directors: Adam Lewis.

FIRST-TEAM STAFF

Head Coach – Michael Duff

Assistant Head Coaches - Alan Sheehan and Martin Paterson

Head of Goalkeeping – Martyn Margetson

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, Shaun Howl, Jonathan Jones, Jono Aveston, Jake Dayus, Patrick Orme, Lewis Binns.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP

Paul Watson (Sporting Director); Andrew Davies (Head of Commercial, Operations, & Facilities);
Gareth Davies (CFO);
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, Events & Fan Engagement: Catherine Thomas
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Senior Commercial Sponsorship Manager: Lee Merrells
Head of Commercial:
Richard Morris
Head of Media & Communications:
Ben Donovan
Ticket Office Manager: Lewis Bullen
Head of Facilities: 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: Andrew Gwilym, Hayley Ford, Sophie Davis, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Rhys Kemish, Dom Hynes, Sammy Wynne, Fraser Dickson, Ben Donovan, Owen Morgan, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, Alun Rhys Chivers.

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