Good afternoon all and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our fixture against Ipswich Town.
Today marks our remembrance fixture ahead of Armistice Day on Tuesday of next week.
This is always a particularly poignant time of the year as we remember those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice during the First and Second World Wars.
Our club and city felt the impact of those brutal conflicts, both in terms of the lives lost among those who saw active duty and the damage done to the city itself during the Blitz.
Additionally, three Swansea players – Spencer Bassett, Joseph Bullock and Edward Mitchell - were killed in the line of duty during the First World War.
Other Swans players who saw war-time service included Fred Burch, Joe Coleman, Arthur Cleverley, Stan Cubberley, Ernie Fisher, Jock Hamilton, Fred Harris, Alex Houston, Percy Jones, Jimmy Collins and Fred Mortimer.
We also remember many of our supporters and staff, past and present, who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice in conflict.
As a club and community we remain grateful for their bravery and service, and they will be among the people at the forefront of our thoughts when we hold our pre-match remembrance ceremony.
Last time out at home we faced one of the best sides in Europe in Manchester City. On reflection it is a night which we can all be proud. We had a full stadium, a good performance and took the chance to showcase our club on the big stage.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff, players and you, the supporters, who all did the club proud. We will continue working every day to bring more days like that to Swansea City.
We face another stern test today against an Ipswich team who were in the Premier League last season, and have enjoyed a memorable few years under the guidance of Kieran McKenna.
The Tractor Boys have recovered after a difficult period in their history, steadily building under new ownership and an ambitious young head coach. I am sure they will be targeting an immediate return to the top-flight, but hopefully we can produce another positive showing and get the rewards for it to take into this latest international break.
Speaking of the international break, we are excited to be opening our new sports bar ‘The Swansea Jack’ on Little Wind Street on November 17.
A lot of hard work has gone into getting the venue ready and ensuring it is a home away from the stadium for supporters to get together surrounded by fellow Jacks and so many representations and memories of our club’s past and present. More information on upcoming events will be released in due course, but we look forward to seeing you there.
In the past week, we have also seen the launch of our initial Deathrow x Legends retail range and it was great to see those items sell out as quickly as they did. We are continuing to work with our partners on new ranges in the future.
This week, the prices for our upcoming trip to Coventry City were released. We are aware of, and share, your frustrations around the pricing, which we believe to be excessive.
I have written to Coventry City to share this view and offer a reciprocal pricing arrangement. However we haven’t (at the time of writing) had a response. We will therefore explore if there are any other means to assist supporters wanting to make the trip, as we know and appreciate that it is an expensive time for everyone.
Operationally we have also seen some changes to the stadium this season which includes the new egress plans and fencing in the East corner. I know that this has taken some adapting to for some supporters in that area, however the changes are part of our safety management plan for the stadium and they are allowing to significantly reduce our policing costs for the stadium, which is one of a number of measures that have helped us to generate £3.9m in operational financial improvements when compared to the previous financial year.
Sadly, we also recently learned of the passing of Marko Stamenic’s father. I know from my discussions with Marko what a special man he was and this is an undoubtably a difficult time for him and his family. As a club, we are family and Marko’s family is part of that. We will support them all as much as we can, as I know you all will do too.
Thank you all for your continued support, it really does mean a lot to everyone at the club and here is hoping that we can sign off of what has been a difficult game block with a positive result.
Enjoy the game YJBs,
Tom Gorringe
CEO, Swansea City
Good afternoon everyone and welcome as we return to home soil for this Championship fixture against Ipswich Town.
We face a side who have enjoyed a successful recent period, building a culture and a squad over time that allowed them to reach the Premier League, and they possess a very strong squad and will provide a real test for us this afternoon.
We are back at the Swansea.com Stadium following a frustrating pair of away games where we took one point from the six on offer, despite our level of performance deserving more.
Charlton and Preston have had strong starts to the season, and boast excellent home records, but we had periods of dominance and the opportunities to have taken more.
There are a lot of positive elements to our performances, but we are finding ourselves on the wrong side of the big moments in both boxes at the moment.
Those are the moments that decide games, so it’s about being ruthless, being clinical and having that composure and clarity to pick the right action and execute it.
We have players in this squad capable of doing that, and we will find a solution and we will get to where we want to be as a team. I have no doubt about that.
It’s been a challenging run of games for us with seven in 21 days, and following this game we will have chance to take stock and reflect on the period as a whole.
But first we want to try and reproduce and extend those positive spells we are producing in games, whilst showing that finishing touch in the final third, to send us into the break on a positive note.
Enjoy the game,
Alan Sheehan,
First Team Head Coach
Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for today’s Championship fixture against Ipswich Town. As always, we extend a warm welcome to our visitors from Suffolk and their travelling supporters.
This match is the final one before the international break and comes at a time when the Swans are looking to find some rhythm in what has been a stop-start campaign. Despite moments of promise, recent results have been frustrating, with narrow defeats and missed chances continuing to hamper progress. The Jack Army will be hoping today’s match provides a turning point.
Ipswich arrive in Swansea in good form and currently sit higher in the table. The Tractor Boys have had the upper hand in recent meetings, winning both fixtures in the 2023-24 season — 3-2 at Portman Road and 2-1 here in SA1. The Swans will be eager to reverse that trend today and head into the break with renewed confidence.
As we approach Remembrance Sunday, we pause to honour the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces, past and present. The Trust joins the wider football community in paying tribute to those who gave their lives in service and will once again be laying a wreath at the WW1 memorial near the ticket office as announced earlier in the week HERE.
Today’s match will be preceded by a minute’s silence, and players will wear poppies on their shirts as a mark of respect.
Off the pitch, we were deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Marko Stamenic’s father, Nikola. Marko has been on compassionate leave, and we send our heartfelt condolences to him and his family during this difficult time. His tribute to his father was deeply moving, and we stand with him in solidarity and support.
Looking ahead, we’d like to remind Trust members of our upcoming Supporters Trust Quiz Night, which will take place on Wednesday December 4 at 7pm at the Penderyn Distillery. It promises to be a fun and sociable evening, with teams competing for bragging rights and prizes. Whether you’re a seasoned quizzer or just fancy a night out with fellow fans, we’d love to see you there.
Can we again thank everyone who has been taking advantage of our away coach travel initiative alongside Vaughan Voyage, Llanelli, who are providing away coaches setting off from from Carmarthen for our weekend Swans fixtures. Due to how well the service has been received we are now looking to extend this into early 2026.
The next game that we are providing the service for will be Bristol City on Saturday November 22, where we are now looking to fill up a second coach. We are then heading to West Brom a week later and once again Trust members will be receiving their priority booking email early next week in order to guarantee their coach seats.
To find out more simply email your requirements and preferred pick-up point to info@vaughanvoyage.com where they will then send you an email with more information and planned upcoming weekend games. Or you can visit their new website: https://vaughanvoyage.com/football/
As always, we encourage supporters to engage with the Trust and help shape the future of our club. Whether it’s through attending events, volunteering, or simply sharing your views, your voice matters. Together, we can continue to champion transparency, accountability, and a strong connection between the club and its community.
Enjoy the match, and let’s hope the Swans can head into the international break with three points and a renewed sense of momentum.
Paul
Representing Swansea City at this afternoon's game is Swans fan and ex-military nurse Diane Boisson who served for 22 years between 1988 and 2010.
Diane enlisted into the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) May 1988 at Swansea ACIO and went on to serve in various military hospitals including CMH Aldershot, BMH Munster, RAF Akrotiri Cyprus, RNH Gosport, DKMH Catterick.
Throughout her service, Dianne completed two operational tours working within the Military Field Hospitals in Bosnia 1996 and Iraq 2004, where she treated casualties of these conflicts.
In 2003, she was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, alongside receiving a "Commander Recruiting Group Commendation".
She retired in 2010 following more than two decades of service to Queen and Country.
Diane will be laying the wreath on behalf of the Swans at this afternoon's fixture which is dedicated to those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can continue to enjoy the freedoms which we have today.
As part of a ongoing feature in our digital matchday programme for the 2025-26 campaign, we are calling on all Swans fans to share their memories and experiences of supporting the club this season by submitting your stories and pictures. We will publish a selection over the course of the season, and you can share your stories with us through the link below.
Representing Ipswich Town at this afternoon’s Remembrance service is Lcpl Cliff Baldock.
Cliff served with the 1st Battalion in the Royal Anglian Regiment for 15 years and is season ticket holder at Portman Road.
He has also attended every away game during the 2025-26 season.
He will be laying the wreath on behalf of Ipswich Town during the moment of silence.
The start of the 2025-26 season marks 20 years since Swansea City moved into our Swansea.com Stadium home.
To mark the anniversary, club historian Gwyn Rees is profiling members of the first Swans squad to grace the stadium during the 2005-06 campaign. This time, he looks at the career of Roberto Martinez, a man who will always be synonymous with the start of Swansea's climb through the divisions.
Born in Balaguer in the Catalonian region of Spain, Roberto Martinez was surrounded by football and played the game from a young age, making his first competitive appearance at just nine years old with his hometown club.
He stayed at the club for seven years, playing through all the youth levels, until he moved to Real Zaragoza at 16 years of age.
His time with the Aragon club initially saw him remain in the youth ranks, until after three seasons he made his sole senior appearance for them when he came on as a substitute against Atletico Madrid on the final day of the 1992-93 season.
Martinez would continue to feature regularly for the ‘B’ team moving forward, and helped them to win promotion back to Segunda Division B, but he eventually opted to return to Balaguer to play for his former club while running a football school as an alternative to enrolling for military service.
But the opportunity that would change his life and career arrived in 1995 when the gregarious Wigan chairman Dave Whelan gave Martinez and his fellow Spaniards Jesus Seba and Isidro Diaz the chance to join the Latics, where they were quickly dubbed ‘the Three Amigos’.
Martinez spent six years with the club, winning a place in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of his first campaign, before making the move north of the border to Motherwell and having a short spell at Walsall.
It was at this point that fate again intervened as, unable to get into the Walsall team, Swansea manager Brian Flynn swooped to sign the Catalan as he sought to keep the club in the Football League.
It was viewed as a desperate move to sign such an elegant player amidst the hustle and bustle of a relegation fight, but it proved a shrewd acquisition. Martinez soon became captain and his professional example rubbed off on a number of impressionable young players around him.
He was instrumental as a final-day win over Hull City kept Swansea in the league and it proved the springboard for a remarkable rise.
However, following Flynn’s departure and the arrival of Kenny Jackett, Martinez found his role increasingly limited and, while he was involved in the 2004-05 promotion campaign, he would depart at the end of the following campaign for Chester City.
But less than a year later he would be back in SA1, handed the reins as manager as Jackett left.
He made an instant impact and Swansea came within touching distance of a play-off birth. It set the stage for an outstanding 2007-08 season where an attractive style of play won a number of plaudits and confounded the naysayers who said such a possession-based approach could not work in the English lower leagues.
Similar doom mongering was evident ahead of Swansea’s return to the second tier, but they performed strongly and came to wider attention when they pushed Premier League Fulham all the way across an FA Cup tie and replay, having already knocked out holders Portsmouth.
A bright future seemed to lie ahead, but Swans fans were stunned when Martinez opted to leave the club in the summer of 2009 to take charge of top-flight Wigan.
While there was an understandable emotional pull, many supporters felt badly let down by a man the club had bravely handed a first managerial role to and it still lingers for some to this day.
Martinez helped the Latics defy their status as relegation favourites for a number of seasons until they lost top-flight status in 2013, at the same time as stunning Manchester City to win the FA Cup final.
He went on to manager Everton, leading them to a fifth-placed finish in his first campaign in charge before leaving Goodison Park in 2016.
Martinez then had a spell in charge of the Belgium national team, leading them to a best World Cup placing of third in 2018, and is currently in the dug-out for Portugal, who he led to Nations League success earlier this year.
It has been nearly 20 years since he was handed the reins in south Wales, but his influence on the club and the manner in which it plays the game has endured.
Founded in 1878, this is the Tractor Boys first season back the Championship following relegation from the Premier League at the end of last term.
That relegation came after back-to-back promotions from League One to the top-flight.
Aside from their four-year spell in League One, they have spent the majority of the last 70 years in the top two divisions of English football, and have been in the Premier League for five seasons across three spells.
But their true golden period came under Sir Bobby Robson in the late 1970s and early 1980s as they finished runners-up in the First Division in 1981 and 1982, as well as winning the FA Cup in 1978 and the Uefa Cup in 1981.
PORTMAN ROAD
Built: 1884
Location: Ipswich, IP1 2DA
Capacity: 30,056
This is Kieran Mckenna’s first senior management job, with the 39-year-old having previously coached the Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United under 18 teams, before becoming assistant manager to Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford in 2018.
Mckenna started his footballing career at Spurs in 2002. However in 2009, at the age of just 22, Mckenna had to retire due to a recurring hip injury.
He then looked to move into coaching and joined the Spurs academy, taking on that under-18s' role in 2015 before heading to the Red Devils a year later.
Mckenna was appointed Ipswich boss in December 2021. Since then he has managed 188 games across all competitions, winning 86 and securing those consecutive promotions that took Ipswich from the third tier to the top-flight.
Defender Dara O'Shea took on the armband full-time in the summer following Sam Morsy's departure, having led the side on a number of occasions in the top-flight last term.
The Dublin-born 26-year-old joined the Tractor Boys from Burnley in 2024, but first emerged at West Bromwich Albion where he rose from the youth ranks to the first team.
O'Shea ended up making 107 appearances in all for the Baggies between 2017 and 2023, helping them secure promotion to the top-flight in 2020.
He also had spells on loan at Hereford and Exeter City..
He joined Burnley in 2023 and spent a year at Turf Moor before his move to Portman Road.
Defender Darnell Furlong was a new recruit at Portman Road in the summer, having spent the previous six seasons with West Bromwich Albion, helping them reach the Premier League in 2020.
Furlong is a Queens Park Rangers academy product, and made 64 league appearances, including a handful of Premier League outings.
He also had loan spells with Northampton, Cambridge and Swindon while at Loftus Road, prior to making the switch to the Baggies in 2019.
Former Leeds United youngster Jack Clarke has scored five goals despite not being a regular starter so far this term for the Tractor Boys.
The winger has always been a livewire presence, and made the switch to East Anglia from Wearside after an impressive spell with Sunderland.
He joined the Black Cats for an undisclosed fee from Premier League Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2022 after a successful loan spell with the club as they secured promotion from League One.
A key part of that promotion winning team, Clarke continued to be integral figure in the Black Cats line-up, showing signs of the ability that persuaded then-Tottenham manger Jose Mourinho to sanction a £10 million pound transfer to the White Hart Lane club in 2019.
Jaden Philogene is Ipswich's topscorer with six goals so far this season, having joined them in January 2025 in a £20million move from Aston Villa.
Philogene had come through the academy ranks with the Villans after joining the club from the Pro:Direct Academy and made six senior appearances across the five years of his first spell with the club.
He had loan spells with Stoke City and Cardiff City, and impressed for the Bluebirds before making a permanent move to Hull City where his good form continued.
Twelve goals in his sole season at the MKM Stadium were enough to convince Villa to re-sign the forward in 2024, before making the switch to Portman Road.
Football’s relationship with video technology is constantly in the spotlight due to the controversies over VAR.
I recently embarked on a rant here about video evidence being constantly pored over seemingly looking for the tiniest reasons to disallow goals.
But a brilliant clip from the Swans’ Carabao Cup match against Manchester City has restored my faith in the power of video.
The Buggles famously claimed that Video Killed the Radio Star in their huge chart hit back in 1980.
But a video edit I saw online of Gonçalo Franco’s opening goal, shows that video can very much breathe life into the football star.
Before I tell you more about the video, let’s start by saying what a brilliant goal it was.
Cup games against City seem to bring out the best in Swans players when it comes to picture-perfect goals. Who can forget Bersant Celina’s masterpiece in the FA Cup quarter-final in 2019?
I’m sure wherever you were sitting in the stadium, Franco’s pin-point finish would have been aesthetically pleasing. It was just one of those goals you could watch over and over again.
Even the visiting city fans who had the ‘pleasure’ of sitting directly behind the strike must surely have grudgingly admired its perfection.
All the various TV camera angles also showed the goal in all its glory.
However, a one minute 40 second edit of the goal really caught my eye . . . and my ear.
It paired a slow-motion version of the goal to music – featuring the Righteous Brothers’ hit ‘Unchained Melody’.
Now, while the 1960s love song, which featured in the romantic blockbuster Ghost, wouldn’t have been my first pick as a soundtrack to a 20-yard stunner, it worked brilliantly.
Especially with a super-slow-mo section and the Swans fans singing Franco’s Cranberries-inspired chant at the end.
This kind of clip really highlights the advantages of living in the video age.
Every goal the Swans score these days will have been captured from multiple angles.
Whether it is from standard TV coverage, the Swans video and social media team, or any number of other cameras – be they professional or amateur - trained on the pitch at that moment.
How I would have loved to have this kind of technology available when I first started watching the Swans back in the 1970s.
Back then, with the Swans plying their trade in the Fourth Division, you would be lucky to get a 30-second snippet of incredibly grainy news footage.
Even when the Swans rose to the First Division in 1981 and were regulars on Match of the Day and The Big Match, some of those top-flight goals seem to have been lost - apart from in our own mind’s eye.
Two goals I’d particularly love to see again are Leighton James’ thunderbolt free-kick and Alan Curtis’ individual effort which gave the Swans a 2-0 home win over Liverpool back in 1982.
Trawl the internet as I might, I haven’t been able to come across a video record of either goal. Perhaps others have been more fortunate.
However, I did recently find some flickering footage on YouTube of a goal I hadn’t seen since the weekend it was scored four decades ago.
It came against today’s visitors – almost 44 years to the day, on November 7, 1981.
Apart from the date and opposition, the reason the goal particularly comes to mind today is that it was similar to Franco’s in many ways.
It was an inch-perfect, long-range curling effort to cap a fine Swans move down the right hand side of the pitch.
The Swans had made the long journey to Portman Road – a tough assignment as Ipswich were the Uefa Cup holders and unbeaten at home in the league.
The East Anglian club boasted one of the finest teams in the land – featuring a pair of Dutch masters in Franz Thijssen and Arnold Muhren, as well as the likes of Paul Mariner, Eric Gates, John Wark and Alan Brazil.
The game was seen as a huge test for the Swans who had taken the First Division by storm during the first few months of the season.
And it turned out to be a five-goal thriller with Curtis scoring a stunning opener to set the Swans on their way to a superb win.
A throw in on the right flank saw Curtis pick up the ball and play it forward to Bob Latchford, who laid the ball back into the Welsh international’s path.
Like Franco, Curtis struck the ball first time with pinpoint accuracy - the perfectly curling shot similarly clipping the post on its way into the net.
Ipswich keeper Paul Cooper was considered one of the best shot stoppers in the league at the time, but he was left grasping thin air by Curtis’ brilliance.
Had the goal been scored today, it would have been captured from multiple angles in high-definition detail where you can even see the moisture flying off the spinning ball.
I’m sure clever people like those in the Swans video and social media teams would make sure it was suitably accompanied by a clever edit and appropriate backing track to enhance its quality.
Instead, there are just a few seconds of grainy film accompanied by the commentator’s voice for that Curtis strike.
To re-live those magic moments from back in the day, we’ll have to depend on our fading memories - along with the occasional piece of priceless film someone had the foresight to squirrel away in an archive vault somewhere.
Back to the present, here’s hoping the Swans will keep giving today’s talented content creators plenty of raw material to work their magic on for many years to come.
C’mon you Swans!
EFL WEEK OF ACTION | ZEIDANE INOUSSA AND MELKER WIDELL SURPRISE FIT JACKS PARTICIPANT
The match shirt auction in support of the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal will go live at kick-off in Swansea City's fixture against Ipswich Town on Saturday, November 8 at 3pm.
As a symbol of respect, Swansea City players will wear shirts featuring an emblem of the poppy in the upcoming match against Watford. These unique shirts will then be signed by the players who wore them and made available to own via auction, exclusively on the MatchWornShirt website and app. All of the net proceeds of these auctions will be allocated to the Royal British Legion.
The auction will run from kick-off up until 2pm on Saturday, November 29.
This is the seventh consecutive year that MatchWornShirt has teamed up with the Royal British Legion, having previously raised close to £3m for the Poppy Appeal. The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal takes place from Thursday, October 23 until Armistice Day on November 11; every year the RBL leads the nation in Remembrance across the UK to honour the contribution of our Armed Forces community, past and present.
To help the Royal British Legion continue its vital work, head to MatchWornShirt’s website and get involved in one of the many auctions for this year’s Poppy Appeal below.
Kaelan Casey already has a moment he will savour for the rest of his career from his loan spell at Swansea City, but the young centre-half is determined to make sure there are more to come.
The 21-year-old joined the Swans from West Ham United during the summer, and has made nine appearances in all competitions so far this term.
He made his first Championship start in the draw against Charlton Athletic, getting an assist for his pass into Adam Idah for the striker’s goal at The Valley.
He also started all four of Swansea’s Carabao Cup games, and was part of the side that stunned Premier League Nottingham Forest by coming back from two goals down under the lights in SA1.
Casey admits Cameron Burgess’ last-gasp winner and the delirious celebrations that followed are something he will treasure, and underlined just why he wanted to make his loan move and seek more regular exposure to men’s football.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, I can’t thank the club enough for giving me the opportunity,” he said.
“Training with the boys has been great every day, I really enjoy it and I think things have started off reasonably well.
“I really wanted the chance to play men’s football and to have that feeling of competing and winning games in such a competitive league.
“Previously I had mainly played under-21s’ football, so this has a very different feeling when you get three points and win games. I also get to look around the dressing room and see how the experienced players handle stuff and react to different things.
“Then you throw in the Forest game, which was probably one of the best experiences I have had in my life with Cam scoring that last-minute winner.
“I don’t think I got to sleep that night, I was buzzing to be fair. It was great for me, but also for the squad as a whole and the club itself. The atmosphere in the stadium was incredible, the fans have been incredible and it was great to give them a moment like that.
“Playing Manchester City was another great experience, everyone wants to test themselves against the best players and teams in the world and I just want more of that in the future.”
Casey started the games against Charlton and Preston as part of a Swansea back three, doing the same against Manchester City and also helping the Swans change shape in games like the draw at Southampton.
Coming through the West Ham academy, playing in a three-man defence comes as nothing new to the England age-grade international.
And he has also enjoyed the opportunity to learn of his experience colleagues Ben Cabango, Burgess and Ricardo Santos.
“Ben and Cam are both experienced boys. Cam has been in other clubs and so on, and then Ben has come all the way through the ranks here.
“I've picked up a lot of what they do, they help me out a lot with talking to me and telling me what I can do better.
“But obviously you've got Rico as well, he's another one with a lot of experience and just the way he is as a person means he’s been great. I see how they do things every day in training and just being 100 per cent professional all the time and there’s a lot I can take from that.
“I’ve played in a two with them and as a three recently, throughout most of my career at West Ham we have played with three at the back quite a lot so it was familiar to me.
“I feel like that has worked pretty well for us even if we are frustrated not to get the results we wanted in these last few games.”
Having been at West Ham from the age of five, Casey has relished the chance to experience a new environment and surroundings.
And, while the focus is very much on developing and contributing on the pitch, the youngster has also had the time to explore his new home and the surrounding coastline.
“Swansea is a really nice area,” he said.
“The Mumbles is lovely, so I have been around there a bit and I think I must have visited every coffee shop while visiting and seeing that is around.
“There’s one called Coast Café which I like, it’s right on my doorstep so I go there quite a bit.
“The people have been lovely too, everyone is really welcoming and I’m definitely enjoying it.”
Casey is a boyhood West Ham fan and season-ticket holder, and he has been with the Hammers since been spotted at a football camp at the age of just five.
He has made his way through the ranks to feature for the senior team at Premier League and European level, while also helping them win the FA Youth Cup; not to mention having a winners’ medal from their Europa Conference League success in 2023.
It’s been quite a journey for the young defender.
“Yeah, I got scouted at a very young age,” he recalls.
“I was at school and there was a camp going on. I got asked to just go in for training one day. I was about five but I went there and I think they didn't realise how young I actually was.
“So I got sent to a different session at another place and then, after a few weeks, I went to the academy and started at the under-sixes. I've been there up through the ranks and I’ve loved every minute.
Del Robinson was the guy who spotted me. I still sit down now and then with him and he is always joking about with me. I’ve always been appreciative of everything he’s done for me because without him I wouldn’t be in this position.
“West Ham is all I have known, I have been there since I was five, so to be in a new environment and having a new challenge is going to be good for me.
“I have played in Europe, I’ve played in the Premier League, and I am really proud of that. I’ve had some big experiences, but I want more of that with Swansea.”
Casey acknowledges there is frustration in the Swans squad that they do not have more points to show from a number of their performances so far this season.
But he is confident Alan Sheehan’s squad will get their rewards if they continue to perform well.
“That's the whole reason why I've come here,” I want to help the team do well,” he said.
“We want to push on to get as high in the league as possible and do as well as possible. Obviously I wanted to play as many games as possible and get experience but I have not just come here to be selfish. The main thing is the team and to help us do as well as we can.
“There’s no better feeling than winning and picking up three points
“We have been frustrated not to have more points, we have not had a lot of stuff go our way but obviously that’s no excuse.
“I don’t think we are playing badly, it’s more about those moments where the ball has to drop for you and it’s not quite happening at the minute.
“But there is a long way to go, we have an excellent coaching staff and gaffer and I think things will start to come along for us.”
Swansea City Under-18s extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to four matches with an emphatic 9-0 victory over 10-man Bristol City at the Joma High Performance Centre.
The Swans raced into a three-goal lead inside the opening 25 minutes through strikes from Caio Ifans, Bobo Evans and Brogan Popham, before the former added his second five minutes before half-time.
A second-half goal from Lukas Murphy, along with braces from substitutes Billy Clarke and Harvey Gray, capped off a dominant performance from the Swans, who also kept their first league clean sheet since the 4–0 opening-day victory over Fleetwood Town.
Swansea made the perfect start, opening the scoring inside three minutes when Ifans drove into the area from the left flank and drilled a low strike into the far corner.
The hosts continued to look the more positive side going forward, with Ifans causing problems down the left, and Swansea soon doubled their lead when his delivery into the area was initially cleared by the Robins, but fell kindly to Evans, who made no mistake in slotting the ball into the corner past Cooper Covington.
The Swans showed no signs of letting up and added a third when Wahab Ojetoro’s corner was met by Popham, who let the ball drop before calmly tapping it past Covington, capping off an electric start from the young Swans.
Swansea survived a scare just minutes later after losing possession high up the pitch, allowing the Robins to break down the left through Daniel Ezendu. His dangerous cross found Illan Wood in space, but the forward struck the post from close range in a real let-off for the hosts.
They responded from that scare by scoring a superb team goal. The move began with goalkeeper Tom Wright and ended with Carter Heywood releasing Ifans down the left side of the area. The winger replicated his earlier strike, drilling a low effort into the bottom corner five minutes before half-time.
The Swans carried their first-half dominance into the second period and added a fifth goal on the 50-minute mark. Kai Rhodes drove into the area and saw his initial effort saved by Covington, but the rebound fell for him to square the ball to Murphy, who slotted home from close range.
Rhodes continued his bright start to the second half, creating a half-chance after winning a 50–50 challenge before curling an effort towards goal, which was well blocked by the Bristol City defence.
The Swans continued to dominate possession and control proceedings, though the visitors did have opportunities of their own, with Desmond Kumih Barimah going close as he fired just wide from the edge of the area after a swift counter-attack.
Goalkeeper Wright had had little to do in the opening hour but remained alert to make a sharp save, tipping a powerful header from Josh Murphy over the bar following a corner.
After weathering a spell of Bristol City pressure, Swansea added their sixth goal with just under 20 minutes remaining as Clarke made a well-timed run in behind the defence before calmly slotting past Covington for his first of the match.
Things then went from bad to worse for the visitors when they were reduced to 10 men, with Stan Sainsbury shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Evans.
The Swans made the most of their numerical advantage, adding a seventh goal through Clarke, who netted his second of the game. A driving run from Brogan Popham opened up the defence before the full-back played in Clarke, who finished with a composed low strike.
The goals continued to flow in the final 10 minutes as the Swans pressed forward in numbers. Covington initially did well to deny Bobby Lewis, but he could do nothing about the rebound, which Gray converted.
The final goal arrived in added time when a teasing delivery from Elis Thomas found Evans, who squared the ball for Gray to fire home from six yards, sealing a fantastic day’s work for Swansea City Under-18s.
Swansea City Under-18s: Tom Wright, Kaven Bloniarczyk, Wahab Ojetoro, Carter Heywood, Brogan Popham, Jack May, Kai Rhodes (Billy Clarke 59), Alfie Jones, Lukas Murphy (Harvey Gray 59), Bobo Evans, Caio Ifans (Bobby Lewis 82).
Bristol City Under-18s: Cooper Covinghton, Cavalli Walker, Derrick Ababio (Ollie Williams 46), Josh Murphy, Stan Sainsbury, Marcus Portch, Isaac Abbott (Roman Chiswell 68), Desmond Kumih Barimah, Excellent Ikpeama (Trayvion Jackson 68), Daniel Ezendu, Illan Wood (Kaylan Appleton-Benett 86).
Swansea City Women extended their winning streak to four matches with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Aberystwyth Town at Park Avenue.
An own goal from Lalita Egan gave the Swans a first-half lead, before she made amends in the second half by netting the equaliser just after the hour mark.
The Swans clinched the winner with 20 minutes remaining through Chloe Chivers, who had been a creative spark throughout the match and fully deserved her goal for her relentless attacking display.
Things went from bad to worse for Aberystwyth as midfielder Imogen Scourfield was shown a second yellow card with 15 minutes remaining, as the visitors secured another win.
While the Swans took the win it would be the Seasiders who created the first opportunity within the opening minutes, as Scourfield found space down the right and fired an effort towards goal, but her strike drifted wide of the right-hand post.
The Swans looked to impose themselves early on, with Emily Thomas making good progress down the right before cutting inside and shooting from just outside the area, only to see her effort well blocked by Libby Isaac.
The early pressure paid off as Swansea took the lead inside nine minutes. A Chivers free-kick from the left was met by Egan, whose attempted header to clear instead looped over her own goalkeeper, Sophie Steele, and into the net.
Chances were limited for a 20-minute spell following the opener, though Chivers came close with one of her trademark long-range efforts, which rose just over the bar.
Chivers continued to link play effectively, threading a pass into the feet of Aimee Deacon inside the area. Despite pressure from Isaac, the forward managed to get her shot away, but her effort was comfortably gathered by Steele.
The Swans looked the more likely to extend their lead as the first half drew to a close, with Chivers going close again in the 40th minute. Emily Richards collected a pass from Thomas inside the area and laid the ball off to Chivers, but the forward couldn’t generate enough power on her effort to seriously test Steele, who saved comfortably.
The Swans made a slow start to the second half and were punished just before the hour mark when a Shauna Chambers delivery into the box wasn’t cleared, allowing Egan to make amends for her earlier own goal by firing Aberystwyth level.
The Swans looked to respond immediately and almost regained the lead through a superb strike from Jess Williams that was destined for the top corner, only for Steele to produce an excellent fingertip save to turn the effort behind for a corner.
However, the Swans restored their lead with 20 minutes remaining, when Chivers’ attempted cross into the box looped over Steele and dropped into the net.
The goal gave the Swans momentum to keep pushing for more goals and Chivers’ confidence was high, the midfielder attempting a curling effort from just outside of the area which drifted wide of the post.
Aberystwyth were then reduced to 10 after Scourfield was dismissed for a second yellow card following a late tackle on Deacon.
Swansea looked to make the most of the extra player, with a chance falling to substitute Eilish Mitchell after Deacon laid the ball off to her, but her first-time strike from 20 yards flew over the bar.
The hosts had to withstand sustained pressure from the Swans, with Williams coming close to adding a third from a Chivers corner. Her powerful header struck the underside of the bar before the Seasiders managed to clear the danger.
Aberystwyth Town Women: Sophie Steele, Rebecca Mathias, Sian Evans (Lowri James-Evans 63’), Lily Moralee-Hughes (Dani Mawle 90+2’), Libby Isaac, Imogen Scourfield, Alaw Davies (Sioned Kersey 63’), Shauna Chambers, Ffiona Evans (Paige Harvey 90+2’), Lalita Egan, Amy Jenkins.
Substitutes not used: Caitlin O’Shea, Amelie Talbot, Megan Ryan.
Swansea City Women: Amelia Forkings, Lauren Davies (Sammy Wynne 23’), Maddy Murray, Steph Turner, Emily Richards (Eilish Mitchell 62’), Aimee Deacon, Chloe Chivers, Ellie Lake (Maisie Miller 62’), Caitlin Williams, Emily Thomas (Lucy Finch 77’), Jess Williams.
Substitutes not used: Caitlin Seaborne, Lowri Jones.
We had some sad news this week following the passing of one of our former managers, Colin Addison.
Colin wasn’t with us for long, less than a year, but the time he spent with us was one where his steady presence was both needed and impactful.
He arrived in September 2001, a month before one of the most controversial times in our history. October that year saw the club purchased for a pound by Australian businessman Tony Petty, and the horror story of the next few months is something many of us will remember until we take our final breath.
Thankfully, turbulent times of the magnitude of those are few and far between, but when I heard the news about Colin it got me thinking about how difficult those few months were for everyone, even those with only a fleeting association with Swansea City.
Colin had replaced John Hollins, the man who had steered us to winning the old Third Division title in 2000. The financial situation at the Vetch Field was grim and he took over at a time when the only thing that was certain was that uncertainty reigned at Swansea City.
He and his assistant Peter Nicholas found a way to instil some stability on the pitch and as the Petty farce played out off it, with wage reductions threatened and attempts made to sack players, that couldn’t have been an easy feat.
By March 2002 a new Swans board was in place and they decided not to offer the management team new contracts. Nick Cusack, who was club captain at the time, was tasked with taking over as caretaker player-manager. Just 17 games later, when we were at the very bottom of the Football League, he too was replaced and, fortunately for us, Brian Flynn arrived and the great rebuild began.
A few paragraphs can’t do justice to the chaos that occurred over that period of time and while many of us fans remember the genuine state of fear we felt over the prospect of our club going out of business, the casualties of that era included people like Colin.
During my time with ITV and the BBC I met Colin a few times, both in his role as our manager and as a football pundit. Affectionately known as ‘Addo’ in those circles, he really was a lovely man and someone who was well respected by everyone, whatever side of the football divide they were on.
The tributes that have followed the news of his passing from all the clubs he was involved with have all centred around the wealth of experience he brought and his passion for the game. He visibly lit up when he was talking football, and that passion and the authority his words carried, is something people have mentioned in many of the tributes I’ve heard and read.
He was a brief but significant part of the story here at Swansea City. Our condolences to his wife, Jean, and the rest of his family and all the many friends and acquaintances who knew him and will miss him.
RIP Colin Addison and thank you.
JULIE KISSICK
Wrth I Jisung Eom sgorio’i gôl gyntaf y tymor hwn yn erbyn Preston North End nos Fercher, roeddwn i’n dechrau meddwl am ba chwaraewyr o Asia sydd wedi chwarae i’r Elyrch. Mae ‘na un amlwg arall wrth gwrs, ond dyma rhai o’r blynyddoedd diweddar.
Ki Sung-yueng
Ki Sung-yueng yw un o’r chwaraewyr gorau o Asia nid yn unig i chwarae i Abertawe ond i chwarae yn Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr.
Dwi’n cofio ei wylio yn Stadiwm y Principality (Stadiwm y Mileniwm ar y pryd) yn chwarae i Dde Corea yn y Gemau Olympaidd yn erbyn Japan yn y gêm medal efydd.
Doeddwn i heb gymryd llawer o sylw arno yn ystod y 90 munud hwnnw, ond dwi’n cogio pythefnos yn ddiweddarach pan oeddem wedi ei arwyddo o Celtic am ffi o £6miliwn.
Roedd hynny yn record ar y pryd ac roedd ei dymor cyntaf yn SA1 yn un i’w gofio. Roedd yn ffitio mewn yn berffaith gyda’r ffordd roedd yr Elyrch yn chwarae ac fe dderbyniodd llawer o glod yn ei dymor cyntaf.
Efallai’r hyn wnaeth sefyll allan fwyaf oedd ei rôl yn rownd derfynol Cwpan yr EFL pan chwaraeodd yn yr amddiffyn wrth i ni guro Bradford 5-0. Roedd yn benderfyniad rhyfedd ar y pryd ond wedi talu ffordd wrth i ni greu hanes.
Y tymor canlynol ymunodd gyda Sunderland ar fenthyg, sydd dal yn fy nharo fel penderfyniad rhyfedd ac annisgwyl. Ond er gwaethaf hynny fe ddychwelodd i Stadiwm y Liberty tymor yn ddiweddarach ac “eisiau gwella’r garfan”. Yn ystod gêm gyntaf y tymor roedd Ki wedi rhoi un o fy hoff atgofion i mi fel cefnogwr yr Elyrch.
Manchester United oddi cartref yn Old Trafford a dim disgwyl i ni ennill o gwbl. Ond wedi 28 munud roedd Ki wedi rhwydo heibio de Gea i roi ni ar y blaen. Roeddem wedi ennill y gêm honno 2-1 wedi i Gylfi Sigurdsson sgorio ar 72 munud i sicrhau’r fuddugoliaeth. Sgoriodd yn erbyn United yn Abertawe hefyd wrth i ni ennill 2-1 - roedd yn wych i ni'r tymor hwnnw.
Yn anffodus roedd Ki ddim wedi chwarae mor aml y ei dri thymor olaf gyda’r clwb cyn i ni ddisgyn i’r Bencampwriaeth. 28, 23 a 25 o gemau chwaraeodd yn y tymhorau hynny, cyn i ni ddisgyn o’r Uwch Gynghrair wedi saith blynedd. Heblaw am Leon Britton a Joe Allen, Ki Sung-Yueng yw un o fy hoff chwaraewyr i chwarae dros Abertawe, ac roedd yn golled fawr wrth ei weld yn gadael i Newcastle.
Yan Dhanda
Fe wnaeth Yan Dhanda ymuno gyda’r Elyrch o Lerpwl ym mis Mai 2018, ac fe ddywedodd ei fod yn “gyffrous” i fod yn SA1 a bod y clwb yn “ei siwtio.” A doed dim ffordd well i gyflwyno ei hun i gefnogwyr yr Elyrch na sgorio gyda’i gyffyrddiad cyntaf oddi cartref yn erbyn Sheffield United.
Sgoriodd oddi ar y fainc ac roedd y cefnogwyr wedi syrthio mewn cariad gyda fe’n syth. Ond er gwaethaf hynny roedd dim llawer o gyfleoedd i Dhanda yn y tymor hwnnw, wrth iddo ond chwarae chwech o gemau.
Ond y tymor canlynol fe newidiodd o grys 30 i 21 ac roedd yn dechrau’n chwarae’n fwy cyson. Sgoriodd yn erbyn Charlton ym mis Hydref, y tro cyntaf iddo sgorio’r tymor 2019/20 ac fe arwyddodd cytundeb newydd hyd at 2022. Sgoriodd yr unig gôl erbyn Charlton eto ym mis Ionawr 2020, un o’r gemau olaf cyn i bandemig Covid-19 dod a phêl-droed i stop am sawl mis.
Yn anffodus i Dhanda roedd gweddill ei gyfnod gyda’r clwb yn limbo rhwng dechrau ambell waith ac ar y fainc ambell waith. Ond yn ystod y cyfnod hwnnw fe ddechreuodd siarad allan am ei etifeddiaeth a’r ffaith ei fod yn chwaraewr Asiaidd Prydeinig balch. Ym mis Gorffennaf 2019 fe wnaeth ymweld ag India, lle cafodd ei mam-gu a’i dad-cu eu geni.
Hefyd fe siaradodd yn ddewr am y negeseuon hiliol dderbyniodd gan blentyn 14 oed ar ôl i Abertawe golli yn erbyn Manchester City yng Nghwpan yr FA. Dywedodd Dhanda ei fod yn “falch iawn o fod lle rwy'n dod a lle mae fy nheulu'n dod ac rwy'n credu y byddwn yn wirion i beidio â bod.”
Roedd yn ddewr yn siarad am ei brofiadau ac roeddwn i yn bersonol yn credu ei fod yn bwysig bod chwaraewyr sydd gyda gwreiddiau mewn gwledydd tramor eu parchu - ac roedd Dhanda wedi mynd cam ymhellach yn ystod ei gyfnod gyda’r Elyrch. Fe gafodd Dhanda ei ryddhau gan y clwb yn 2022, cyn arwyddo i Ross County yn Yr Alban.
Bereavement
We sadly announce the death of Ken Jeffreys, a lifetime Swans supporter and East Stand season ticket holder, beloved husband of Linda, much loved Dad of Diane, Carol and Paula, loved and respected father in law of Edwin and the late Paul. Adored Grampa and Old Grampa to all his grand and great grandchildren. Ken will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Rest in peace Ken, once a Jack always a Jack 🖤🤍
We are all Jacks is Swansea City’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion both within the club and throughout the local community.
Working with international and local charities, as well as supporter groups, Swansea City strives to ensure that a visit to the Swansea.com Stadium is a welcoming experience for everyone regardless of sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion, race, disability, or age.
The club takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying and abuse.
REPORT IT – IN THE STADIUM
Supporters are encouraged to report instances of abusive and discriminatory language within the stadium by using the anonymous text and Whatsapp number (07886 276015) providing details of the incident and your location in the stadium.
Messages will be charged at the standard rate for your network provider.
The details from the message will be received at the match control room, where any necessary investigation and/or action will be taken.
The club will also record the mobile number of the individual reporting an incident to aid with any inquiries.
Supporters can also use support@swanseacity.com to report instances of discrimination.
An audio commentary service is available for blind and partially sighted fans – provided by Radio City, the Swansea University Health Board Hospital Radio Service.
Radio City has a long association with the football club dating back to the days when the club was known as Swansea Town.
Since moving to the Swansea.com Stadium, the broadcaster has provided a live descriptive commentary service for free at all Swansea home matches, meaning that blind and partially-sighted supporters in both the home and away ends can follow the action.
In order to book a headset for the match, supporters can contact the accessibility team in advance by emailing accessibility@swanseacity.com, or contacting the ticket office from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm by calling 01792 616629 and selecting option one.
Supporters can also book headsets in person in advance at the ticket office, or on the day by speaking to a Disability Liaison Steward on the day.
To learn more about Radio City, visit www.radiocity1386am.co.uk.
The inclusion room at the Swansea.com Stadium is open every matchday for supporters who may require a quiet space during games.
Supporters will be able to attend live matches at the Swansea.com Stadium with the comfort of knowing there is a designated area should they need it. The room is available to any supporter that may require a quiet space.
The space will be monitored by a designated disability liaison steward and provides a safe space with a disabled toilet, a projector to watch the live game, and dignity packs for those who need it.
While some supporters who require a time away from the crowds may prefer to use this room as a quiet space, it will also be possible to watch the match live on a screen projected onto the wall meaning supporters who require the space for any reason don’t have to miss a moment of the match action.
The room is located in the West Stand and, while supporters who feel they may benefit from the use of the space will be recommended to sit in that stand, it will be accessible for anyone in any part of the stadium.
Any supporter who feels overwhelmed by the matchday environment for any reason can gain access to the room by making themselves known to a steward or disability liaison steward.
PLAYER SPONSORS
Shwmae Junior Jacks,
Welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium!
We’re so excited to see you back with us on after a wet and windy week. It’s a bit annoying this weather, so let's hope the Swans put us in a good mood – we think they will!
Today’s Take Five quiz is about the visitors, Ipswich town, and a bit of fun too! Click the button below to test your knowledge!
Our prediction for today’s game is 2-0 to the Swans and we think Franco and Idah will score!
What do you think the score will be?
Uppa Swans,
Cyril and Cybil
Head Coach Alan Sheehan
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango (c)
6 Marko Stamenić
7 Melker Widell
8 Malick Yalcouye
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
14 Josh Tymon
15 Cameron Burgess
16 Ishé Samuels-Smith
17 Gonçalo Franco
20 Liam Cullen
21 Manuel Benson
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
23 Ricardo Santos
24 Bobby Wales
26 Kaelan Casey
27 Zeidane Inoussa
29 Paul Farman
30 Ethan Galbraith
33 Adam Idah
35 Ronald
40 NUMBER RETIRED IN MEMORY OF BESIAN IDRIZAJ
41 Sam Parker
46 Arthur Parker
47 Sebastian Dabrowski
54 Iestyn Jones
Head Coach Kieran McKenna
1 Alex Palmer
2 Harry Clarke
3 Leif Davis
4 Cedric Kipre
5 Azor Matusiwa
7 Wes Burns
8 Sindre Walle Egeli
9 George Hirst
11 Jaden Philogene
12 Jens Cajuste
14 Jack Taylor
15 Ashley Young
18 Ben Johnson
19 Darnell Furlong
20 Kasey McAteer
22 Conor Townsend
23 Sam Szmodics
24 Jacob Greaves
25 Elkan Baggott
26 Dara O’Shea
27 David Button
28 Christian Walton
29 Chuba Akpom
30 Cameron Humphreys
31 Ivan Azon
32 Marcelino Nunez
47 Jack Clarke
Referee - Edward Duckworth
Assistant Referee 1 - David Harrison
Assistant Referee 2 - Nigel Lugg
Fourth Official - Richie Watkins
STAFF LIST
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis MBE
Directors
Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Jason Cohen, George Popstefanov, Chris Sznewajs, Tyler Morse, Nigel Morris, Todd Marcelle, Keith English, Martin Morgan, Paul Meller.
Chief Executive Officer: Tom Gorringe
Associate Directors: Diane Hughes
Minority Owners: Luka Modrić and Snoop Dogg
FIRST-TEAM STAFF
Head Coach - Alan Sheehan
Assistant Head Coach - Darren O'Dea
Head of Goalkeeping – Martyn Margetson
First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary
First Team Coach - Richard Stearman
Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey
Staff: Ailsa Jones, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Jake Dayus, Patrick Orme, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins, Jack Oliver, Harri Mathias.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Tom Gorringe (Chief Executive Officer)
Andrew Davies (Head of Operations and Facilities);
CLUB STAFF
Head of Football Operations and Administration: Ben Greenwood
Football Operations & Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Commercial: George Alston
Head of Partnerships: Lee Merrells
Head of Hospitality: Catherine Thomas
Head of Ticketing: Mari Tucker
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Head of Facilities: Gordon David
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Head of Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle
PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Contributors: Andrew Gwilym, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Jack Otter, Sophie Davis, Mackenzie Squires, Sammy Wynne, Hayley Ford, Owen Morgan.
Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jac Elsey.