Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for the visit of Leicester City.

This is our first game since the massacre of hundreds of Israeli civilians by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

In the weeks since that horrific attack, thousands more civilians in Gaza have died and the humanitarian situation there is growing increasingly desperate.

We will be observing a minute’s silence prior to kick-off today in memory of the innocent civilians who have perished in the latest outbreak of violence in this long-running conflict.

While these tragic events are a great distance away, many people across the UK are experiencing trauma and fear because of increasing racism and prejudice.

We at Swansea City want to speak directly to the members of our community about our shared fight against racism in all its forms.

Today we are supporting the Show Racism the Red Card campaign and, in this environment, it is our responsibility to this community to condemn racism and prejudice loudly and clearly.

During the minute’s silence before kick-off we will also be remembering the 116 children and 28 adults who sadly lost their lives in Aberfan on October 21, 1966 – a disaster that continues to have a deep resonance within the south Wales community.

This week I had the pleasure of meeting many supporters at our fans’ forum, which took place here at the Swansea.com Stadium.

It was the first opportunity for me to connect with many of you and answer your questions directly alongside Michael (Duff), Paul (Watson), Matt (Grimes) and Paul Meller from the Supporters’ Trust.

Your support has been immeasurable and while we will have good days and bad days, I am going to do everything to be successful here.

As I said on Wednesday night, it’s important you as supporters hold me accountable because you are the heart and soul of this club.

We value and appreciate you, and we cannot perform on or off the pitch without you behind us.

Enjoy the game,

Andy

Good afternoon and welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium for our Championship fixture against Leicester City.

I’d like to start by saying how great it was to meet so many of you at the fans’ forum on Wednesday evening.

It was a really good evening, and one myself and the rest of the panel thoroughly enjoyed.

It’s so important that we are accountable to you as supporters, and that we are open and honest with you in terms of what the plans are to take your club forward.

There is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes to put an infrastructure in place that will help Swansea City be successful for the long term.

The numbers who attended and the questions posed to the panel just underlined the passion you all have for this football club.

It’s one of the biggest things that has struck me since I became head coach, and we are all aware of how important this club is to this city and community.

That connection is such a powerful asset and it will be really important this afternoon as we take on a Leicester side who have enjoyed an outstanding start to the season, and who are widely considered to be the leading promotion contenders.

They have a squad packed with Premier League quality and experience, but we have quality players here and we certainly want to embrace the challenge we face this afternoon and to try and take the game to our opponents.

We want to get on the front foot, and you can be a big part of helping us with that because we have seen how our team and supporters feed off each other’s energy and the stadium has been rocking.

We will have to be at our best, but there is no apprehension from our side. We will go out there intent on trying to win the game.

Before I sign off I also want to congratulate Liam Cullen on winning his first Wales senior cap during the international break, and Bashir Humphreys on his maiden England Under-21s’ appearance.

It’s great to see our players getting such recognition at the highest level.

Enjoy the game,

Michael

Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for today’s game against Championship front-runners Leicester City.

We return to our home ground after a positive international break where Wales saw an upturn in results, with a huge win against Croatia giving us hope of European qualification.

I’m sure we’d all like to congratulate Liam Cullen on achieving his first cap for Wales, which comes as a nod to the excellent performances he has been putting in over the last 12 to 18 months for the Swans. Liam was one of six current or former Swans in the Wales squad, highlighting the quality of our academy and recruitment system over the past decade.

During the international break, the Trust was hard at work getting ready to launch our Matchday Experience project. This is something we have been discussing with the club for several months, and we’re delighted to have launched our first survey this week, which is the first in a multi-stage process of building more enjoyable experiences for all supporters.

I’d like to encourage you all to take a few minutes to fill in the survey, which can be accessed HERE. This is the first survey we have run for all of our supporters since I’ve been working with the Trust Board, and is one of the commitments Paul Meller (supporter director) and I made when we took up our positions.

We promised to be evidence-led in the feedback we provided into the club, and that we would go out and actively collect your feedback more often. This is our commitment in action. I’m very hopeful we can produce some great insights that will help create actual changes to the matchday experience for you as a supporter.

Of course, the one thing we can’t directly control is what happens on the pitch but, based on recent performances there is much to be positive about.

Fans’ Forum

It was great to see the return of the fans’ forum this week, with a strong panel and a good turnout of fans who asked a broad range of questions. These types of events are crucial in building the connection between the supporters and the club, and we know there is nothing better than getting your questions answered first-hand.

The Trust is now in discussions with the club about future fan engagement events this season. Whilst these types of events usually happen a few times per year, the Trust is in regular contact with members of Wednesday night’s panel, as well as key representatives of the management team within the club. This means that we can constantly ask questions, provide feedback, and represent the views of you, the supporters.

I will never stop advocating for you to join the Trust, as I truly believe we have a positive relationship with the club that can help us collectively make meaningful changes for supporters, as well as ensuring you feel more connected to the club we all love. To that end, I’d like to encourage you all to join the Trust today, which you can do HERE, or in person at our Trust Pod before any home game.

A Tough Test

Today’s opponents, Leicester City, will be our toughest yet. They’ve won 10 of their 11 games this season and, with a squad full of Premier League talent, it’s hard to see how they don’t bounce straight back up to the Premier League next season. Their story in recent years has been a remarkable one, having miraculously won the Premier League eight years ago, and the FA Cup just two years ago, before dropping out of the top tier last year.

As well as talent, they also have the benefit of Premier League parachute payments, which are designed to help Premier League teams absorb the cost of relegation.

Far more work is needed to create parity in the league and enable teams without these payments to compete on a more level playing field financially.

Enjoy the game today, and please take a few minutes to fill in the matchday survey!

Adam

It has been quite the start to life at Swansea City for Bashir Humphreys, who has scored his first senior goal, earned a first England Under-21 cap and trained with the Three Lions senior squad.

Here, the defender reveals the former Swans who helped convince him that a move to SA1 was right for him, talks about how playing in different positions has been key in his development, and reflects on the excitement of scoring that goal in the recent win over Norwich.

When Bashir Humphreys became aware of the chance to join Swansea City on loan, there were two players he could turn to for advice given they had already trodden the same path he was set to embark on.

Humphreys would surely love to follow in the footsteps of two other Chelsea players who enjoyed successful spells at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Blues midfielder Gallagher and now Crystal Palace defender Guehi shone for the Swans as they helped the club to reach the Championship play-offs during their respective spells in the club’s colours.

And Humphreys revealed the pair only had positive things to say about Swansea, and he hopes to can emulate the impression they made during their loans following his bright start to life in SA1.

“What those guys did at Swansea shows it is a good pathway and it is almost an inspiration to me,” he says.

“I know both of them personally, and I have spoken to them and they only had good things to say about this club.

“That was a big tick in the box for me, it was the check I needed.

“They talked about the club and the city. They loved being here, and they said the people here were so friendly and always looking out for you, which is important.”

Humphreys did have to wait a while for his move to be completed, admitting his bags were packed for quite some time as he waited for the clearance to move to the Swans with Chelsea still needing him as they dealt with injuries in their defence.

Humphreys featured regularly for Chelsea during pre-season was involved in Premier League matchday squads early in the campaign.

But, when it came to his loan move, Swansea was always his first choice, with the centre-half impressed by the conversations he had with head coach Michael Duff, and also Swansea’s pedigree as a club that gives opportunities to, develops and improves young players.

“I was delighted when I was able to complete the move, it had been on the cards for a while so I was glad when it is finally done,” said Humphreys.

“This is a great club with a great history, I remember growing up watching Swansea play in the Premier League, and seeing how great the fans are and how they follow the team everywhere.

“You see some of the players who have played here, so it is just the whole package really.

“I spoke to Michael Duff and it was that conversation that swayed me to come, as it goes.

“He is quite straight-talking and I liked his tactics. He has shown how good he is at developing young players in my position, and he has had success with other teams. It is really good for me.

“As a player you always want to go somewhere you feel wanted, it is really important and the guys here told me where they wanted me to play and it suits me and is a perfect fit.

“I am fully focused on Swansea and having the best possible season here.”

Humphreys has quickly endeared himself to the Jack Army, no more so than when he showed great composure to control a loose ball and wallop a volley into the net to seal a dramatic win over Norwich City.

 

The youngster beams as he recalls the emotions of that moment.

“It was an unbelievable feeling! I can’t even describe it,” he says.

"The ball was bouncing around, Jamal (Lowe) was telling me afterwards that he had two slices at it, but then it's just landed at my feet and my eyes lit up. I just through, 'I'm smashing this!

“It was an unbelievable feeling to get the goal, and obviously to get the win and keep the momentum going is even better – that’s the best part of it.

“I think momentum is so important in football, especially in the Championship, you can go on a good run and you go up the table quickly.

“We knew Norwich were going to be good and they showed that, they had a lot of good attacking threats and good players all around the pitch. I think it was a really powerful victory and it’s nice to do it home.

“The fans got us through it. This was my first time playing at home so I love playing at home, away wins are good, but winning in front of your fans is the best feeling you can get.”

Humphreys arrival at the Swansea.com Stadium provided Duff with an additional left-sided defensive options, but while Humphreys has spent a lot of time playing on the left side of defence, he is equally comfortable on either foot and happy to play wherever he is needed.

“To be honest, my favoured foot has swayed over the years depending on which position I have been playing in,” he added.

“Now I am definitely more confident playing on my left foot, but I can use my right foot when I’ve played at right-back, so I am not fussy about it.

“In terms of how I am as a player, I like to think I am a character and I hope I can show that on the pitch.

“I like to see myself as a leader, coming through the age groups at Chelsea I have been captain and I like to build connections and relationships with other players, if I can help someone then that person can help me too. It’s really important.

“I am a hard worker, I am ready to learn at all times and to adapt. If I need to do a shift in a different position to help then I will do it."

His talents were recognised with a first England Under-21 cap as the young Lions defeated Serbia 9-1 in European Championship qualifying.

Humphreys also had the opportunity to train with the senior England squad during the September international window, and experience he savoured.

“That was an unbelievable experience for me,” he says.

“That camp was amazing. Initially I was with the under-20s, then I got told I was with the under-21s, and the next thing they were asking if I could train with the first team.

“That was just incredible. To be honest, I was a bit starstruck. I have felt a bit like that training with the Chelsea first team, but with this I felt like the child in me came out.

“I will remember that for a long time.”

 

 

Goalkeeper Ben Hamer was initially brought in to provide cover for loan goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and signed an 18-month deal with the Swans in January 2020 at the age of 34. 

His first appearance for the club came seven months later in a 4-1 win over Plymouth Argyle in the Carabao Cup. Hamer was a regular starter for the Swans that season until the arrival of Andy Fisher in January. Hamer left at the end of the 2021-2022 season as his contract came to an end.

Prior to his time with the Swans he had started his career with Reading, having loan spells with Brentford – where he won League Two - and Exeter while with the Royals.

A switch to Charlton followed where he helped the Addicks to League One title success in 2012, and he made his move to Leicester in 2014.

He had 18 outings for the Foxes over four seasons – which also took in loan spells with Nottingham Forest and Bristol City.

Hamer then moved on to Huddersfield in 2018, having a loan spell at Derby before establishing himself as the Terriers number one prior to his stint with the Swans.

 

Second-half goals from Jerry Yates, Ollie Cooper and Josh Key – plus a vital save from Carl Rushworth – helped Swansea City come from behind to record a fourth Championship win in a row.

Plymouth Argyle had led at the break at Home Park through Luke Cundle’s strike, but Michael Duff’s side showed great character and desire to fight back after the break.

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth; Josh Key, Harry Darling, Matt Grimes (captain), Jerry Yates (Liam Walsh 86), Jamal Lowe (Mykola Kuharevich 90), Jamie Paterson (Harrison Ashby 90), Josh Tymon, Charlie Patino (Jay Fulton 67), Liam Cullen (Ollie Cooper 67), Bashir Humphreys.

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

Plymouth Argyle: Conor Hazard, Bali Mumba (Mickel Muller 66), Macaulay Gillesphey, Jordan Houghton, Julio Pleguezuelo (Mustapha Bundu 74), Dan Scaar, Matt Butcher (Kaine Kesler-Hayden 74), Joe Edwards (captain), Ryan Hardie (Ben Waine 83), Morgan Whittaker, Luke Cundle (Finn Azaz 66).

Unused Substitutes: Callum Burton, Lewis Warrington, Tyreik Wright, Adam Randell.

Referee: Lewis Smith

Attendance: 16,463

And, just like that, we’re back. We all know that this afternoon’s table-topping opponents Leicester City will be a tough test and maybe even a season-defining one, so what better side to face first following the international break?

After our run of four successive wins, the enforced hiatus perhaps wasn’t ideal and there is always a concern that it’ll have an adverse impact after what was a great run of results, but this afternoon is a chance to put that fear behind us and show just how much progress has been made already this campaign.

Of course, the same will be true of our opponents. The Foxes have matched Sheffield United’s record-breaking start to the 2005-6 season with 30 points from their first 11 matches, and disruption to that sort of form was not going to be welcomed. 

For the players, who head off to their respective international camps though, there are other considerations, and plenty of positives to take from their new environments, as well as opportunities for a change of pace and focus for those remaining with their clubs.

We’ve seen the positive and the negative effects over the years and, from a Wales perspective, there were certainly plenty of the former in this break.

The Jack Army were all delighted to see striker Liam Cullen get his first senior cap for Wales in the 4-0 win over Gibraltar at SToK Cae Ras, the Racecourse ground in Wrexham.  The 24-year-old played the full 90 minutes in front of a packed crowd of 10,000 and opportunities like that, as well as being on the bench for the 2-1 win over 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Croatia on Sunday, are bound to give a player an added boost in confidence.

Our former players also made a significant contribution to that win, too. Ben Davies proudly wore the captain’s armband; Connor Roberts was like a sacrificial lamb, especially when putting himself on the line to block a cross with a part of his body that made everyone wince; Dan James got another assist; Joe Rodon was a rock at the back.

We mustn’t forget as a club the part we played in the development of all of those players, who are continuing to make their mark on the international stage and help keep Welsh dreams of automatic Euro 2024 qualification alive.

And Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward also deserves a mention following Sunday’s victory. Ward hasn’t featured for the Foxes this season, with summer signing Mads Hermansen the preferred option for head coach Enzo Maresca. He was the first choice for Robert Page last weekend.

But however surprising and special the events of Sunday were, we’re full focus on the Championship now and making sure we rack up the points between now and the next international break, which is weeks away.

Building on those four wins and moving up the table is the goal, and it starts today. We’ll need to employ our own cunning, control and confidence if we are to outsmart the Foxes, but we saw plenty of evidence of it before the break - here’s to more of the same from the boys.

Ar ôl saith gêm heb fuddugoliaeth yn y Bencampwriaeth, roedd yr awyrgylch o gwmpas Abertawe yn llwm iawn. Yn waeth na hynny, efallai.

Ond mae pêl-droed yn hen gêm ddoniol. Dim ond pedair gêm ymlaen o'r hyn oedd yn ddechrau ofnadwy i fywyd yn ne Cymru i Michael Duff, mae'r teimlad wedi eu newid i fod yn hynod bositif.

Cafodd Duff ei feirniadu'n hallt yng nghamau agoriadol y tymor, yn enwedig ar ôl y golled siomedig o 2-0 i Gaerdydd.

Ond roedd cyn amddiffynnwr Burnley, Cheltenham Town a Gogledd Iwerddon bob amser yn mynnu ei fod yn cadw at ei ddulliau, ac, yn hollbwysig, roedd o'n credu y gallai droi pethau o gwmpas.

Roedd ildio gêm gyfartal mewn amser anafiadau yn erbyn Queens Park Rangers heb os yn hynod o siomedig, ond roedd y gêm gyfartal yn ddechrau ar welliant mawr yn ffurf yr Elyrch.

Mae buddugoliaethau dros Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall, Norwich City a Plymouth Argyle wedi dilyn ers hynny.

Roedd y fuddugoliaeth yn erbyn Plymouth yn enwedig yn arbennig o ystyried roedd angen i'r Elyrch brwydro o gôl i lawr i ennill 3-1.

Roedd digon o eiliadau o gyffro yn y gêm tra bod Abertawe hefyd yn dangos y math o ysbryd ymladd sydd ei angen yn fawr yn yr adran hon.

Gwnaeth Duff y mwyaf o'r fuddugoliaeth a dathlu gyda'r cefnogwyr ar ôl y chwibaniad llawn amser yn Home Park, a'r fuddugoliaeth honno yn erbyn tim Steven Schumacher sy'n gadael Abertawe dri phwynt yn unig oddi ar yr chwech uchaf y Bencampwriaeth cyn y gêm heddiw gydag arweinwyr y gynghrair Caerlŷr.

Mae Caerlŷr bron yn ddi-ffael ers gadael yr Uwch Gynghrair.

Heb os, dyma fydd prawf mwya'r tymor hyd yn hyn i Abertawe, ac mae'n debyg y galetaf y byddan nhw'n ei wynebu drwy'r flwyddyn.

Ond yn dilyn wythnosau gwych sydd wedi bod, ni fydd yr Elyrch yn ofni'r enillwyr yr Uwch Gynghrair o 2015/16.

Bydd hwn yn fesur perffaith o gynnydd i Duff. Mae prynhawn diddorol o'n blaenau.

IAN MITCHELMORE

Swansea City is supporting the EFL’s ‘Together Against Racism’ campaign in Saturday's fixture against Leicester City.

With support from anti-discrimination charity, Kick It Out, the campaign sees a focused drive from the EFL and its clubs to stamp out racism and any form of discrimination in football.

“As a club, Swansea City is proud to be supporting the EFL's ‘Together Against Racism’ campaign along with 'Show Racism the Red Card' and other anti-discriminatory campaigns as football continues to work to remove racism and all forms of discrimination from our game," said Catherine Thomas, head of fan engagement at Swansea City.

“We believe football is a game for everyone and we are proud of the welcoming atmosphere that our supporters create at the Swansea.com Stadium every matchday.

“However, every season, there are reports of discrimination across the game, and likely more that go unrecorded.

"We are calling on our supporters to continue to make a difference and keep reporting any incidents of racism or discrimination you see or hear in the ground on Saturday, and at all matches in the future."

Supporters can report incidents using our anonymous safe text number 88440, starting the message with the word SWANS and providing details of the incident.

For more information on reporting please click here.

David McArdle, head of equality, diversity and inclusion for the EFL, added: “While football has come a long way in recent years, there is still much to be done and, throughout October and beyond, we are calling on supporters up and down the country to be vigilant when they are attending matches and report any incidents they see or hear in stadiums or online.

“While incidents do get reported, we also know that there are many that don’t and this campaign is about breaking down the barriers to reporting, and educating supporters on why it is so important, the methods which are available to them and how it helps the football authorities, in the short and long term.”

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.

After a disappointing end to 1993, Swansea City fans entered 1994 looking for better from their side, and the New Year certainly got off to a positive start with a New Year’s Day victory over Bristol Rovers ending a run of six games without a win.

A goalless first half, which saw a certain Martyn Margetson barely tested in the Bristol Rovers goal, was followed by an improved second-half showing was capped by a first senior goal from Jonathan Coates and a Mark Harris effort that ultimately secured a 2-1 win at Twerton Park.

The only low point for the Swans was the discovery that the visiting dressing room had been robbed during the game, with wallets, credit cards and jewellery among the items stolen.

Next up was a southern section third-round tie against holders Port Vale in the Autoglass Trophy. Loan signings Chris Burns and Mathew Rush featured, and the former would prove to be the matchwinner when he beat Paul Musselwhite in the Vale goal with a fine strike two minutes from time.

A return to league action at home to Rotherham followed, and the frustration of a goalless draw – in a game where the hosts created a number of chances - was added to with the likes of Keith Walker, John Cornforth and John Hodge all injured.

A failure to take opportunities saw two more points dropped at Blackpool, with manager Frank Burrows even feeling the need to strongly criticise his players after a late Steve Torpey header had been required to cancel out an Andy Gouck effort at Bloomfield Road.

But there would be a victory three days later as Colin Pascoe’s strike settled a Welsh Cup quarter-final against Hereford United, with the midfield of Pascoe, fit-again skipper Cornforth and Rush outclassing their opponents as the Swans advanced to the last four.

Just 48 hours later, and the Swans were at home in league action against a struggling Hartlepool United, in a game rearranged from earlier on in the month.

The team made it six games unbeaten since the New Year, but the same old story was in evidence as chances were created and missed.

Torpey, Martin Hayes and Jason Bowen all missed simple openings and, with the game entering its closing minutes, a rare Roger Freestone error when he was caught in no-man's land in his own area, allowed Paul Thompson to score.

Then with the clock on 90 minutes, Steve Jenkins - who had not scored in 121 Swansea appearances – spared their blushes when his 25-yard shot found the net through a packed goalmouth to secure a share of the spoils.

It’s often said that football fans will travel the length and breadth of the country to support their team.

Seldom has that been more true than the other evening when 340 hardy souls travelled from Norwich to Swansea for our Championship fixture against the Canaries.

Nothing particularly special about that, I hear many of you say. Swans fans regularly make similar journeys following the team around the country.

But, let’s just remember, the fixture was played on a Wednesday evening with a 7.45pm kick off.

Given the new generous injury-time allocations officials add on to each half, most visiting fans wouldn’t have got back to their cars or buses and been ready to head home much before 10pm.

Then they faced the tortuous cross-country trek from south-west Wales to the east of England.

According to the AA’s route planner, it’s 313.5 miles from the Swansea.com Stadium to Carrow Road.

The website estimates the journey takes five hours and 19 minutes by road.

That’s without making any stops along the way. It also doesn’t allow for unexpected traffic problems. And when was the last time you travelled the breadth of England and Wales without encountering any of those?

It’s fair to say that your average fan travelling by road back to the city of Norwich probably wouldn’t walk through their front door much before 4am.

That, of course, after having probably set off for the match early on Wednesday afternoon at the latest.

You’d estimate a total journey time of around 12 hours for the 627-mile round trip. That, of course, is door to door between Swansea and Norwich. Some fans’ journeys will have been shorter, but some will have been longer.

What about catching a train? Don’t even go there! Getting to Swansea would have involved a five-and-a-half hour journey involving two changes – costing between £149 and £172.

Getting home was trickier. If you didn’t mind missing a bit of the second half you could have caught the 9.53pm, which would have involved four changes and a journey time of 11 hours and 31 minutes.

If you wanted to see the end of the game, the first available train would have been at 4.59am, but at least that one would only have taken five hours and 23 minutes to get home!

The above facts and figures are not exhaustive and were gathered thanks to a quick 10-minute trawl of the internet. I’m sure a dedicated Norwich fan channelling their inner Phileas Fogg could have found a cheaper or faster way of travelling to Swansea.

But is making football fans travel from the most easterly point of the Football League map to its most westerly point on a Wednesday night really necessary in the current financial climate?

I know scheduling long-distance midweek matches is unavoidable sometimes, such as for League Cup matches and FA Cup replays.

But for a league match, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, when taking time off work in midweek adds to the already considerable cost of going to an away match?

It wasn’t even half-term, so any younger Norwich fans would need to miss at least some school for the trip.

I suppose it could have been worse. At least the match was played in early October rather than deepest, darkest December or January.

Also, it could also have been the Jack Army who were being forced to make the trip!

But couldn’t the game have been arranged a little more sympathetically by the powers that be?

Many of you may be thinking, ‘so what? Why are Norwich so special? The Swans have done plenty of midweek journeys like that in the past.’

Yes, of course we have. I 100 per cent agree.

But do we need to? Couldn’t there be just a little bit more careful planning by the EFL to try and cut down on some of these lengthier midweek journeys?

I know many fans enjoy midweek trips and look forward to them. They may be more convenient for those who work at weekends. Some may even be fortunate to be in a position where they can stay over for a midweek match.

Die-hard fans see a long midweek trip, where you get home just as the dawn chorus is starting to stir, as a badge of honour.

However, surely it would be easier all round for the majority of fans if these particularly lengthy trips were confined to weekends?

This isn’t a plea specifically on behalf of Norwich fans, it’s a plea on behalf of all supporters – especially those of clubs whose geography means they are more likely to face longer journeys.

Being somewhat out on a limb geographically within the footballing community, Swans fans are no strangers to travel.

But football in general benefits from healthy away support.

There is nothing better than going to a game which boasts a large, vocal travelling support. In my view, the bigger the better.

The atmosphere at grounds is always boosted when the away end is full to capacity. I’m sure Leicester’s fans will back up that argument this afternoon.

And, of course, there are the financial benefits for home clubs when the away end is packed to the rafters.

Before their visit to Swansea, Norwich’s average travelling away support this season was 1,809.

So, as you can see, 340 travelling Canaries the other evening was a considerable reduction to their usual travelling support.

In turn, that reduction resulted in the Swans recording their lowest home league attendance of the season by some distance – 14,512.

Last season, the fixture, which was played on a Saturday a couple of weeks before Christmas, attracted a crowd of 16,362.

So surely it benefits everyone in the game to make it as convenient as possible for visiting fans to get to a game.

Hopefully, today’s away support enjoyed as smooth a journey as possible from the Midlands.

And I wish them an equally smooth journey home. I just hope they leave empty handed as far as points are concerned!

C’mon you Swans!

Club historian Gwyn Rees has taken a look back to some of the notable black players who have worn the Swansea City shirt with distinction as we mark Black History Month.

He reflects on the careers of a number of key figures who have made their mark wearing the club's colours, including the likes of  Lenny Johnrose, Ashley Williams, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer.

You can read the in-depth feature in full by clicking HERE.

Swansea City Under-21s made it back-to-back Premier League Cup wins as Kristian Fletcher’s brace and an own goal sealed victory over Brighton and Hove Albion at Landore Training Ground.

The Swans opened the scoring after Fletcher struck from the edge of the area with half-hour played, giving the hosts the advantage going into the break.

The Seagulls equalised through Mark O’Mahony not long after the restart, but it didn’t matter as the Swans found the net twice within five minutes in the closing stages through an own goal, and a wonderful solo effort from Fletcher.

There were three changes to the side that played out the thrilling Professional Development League draw against Watford on Monday. Evan Watts returned to the side, replacing Ben Hughes, with Zane Myers and Kian Jenkins coming in for Nathan Tjoe-A-On and Liam Walsh respectively.

Brighton had a sight of goal early on, Filip Lissah and Harry Jones defending well in their own penalty area to deny O’Mahony’s shot before clearing the ball to safety.

The next big chance went the way of the Swans, Myers showed strength to beat his man down the left, drifting inside and finding Ben Lloyd, whose shot dragged just wide of the target. 

Swansea continued to threaten, and it came as no surprise when they broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

A raking pass from Kyrell Wilson sent Fletcher into space on the right, the American embarked on a mazy run through the Seagulls’ defence before sending a thunderous strike into the top corner.

The Swans almost had a second in the dying moments of the first period. A brilliant link-up between Fletcher and Joe Thomas sent a superb ball into the path of Wilson, but the 18-year-old’s effort flew behind for a goal-kick.

 

From the restart, the visitors looked to respond. Jamie Mullins saw two shots denied in quick succession, with Watts comfortably collecting the latter effort.

In-form Wilson then to into space down the right-hand side for the hosts, the forward broke free from his marker but the ball got out of reach and into the hands of Tommy Reid.

However, within 10 minutes of the second period, the visitors had their equaliser. O’Mahony got on the end of a fine cross to fire into the centre of the net.

The visitors were soon pressing again, and Watts produced a magnificent save to keep out substitute Louis Flower’s volley from close-range.

Down the other end, the speed of Wilson and Fletcher almost put the Swans back ahead, but the American’s effort were well-blocked by Reid. 

Marcus Ifill came closest to putting the Premier League 2 outfit ahead as his deflected shot clipped off the near post.

But, instead, it was the home side who would strike the decisive blow. Substitute Faakye drove forward and drilled a delivery into the area that a Brighton defender put through his own net.

And DC United loanee Fletcher put the game to bed with five minutes left of normal time.

Good work from Lloyd sent Fletcher clear into the area,with the forward cutting inside on his right foot before firing past Reid to seal the win. 

Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Watts, Harry Jones, Zane Myers (Richard Faakye 60), Kian Jenkins, Filip Lissah (captain), Kai Ludvigsen, Joe Thomas (Ruben Davies 70), Liam Smith, Kristian Fletcher, Ben Lloyd, Kyrell Wilson.

Substitutes: Josh Carey, Ben Hughes, Dan Watts.

Brighton Under-21s: Tommy Reid, Casper Nilsson, Jacob Slater, Leigh Kavanagh, Noel Atom, Jack Hincy (captain), Marcus Ifill, Joe Knight (Louis Flower 55'), Mark O’Mahony, Jamie Mullins, Benicio Baker-Boaity. 

Substitutes: Samy Chouchane, Josh Duffus, Ruairi McConville, Brody Peart.

A Sammy Henia-Kamau brace earned Swansea City Under-18s their first away win of the season against Watford in the Professional Development League.

The 17-year-old opened the scoring, however the young Hornets got themselves level going into the break.

But Henia-Kamau bagged his second, the match winner, just beyond the hour mark.

Kit Margetson returned to the starting XI after a slight wrist injury, and Henia-Kamau started his first game back since suffering a slight knock.

The young Swans had a plethora of chances in the first period, with Thomas Woodward and Henia-Kamau having the best of them.

The latter netted the opener but the hosts punished Swansea's failure to take their chances by equalising from their only genuine chance of the opening half.

After the break, the Swans had to see out periods of pressure as Watford sought to maintain their unbeaten home record, but Henia-Kamau's seventh goal of the season pushed the Swans over the line to claim their first league win on their travels this term. 

Swansea City Under-18s: Kit Margetson, Jack Fanning, Arthur Parker, Jacob Cook, Ben Phillips, Iestyn Jones, Aimar Govea, Yori Griffith, Sammy Henia-Kamau, Thomas Woodward, Josh Pescatore (captain).

Substitutes: Teo Minchev, Ewan Griffiths, Osian Williams, Cameron Llewellyn, Rohan Davies.

 

Name
Seb Dabrowski

DOB
11/09/2005

Position
Left-back

Left-Footed / Right-Footed
Left-footed

Nationality (according to Uefa)
Welsh/Polish

Signed for the Swans
2014

Previous clubs
Carmarthen Stars

What is your best memory in a Swans shirt?
Signing my first professional contract.

What is your favourite thing about Swansea?
The football club.

Who is your football idol?
Andy Robertson.

What is your favourite film?
Maybe one of the Marvel films.

Who is your favourite music artist?
I don’t really have one, whatever comes on.

What is your cheat meal?
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

What subject were you best at in school?
Maths.

Football bucket list
Making my senior debut and getting first-team appearances. Win a cup.

A stadium you’d love to visit (as a player or fan)
I’d love to play at Wembley.

Your first football memory
Watching Barcelona quite some time ago. Messi, Iniesta, Xavi were all playing together. I watched on TV around the 2011-2012 season.

First football shirt you owned
Barcelona. I supported them when I was a kid.

Other football position you played
Left-wing, centre-back.

Any other sports
Athletics and rugby. I won a Welsh competition in the 100-metre sprint, I set the record when I was 13 or 14. I just played rugby in school.

Preferred shirt number
Three

Your room-mate for away games
Kyrell Wilson, we’re involved in games together and just get on.

Favourite computer game
Formula One.

Aim for the season ahead?
Get assists, score goals and get in the team.

Who is the most famous person you’ve met?
Ashley Williams. He was my coach in a Welsh camp.

An interesting fact about you
I can speak Polish.

Swansea City Women progressed to the second round of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup as two late goals secured a dramatic win over Cardiff Met Women.

The hosts had put themselves ahead after 15 minutes, Faith Mulenga tapping home from close range for Met.

However, after significant pressure from the Swans, Chloe Chivers levelled with 15 minutes to go.

And Chivers would prove key in the decisive goal with two minutes to go, her dangerous free-kick causing Sophie Davidson to put the ball through her own net and give the Swans the win.

Met had won the league meeting between the sides two weeks ago, and they found themselves ahead with the first real chance of the contest this time round, Ingrid Aadland sliding in Mulenga to finish from close range.

The Swans quickly responded, with good passing play providing a chance for Ellie Lake that was blocked in the six-yard box.

Striker Stacey John-Davis then came close to levelling, latching onto a cross from Chivers but volleying just wide.

Lake again tested the Met goal, this time forcing a save from goalkeeper Charlotte Smith with a low effort from the edge of the box.

The Swans still trailed at the break but continued to dominate proceedings throughout the second half, and created numerous chances.

Lucy Finch fired just wide before Chivers’ corner delivery was cleared off the line.

John-Davis then found Chivers on the edge of the box to unleash a shot, but her effort flew just wide of the post.

Swansea kept pressing, Finch almost scored what would have been a goal of the season contender with a stunning right-footed strike that was just tipped over the bar by Smith to keep Met ahead.

But the Swans would finally draw level through Chivers; captain Katy Hosford’s corner-kick finding the forward at the back post to fire a powerful shot into the bottom corner.

The Swans continued to plug away and eventually found the winner, Chivers’ free-kick into the box being turned beyond her own goalkeeper by Davidson to send the visitors into the next round.

Cardiff Met Women: Charlotte Smith, Sophie Davidson, Faith Mulenga (Sally Grimm 67), Tiggeraa Webb, Grace Corne, Emily Bayliss, Amy Long, Arwen Neale, Ingrid Aadland, Erin Murray (captain), Anna Houghton.

Unused subs: Alysha Hawkins, Leah Samuel, Emily Nicholson, Eve Pearson.

Swansea City Women: Chelsea Herbert, Alicia Powe, Lucy Finch, Steph turner (Kelsey Thomas 71), Ellie Lake, Chloe Chivers, Katy Hosford (captain), Stacey John-Davis, Sophie Brisland-Hancocks, Emily Thomas (Nieve Jenkins 45), Jess Williams.

Unused subs: Rachel Cullen, Monet Legall, Lilly Owen.

 

Your date of birth

17/01/1990

Nationality

Welsh

What position do you play?

Centre-back

Which is your preferred foot?

Right

Which clubs did you play for before joining Swansea City?

Llanelli

When did you sign for the Swans?

2004

What is your favourite thing about playing for Swansea City?

It’s my hometown club.

What is the first position you played in football?

Right-back

What is the first football shirt you owned?

A Manchester United top.

Do you have any pre-match rituals or superstitions?

I do. I have to put on my right boot before my left boot.

What is your full-time occupation?

I’m a nurse in the NHS.

What is an interesting fact about you?

I’ve got two degrees.

Who is the most famous person you've met?

I met Brendan off the TV show ‘Coach Trip’ in the Trafford Centre.

What is something that is on your bucket list?

I’d like to run a marathon.

What is your favourite film?

The Secret Life of Pets.

Who is your favourite music artist?

Drake.

What is the best TV series you've watched?

Below Deck.

What is the best concert you've been to?

I saw Drake in North Carolina!

What was your favourite subject in school?

Maths.

 

"HE IS JUST CLASS IN FIVE-A-SIDE IN TRAINING"

 

Swansea City 2 - 0 Leicester City
Barclays Premier League - October 25, 2014
 

 

A brace from Wilfried Bony helped Swansea City overcome Leicester to end a five-match winless run.

Bony opened the scoring after a fine exchange of passes with Gylfi Sigurdsson, the Ivory Coast striker tucking the ball past Kasper Schmeichel.

The 25-year-old made it 2-0 by side-footing Jefferson Montero's cross home - his fourth goal in the last three outings.

Leicester struggled to create any chances of note, and defeat left Nigel Pearson's side without a victory in four matches.

 

Good afternoon Junior Jacks!

The international break is over and football returns to the Swansea.com Stadium!

We can’t wait to see you all again, and we’re looking forward to joining you for a dance at the Roly Poly disco in the south stand later.

We also want to say “CROESO” to all the junior football teams who have taken up the club’s grassroots ticket offer. We can’t wait to meet you all at today’s game and we hope you have a great time.

For more information about grassroots, or if you would like to try out our puzzles and activities visit our Junior Jacks page on the website by clicking here.

Our joint prediction for today is a 1-0 win and we think Jamal Lowe will score the goal. What’s your prediction?

Finally, today’s quiz is all about EA FC24. We’ve been playing as Swansea City and we’ve created a quiz to test your knowledge on the individual player ratings.

Take the quiz

Enjoy the game!

Cyril and Cybil

 

Age: 9

What was the first Swansea City game you attended? Swansea at home Queens Park Rangers – 2021-22 season

What is your favourite memory of watching the Swans? Joel Piroe's free kick v West Brom to win 3-2 on the last day of the season.

Who is your favourite Swans player and why? Ollie Cooper - because he went to the school where my dad is starting as Head of PE next year.

What do you like most about supporting Swansea City? I like going to watch games with my dad and we've now got season tickets.

Why did you start supporting Swansea City? My grandfather has been a season ticket holder for years and I like football as well.

Do you play football? If yes, what position do you play? Mainly defender, but I'll play anywhere.

Do you play any other sports? What are they? Only what we do in school - tag rugby, gymnastics, athletics, cricket, rounders

What is an interesting fact about you? I have two rescue dogs - one from Serbia and one from Bosnia.

What is your favourite subject in school and why? PE because I like sport.

 

 

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

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.

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.

Supporters are encouraged to report instances of abusive and discriminatory language within the stadium by using the anonymous safe text number 88440, starting the message with the word SWANS and providing details of the incident.

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.

 

World Mental Health Day (October 10) took centre stage at Swansea City AFC Foundation’s recent Cwtch Coffee Morning at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Every week members of our local community get involved in the gatherings, which take place every Tuesday between 9.30am and 11.30am.

They are designed to help bring people together and provide support and a place to talk.

It is one of a number of the Foundation's health and wellbeing initiatives, and the benefits of these sessions has been highlighted by a number of attendees, who are reaping the benefits of meeting up and talking every week.

Andrew has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the coffee mornings and feels he has taken positive steps as a result, having struggled with his mental health, issues that had led to him self-harming.

“These sessions are so important. I suffer quite a lot with mental health, self-harming. Since I’ve been coming here, for about a year now, I don’t self-harm anymore. I look forward to every week," said Andrew.

“Everybody in the group is fantastic. (Foundation health and wellbeing officer) Caroline (Gwilym) is brilliant. When I first came here she helped me relax, made me open up a bit as the weeks have gone on. It's very important to me."

In addition to the coffee mornings; every Thursday from 6pm until 8pm the Foundation's Talk Club takes place in the Cwtch at the Swansea.com Stadium, where men can talk, listen and seek to improve their mental health in a safe space.

“It’s been brilliant, it's something else to look forward to on a Thursday," continued Andrew,

"Again you can open up, talk about what your week has been like, what have you got coming up to look forward to, how your mental health is going to be, it’s amazing. As a group we’re all sort of in the same boat, so it’s great.

“I think the hardest thing is getting through the door. Once you come through the door you can relax, talk to Caroline on a coffee morning or Tony at Talk Club and you can open up. I’m not the type who wants to open up to people, but since I’ve been coming here I have just opened up and it’s been really, really good. It really has changed me.”

To find out more about Talk Club, please get in contact with tony.sharpe@swanstrust.co.uk or robin@swansfoundation.org.uk

To find out more about Cwtch Coffee Mornings, please get in touch with caroline@swansfoundation.org.uk

 

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.

SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP

Paul Watson (Sporting Director); Andrew Davies (Head of Commercial, Operations, & Facilities);
Gareth Davies (CFO);
James Chiffi (Head of Wellbeing & Development);
Josh Marsh (Head of Football Operations).

CLUB STAFF

Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood
Football Operations &
Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Retail: Andrea Morris
Head of Hospitality, 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: Ben Donovan, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Hayley Ford, Fraser Dickson, Rachael Tucker, Cerith White, Rhys Kemish, Dom Hynes, Owen Morgan, Julie Kissick, Ian Mitchelmore, Gwyn Rees.

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