Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our first home league fixture of the new season against Sheffield United.
We are back on home turf after a victory and a good performance against Crawley in midweek, and after what has been a very busy summer for our football club.
The headlines have, of course, been dominated by the addition of Snoop Dogg to our ownership group, following on from Luka Modric’s arrival earlier this year.
From the outset of my time at the club, our ownership group have identified raising the club’s global profile as being a key part of our plans to help us move forward and improve.
The worldwide attention the announcement of Snoop’s involvement garnered underlined the reach that having such superstars associated with our club can have. Having our Swansea City’s name and story reach as many people as possible can only be a positive, and can allow us to grow in a way that can help us put the best-possible team on the pitch to be competitive in this division.
To that end, we have been decisive and productive with our work in the transfer window, with Malick Yalcouye – an extremely exciting and energetic young midfielder – being our latest signing as he joins on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, a club I know well from my time working there. We are extremely grateful to Brighton for trusting us with the next stage of Malick’s development.
We are continuing to look for opportunities to further strengthen the squad before the window closes, and there is an awful lot of hard work going on behind the scenes, by everyone in our team, to try and ensure we are able to do that.
The transfer window was one of a number of topics raised by you at our fans’ forum at the stadium earlier this week.
As we have said previously, we are committed to holding these events on a regular basis so you can hold us accountable and provide invaluable feedback that helps inform the decisions we take as a football club.
We are grateful for your honesty and the passion that was so evident in the room on Wednesday, and we are doing everything we can to give you a club that you feel proud to be part of.
Leading into today’s game, we are also aware of some frustrations with the ticketing systems we have in place. As is to be expected, the week prior to the first home league game of the season is always one of the busiest of the year.
Our team have been operating on the phones, email and in-store at the club shop. Staffing numbers at this time are still at the levels of previous years as we transition into merging ticketing and retail teams in store, and the store has been open every day with both services available during the extended opening hours, seeing us available in person six days a week. I understand that this is the first time this has been the case since Covid and this move has proven very popular with supporters.
Unfortunately on the Thursday prior to today’s game, we came up against a Ticketmaster issue, which affected all clubs using their system. This issue meant that the ticketing site was down for approximately two-and-half hours on mobile devices where supporters couldn't view the seat map. This external issue was rectified after this time.
The phone lines have been busy but the team have been working through those queries whilst dealing with enquiries in-store and via email. Lots of the enquiries we are getting are regarding season ticket cards which, as I mentioned previously, are usual ahead of the first home league game of the season.
In addition to what was a busy week with two fixtures, our team have also had to deal with incoming enquiries following the Ospreys announcement regarding their home fixture arrangements for the coming season. We did not know that this was being released so our team had to be reactive to deal with the increased number of calls, which persisted through the week.
Our staff have been working quite literally around the clock to get answers for our supporters and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts over the course of what has been a busy week.
As we continue to work through a period of transition where we widen the training base of all staff across our ticketing and retail systems, we will continue to review operations, processes and feedback to improve the way in which we operate to provide the best possible experience for supporters.
I also want to take this opportunity to pass on the club’s sincere condolences to the friends and families of three true Jacks we have sadly lost in recent weeks in Dudley Lewis, Alun Cowie and Gordon Daniels.
All three were tremendously committed servants of Swansea City and it is only right that we will pause to remember them before kick-off today.
Heading into this season - and it was a theme of the forum - we have spoken about the togetherness that is such a strength of our club. There is a great feeling around Swansea City at the moment and if we are to have a successful season, everyone will need to play their part.
Thank you all for your continued support. Be loud, be proud and here’s hoping that together we can try to continue to build something special.
YJB,
Tom Gorringe
CEO, Swansea City
Good afternoon and welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our first home league fixture of the season against Sheffield United.
It’s good to be back on home turf after a positive performance and result in the Carabao Cup in midweek, and we want to build on the excellent run of form we enjoyed here over the closing stages of last season.
We have won five and drawn one of our last six at the Swansea.com Stadium, and there was a wonderful feeling and energy around this ground at a number of those games towards the end of last term.
Home form is always vitally important, and the connection we managed to build between the team and supporters was very special to experience.
We have passionate and knowledgeable supporters, something that was further underlined to me at Wednesday’s fans’ forum.
I would like to thank those in attendance for allowing me the opportunity to explain some of the details about how we work as a team, and what we are looking to produce for you when we go out on the pitch.
There were some excellent questions and a real positivity in the room as we look to move forward and improve as a club.
You will have seen that we have added Malick Yalcouye to the squad on a season-long loan from Brighton.
Malick will bring real energy and intensity to our play. We want to be a team that is relentlessly aggressive, and adding him to our options in midfield can really help us to do that.
He is a young man who has made a considerable impact in a short space of time wherever he has been. We need to integrate him into our group and into a new league, but we are very excited to have him here.
There are still a couple of weeks left in the window and we are still looking to strengthen, but we believe the identification of players and execution of our business so far this summer has been positive.
However, our focus in the here and now has to be on this game and being ready to take on a very competitive Championship team who were within a matter of minutes of being in the Premier League this season.
Enjoy the game,
Alan
Alan Sheehan,
First Team Head Coach
Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for our first Championship home match of 2025-26 season – with the way the EFL Carabao Cup draw has gone this is the second of four consecutive home matches in league and cup, just imagine the momentum of four home wins on the spin!
We finished last season with three wins and a draw from our last four matches on home turf so let’s keep that good run going.
We hold a decent home head-to-head record versus today’s visitors, with only two defeats across the last seven matches, so there is every reason to be hopeful as this season starts to pick up pace with games coming at us fast and furious.
We’ve already seen a busy transfer window with 14 players having left the club since we last played a Championship game here, and so far we’ve seen nine new players join Alan Sheehan’s first-team squad – with still more than two weeks of the window to go. Let’s hope we finish the window strongly with a couple more good additions. That said it would only be right to recognise the good work Richard Montague and his recruitment team have already done.
A number of our new signings, going by Tuesday night’s win against Crawley, are starting to bed in nicely so here’s to another positive result today against a team that = whilst fancied by some as a top-six contender - have lost both their early-season matches.
Wednesday night’s Fans’ Forum went well, with a good range of questions for the panel and, as always, quality hosting by Kev Johns. More details on the new initiative we are working on for supporter coaches to be available for upcoming away games have now gone out to our members and across our social media platforms. The service will be beginning with the upcoming Birmingham and Southampton matches. We hope this proves successful as we’d like to make it a regular travel option if we can.
Here at the Trust, we’ve had a busy summer continuing our heritage work, including a full unveiling of the tribute to the Alice Street Boys here. In addition, we’ve recently shared a proposed five-year strategy document with our members to get their thoughts and ideas. Also, around 20 Trust members jumped on the Copper Jack at the marina earlier today to experience a different way to arrive at the stadium. I hope they enjoyed their trip up the River Tawe in this glorious weather.
August is our Trust membership renewal month, so if you haven’t had a chance to renew or join yet it’s easy to do and only takes a couple of minutes: https://www.swanstrust.co.uk/join-the-trust/.
We will continue to provide copies of teamsheets from our Trust kiosk from around an hour before kick-off for all home games in exchange for a small contribution to our chosen charity, Faith in Families.
We extend a warm welcome to our opponents today and their travelling fans whilst they have let a couple of ex-Swans depart recently, they still possess a couple of Welsh international players in their first-team squad. That said I know where we all want the three points to go come 5pm today.
Enjoy the game and be loud for Sheez & the boys.
Chris Golledge
NEW FOR 2025-26 AT THE SWANSEA.COM STADIUM
CONCOURSE KIOSK ORDERING
Following feedback from supporters and after consultation with catering partners Levy, Swansea City is pleased to confirm a change to the way the Self-Order Units (SOUs) will operate in the 2025-26 season.
What is new?
- Available from the Food kiosk - Food & drink can now be bought directly at the tills inside the food kiosks, making it quicker and easier to grab a bite.
- Available from the Bar Kiosks - Express Drinks-Only service – just use the SOUs to order your favourite alcoholic or soft drink, and enjoy a faster, streamlined experience.
- You can continue to pre-order your drinks before kick-off using the SOUs and pick them up at half-time.
MATCHDAY TICKET OFFICE OPENING
The ticket office and club shop will be open for matchday enquiries and purchases at 10am, and will close at half-time.
Please note, the club shop will be open until 5.30pm.
TURNSTILES
Turnstiles will open 90 minutes before kick-off at 1.30pm.
RETRO SHIRT DAY
Following a recommendation from the club's matchday experience working group, the club is encouraging supporters to join our 20th Anniversary celebrations by wearing their favourite Swans home shirt from the past 20 years to the game.
We can't wait to see your favourites on display!
EARLY-BIRD DRINKS OFFERS
We are pleased to announce early-bird offers on selected drinks for this Saturday's fixture! From 1pm until 2.30pm, supporters can enjoy reduced prices on both Madri and Cold River.
A pint of Madri or Cold River will be £2 cheaper during this period, with half pints priced £1 cheaper. Please see below for details:
Matchday Madri Pint, price normally £6.30 reduced to £4.30
Matchday Madri 1/2 Pint, price normally £3.15 reduced to £2.15
Matchday Cold River Pint, price normally £5.50 reduced to £3.50
Matchday Cold River 1/2 Pint, price normally £2.75 reduced to £1.75
This will be available in all areas except the away end. Please note supporters who purchase on our self order units will receive a receipt that will clearly say 'only redeemable until 2.30pm', so please ensure to claim before this deadline to avoid disappointment.
FORMER PLAYERS' ASSOCIATION
This game will also be used to raise money for the club's Former Players' Association which provides much needed financial support for some of the club's former and retired players.
Supporters can show their support in the following ways.
- Donate via our Bucket Collection. Volunteers from the Jack Army and Swansea City Women's Academy will be around the stadium pre-match taking collections. You can also donate at the Swansea City Supporters' Trust Pod.
- Take part in our shirt auction.
- Purchase the brand new A Touch Far Vetched collectable magazine, with all proceeds going to the FPA.
NORTH CAR PARK ACCESS
We recently announced a change to our matchday procedures.
Over the summer break, the club has been making amendments to the stadium footprint in the northeast corner. There is now a permanent fence line situated along the back of our north car park. The introduction of this fence line is to support the club’s safety and security procedures on a matchday.
In future, supporters who are exiting the stadium via the northeast corner (adjacent to the River Tawe) will have two route options:
- Head South towards the Westacres South Stand (past the Mel Nurse Bar) and in the direction of the ticket office.
- Head North along the river path; supporters who are walking towards Rossi’s/Landore can use the widened route towards the council-owned footpath adjacent to the River Tawe.
Supporters who are parked in the North Car Park, or have accessibility requirements, will be able to access the car park. However, they will be held for a short period of time until it is safe to allow access through the perimeter gates.
FAMILY FANZONE
Swansea City AFC Foundation will be running some activities outside the South Stand ahead of the match, including a penalty shootout, table football and a ping pong game.
These activities will begin at approximately 1.30pm and end at approximately 2.45pm, and we hope to see you there.
ROAD CLOSURES
There will be road closures in effect after this game. Please be patient and take care when exiting the stadium.
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.
FANS' FORUM
Watch the full question and answer session from the most recent Swansea City fans' forum at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Chief executive Tom Gorringe, director of football Richard Montague and head coach Alan Sheehan fielded questions from supporters.
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 grave the stadium during the 2005-06 campaign. He starts with a colourful character, goalkeeper Willy Gueret.
Willy Gueret was born in 1973 in Saint-Claude, Guadeloupe and was soon showing plenty of promise as a young goalkeeper.
At the age of 18 he signed his first professional contract with Red Star 93, an established Parisian club, with whom he would spend four years and make six first-team appearances before moving to Le Mans in 1996.
Again he would spend four years on their books but not get the regular first-team football he was looking for and so, in July 2000, he made the move to England to join Millwall.
He would help the Lions win the old Division Two title, and he was on the bench when they faced Manchester United in the 2004 FA Cup final.
But, after the disappointment of that defeat to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils, Willy elected to make the move to Wales and Swansea City ahead of the club’s final season at the Vetch Field.
He could hardly have wished for a more memorable first campaign as manager Kenny Jackett and his squad gave the old ground the perfect send-off with promotion from the fourth tier.
Gueret was a consistent and reliable performer between the stick, but the reason his name will forever be written in club folklore has nothing to do with his exploits with the gloves.
After victory at Bury had secured promotion on the final day of the season with Swans fans invading the pitch to salute their heroes, the players made their way into the home directors’ box.
When the squad were asked to move and refused Gueret, who by now had thrown most of his kit into the crowd, was promptly arrested and marched away to a police van and taken to a local police station.
The team bus soon followed him and, after the payment of a small fine, he rejoined his teammates and the celebrations on the journey back to Swansea.
Gueret continued as first choice for the first season at the Swansea.com Stadium, and was in goal as the Swans beat Carlisle United to win the EFL Trophy at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and would be again as Jackett’s side suffered penalty shootout heartbreak in the play-off final against Barnsley.
The arrival of Dorus De Vries saw Gueret ousted as first-choice keeper and he went on to join MK Dons. He won the Golden Glove award with them and also won the EFL Trophy again with the Dons when they beat Grimsby at the new Wembley Stadium.
A spell with Kettering followed but, frustrated by a lack of game time, he announced his retirement and returned to France to set up a cognac production company with his brother.
A popular cult hero for Swansea fans, he was last thought to have been working at a hotel business in his homeland.
A side steeped in history, Sheffield United were crowned champions of the Football League in 1899, and have won the FA Cup on four occasions - in 1899, 1902, 1915, and 1925.
After over a decade of top-flight football, they were relegated to the Championship in 2004, once again in 2007, and spent six seasons in League One before finally tasting Premier League football again in 2019.
They finished ninth in their first season back, but their second campaign ended with them finishing bottom and returning to the second tier.
They missed out on an immediate top-flight return after losing out to Nottingham Forest in the play-off semi-finals, but returned for the 2023-24 season before again being relegated back to the Championship.
The Blades were beaten play-off finalists last term, losing to Sunderland at Wembley.
BRAMALL LANE
Built: 1855
Location: Highfield, Sheffield, S2 4SU
Capacity: 32,050
Spaniard Ruben Selles joined the Blades in the summer following Chris Wilder's departure, having kept Hull City in the Championship during a six-month stint at the helm of the Tigers last term.
Selles ended his playing career at a young age to purse a career in coaching, and he had achieved his Uefa ‘Pro’ Licence by the age of 25.
Born in Valencia, he started coaching the youth team at Parreta before moving to Valencia University, where he led them to promotion to the top-flight of regional competition.
He travelled nomadically in the years that followed, holding different roles with Aris Thessaloniki, Villarreal youth, Shinnik Yaroslavl, Asteras Tripolis, Gandia, Neftci, Stromgodset, Qarabag and Aarhaus.
He briefly returned to his hometown to work in the Valencia youth set-up, before again heading to Denmark to be assistant manager at Copenhagen.
From there, in 2022, he made the move to English football to be Ralph Hassenhuttl’s assistant at Southampton.
When the German, and then Nathan Jones, were dismissed from the top job he was handed the task of taking the reins but could not prevent Saints suffering relegation.
A switch to financially-stricken Reading followed and, amidst off-field turbulence and with a young squad, he managed to guide them to League One safety with something to spare.
He remained with the Royals at the start of this season, but stepped up to the Championship after the Tigers came calling ahead of his summer switch to Bramall Lane.
Experienced defender Jack Robinson started his career at Liverpool and made his senior debut at the age of 16, which made him the youngest player to have played in a first-team match for the club.
He enjoyed spells on loan with Wolves and Blackpool before joining QPR on a permanent deal and being loaned to Huddersfield Town on the same day, going on to make the left-back position his own for the Terriers.
The 2017-18 season saw Robinson cement his place in the QPR first team where he played out of position at centre-half.
Following 18 months at Nottingham Forest, Robinson made the switch to Bramall Lane in January 2020.
Robinson helped United win promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2022-23 season and ended the 2023-24 season as skipper. Despite the Blades' troubles that season, Robinson came out of the campaign with plenty of credit for his steely displays, bagging a couple of Player of the Year awards in the process.
He remains club captain, but has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer, and was on the bench for their league opener.
Goalkeeper Michael Cooper was a summer recruit from Plymouth Argyle in 2024, and he enjoyed an outstanding first season in red and white.
Cooper kept 23 clean sheets from 46 appearances, and had a save percentage of nearly 80 percent.
Born in Exeter, Cooper joined Plymouth at the age of nine and went on to make his senior debut in 2017.
He made over 170 appearances for the Pilgrims, helping them secure promotion to the Championship and then avoid relegation before making his move to Bramall Lane.
Brazilian-born midfielder Gustavo Hamer - who had the captain's armband last weekend - began his career at Feyenoord after moving to the Netherlands as a child.
Following a season-long loan at Eerste Divisie club Dordrecht, Hamer joined PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie on a permanent contract.
A move to Coventry City followed where he scored 17 goals in 123 appearances across three seasons. He netted the winning goal in the second leg of the Sky Blues' Championship play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough, whilst he also found the net in the final against Luton at Wembley.
The Netherlands youth international signed a four-year deal with the Blades in August 2023 and impressed during his first season at Bramall Lane despite the club's relegation from the Premier League.
He continued to be an influential figure on their route to the play-off final last season.
Striker Tyrese Campbell netted 11 league goals for the Blades last season in his first campaign in south Yorkshire.
The son of Arsenal and Everton great Kevin, Campbell came through the youth ranks with Manchester City and Stoke City and made his senior debut for the Potters in a Premier League draw with Leicester City in 2018.
He went on to spend six years in the Potteries, but was hindered by a knee injury which limited his involvement over a couple of seasons.
He made the move to Bramall Lane as a free agent, and scored some vital goals to help United get to Wembley. Campbell scored in the final itself, only to see two late Sunderland goals dash the Blades promotion hopes.
I think I may be a bit of an oddball compared to other football fans.
Once the domestic season finishes, I pretty much turn off from club football.
If it’s a World Cup, or European Championship summer, I’ll be fully switched on for that, but as for following club news etc I tend to take a bit of a break from what’s going on.
Too many times I’ve been sucked into following strands of transfer gossip about arrivals and departures at the Swans only to find out it was all “paper talk”.
The same goes for management rumours. You can get drawn into so many managerial merry-go-round stories that it can make your head spin.
So, I have a bit of a personal rule. Until I see a photograph of someone holding up a Swans shirt or scarf on the club website, I tend to take summer transfer stories with a large pinch of salt.
The same goes for departures. Until one of our players has been announced by another club, I assume they are staying.
Over the years, this policy has spread to other summer goings on. For example, I don’t tend to worry too much about friendlies.
Yes, I know they’re important for the management and the players in their preparation, but the results themselves seldom give a real indication as to how the team will perform when the real action starts.
Anyway, summer has plenty of other distractions until I need to start worrying about what’s happening at the Swans again.
As a result, I generally shy away from football news during the close season, unless it’s something that really catches my eye.
During this summer, there were two bits of news that stopped me in my tracks, for very different reasons.
The first was the sad news that former Swans star Dudley Lewis had died at the age of just 62.
I always felt a particular affinity to Lewis as he was only a few years older than me when he broke into the first team as a teenager.
The late 1970s and early 1980s were a remarkable time to support the Swans.
The rise from the old Fourth Division to the First was genuinely meteoric for all concerned – management, players and supporters alike.
In 1975, the club was in genuine danger of falling out of the Football League.
Then, thanks to the John Toshack-inspired charge up the divisions, we found ourselves playing the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal on a weekly basis.
One of the many key players during that era, specifically during the latter stages of that final promotion season of 1980-81, was Lewis.
If seeing the Swans taking on some of the finest teams in the land wasn’t enough to blow my adolescent mind, witnessing a local lad, just a bit older than me, play an influential role in that success was hugely exciting.
Lewis made his Swans first-team debut at Notts County in February 1981 just a few months after his 18th birthday.
And when the final whistle blew on the Swans’ promotion-clinching match against Preston at Deepdale, Toshack made a beeline for the teenager to congratulate him.
It was recognition of the part Lewis played in shoring up the team’s defence during the final weeks of that season.
Having helped the Swans reach the top-flight of British football and win the Welsh Cup in his first season, the former Wales youth captain found first-team football hard to come by during that first campaign in Division One.
But the Pentrehafod product went on to play for the Wales senior team in a 1-1 draw against Brazil and make 300 appearances for the Swans during a 10-year career at the club.
Although it was hugely exciting seeing a player of a similar age make his name at the club during that promotion-winning season, it also made me realise my own fanciful dreams of being a professional footballer were already over!
If I was going to make it, I should at least be on a club’s youth books. Instead I was suffering weekly hammerings playing for my school team on a Saturday morning before heading off to watch Lewis at the Vetch in the afternoon!
There was never the remotest chance of me playing for the Swans, but seeing a fellow local teenager succeed in the first team confirmed my dreams would remain just that! All the same, I was delighted to see him making the grade.
So, it was with great sadness I read about Lewis’s untimely passing back in June.
But if that news had me looking back with huge nostalgia at my lost youth, the news that Snoop Dogg had joined the Swans’ ownership group in July had me shaking my head in disbelief.
Even more than when Real Madrid and Croatian legend Luca Modric was brought on board at the end of last season.
I never thought I’d be mentioning Dudley Lewis, Luca Modric and Snoop Dogg in the same programme piece.
Welcome to the whacky world of modern football!
Championship clubs now have Hollywood A-listers, gridiron GOATs, Ballon d’Or winners and American rap superstars in their boardrooms rather than the local butcher, baker and candlestick maker.
I like to think I have an eclectic taste in music. I enjoy pretty much anything from Motown to Madchester and Iron Maiden to Paper Lace (ask your parents/grandparents/great grandparents kids) and more or less everything in between.
But I have to admit I’m not particularly familiar with Mr Dogg’s discography, despite him being one of the biggest selling hip-hop artists on the planet.
However, I do know that he has a massive global presence online and that can only be good for expanding the Swans’ global name at a time when such things are hugely important.
Already, his involvement seems to have generated a genuine buzz of excitement around the club and more importantly further afield.
Whatever the extent of Snoop Dogg’s involvement turns out to be, his association with the club has already got people talking about the Swans all over the world.
So, with my self-imposed summer break from football gossip well and truly over, I’m raring to go and already full immersed in the new season and all the excitement that will inevitably bring.
C’mon you Swans!
When Lee Trundle joined Swansea City in 2003, the prospect of playing for the club in a 20,000-plus capacity stadium was not one that entered his head.
Even though work on the new stadium was under way when Trundle linked up with his former Wrexham boss Brian Flynn in SA1, it was not something that was mentioned when he was putting pen to paper and signing for the club he would become synonymous with.
But fast forward 12 months, with Kenny Jackett now in charge, and the evolving structure of what was then known as the White Rock Stadium became a point of motivation and reference for the Swansea squad as they headed into the club’s final campaign at its Vetch Field home.
“When I joined the new stadium wasn’t really something I was looking at, and I don’t remember it being mentioned to me when we were getting nearer to making the move. For me it was more about the chance to work with Flynny, who I had loved working with at Wrexham,” says Trundle, who is now a club ambassador with the Swans.
“The time when it really started to be in our thoughts was when we started my second season with the club.
“I can remember Kenny talking to us about how important it was for the club to move into the new stadium playing at a higher level, and believing we had what it took to get promoted.
“It was an extra bit of motivation and a lift for us. It had two sides for it; we wanted to take the club into the new stadium on a high, and we wanted to make sure we gave the Vetch the send off it deserved having been the only home the club had known for nearly 100 years.”
It is now 20 years since Swansea City made that switch and it’s been a remarkable period in the club’s history. There have been promotions to the Championship and the Premier League, the claiming of the scalps of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea to name but a few, a first major honour and the return of European competition.
Trundle would, of course, be part of the squad settling into their new surroundings when Tranmere were the first visitors for a competitive fixture on August 6, 2005.
The stadium had been opened with a friendly against Fulham, which served as a testimonial for club great Alan Curtis.
That had been exciting enough for the squad, but there was a tangible sense of expectation as the first weekend of the new season drew near.
Much has happened in those two decades, but Trundle’s memories of that opening night are as clear as ever.
It would end being a winning start, although it was Adebayo Akinfenwa who took the historical tag of being the first player to score at the new stadium.
Trundle himself had a chance to find the net that night but could not convert from the spot, with Tranmere’s Jason McAteer having also been unable to convert a penalty earlier in the contest.
But ‘Magic Daps’ did play a crucial part in the winner with a typical moment of magic setting up his strike partner.
“It really does not feel like it was 20 years ago, time certainly feels like it has gone fast,” he said.
“But I remember it clearly, I remember missing the penalty and McAteer missing for them and I look back and sometimes wonder if it could have been me who scored the first goal at the stadium.
“I did set up the winner for Bayo, and it was a great way to start things off because Tranmere were a strong team in the division.
“Earlier in the summer we had played Fulham and that was a special moment too. I got to play with Curt when he came on, it was me and him up front and that was a really nice experience, but that opening game was a great experience.”
Not that it took Trundle long to get off the mark at the new ground. He would net in three of Swansea’s next four fixtures at the stadium, including a brace in a 7-1 thumping of Bristol City.
But it was a game against another west country club later in the same season that provided Trundle with what he considers the pick of his goals at the Swansea.com Stadium.
It came against Yeovil Town in November 2005, the first game under the lights at the stadium.
It would be a 2-0 win, Trundle got both goals. The first was a penalty, the second was a stunner.
With 23 minutes to go and the visitors down a man, Glovers keeper Chris Weale hurried lofted a clearance into the air under pressure.
He hit the ball to the last player he would have chose to pick out. In a flash, Trundle controlled the ball on his chest, allowed it to bounce, and instinctively hit a high arcing volley over the retreating keeper and into the net.
“As a player that is the game that stands out for me because that goal is right up there with the best I scored for Swansea,” he said.
“Whenever I speak to supporters the two goals they always mention are the volley against Carlisle in the LDV Vans final, and this one against Yeovil.
“It was the first time we had played a night game at the stadium, and I think we all know there is something a bit special about games under the lights at the ground.
“We were looking to make it into a fortress, there was a real buzz and confidence about the club and the fans and it was a difficult place for teams to come to.
“There were goals against Bournemouth and Blackpool that were really good goals, but that one against Yeovil really stands out.”
And what of the all the games Trundle has witnessed since hanging up his boots? What does he count as his favourite?
“It has to be Nottingham Forest in the play-offs,” he says.
“I think that’s quite an easy one. The atmosphere was absolutely incredible. We’d had a good season but I think many people still viewed us as the underdogs in that play-off fight.
“So to perform like we did, and then for Prats to score that brilliant goal right at the end to seal it was incredible. We’ve been fortunate to have some incredible nights in the last two decades, but that’s the one for me.”
Swansea’s rise over the last two decades is often justifiably credited to the club’s on-field identity, and the inspiration and perspiration of players and managers along the way.
But Trundle thinks the impact of the stadium itself should not be underestimated.
“I loved the Vetch, we all did. It was a tremendous place to play football. It was unique,” says Trundle.
“But moving to the stadium was a sign of the way the game was going at the time. Football was going from being a man’s Saturday afternoon routine to being a form of family entertainment.
“At the Vetch there was not much in the way of home comforts or maybe the ability to look after the corporate side of things that were becoming more and more important.
“The other thing is that, as a player, walking into the new stadium and seeing all the facilities and a 20,000 all-seater set-up made you feel more professional in a way.
“When you walk into a stadium like ours and it’s your home ground I just think it gives you a feel of being at the next level and that makes a difference to players.
“There are no excuses, you’re being given everything you need to do your job. I think it allowed us to take a step as a club that we needed to take in order for everything that followed it to fall into place.”
Swansea City booked their place in the second round of the Carabao Cup as Ronald, Bobby Wales and Ethan Galbraith got the goals in victory over Crawley Town at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Swansea City: Andy Fisher; Sam Parker, Kaelan Casey (Arthur Parker 78), Cameron Burgess (captain), Josh Tymon; Ethan Galbraith, Melker Widell (Goncalo Franco 79), Ollie Cooper; Ronald (Cameron Congreve 74), Zeidane Inoussa (Jisung Eom 64), Zan Vipotnik (Bobby Wales 64).
Unused Substitutes: Paul Farman, Josh Key, Jay Fulton, Liam Cullen.
Crawley Town: Harvey Davies, Charlie Barker, Max Anderson, Kabongo Tshimanga, Reece Brown (Louie Watson 61), Jack Roles (Gavin Holohan 61), Harry McKirdy (Louis Flower 62), Joy Mukena, Ade Adeyemo, Jay Williams (captain) (Antony Papadopoulos 73), Josh Flint.
Unused Substitutes: Will Heater, Ben Radcliffe, Fate Kotey.
Referee: Benjamin Speedie
Attendance: 5,095
Swansea City is delighted to confirm the signing of Malick Yalcouyé on loan for the 2025-26 season, subject to international clearance and visa approval.
The 19-year-old midfielder joins the Swans from Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion and will wear the number eight shirt in SA1.
Head coach Alan Sheehan, said:
“WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BRING MALICK TO SWANSEA CITY.
“DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS IT WAS CLEAR HE IS A YOUNG PLAYER WITH A RELENTLESS ENERGY AND APPETITE FOR THE GAME, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDERLINED BY HIS RAPID RISE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
“WE WILL LOOK TO GET HIM INTEGRATED INTO THE SQUAD AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND WE ARE EXCITED BY THE ATTRIBUTES HE WILL ADD TO THE GROUP.”
Tymor newydd, gwynebau newydd, llwyddiant? Aled Biston sydd yn trafod rhai o’r wynebau newydd sydd wedi cyrraedd SA1 tymor yma a’r gobaith sydd â sawl cefnogwr o gyrraedd y gemau ail-gyfle.
Mae’n deg dweud bod yr haf yma wedi bod yn brysur iawn i’r Elyrch, gyda datblygiadau a wynebau newydd ar y cae ac oddi ar y cae (croeso mawr Mr Snoop Dogg!). Ond sut mae’r wynebau newydd yn gallu bod yn hwb i’r clwb neidio i’r safleoedd gemau ail-gyfle?
Chwaraewyr o safon - dyna’r amlwg wrth gwrs wrth chwilio am unrhyw chwaraewr newydd, ond mae’r fath o chwaraewyr sydd wedi dod i’r Elyrch yr haf yma teimlo fel bod y bwrdd ac Alan Sheehan wedi bod yn berffaith wrth recriwtio’r chwaraewyr iawn.
Melker Widell, chwaraewr sydd eisoes wedi chwarae dros Sweden ac yn cynnig rhywbeth gwahanol yng nghanol cae i chwaraewyr fel Franco a Fulton. Chwaraewr canol cae ymosodol sydd ddim yn ofn o saethu o bellter na redeg at ei ddyn. Fe allai hynny'n caniatáu i Franco ffocysu ar ei gyfrifoldebau amddiffynnol yn fwy, gan gynnig cydbwysedd yng nghanol y cae.
Yn yr ymosod, ni wedi gweld yn barod beth mae Bobby Wales yn gallu gwneud wedi iddo sgorio yn erbyn Crawley yng Nghwpan yr EFL. Mae hynny ochr yn ochr â Zeidane Inoussa yn ddigon i ofni unrhyw amddiffyn yn y Bencampwriaeth eleni. Mae Inoussa yn chwaraewr acrobataidd, athletaidd sydd ddim yn ofni rhedeg at ei ddyn ac ennill y ciciau cosb.
Yn yr amddiffyn, profiad o’r Uwch Gynghrair gyda Cameron Burgess yn ymuno. Am coup oedd hynny, ac yn braf gweld nad oedd unrhyw sïon ar-lein ei fod yn ymuno, sydd yn anarferol iawn dyddiau yma. Bydd y profiad hwnnw yn sgil colli Harry Darling yn llenwi’r bwlch adawodd yr amddiffynnwr, ac ychwanegu mwy oherwydd ei brofiad gyda Ipswich y llynedd. Mae hynny ochr yn ochr â Kaelan Casey, chwaraewr brwd, ifanc o West Ham ar fenthyg yn argoeli’n dda ar gyfer canol yr amddiffyn y tymor hwn.
Hefyd yng nghanol y cae, Ethan Galbraith a Malick Yalcouyé (sydd yn dipyn o chwaraewr meddai rhai). Dwi ddim yn genfigennus o Alan Sheehan yn gorfod dewis pwy sydd yn dechrau yng nghanol y cae tymor yma, gyda sawl opsiwn ar gael iddo. Galbraith eisoes wedi sgorio i’r clwb ac fe fydd llygaid pob cefnogwr yn awyddus i weld yr hyn y gallai Yalcouyé gynnig tymor yma, wedi iddo chwarae yng Nghynghrair y Pencampwyr y llynedd.
Ar bapur mae’r cyfnod trosglwyddo wedi bod yn llwyddiant mwy nag arfer i’r Elyrch, ond fel dywed yr hen ddihareb, nid ar bapur y mae pêl-droed yn cael ei chwarae. Pob tymor mae yna deimlad o gyffro sydd yn ddisgwyliedig, ond mae eleni yn teimlo bach yn wahanol…
Here we are again, friends, back at the Swansea.com Stadium for the first home game of a new campaign. The 2025-26 season brings with it a clean slate, fresh hope and plenty of expectation.
Like most fans, I watched with interest as the close season unfolded, not least because we have made the headlines, not just for our on the field signings, but for one off it, too.
Nothing much surprises me in life or in football these days, the world feels crazy on so many levels, but when I saw the Snoop Dogg news, I have to confess to not believing it.
Fake news and artificial intelligence seem to be skewing so much of what we see online that I was convinced it wasn’t true. But it was!
Rap isn’t really my thing, so beyond being an internationally-renowned American rapper, I didn’t know a great deal about our latest investor, who like the former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, has become an investor and co-owner of our club.
I was pleased to read one of the quotes from him, which, of course, will chime with so many of us fans:
“This is a proud, working-class city and club. An underdog that bites back, just like me. I’m proud to be part of Swansea City. I am going to do all I can to help the club.”
I’m sure we’re all looking forward to seeing what practical help he brings as the season progresses. We’re told he and Modric will be present at a game this season, which is bound to boost the feelgood factor and raise the profile of the club’s brand globally. The significance of that cannot be underestimated in 2025.
Plenty of positives so far.
I think the thing that stands out for me most though, is the further endorsement from chief executive Tom Gorringe, which suggests that this isn’t a publicity stunt or a personal brand-building ploy, but that there is real value for the club in terms of the involvement of Snoop Dogg and Modric.
"They have both come in without ego, without expectation and just with the best faith to do whatever they can to make things better," he said.
"They are both contactable all the time and they want to find a way that can improve us as a football club. It puts us in a different league in terms of some of the things that we are able to do."
That ‘different league’ is something we have to be aiming for because it’s where the most successful brands are. I guess we all knew that American owners would mean changes to the way things are done and I’m a firm believer that when change is necessary, it needs to happen. There’s no doubt that’s the case in the current climate.
So, as we launch ourselves into another season of roller-coaster emotions with the sorts of highs and lows only true football fans can comprehend, let’s remember that we’re in it together and with a bit of help from a six-time Champions League winner, an international rap star and our American owners, this underdog can have its day again.
Cymdeithas.
JULIE KISSICK
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.
Shwmae Junior Jacks,
Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium!
We hope you’re all enjoying the summer holidays. It was great to see so many of you at the player meet and greet, and we were delighted to have some of you join us on the pitch as our guard of honour at our friendly against Lorient and Carabao Cup game against Crawley Town.
We’ve also created a season tracker poster for the season ahead. Get your poster from the club shop today, and then collect your matchday sticker from the club shop or ticket office every time you attend a game so you can see which matches you attended.
We’ll be around the stadium today, so if you see us make sure you come and say hello – we love selfies!
Our matchday timetable:
1.30pm: Club Shop
2.30pm: Family Stand Disco
2.45pm: Pitchside
We have recently passed the 20th anniversary of the stadium – way before any of our Junior Jacks were born – but we’re wondering if you can answer these five questions about the stadium.
Uppa Swans,
Cyril and Cybil
Head Coach Alan Sheehan
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango (c)
7 Melker Widell
8 Malick Yalcouye
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
11 Josh Ginnelly
14 Josh Tymon
15 Cameron Burgess
17 Gonçalo Franco
20 Liam Cullen
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
23 Ricardo Santos
24 Bobby Wales
26 Kaelan Casey
27 Zeidane Inoussa
28 Joel Cotterill
29 Paul Farman
30 Ethan Galbraith
31 Ollie Cooper
35 Ronald
40 NUMBER RETIRED IN MEMORY OF BESIAN IDRIZAJ
41 Sam Parker
45 Cameron Congreve
46 Arthur Parker
47 Sebastian Dabrowski
49 Kyrell Wilson
50 Filip Lissah
54 Iestyn Jones
Head Coach Ruben Selles
1 Michael Cooper
3 Sam McCallum
4 Oliver Arblaster
6 Tyler Bindon
7 Tom Cannon
8 Gustavo Hamer
10 Callum O’Hare
11 Andre Brooks
14 Harrison Burrows
16 Jamie Shackleton
17 Adam Davies
18 Djibril Soumare
19 Jack Robinson ©
20 Ehjie Ukaki
22 Tom Davies
23 Tyrese Campbell
25 Jefferson Caceres
26 Ryan One
27 Louie Barry
29 Sam Curtis
31 Luke Faxon
32 Mikhail Polendakov
33 Rhys Norrington-Davies
34 Louie Marsh
38 Femi Seriki
40 Christian Nwachukwu
42 Sydie Peck
Referee - Thomas Kirk
Assistant Referee 1 - Matthew Smith
Assistant Referee 2 - Bhupinder Singh Gill
Fourth Official - James Oldham
STAFF LIST
Chairman - Andy Coleman
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, Aden King, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins, Jack Oliver, Harri Matthews.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Tom Gorringe (Chief Executive Officer)
Richard Montague (Director of Football)
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 Media & Communications: Andrew Gwilym
Head of Marketing: Katie Doyle
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.