Hello and a very Happy New Year to you all as we kick-off 2026 with this home fixture against West Bromwich Albion at the Swansea.com Stadium.
I hope you have all managed to enjoy the festive period and are looking forward to what we want to be a positive year ahead for Swansea City.
We certainly managed to end 2025 on an upbeat note, taking four wins from six games including Monday’s victory at Oxford United. We are currently one of the form sides in the division and we have good foundations to build on heading into the new year.
Credit must go to Vitor, his staff and the players for the manner in which they have responded following a challenging period. There is a long way to go, but everyone is working as hard as they can to ensure we develop and improve and I think we can all sense a growing belief throughout the club.
This is an incredibly demanding time of year for everyone in football, with this our third game in just seven days, and another quick turnaround lying ahead before we face Millwall on Sunday.
That also goes for supporters who rack up the miles cheering on their teams, and we are so grateful to all of you who backed the boys so tremendously at Coventry and Oxford.
Over 600 of you were at the CBS Arena, with many of you taking advantage of the free coach travel put on by our ownership group in an effort to soften the blow of the ticket prices for that fixture, while around 1,500 were packed into the away end at the Kassam Stadium.
Have no doubt, your backing makes such a difference, and that has also been true of our recent home games. We have won three in a row here at the Swansea.com Stadium, and you have all truly played your part in helping us put nine valuable points on the board and I know you will continue to do so.
Off the pitch, I am sure you will have seen our ownership update prior to Christmas where we confirmed Martha Stewart has joined our ownership group. Martha has had a long and successful career as America’s leading homemaking and lifestyle guru, and she thoroughly enjoyed her recent visit for the Wrexham game. Taking her into the Railway pre-match will certainly live long in the memory. She is excited to be involved with our football club, along with her close friend Snoop Dogg, and we look forward to her next visit to SA1.
On the subject of that Wrexham game, I would also like to commend the work of staff in a number of departments at the club who put in a tremendous amount of effort to make the build-up and the matchday itself a celebration of our Welsh identity and place in Welsh football history.
I hope the occasion underlined the desire within the club to improve your matchday experience because, ultimately, all that work is done with you – our supporters – in mind.
Within their ownership update, Brett and Jason also spoke openly about the upcoming January transfer window. We are, of course, looking at ways to strengthen the squad and a lot of work has gone in to looking to identify those possibilities because any move we make has to be the right one. But, given the turnover of players in the summer, the depth of the current squad and Vitor’s own expertise in developing players, we do not anticipate this being a particularly busy window. Circumstances can change, that’s the nature of football, but we feel it is important to outline those expectations at the outset.
However, all that is to come, so let’s focus on starting 2026 on as positive a note as we finished 2025.
Enjoy the game and thank you again for all of your support,
Tom Gorringe
CEO, Swansea City
Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year to you all as we play our first game of 2026 against West Bromwich Albion here at the Swansea.com Stadium.
I hope that all of you had a good Christmas and have been able to enjoy this special time of the year.
It has been a very busy period for us as a group with just a couple of days between each game, it means it is a challenge to try and keep everyone feeling fresh as there is not much recovery time, but the guys have been great in how they have worked.
We were pleased with our victory at Oxford on Monday. We knew it would be a game that would require us to have the right mindset and mentality.
We knew our opponents would make us fight for every ball and would look to play behind our lines, and to deal with that would mean showing desire, hunger and concentration.
We showed those qualities, and we were helped by incredible support from all of you who travelled to be there and cheer us on. We need you with us, and the backing you have given all of us since I arrived at the club has been brilliant.
As I have said before, it will need all of us at the club together as one to become the team we want to be. You all have a part to play and we are so thankful for what you give to us as a group.
The win at Oxford was our fourth in six games, but we know there is still a lot of work to do and a lot of games left to play.
We need to keep pushing and moving forward as one as we face a new year together.
We have won our last three games at home, and we have missed being at home with you while we have been away in this busy time.
We want to keep that run of results going, but we know it is down to us to make it happen. We will need to perform to give ourselves the best chance in what will be a tough game against a good team.
Enjoy the game,
Vítor Matos,
First Team Head Coach
On behalf of all of us at the Swans Trust I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our members, supporters and their friends and families our very best wishes for a very happy and healthy 2026.
As is traditional in football at this time of year games are coming at us thick and fast, but I’m sure Vitor and his coaching team will be feeling more settled after Monday night’s away win at Oxford.
Random fact of the day for the Swans is that the win at the Kassam Stadium was our second win over Oxford in the league during the month of December, we’ve not achieved a pair of league wins over the same opposition in the same month since way back in February 1973 (against Watford).
We go into today’s match in solid form with the Swans sitting fourth in the form table over the last six matches, versus our opponents who are down in 19th.
That said I’m not sure that counts for a great deal, so Vitor and the boys will need the full backing of the Jack Army to hopefully collect another win and be able to start looking up the table rather than over our shoulder.
Ryan Mason’s West Brom team will provide a stiff test today with a more physical and set-piece focused approach, so we will need to be on our game to be in with a decent chance of claiming all three points. That said with our own Zan Vipotnik close to the top Championship scorers; he currently sits second to Southampton’s Adam Armstrong (10 v 11 goals so far in the league). Since Vito’s arrival our home form, with increasing fan numbers, has been good so let’s get fully behind the boys on this first day of 2026.
In Trust terms we have a few things going on - as announced on our Trust website HERE we recently presented cheques totalling almost £10,000 for our ongoing sponsorship of all the local junior grassroots football leagues in around Swansea such as:
West Wales Women & Girls League
Swansea Junior Football League
Swansea Schools’ FA
Swansea Senior Association Football League (u15s & u16s)
As we move into 2026, we are continuing to support Vaughan Voyage wherever we can in their weekend Swans away game coach service, but we do need our members and supporters to continue utilising the service as much as possible as we head into 2026. For more details just email Dan at info@vaughanvoyage.com.
We’ve also recently set up some more Heritage talks to be held in February where David Brayley will be presenting more viewings of our recent film ‘Ivor Allchurch – Golden Days’ he and Max Webborn helped us produce, followed by David’s ‘Story behind the Story’ of how it was all put together.
We still have a few places remaining for these excellent talks which can be booked for free online HERE.
Soon we’ll be arranging our next Matchday Experience Working Group meeting made up of representatives from the Trust, club and supporters. We are grateful to them for all for their ideas and inputs over the past year or so.
We also continue with our regular meetings with the club’s senior management team where we provide more detailed reports in our published monthly minutes for all supporters to read on our website HERE. These are just small parts of what the Supporters’ Trust aim to do behind the scenes to represent the interests of all fans and form part of our five-year vision for the Trust that is available for viewing and feedback HERE.
I’m really looking forward to a great match this afternoon and let’s hope the points stay here in South Wales.
C’mon you Swans a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi gyd!
Chris
Take a different look at a dramatic victory over Wrexham with our alternative view from the best of our pitchside and behind-the-scenes footage.
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.
CHRISTMAS WEEK OF GIVING | LAWRENCE VIGOUROUX RETURNS TO CWTSH CLOS
Swansea City goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux recently made a return visit to the Swansea Bay Health Charity's Cwtsh Clos to see how the work on upgrading homes for families with babies in the Singleton Hospital neonatal intensive care unit has progressed since he was first shown around them nine months ago.
The Chile international put up Christmas decorations and left presents for those using the homes, and went on to visit Singleton Hospital itself and hand out gifts to families on the wards.
The start of the 2025-26 season marked 20 years since Swansea City moved into our Swansea.com Stadium home.
To mark the anniversary, club historian Gwyn Rees is profiling members of the first Swans squad to grace the stadium during the 2005-06 campaign. This time, he looks at the career of Owain Tudur Jones, a talented midfielder whose career was shortened by injury, but who has gone on to carve out a career as a respected broadcaster and pundit.
A true native of North Wales, Owain Tudur Jones was born in Bangor in 1984, and began his career at Porthmadog in 2000, playing mainly in a defensive midfield role.
His time at the club was very successful, playing in the 2002 Welsh Cup final defeat to Barry Town. He also experienced European football in the Uefa Cup against Sarti Smederevo of Serbia in 2002, and in the Uefa Intertoto Cup in June 2003 against Romanian side Gloria Bistrița.
His performances at Porthmadog caught the eye of many football watchers, and along with representing Wales four times at under-19 level, Jones was voted into the Welsh Premier League team of the season in 2004-05.
After five seasons in the Welsh Leagues, Swansea manager Kenny Jackett decided to bring the player to the club, and a £5,000 brought Owain into the professional game, and into the New Stadium in time for the opening campaign at Swamsea’s new home.
Owain took to the full time professional game with ease, playing 30 times in his maiden season, and winning a medal when the Swans defeated Carlisle United at the Millenium Stadium in the EFL. Trophy final, though along with the rest of the squad he also suffered the heartbreak of a League One play-off final defeat to Barnsley at the same venue just weeks later.
His performances were also being monitored by the Welsh International management, and at the end of that first season with Swansea he won the first of his three under-21 caps.
Unfortunately along with that promising opening season at the club came a knee problem that would linger and heavily disrupt Jones’ career.
Over the next three seasons he only played a handful of games due to this persistent problem, though he regained fitness to gain the first of his seven senior Wales caps against Luxembourg in March 2008. The knee problem saw him fly to the USA in December 2006 to meet with renowned specialist Dr Richard Steadman with the hope of correcting his lingering problems, but in 2009 he was loaned out to Swindon Town , before finally signing on full time at Norwich City in a deal worth £250,000 to the Swans.
His debut for Norwich turned into a nightmare, with the Canneries being thrashed 7-1 by Colchester United, but the player only featured in five games for Norwich City before he moved on to Yeovil Town on a loan deal , then on to Brentford , before trying to get his career back on track in Scotland by signing for Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a one-year deal in July 2011.
Once again, he began promisingly at his new club, but just weeks later he suffered a serious knee cartilage injury that required surgery and saw him miss six months of the 2011-12 season. He recovered well enough to play a full season at Thistle before in May 2013 he signed on at Hibernian, but played only 14 games before being released just four months later.
Days later he signed on at Falkirk but, after only a handful of appearances, the same knee that had given him problems in the past once again failed him, and in March 2015 he announced that due to medical advice he was retiring from full-time football.
Jones has since moved into broadcasting and has proved a popular pundit and commentator with his calm and measured views on the game providing a welcome balance in an era where controversial, loud soundbites have become the order of the day.
Established in 1878 as West Bromwich Albion by workers from Salter’s Spring Works, the Baggies were one of the 12 founding members of the Football League and have surpassed 5,000 EFL fixtures as a club.
Albion have spent much of their history in the top-flight of English football, winning their only league title during the 1919-20 season, whilst enjoying success in the FA Cup on no less than five occasions.
During the 21st century they have had spells in the Premier League, including an eight-year stint which was ended by relegation in 2018.
Six managers in six seasons followed and a return to the top-flight in 2020 proved short lived as they dropped back to the second tier after one season.
Last season the Baggies recorded a ninth place finish in the Championship, just four points behind sixth placed Bristol City.
THE HAWTHORNS
Built: 1900
Location: Halfords Lane, West Bromwich, B71 4LF
Capacity: 27,087
Ryan Mason, 34, is embarking in first permanent head coach role after joining the club in the summer.
The former midfielder began his career at Tottenham Hotspur, joining the club at the age of eight. During his time in north London, he gained valuable experience out on loan with Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers, Millwall, Lorient and Swindon Town.
Mason moved to Hull City in 2016, but his playing career was sadly cut short after he suffered a fractured skull in a league match against Chelsea in 2017.
He returned to Spurs soon after, initially joining the academy coaching set-up and later being appointed manager of the club’s under-19s for the 2019 UEFA Youth League campaign.
Mason earned his first taste of senior management in 2021 when he was named interim head coach following José Mourinho’s departure, becoming the youngest manager in Premier League history. He stepped into the interim role again in 2023 after Cristian Stellini’s exit, before joining Ange Postecoglou’s coaching staff that summer.
After two seasons as part of Postecoglou’s backroom team, Mason was appointed Baggies manager in June.
Former Millwall midfielder Jed Wallace has been a regular since his arrival at The Hawthorns, although he has been sidelined for just under three months with a calf injury, with the likes of Chris Mepham and Alex Mowatt wearing the armband in his absence.
Wallace came through the youth ranks at Portsmouth and progressed all the way to first-team level, where he scored 30 goals in 121 appearances in all competitions.
From the south-coast he went to Wolves, where he spent two seasons before his move to Millwall, having already enjoyed two successful loan spells with the London club.
Having already helped them win the League One play-offs, he continued to be an integral and influential figure in the Championship, regularly being a reliable contributor in terms of goals and assists.
However, his spell in south London ended when he moved to West Brom after his contract expired.
Wallace has made over 125 league appearances for the Baggies scoring 14 times, most recently scoring in West Brom’s 3-1 victory over Wrexham back in August.
One of the Baggies’ biggest creative sparks this season has been Irish midfielder Mikey Johnston, who has registered eight assists at The Hawthorns and added two goals of his own.
Johnston was born in Glasgow and began his career at boyhood club Celtic, progressing through the academy before making his senior debut at 18 in a 4–1 victory over St Johnstone in May 2017.
The midfielder had two loan spells during his time in Scotland, including a move to Portuguese side Vitória Guimarães SC in 2022, where he made 25 league appearances and scored once.
He then returned to Celtic for the first half of the 2023–24 season, before another loan move followed as he joined West Brom in February 2024. Johnston hit the ground running, scoring his first goal just 30 seconds into his first start against Cardiff City. He made 18 league appearances during his initial spell at the club, scoring seven times and winning the EFL Championship Player of the Month award for March 2024, before joining the Baggies on a permanent basis the following summer.
Johnston also represented Scotland at youth level, but qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland through his grandad and was picked by Ireland manager Stephen Kenny for the first time in March 2023. The midfielder scored his first goal for his country that following June, netting in a EURO 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar.
Forward Aune Heggebø has been in a rich vein of form at The Hawthorns, scoring seven goals in his last nine league matches, including a brace against the Swans in November.
The Norway international began his career with SK Brann in 2018, going on to score 27 goals in 91 league appearances. That total included seven goals in 13 Eliteserien matches during the March-to-November season, before he joined Albion in July.
Heggebø has represented Norway at under-18, under-20 and under-21 levels, and received his first senior call-up in November. He made his senior international debut in an 11–1 victory over Moldova in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Isaac Price is enjoying his first full season at The Hawthorns after joining West Bromwich Albion 12 months ago.
A product of the Everton academy, which he joined at the age of seven, Price made two senior appearances for the Toffees. Both those came via substitute outings: first against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup in March 2022, before featuring for the final 12 minutes of a 5–1 defeat to Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League season.
The midfielder then left England to make his first move away from Everton, joining Belgian side Standard Liège. He went on to make 50 league appearances for Les Rouches across a season and a half, with his only goal coming via a dramatic last-minute winner in a 2–1 victory over Club Brugge in October 2023.
He went on to make the move to the west Midlands last January.
Price is also a Northern Ireland international, having also been eligible to represent Germany and England. He has so far earned 28 senior caps, scoring 10 goals, most recently finding the net in a 3–1 defeat to Germany in September.
First of all, Happy New Year and congratulations to everyone who has made it to the Swansea.com Stadium today.
By this stage of the Christmas celebrations I’m struggling to know what year it is, let alone what day it is.
Add New Year’s Eve celebrations into the mix and football’s tradition of playing fixtures on the first day of January can be something of a challenge for fans.
Despite these additional festive hurdles, we can expect a large and vociferous travelling contingent from the Midlands this afternoon.
I am delighted the Baggies will be here in numbers this afternoon.
There is nothing the Jack Army relishes more than the challenge of drowning out a packed North Stand.
We proved that beyond any doubt against our visitors from north Wales on the last Friday before Christmas.
It’s not often you hear away fans praising home support. But I saw a number of social media posts from travelling Dragons fans commenting on the passionate backing we gave the Swans during the thrilling 2-1 victory.
One said it was the best home support he had experienced on his travels around the Championship so far this season.
I know the Wrexham clash had the added ingredients of being a Welsh derby and Friday night fixture, which always injects that extra excitement, but I’m really hoping we can create a similar atmosphere this afternoon.
In exactly the same way as I’ve greedily welcomed yet another turkey sandwich and a second slice of triple chocolate gateau over the past week, I want another helping of noisy support today.
I think the Wrexham game once again proved how valuable fans are - not just to the team they are getting behind, but also for football itself.
Let’s be honest, the Wrexham game wasn’t the highest quality 90 minutes we’ve ever witnessed here at the Swansea.com Stadium.
None of the three goals scored will be troubling the judges when it comes to deciding the strikes of the season at the end of the campaign in May.
But for sheer passion, excitement and drama, I thought it was right up there as one of the most enjoyable occasions here in recent memory.
The fans more than played their part.
I’m sure the atmosphere would have come over loud and clear for those watching the game at home and added to their overall enjoyment of the fixture.
You’ve only got to think back to the Covid-19 pandemic for proof that football just isn’t the same without a noisy soundtrack and a colourful, animated visual background.
And there’s no doubt the players and Swans head coach Vitor Matos appreciated the part the Jack Army played in helping the team fight back from going a goal down.
When asked about the atmosphere afterwards, player of the match Ethan Galbraith said: “It was unbelievable. You heard the noise of the crowd. That got us up for the game from the start. The fans are amazing, they were with us for the whole game.”
Matos said: “The feeling we all had on the pitch was just amazing, these are the moments. We can say the turnaround on the pitch started in the stands.”
Well done also to the Swans’ Matchday Experience Working Group for their work in helping deliver such an enjoyable occasion.
Trying to whip up an atmosphere at football matches doesn’t always work and some of the methods may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
But whatever the reasons behind it, the Wrexham game was a great experience and well done to everyone trying to make matchdays as entertaining as possible.
Of course, the three points won by the players on the pitch made all the difference, but the win genuinely felt like a team effort involving the players, the fans and everyone involved in creating the atmosphere on the night.
While we’re on the subject of praising fans, particular kudos to everyone who managed to make the trip to the Kassam Stadium on Monday evening – it was Monday, wasn’t it!?
To be able to find your way to Oxford on the right date and at the right time in the middle of the Twilight Zone which exists between Christmas and the New Year takes some doing.
The noisy travelling support once again saw the Swans to another valuable three points.
There’s been a lot of talk in recent weeks about fans being taken for granted and taken advantage of following the announcement of the astronomical ticket prices for this year’s Fifa World Cup.
The powers that be would do well to remember how important fans are for the enduring popularity of the sport.
It was great to see the Swans hierarchy recognise the sacrifices made by supporters, especially at this time of year, by helping with travelling costs for the Boxing Day clash against Coventry, who were charging £45 for an adult ticket.
The recent ownership statement from Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen said: “We were incredibly disappointed with the ticket pricing for this fixture, and we have made our views known to Coventry in an attempt to agree an amicable solution.
“We did not want anyone to miss out on the game and we hope that covering the cost of the journey will allow as many members of the Jack Army as possible to be in attendance at the CBS Arena.”
As I understand it, the away ticket prices for today’s fixture have been welcomed by West Brom fans.
Anything that gets more bums on seats inside the stadium and adds to creating a fantastic atmosphere is fine by me.
Let’s roar in the New Year in the same voice as we said goodbye to 2025 and cheer on the Swans to another famous victory.
C’mon you Swans!
Swansea City duo Melker Widell and Zeidane Inoussa surprised young members of the Jack Army at Swansea City AFC Foundation’s ‘Festive Experience’ event at the Swansea.com Stadium.
In the build up to Christmas, over 50 families enjoyed some festivities with the help of some special guests.
After being guided through a tour of the Swansea.com Stadium, Swans fans entered a Christmas grotto where they were met by Widell, Inoussa and club ambassador Lee Trundle, who all took the time to sign memorabilia and pose for photos with everyone.
The event was in support of Swansea City AFC Foundation’s cause to take 10 street-connected young people to the Street Child World Cup in Mexico next year, with all proceeds going towards the Foundation’s fundraising efforts.
“It’s been a really magical evening,” said Beth Robinson, targeted interventions manager at Swansea City AFC Foundation.
“We’ve welcomed 140 people in total across the evening and the players have been amazing, spending time with each and every one of them.
“To see the smiles on the children’s faces when they saw Widell, Inoussa and Trundle is what it’s all about. We know these moments will live with them forever and to provide that just before Christmas is even more special.
“The fundraising for the Street Child World Cup is going well and that’s thanks to the generosity and support of the Jack Army and the local community.
“This event has just provided us with another opportunity to get closer to our target, but the most important thing is that the children here this evening have met some of their heroes and have gone away with memories to cherish.”
Swansea City AFC Foundation received immense support to provide this ‘Festive Experience’ event, including from the club, and Swansea Council through the ‘Here for you this winter’ campaign and Coast funding.
The Foundation would also like to extend its thanks to the Powell Family and Seasons Christmas Outlet for helping to create the special Christmas grotto at the Swansea.com Stadium.
First football shirt you owned?
Korea shirt
Best player you've played with?
Kang In Lee
What's your go-to cheat meal?
Chicken and Korea Noodles
Who's the joker in the dressing room?
Vigs
If you weren't a footballer, what would you be?
PE Teacher
Who's your top artist on Spotify right now?
Post Malone
Can you name Welsh word?
Abertawe
Toughest opponent you've faced?
Jayden Bogle
Favourite holiday destination?
Korea
Who's your hometown club?
GwangJu
Favourite football memory?
Debut Swansea City goal
Melker Widell is the first to admit he still has plenty to do and plenty to prove at Swansea City, but the Sweden international has certainly had the look of a player enjoying his football over the past month or so.
With head coach Vitor Matos telling his squad that work-rate and pressing work is the “golden ticket” to selection, it has been noticeable how Widell’s energy levels have caught the eye during Swansea’s upturn in form under the Portuguese.
Watching the 23-year-old can feel like something of a throwback to a bygone age as there is something pleasingly uncomplicated about how the attacking midfielder plays the game.
With socks slung low around his ankles, kilometre after kilometre of running racked up, and a willingness to take risks in order to find the crucial pass he has proven a popular player with supporters even as he has adapted to the different demands of the Championship.
To go with his energy, there have been moments of tremendous quality. The first-time pass he weighted to perfect to allow Zan Vipotnik to score against Stoke City was right out of the very top drawer.
We have also started to see him close to opening his Swansea account and hopefully shortly seeing Widell’s own version of Michu’s trademark goal celebration, after revealing when he arrived from Aalborg that he had used to copy the Spaniard’s ear-cupping display when he was a kid.
Surely that will come in time, and Widell’s growing confidence is marked out by the amount of game time he is getting. Under Matos he has played 361 Championship minutes, excluding stoppage time. Prior to Matos’ appointment, he had played just 218.
The head coach’s faith is something Widell is relishing, and eager to repay.
“I feel like things are going better now,” he said.
“It is always different when you come to a new league, especially to be in England and Wales in the Championship which is just below the Premier League, which I think everyone views as being the best league in the world.
“I knew it would be a challenge and it would not all be smooth sailing, but the way I have handled the setbacks I have had has been in a good way and I feel I am starting to show more of what I can do on the pitch.
“I think I am showing the energy I have, it is one of the things the gaffer has asked me to bring to the team, his playing style suits me a lot.
“I can run a lot, there is freedom to do that, he tells me to be free on the pitch. In fact, he tells the whole team to be free on the pitch and to enjoy ourselves and our football. That is super important and I think you can see that in how we are performing.
“We are having a few more exciting moments, if you want to put it like that, so I think it has been good for me and the team.
“He has shown trust in us, and all of us playing in offensive areas have the license to do what we are good at and to try and make things happen. If you make a mistake, the most important thing is how you react to the mistake and that makes you more able to try things. It’s a big thing.”
Widell acknowledges it has taken him time to adapt to the Championship. He arrived in the summer having originally been bought by the Swans for an undisclosed fee in January 2025, before being loaned back to Aalborg.
In the time between his move and actually joining up with his new teammates he made his senior Sweden debut against Northern Ireland in March.
He will have aspirations to force his way back into the senior squad – now coached by former Swansea boss Graham Potter – particularly with Sweden in the play-offs for a place at the World Cup finals.
But Widell’s focus is firmly on Swansea, and revealed how having quickly identified his physical conditioning as being key to adapting to a new competition, extra work in the gym has been the order of the day.
“Everyone talks a lot about the intensity and the physicality of the league,” he said.
“That really has been the biggest thing for me, there is a base level of physicality which is much higher than what I have had before.
“So there has been a lot of work in the gym, I am trying to make myself stronger and be able to better adapt to that side of the game.
“You are playing players who are maybe a few inches taller or a bit heavier than I have been used to facing so it takes a little more to get away from them so that has been one of the main things.”
Not that Widell has ever been afraid of hard work, having grown up in a football family – his father Mikael played as a goalkeeper as was close to having the chance to turn professional, while brother Casper plays for Excelsior in the Dutch top-flight.
So, it’s fair to say, kickabouts in the back garden were pretty competitive affairs.
“Yeah, they definitely were,” says Widell with a smile.
“But I also think that helped me a lot as a player and as a person.
“My brother and I always used to go at it, whether we were training with our local club, playing a game or whether we were taking each other one on one in the backyard. It was always, always competitive.
“We enjoyed competing against each other, and I think that has worked out well for both of us.
“We are a sporting family, we all love football, and there would be times at the dinner table where our little sister or our mother would have to step in and tell us to talk about something else.
“It is what made us what we are when it comes to football. Dad was very talented too, he was very close to being able to turn professional as a goalkeeper.
“In the end it did not happen for him, but the things he learned about what it takes he passed on to us.
“He now works in a family company in the car industry, which sells accessories and parts for cars. My grandfather founded it, and when I was a kid growing up I would work there too just to try and get a little bit of money in the summers.
“I would paint the walls and try and make sure the buildings look nice and tidy.
“When I was young I used to hear my father speaking to people about what they were doing or what they needed, he was always very helpful to people and I like to think this is something I learned too.”
Widell was scouted by Malmo and he joined them at the age of just 14.
Traditionally one of the giants of the Sweden game, Malmo will be known by Swans fans from the Europa League play-off round meetings between the clubs in 2013.
Malmo had also, memorably, lost to Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest in the 1979 European Cup final, and were also the club where Zlatan Ibrahimovic first came to prominence.
It saw Widell move away from home for the first time to join the team he had supported as a boy, but he admits the transition was hard given how young he was.
“It was definitely a challenging time,” he said.
“One of the main things you have to learn as a person, as any person, is how to be alone, how to be independent.
“You have to be able to learn to enjoy your own company and be content.
“I was around 16 when I fully moved there. I obviously had my friends around me during the day, but coming home in the evening there was no-one else in the apartment, and that was very different to what I had experienced before living at home with my family.
“It was definitely something I had to learn, but I also think I got a hold of that pretty quickly and it was super important for me.
“I think many people look away from that side of things, that challenge, but it was a very positive experience for me and one I am glad I had.
“It was big for me, Malmo was the team I supported. My heroes played for them. There was a midfielder called Anders Christiansen, he was like the Messi of Malmo and I looked up to him and loved training with him whenever I went up to the first team.
“He was the guy, and training with him made you feel like you had arrived. There were incredible players there, my agent is Markus Rosenborg was also a big player for Malmo, and he went on to play for Ajax and West Brom, so having him as my agent is exciting because although I never played with him he was a player I looked up to.
“So it was a very interesting period for me, and one I am so glad I had.”
Widell went on to have a loan spell with BK Olympic and spent part of the 2023 season at Landskrona BoIS before making his move to Aalborg.
In Denmark, Widell really hit his stride and Swansea beat off competition from a number of clubs – including top-flight clubs around Europe – to secure his services.
That level of competition was not surprising given – at the time he signed for Swansea – he had already racked up 11 assists and nine goals in 51 Danish league appearances.
“I had a great time with Aalborg and it was important for me to have the time with them to finish the job I was doing with them before moving to Swansea,” he said.
“I learned a lot there, and I became very close to the city and the supporters during my time there.
“We had a nice style of football that was good to play in and good to watch, and I grew a lot as a player there. I will always be grateful for my time there but when a club like Swansea is interested and you speak to people and here so many good things about the club and community, you know it is too good an opportunity.”
Widell feels he is getting closer and closer to finding his best form, but he has also loved getting to know his new surroundings and its community.
He has been keen to be involved in meeting supporters and going out to meet people from local charities and he believes the experience of life in Swansea has been all the better for it.
“I am really aware of how lucky I am as a person to be doing what I do,” he said.
“But I also think that with that there has to be a responsibility with that position.
“I can remember as a kid, and I all I ever wanted to do was to be a footballer, you always looked up to the first-team players at your favourite team.
“So to come out and meet people who have Swansea as their favourite club, and they know your name even though you have never met before, I think that is something you should never, ever take for granted.
“Those moments are really there to cherish and appreciate, especially at this time of year which is so special for people anyway.
“I have a lot of fun meeting people here, they are so friendly, I have been to a few events with Zeidane (Inoussa) and I really enjoyed it. I think these things are precious and are part of what makes football special.”
With that Widell is up and on his way, a smile on his face and a spring in his step, eager to keep himself and Swansea City moving in the right direction.
Swansea City Under-21s rounded off 2025 with a dominant 5-1 victory over Millwall in the Premier League Cup at the Den.
The Swans headed into the break 2-1 to the good thanks to goals from Josh Pescatore and Caleb Demery in the space of six minutes, with Millwall's Caleb Redhead halving the deficit in the 44th minute.
Pescatore netted his second of the afternoon immediately after the restart before the Lions' George Beaumont was dismissed and the hosts played out the final half-hour with 10 men.
And the Swans underlined their superiority in stoppage time as Thomas Woodward and Blair McKenzie struck to seal the three points in Group G.
The reverse fixture had seen the young Swans run out 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Morgan Bates and Demery at the Joma High Performance Centre.
The visitors looked to dominate the ball in the opening quarter of an hour and created the first real chance of the match in the 10th minute.
Demery got the better of Beaumont on the Millwall left, and drilled the ball into the area, forcing Jet Dyer to concede a corner, with his vital block denying Bates a chance inside the six-yard box.
Just beyond the half-hour mark, Pescatore opened the scoring for the Swans as his deflected rebound found it's way past Lukas Jensen, after the Millwall keeper had denied Bates' initial effort.
Just six minutes later, Swansea doubled their lead as Pescatore turned provider. His low ball across the six-yard box evaded the defence, and Demery slid in at the back post to double the Swans' advantage, although Redhead quickly halved the deficit before the break.
The second half started in a similar fashion, and Swansea took advantage of their early pressure.
A counter-attack led by Sebastian Dabrowski left Pescatore unmarked, and he confidently slotted home his second of the afternoon.
Shortly after the hour mark, the Lions were reduced to 10 men after when Beaumont was shown a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident with Dabrowski.
And Swansea drove home their advantage as firstly a fine interception in the Millwall half from Ramon Rees-Siso allowed Woodward to run on to a loose ball, take on Jensen one-on-one and send his strike into the bottom corner.
Then a corner deep into stoppage time fell to substitute Rees-Siso who racked up his second assist in the space of two minutes as his low cross into the area found an unmarked McKenzie, and the Scot made no mistake to tap home the fifth and final goal of the afternoon.
Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Anderson, Sam Parker, Sebastian Dabrowski, Dan Watts (captain), Arthur Parker, Iestyn Jones, Josh Pescatore, Harlan Perry, Morgan Bates, Thomas Woodward, Caleb Demery.
Substitutes: Rees-Siso, Thomas Wright, Callum Deacon, Zac Jeanes, Blair McKenzie.
Swansea City Women advanced to the quarter-finals of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup with an emphatic 10-0 victory over Llanystumdwy FC at the Llandarcy Academy of Sport, following a ruthless second-half performance.
First-half goals from Sammy Wynne and Emily Richards saw the Swans take a two-goal lead into the break, with visiting goalkeeper Sara Lacey making a number of saves to ensure the lead was not significantly greater.
But the Swans dominance told as they fired in eight second-half goals, with Richards adding her second of the afternoon, substitute Stacey John getting a brace, and Taite Trivett, Maisie Miller, Ellie Lake, Chloe Chivers and Caitlin Williams rounding off the scoring.
It was also the second time this season the Swans have reached double figures, following their 10-1 league victory over Pontypridd United back in October.
There was also a special moment for 17-year-old Susanna Cunningham, who made her senior debut after coming off the bench following a series of strong performances for the under-19s this season.
The Swans dominated possession early on, with their first effort on goal falling to the in-form Aimee Deacon in the sixth minute. The forward pounced on a weak goal kick, but her effort was straight at goalkeeper Lacey, who gathered comfortably.
Two big chances followed minutes later. First, Trivett cut in from the left and struck a fierce effort at the near post that rattled the upright before the danger was cleared. Soon after, a superb delivery from Lake picked out Deacon in the area, but her header was tipped past the post by Lacey.
Almost a carbon copy of the previous chance saw Lake once again find Deacon in the box, but this time her header was gathered by Lacey, who had made several strong saves in the opening exchanges.
A breathless minute of action followed as the Swans struck the crossbar, were denied by a stunning save from Lacey, and then finally broke the deadlock.
A long-range effort from Maddy Murray first rattled the crossbar, before the rebound fell to Deacon, whose powerful strike from distance was superbly saved by Lacey with an excellent reaction stop.
The ball was then cleared upfield, where Jess Williams picked out Wynne, and from 35 yards her effort flew past Lacey to open the scoring.
Wynne was denied a second shortly after when a delivery from the right found the midfielder at close range, but she was met by another fine save from Lacey, who parried the effort around the post for a corner.
Lake continued to cause problems down the right, delivering another dangerous ball that picked out Richards, only for the midfielder to be unable to direct her effort on target from five yards out as it trickled past the post.
Richards would not have to wait long to make amends, scoring the second Swansea goal of the match after Miller found the midfielder just outside the area. Richards picked her spot and struck low into the bottom-left corner, leaving Lacey stranded.
Wynne was denied once again on the stroke of half-time, as some neat link-up play between Richards and Wynne saw the midfielder find space in the area before her strike was well held by busy goalkeeper Lacey.
The Swans continued their attacking dominance after the break and made it three eight minutes into the half. A long throw from Opal Rayner found Trivett, who drove through midfield before releasing Richards into the area, where she calmly slotted past Lacey for her second goal of the match.
A frantic 13-minute spell followed, during which the Swans struck six times. The fourth came from Trivett, who was picked out by Chivers on the edge of the area before curling a shot into the bottom corner.
Just a minute later, Swansea added a fifth as a ball into the box was initially dealt with by Lauren Morris-Bannister, but the clearance fell to substitute John, who converted from close range.
The Swans showed no signs of easing off and they made it 6-0 with 20 minutes to play. A cross from Trivett on the left found Miller, who tapped home from inside the six-yard box.
Trivett continued to torment the visitors, registering her hat-trick of assists as her delivery from the right was met by Lake, who fired home her first Swans goal since returning to the club.
As the visitors began to tire, the Swans remained ruthless and added an eight goal through substitute Chivers, who tested her luck from distance and found the bottom-right corner.
A ninth goal followed with 13 minutes remaining when John grabbed her second of the afternoon by tapping home following a Richards corner.
The scoring was then rounded off in added time as Williams headed home a 10th Swansea goal, sealing the Swans’ second double-figure victory of the season.
Swansea City Women: Opal Rayner, Lucy Finch, Maddy Murray(Stacey John 60'), Emily Richards, Maisie Miller (Lowri Jones 73'), Sammy Wynne, Aimee Deacon (Chloe Chivers 60'), Ellie Lake, Taite Trivett (Susanna Cunningham 75'), Caitlin Williams, Jessica Williams (Caitlin Seaborne 46').
CPDM Llanystumdwy FC Women: Sara Lacey, Leonie O'Hara, Lauren Morris-Bannister, Sarah Ohara, Heledd Savage, Natasha Matthews, Jo Cynan (Ellie Williams 79'), Anna Pugh, Seren Ellis, Grace Mpuku (Mali Reed 56'), Hana Wellings.
A very happy new year one and all. I trust you had a good Christmas and, football rivalries aside, I hope 2026 is kind to us all.
We’ve passed the midway point in the season now and while our league position is still a cause for concern, I think we have more reasons to go into 2026 with optimism than we had a few weeks ago.
It was good to end 2025 with an away win against Oxford United and for Zan Vipotnik to get his 12th goal of the season. The clinical finishing of a born striker is a beauty to behold and he is finding opportunities to show that, and we all know that supply is key and the ball in from Josh Tymon on Monday evening also deserves to be commended. It too was a beauty.
There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’ and I think we are all seeing signs that we are playing like one again. One of my pet hates is seeing miserable faces and hearing whingeing in and around the pitch.
I fully appreciate that there are times when stern words are warranted, but if there’s no pleasure in what’s happening for those 90 minutes everyone feels it, including the supporters. Inevitably a blame culture sets in and that leads to division and damaged trust and no team functions well in that environment.
If you watched Vipi’s post-match interview, you’ll have seen that one of the most noticeable elements of it was the smile that spread across his face when he credited Tymon with the assist. He called it “brilliant”.
He also thanked the travelling fans for their support and talked about wanting to give them the win (the first one away since September) for their loyalty on the road. There’s a lot to be said about a happy striker, particularly one who knows he’s valued by the club and the supporters. Vipi is just getting started and building that bond with the fans is happening on a weekly basis.
Vitor Matos’ post-match interview was equally interesting. There’s a warmth and positivity about him and I really feel we need that as we go into the second half of the season.
I’ve worked for some miserable bosses in my time and I know how difficult it can be to motivate yourself in an environment where everything feels like a chore or criticism is the default approach. He certainly doesn’t appear to be of that school of thought.
So, as we reflect on the year just passed and the one to come, I wonder what we are hoping for in 2026. There’s a well-worn cliché that does the rounds at this time of year – ‘progress not perfection’. It encourages incremental improvements rather than a bid for the unattainable goal. It seems to me that if we can continue to see progress in 2026 that will be a positive.
Post Oxford, Matos was asked how he assessed the position of Swansea City as we go into 2026. His response talked about building consistency and identity and the importance of the next year to that process.
He said his “wish” was that everyone would feel that when one game finishes they are looking forward to the next one. I was heartened by that. There was a realism about that response and a commitment from him to the process of improvement in all its facets.
Here’s to 2026 Jacks, the year of embracing the process and cheering the progress with a smile on our faces.
JULIE KISSICK
IN MEMORY | ER COF AM
Here we remember the member of the Jack Army we sadly lost in 2025.
IN MEMORY
In loving memory of Michael Evans who passed away peacefully at home on Christmas Eve, surrounded by his loving family.
Once a Jack always a Jack
We are all Jacks is Swansea City’s commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion both within the club and throughout the local community.
Working with international and local charities, as well as supporter groups, Swansea City strives to ensure that a visit to the Swansea.com Stadium is a welcoming experience for everyone regardless of sex, sexuality, gender identity, religion, race, disability, or age.
The club takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying and abuse.
REPORT IT – IN THE STADIUM
Supporters are encouraged to report instances of abusive and discriminatory language within the stadium by using the anonymous text and Whatsapp number (07886 276015) providing details of the incident and your location in the stadium.
Messages will be charged at the standard rate for your network provider.
The details from the message will be received at the match control room, where any necessary investigation and/or action will be taken.
The club will also record the mobile number of the individual reporting an incident to aid with any inquiries.
Supporters can also use support@swanseacity.com to report instances of discrimination.
An audio commentary service is available for blind and partially sighted fans – provided by Radio City, the Swansea University Health Board Hospital Radio Service.
Radio City has a long association with the football club dating back to the days when the club was known as Swansea Town.
Since moving to the Swansea.com Stadium, the broadcaster has provided a live descriptive commentary service for free at all Swansea home matches, meaning that blind and partially-sighted supporters in both the home and away ends can follow the action.
In order to book a headset for the match, supporters can contact the accessibility team in advance by emailing accessibility@swanseacity.com, or contacting the ticket office from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm by calling 01792 616629 and selecting option one.
Supporters can also book headsets in person in advance at the ticket office, or on the day by speaking to a Disability Liaison Steward on the day.
To learn more about Radio City, visit www.radiocity1386am.co.uk.
The inclusion room at the Swansea.com Stadium is open every matchday for supporters who may require a quiet space during games.
Supporters will be able to attend live matches at the Swansea.com Stadium with the comfort of knowing there is a designated area should they need it. The room is available to any supporter that may require a quiet space.
The space will be monitored by a designated disability liaison steward and provides a safe space with a disabled toilet, a projector to watch the live game, and dignity packs for those who need it.
While some supporters who require a time away from the crowds may prefer to use this room as a quiet space, it will also be possible to watch the match live on a screen projected onto the wall meaning supporters who require the space for any reason don’t have to miss a moment of the match action.
The room is located in the West Stand and, while supporters who feel they may benefit from the use of the space will be recommended to sit in that stand, it will be accessible for anyone in any part of the stadium.
Any supporter who feels overwhelmed by the matchday environment for any reason can gain access to the room by making themselves known to a steward or disability liaison steward.
PLAYER SPONSORS
Shwmae Junior Jacks,
Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium!
We’re so happy to have you back with us tonight, we hope you had a Happy New Year and are ready to dive back into all of the action! Let's hope the Swans keep up the good spirits - We think they will!
Today’s Take Five quiz is about the visitors, West Brom, and a bit of fun too! Click the button below to test your knowledge!
Our score prediction is 2-0 to the Swans and we think Galbraith and Vipotnik will score!
What do you think the score will be?
Uppa Swans,
Cyril and Cybil
Head Coach Vitor Matos
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango (c)
6 Marko Stamenić
7 Melker Widell
8 Malick Yalcouye
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
14 Josh Tymon
15 Cameron Burgess
16 Ishé Samuels-Smith
17 Gonçalo Franco
20 Liam Cullen
21 Manuel Benson
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
23 Ricardo Santos
24 Bobby Wales
26 Kaelan Casey
27 Zeidane Inoussa
29 Paul Farman
30 Ethan Galbraith
33 Adam Idah
35 Ronald
40 NUMBER RETIRED IN MEMORY OF BESIAN IDRIZAJ
41 Sam Parker
46 Arthur Parker
47 Sebastian Dabrowski
54 Iestyn Jones
Head Coach Ryan Mason
2 Chris Mepham
3 Nat Phillips
4 Callum Styles
5 Krystian Bielik
6 George Campbell
7 Jed Wallace ©
8 Jayson Molumby
9 Josh Maja
10 Karlan Grant
11 Mikey Johnston
12 Daryl Dike
13 Toby Collyer
14 Alfie Gilchrist
17 Ousmane Diakite
19 Aune Heggebo
20 Josh Griffiths
21 Isaac Price
22 Samuel Iling-Junior
23 Joe Wildsmith
26 Tammer Bany
27 Alex Mowatt
29 Charlie Taylor
Referee: James Linington
Assistant Referee 1: Bhupinder Singh Gill
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Dallison
Fourth Official: Ben Toner
STAFF LIST
Honorary Club President - Alan Curtis MBE
Directors
Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Jason Cohen, George Popstefanov, Chris Sznewajs, Tyler Morse, Nigel Morris, Todd Marcelle, Keith English, Martin Morgan, Paul Meller.
Chief Executive Officer: Tom Gorringe
Associate Directors: Diane Hughes
Minority Owners: Luka Modrić, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart
FIRST-TEAM STAFF
Head Coach - Vitor Matos
Assistant Head Coach - Ryan Maye
Head of Goalkeeping – Martyn Margetson
First Team Coach - Kris O'Leary
Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey
Staff: Leon Britton, Joe Allen, Toze Mendes, Goncalo Ricca, Ailsa Jones, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Jake Dayus, Patrick Orme, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins, Jack Oliver, Harri Mathias, James Cole.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Chief Executive Officer: Tom Gorringe
Head of Operations and Facilities: Andrew Davies
Head of Football Operations and Administration: Ben Greenwood
Head of Commercial: George Alston
Head of Media and Communications: Andrew Gwilym
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Head of Facilities: Gordon David
Head of Supporter Services: Hayley Ford
Head of IT: Jonathan Jones
Head of Swansea City AFC Foundation: Paul France
CLUB STAFF
Football Operations & Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Partnerships: Lee Merrells
Head of Hospitality: Catherine Thomas
Head of Ticketing: Mari Tucker
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
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, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, James Dow.
Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jac Elsey.