Good evening one and all and a very warm welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium as we look forward to an all-Welsh clash under the lights.
While there is no doubting that the south Wales derby will always be the game for our club and everyone connected with it, the fact that this is a meeting between two Welsh sides â North v South â does add something extra to this occasion.
It is wonderful to have a sell-out home crowd once again, your support is so greatly appreciated by all of us and it has been incredibly heartening to see the increase in season ticket sales, with the final deadline to purchase having passed on Friday evening.
I think these attendances and figures are a reflection of the direction we are heading in as a club.
We have enjoyed a strong start to the season and we have played some fantastic football that has had a great mix of style and substance.
As Vitor himself has said, we know there is a long way to go, a lot we can improve on and a lot of hard work ahead, but I agree with his sentiment that we can feel we are building something positive for now and the future.
The reaction to the quality of the first goal against Watford on Tuesday night speaks to that. Over seven million people have viewed that clip on X alone, and one of the things that has clearly resonated â not just with Swansea supporters, but those from further afield with different affiliations â is that it has evoked memories for many of some of the wonderful sides who have worn our colours down the years.
We know Wrexham will provide a very different test, and they will themselves arrive with confidence after a fine win at Millwall in midweek.
I am sure both sides will also be pleased to be preparing for this game with the transfer window now closed.
As I mentioned in my notes on Tuesday, we believe we have ended the window in a stronger position than we entered it, and we were pleased to be able to add Tom Iorpenda and Jeremy Monga to our squad before the deadline.
They are talented young players and I am sure they will make a positive contribution for us.
I would also like to thank the Football Association of Wales for their support in helping Jeremy be available for selection for this game.
As we mentioned in our announcement of Jeremyâs signing, the playerâs age means that he requires a FIFA minor application as part of registration requirements for players under 18.
These can sometimes take a prolonged period to process, but with the support of the FAW and their liaising with FIFA, that has been expedited and Jeremy can be involved this evening if selected. We are extremely grateful for the FAWâs assistance although the process is one of a number that leave us disadvantaged compared to the English teams within the pyramid.
We also had a couple of potential outgoings not come to fruition on deadline day, and these are things that can happen late in the window, as you will have seen around various teams and leagues. We welcome Ronald and Zeidane back into our group, they are both excellent professionals and we will provide them with the support they need as we integrate them back into the squad.
Enjoy the game, and be loud and proud YJBs.
Tom Gorringe
CEO, Swansea City
Hello everyone, itâs good to be back with you again as we welcome Wrexham to our home at the Swansea.com Stadium.
We are excited to be back here under the lights again after a very pleasing performance and result against Watford in midweek.
The way in which the team and fans fed off each otherâs energy was wonderful to see, and these special moments are the ones that connect us together so strongly.
The quality of some of the attacking football we played was excellent to see, but performances like this are also based around doing what you might call the ugly parts of the beautiful game.
That means to counter-press, to win duels, to make the run that creates the space for someone else, to put your body in the way to make a block.
So, as a coach, it makes you every bit as happy to see those qualities in a performance, as it is to see the aspects that are may not to noticeable at first glance.
As I said in my press conference, it really does feel like we are building something special and it has been nice to hear that so many of you feel that the way we have played in games this season has reflected the identity Swansea has been known for over a number of years.
To honour this identity while making sure we continue to work hard and improve is what we all want.
But, right now, our focus has to be on what is immediately in front of us, and that is Wrexham.
We know from our two games last season that this will be a tough test. I have watched their games so far and I think they are unfortunate not to have more points to their name.
They have a number of players who have experience of the league, so we need to be prepared and focused if we are to get the result we want.
We know you will play your part with a sold-out home crowd cheering our team on and I am sure we will have a brilliant atmosphere tonight and we want to deliver a display you can be proud of.
With the transfer window now closed, and our squad in a good place and settled, we know we have a good group and all the players with us will give us everything on and off the pitch.
Enjoy the game,
VĂtor Matos,
First Team Head Coach
Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium for the second time this week under the lights â always my favourite time to watch us play - and with the added excitement of Wrexham coming to town. Itâs one Iâm sure we are all looking forward to.
Tuesdayâs excellent 2-0 win against previously undefeated Watford was as enjoyable to watch as I can remember for many years â especially in that scintillating first half.
Perhaps itâs my age but as pleasing for me was keeping a clean sheet for the third game in a row which means itâs now almost 350 minutes since we last conceded up in Stoke. And to do that with new players having to come into our defence and quickly establish an understanding is a really positive sign - especially with the matches coming along as regularly as they are at the moment.
Although itâs very early days into the season the signs are certainly there for us to push on this season, with a top eight position the target I believe we should all be aiming for come May next year.
On the long drive home after the Watford game, I was racking my brains thinking âwhen was it we last sat top of the Championship table?â In the end I had to give in to Google the next day who advised me it was back at the end of August 2019 when Steve Cooper was our head coach.
Once again, we got off to an unbeaten start to the season and eventually ended in the final play-off position after that dramatic final league match thanks to a 4-1 win away against Reading and Nottingham Forestâs capitulation at home against Stoke by the same scoreline.
Last seasonâs home encounter against Wrexham was one of our more memorable recent home games and with a sell-out crowd already confirmed as I prepare these notes, the atmosphere should once again be amazing.
At last, the summer transfer window has finally closed which gives everyone a chance to take stock of where we are. I know itâs been a really hectic few weeks for everyone who works in the various departments within the club and credit should go to how theyâve tackled all the usual early season challenges and put out some really high-quality media content and information for our supporters.
Last week I sent round a comprehensive update to our members and this is now available to read on our Trust website here: https://www.swanstrust.co.uk/supporters-updates/new-season-update/
We also have a couple of events we are supporting the next few weeks including assisting local author Niall OâBrien with launching his new book and preparing for the next Global Jacks event in Swansea that allows supporters who reside further afield to be part of a long weekend catch up that includes the Norwich home game and the away fixture against Millwall a few days later.
If anyone is interested in learning more about that just drop us an email to globaljacks@swanstrust.co.uk
As always, thank you to everyone for your support and to our members who have renewed or joined the Trust this season. It literally just takes a few minutes to do that online HERE or just come along and catch up with us at the Trust kiosk before any of our home games where you can also pick up a copy of our programme notes and official team sheet.
This season all donations we receive from supporters on matchdays go towards the excellent work of the Swansea Veterans Hub
Enjoy the game and letâs make sure we all do our bit to keep up our excellent start to the season.
Dave
Swansea City show support for the Kids Get Cancer Too Campaign, a childhood cancer awareness campaign which takes place every September.
The campaign is the creation of sisters Emma Rees and Katy Yeandle (co-founders of Swansea-based childhood cancer charity Josephâs Smile), and brings together 21 UK charities for childhood cancer awareness month to share one simple message: Kids Get Cancer Too.
The campaign aims to bring nationwide attention to the over 4,000 children and young people in Wales, and the rest of the UK who are diagnosed with cancer every year. It also shines a positive light on some of the incredible charities who are working to ensure that no one fights alone.
Among these charities is Josephâs Smile â which was founded in memory of Joseph Yeandle who sadly passed away age three in 2021 â and Morganâs Army named for Swans fan Morgan Riddler who sadly passed away aged three in 2023.
You can read more about the Kids Get Cancer Too campaign, and the 21 charities on their dedicated page here: www.kidsgetcancertoo.co.uk
On Saturday, the Swansea City players will be wearing Kids Get Cancer Too t-shirts during the warm up, while fans can show their support for the campaign by visiting the dedicated website and adding gold frames to profile pictures, while business can turn their logos gold.
Everything needed to show support is here: www.kidsgetcancertoo.co.uk
Rees said: âKids Get Cancer Too was born from my families deepest heartbreak - the loss of my beautiful three year old nephew Joseph - and from a determination to create the change he, and every child affected by cancer, deserves.
âThis campaign is driven by love, urgency and a commitment to stand with families through their darkest moments, while pushing for the awareness and progress our children so desperately need.
âEvery charity joining us, every business turning their logo gold, every person sharing our message strengthens a movement built on unity and hope. We stand together for Joseph, and for every child whose life has been touched, changed or tragically cut short by cancer. Together, we are building a future where childhood cancer is recognised, understood and never overlooked, because kids get cancer too, and my desperate hope is that one day, children with cancer donât just survive, but truly thrive.â
MATCHDAY SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE TRIAL CONTINUES FOR WREXHAM FIXTURE
Swansea City is trialling a new matchday shuttle bus service that will be available to all home fans, and free for season ticket holders, Jack Army members, seasonal hospitality guests and younger supporters to travel on.
The introduction of the service is part of an effort to alleviate the impact of the loss of a number of matchday parking options due to circumstances beyond the clubâs control.
The shuttle bus service came into effect immediately for our first home Championship fixture against Sheffield United, and will be trialled for every home fixture over the remainder of 2026. Further details on the service for tonight's fixture against Watford can be found below.
The club is putting these measures in place due to the loss of a significant number of car parking spaces at the Landore Park and Walk site and the Virgin Media site.
These sites are not owned or controlled by Swansea City, but run by third-party operators.
However, the club is acutely aware that a number of supporters will have relied on these venues to park their vehicles for a number of years, and we are looking to offer an alternative solution.
We appreciate this will mean a change to long-held matchday routines for a number of supporters, but the loss of such a significant number of parking spaces which we are not able to directly replace immediately, means we have to explore new matchday travel options.
We remain in regular ongoing discussions with numerous third-party sites and operators, as we continue to explore options that we hope will provide greater matchday travel choices for supporters in the future.
Shuttle service routes
There will be buses running along two routes before and after Saturdayâs game against Sheffield United. These will commence from two hours before kick-off for travel to the Swansea.com Stadium, and then run for an hour following the final whistle.
Route 1 (City Centre)
Route 2 (Fabian Way)
Pricing
Supporters should note that travel on the service does not include parking arrangements, and so fans will need to pay for parking separately and independently at whichever site they choose to leave their vehicle in order to join the bus service.
The shuttle service only offers return journeys, and there will be no provision to purchase one-way or single tickets.
Prices are ÂŁ5 per adult, but a number of supporters will be able to travel on the service for free if they meet any of the following requirements:
- Are a 2026-27 season ticket holder (will require presentation of a digital or physical season ticket card at point of purchase).
- Are a 2026-27 Jack Army member (will require presentation of a digital membership card at point of purchase).
- Are aged under 18.
- Are a seasonal hospitality guest (will require presentation of matchday accreditation at point of purchase).
Please note, payment to use the service will be by card only. A ticket/wristband will be issued at the point of purchase and this must be worn in order to access the return services following the game.
Additionally, anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Feedback
Once supporters have had the opportunity to use the shuttle bus matchday service, we would appreciate any feedback on any improvements that can be made.
Supporters can leave us their thoughts using the form in the link below.
You can find further information regarding the matchday shuttle bus service HERE.
As a striker, there are certain goals you remember for a long time. Adam Idah's stoppage-time winner against Wrexham is certainly one of them.
The Republic of Ireland international was the difference-maker when the two sides met at the Swansea.com Stadium last season, producing a dramatic late winner to secure a 2-1 victory for the Swans.
With Swansea City trailing at half-time, Zan Vipotnik's deflected effort had brought the Swans level before Idah was handed the opportunity to complete the comeback in the dying moments.
Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo failed to claim a late ball into the box, Ben Cabango headed it back into the danger area, and Idah was in the right place at the right time to prod home from close range and send the Swansea.com Stadium into raptures.
It was a dramatic way to settle the first league meeting between the two sides in more than 20 years - and a moment Idah remembers fondly.
âThose are the moments you want to be involved in as a striker,â Idah says. âI think those moments are really special in your career. Theyâre always the games you remember the most, and the last-minute winners, especially in a game like that, are just amazing.â
For all the drama surrounding the finish, Idah insists there was little time to think when the opportunity arrived.
âItâs probably the easiest finish Iâve ever had!â laughed Idah. âBut itâs about being in the right place at the right time, and thankfully I was there to be able to put it in the back of the net.â
Then came the noise. A late winner in any Championship fixture is special, but with the game carrying the added significance of being an all-Welsh tie, the reaction inside the stadium made the occasion even more memorable.
âThe atmosphere was unbelievable,â he recalled. âYou could feel how much it meant to everyone, not just the players. Itâs become a big game, and it was amazing, to cap it off with a win. For myself to score late on in the game was brilliant, so it was a fantastic feeling afterwards.â
For Idah, it was another example of why football can be so difficult to predict, and why strikers have to remain ready until the final whistle.
âItâs probably something you learn throughout your whole career, especially as a forward and being a striker, is to never switch off. You do have moments where it can be frustrating, and you might not get as many chances as you would have liked. So, to be switched on and focused, youâve got to be ready for those sort of moments.â
But while that night against Wrexham provided one of Idah's standout moments of the campaign, the months that followed were considerably more frustrating.
A hamstring injury disrupted the middle and latter stages of last season and left the striker watching on when he wanted to be contributing on the pitch.
âIt was difficult, but all those sort of things happen in football,â he added. âIâve been through it before. Iâve done my knee, so itâs difficult to get through, but you know you can get through it and you just have to work harder to get back.â
Rather than allowing the setback to linger, Idah was determined to use the experience as motivation and make sure he was ready to return stronger.
âYou can't change what's happened, so you have to look forward. I feel like I've put that frustration behind me now and I'm just focused on playing, scoring goals and helping the team.â
Almost nine months on, the fixture returns to the Swansea.com Stadium, giving Idah and his team-mates the opportunity to write another chapter in what has quickly become an intriguing all-Welsh clash.
Wrexham claimed the return fixture at the STĹK Cae Ras last season, meaning Idah knows there is unfinished business heading into Saturday's meeting.
âTheyâre a good side. Theyâre physical and theyâve got a lot of experienced players. They know how to play the game, so Iâm sure itâs going to be a tough game. But hopefully we can keep going the way weâve been playing, progressing and getting better.â
âIf we do our homework right and stick to our principles, then I think it should be good.â
There is also a different feeling around Swansea this time.
The 2026-27 campaign has begun with an unbeaten league start, while Idah has already made his mark with two goals in the opening four games, including the winner at Stoke City on the opening day.
But for Idah, the early success has been very much a collective effort.
âWeâve had a really strong start and itâs been down to everyone â whether theyâre starting, coming off the bench or supporting the lads. Everyoneâs made a massive impact, I think, and itâs something that we can really drive forward.â
The competition for places has also been fierce, with numerous summer signings arriving in SA1.
And Idah believes that depth can prove crucial over the course of a long Championship campaign.
âLike I said after the Stoke game, youâve always got to be ready, whether youâre starting or on the bench. You can always change the game, and thatâs something weâve really emphasised this season.â
âWeâre bringing on players now and itâs been great for us. Theyâre seeing out games, scoring goals and making defensive tackles, and we need that throughout the whole season.â
âItâs a long season, and itâs nice to know that we can rotate players and you know youâre going to get 100 per cent from everyone. Itâs a really good place to be in.â
That attitude perhaps sums up Idah's approach to the season.
At 25, the forward has already experienced plenty during his career, from breaking through at Norwich City to playing for Celtic, winning trophies and representing the Republic of Ireland.
Now, with another season at Swansea underway, there is a feeling that Idah is entering an important stage of his career.
âI feel like I've learned a lot over the last few years. I think this is my seventh or eighth season now, and being 25, I know itâs young, but in football itâs probably pushing on a bit.â
âItâs really important. Iâve been around the block now. Iâve probably not had the number of chances that I would have liked to have had, starting games and playing week in, week out.â
Now, he hopes to change that and play a significant role in Swansea's ambitions.
âHopefully this season I can make that change and have a big impact in Swansea Cityâs football. Weâre a really big football club and we want to get back to the Premier League, and hopefully I can play a part in that.â
The early weeks of this campaign have provided plenty of encouragement, but Idah knows there is a long way to go.
Swansea's unbeaten start has placed them among the early pace-setters in the Championship, but the striker has experienced promotion before with Norwich City and knows how quickly fortunes can change in the division.
âFootball can change so quickly. Iâve been promoted before at Norwich, and we had a similar scenario like this.â
âDonât get me wrong, you can get carried away. Seeing yourself at the top of the table is obviously nice to see, but itâs so early and this league is chaos.â
âWeâve got a lot of games to go, and weâve just got to keep pushing it step by step. Hopefully, come the end of the season, weâre at the top.â
Saturday gives Idah another opportunity to make his mark against Wrexham.
The memory of that night last season will always belong to him, but the forward is not interested in living in the past.
There is another game to win, another atmosphere to embrace and another opportunity to make a difference.
And if the match once again goes down to the wire, Swansea supporters will know there is a striker in their ranks who has already shown he can handle the moment.
âYou always want to be the player who makes the difference,â Idah says. âHopefully I can do that again.â
A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
To celebrate the launch of Swansea Cityâs new away kit, which pays tribute to the strips worn during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons, we look back at two memorable campaigns in the clubâs history.
Club historian Gwyn Rees takes us back to the Vetch Field, revisiting the stories, characters and memorable moments from those seasons, beginning with the 1996-97 campaign.
It was early days in the season, but after a moral boosting opening day win over Rochdale the club had played three further competitive fixtures and had lost them all. The latest came in a disappointing display away at Chester, where the team looked disjointed, and more worryingly seemingly lacking in passion, and if it weren't for the heroics of keeper Freestone, the 0-2 loss could have been much heavier.
The second leg Coca Cola cup game away at Gillingham saw the side bow out of the competition at the first stage for the second season running. Joe Moreira the new Portuguese player was making his debut, but the side continued to make basic errors, that was emphasised when Shaun Chapples poor pass Kristian O Leary under pressure, and Leo Fortune-West ran through to score from the edge of the area. The second period saw the side show more commitment but rarely trouble a home defence where former Swan Mark Harris was dominant, and the inevitable second goal came from Butler twelve minutes from the end of a one-sided contest.
After long journeys on the road, the side were back home at the Vetch Field hoping to find a spark o ignite what was becoming a disappointing opening to the new season. Unfortunately, the struggles continued, even after going in at the break a goal to the good with a penalty converted by Dave Penney, and a host of missed chances, the side shot themselves in the foot with a lack of basic concentration in defence, and Lincoln City scored two goals to gain its first win at the Vetch Field in 35 years.
Manager Molby was under pressure with only three weeks of the season played. His squad was threadbare, and he was left with little choice but to rotate his team in a hope of finding a winning combination. The long journey to Carlisle saw the side play with five players twenty one years and younger, and though they took the lead with a well taken goal by Dai Thomas after just nine minutes, once the home side equalised after twenty minutes, the old problems of lack of discipline surfaced with Carlisle scoring four in a game that saw Steven Torpey sent off with nine minutes remaining to rub salt into the wounds.
Finaly a win to put a smile on the supporters faces, after enduring six consecutive defeats, this win over Hereford United was the team biggest win in thirteen months. A three-goal blitz in sixteen first half minutes with goals from Thomas, Torpey and Penney saw the Swans in complete command against a team that looked fragile from the off. The visitors didn't help themselves with both Foster and Downing being sent off one in each half, both for successive yellow cards. For the first time this season the team kept a clean sheet, while the biggest cheer of the night came for young Lee Jenkins making his league debut and marking it with a well taken goal on the hour.
After the moral boosting win over a poor Hereford United side in midweek, it was time to introduce league leaders Fulham to the Vetch Field. Once again, the side lead at the interval, and again it was a well taken strike by Dai Thomas who had scored for the third consecutive game. But once more after dominating the first half, and leading at the break, the side showed all their lack of composure and patience allowing a strong Fulham side to take all three points with goals from Conroy and Morgan to leave the Swans nineteenth in the table.
Club Connections
Ahead of tonight's match, we take a nostalgic look back at some of the players who have represented both clubs over the years.
Steve Watkin
Steve Watkin was a hometown hero at Wrexham, spending 11 years with the club after coming through the academy and scoring 80 goals in 266 appearances.
Watkin turned professional in 1989 and enjoyed one of the standout moments of his Wrexham career in the 1991-92 FA Cup, scoring the winning goal as the Red Dragons famously defeated Arsenal. He also helped the club win promotion in 1992-93 and lift the Welsh Cup in 1994.
In September 1997, Watkin made the move to Swansea City for a fee of around ÂŁ105,000, bringing his goalscoring experience to the Vetch Field. He quickly became an important figure and was Swansea's leading scorer as they reached the Third Division play-offs in 1998-99.
Watkin then played a prominent role in the Swans' 1999-2000 Third Division title triumph, finishing his Swansea career with 44 goals in 206 league appearances before departing for Caernarfon Town in December 2003.
Dai Davies
Dai Davies is another player to have represented both clubs, with the Welsh international goalkeeper enjoying two hugely successful spells at Swansea either side of a memorable four-year stay with Wrexham.
Born in Ammanford, Davies began his footballing journey locally before earning an opportunity with Swansea Town. After initially playing a supporting role behind Tony Millington, an injury to the first-choice goalkeeper gave Davies his chance - and he quickly showed that he was ready to take it.
Davies eventually moved to Everton before returning to the Vetch Field on loan and later making the permanent switch to Wrexham in 1977. His time in north Wales proved particularly fruitful, as he helped the Red Dragons win the Third Division title and Welsh Cup, while also featuring in European competition.
Four years and 199 appearances later, Davies returned to Swansea for a third spell, this time as the club competed in the First Division. He spent two seasons with the Swans, making 113 appearances in total across his Swansea career, and added two more Welsh Cup winnersâ medals before leaving in 1983.
Dennis Lawrence
Standing at 6ft 7in, Dennis Lawrence was impossible to miss â and the towering Trinidad and Tobago international became an imposing presence for Wrexham and Swansea City.
Lawrence arrived at the Racecourse Ground in 2000 from his homeland and quickly established himself as a key member of the Red Dragonsâ defence. Over six years in North Wales, he made 219 appearances and scored 19 goals, while also making history by representing Trinidad and Tobago at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
His performances for Wrexham earned him a move along the A483 to Swansea in August 2006, with the Swans bringing the centre-back in as cover for the injured Garry Monk. Lawrence made an immediate impression, producing a man-of-the-match display on his debut in a 2-0 victory over Doncaster Rovers.
He went on to become a regular at the heart of the Swansea defence and played an important role in the clubâs League One title-winning campaign in 2007-08. Lawrence spent three seasons with the Swans, making 93 appearances and scoring seven goals, before eventually returning to Trinidad and Tobago.
Lee Trundle
Then thereâs the magic man himself, Lee Trundle, who became a firm favourite with supporters at both Wrexham and Swansea City.
Trundleâs professional career took off at Wrexham after his performances in non-league football earned him a move to the Racecourse Ground in 2001. He spent two seasons with the Red Dragons, scoring 34 goals and helping the club lift the FAW Premier Cup on two occasions.
His form in north Wales attracted plenty of attention, and in 2003 he made the move to Swansea. It was at the Vetch Field where Trundle truly established himself as one of the most recognisable players of his generation, combining his goalscoring ability with the skill and flair that made him such a popular figure.
Across four seasons in SA1, Trundle found the net 78 times in 146 appearances before departing in 2007. He won the Football League Trophy and two further FAW Premier Cup medals during his time with the Swans before re-joining on loan in 2009.
Formed in 1864, Wrexham are the oldest football club in Wales, founded by members of Wrexham Cricket Club who were seeking a winter sport.
They won the inaugural Welsh Cup in 1878 with victory over Druids, and went on to lift the trophy a record 23 times before changes to the competition in 1995 meant clubs playing in the English system were no longer eligible.
Aside from two seasons in the Welsh League, Wrexham have spent the vast majority of their history competing in the English football pyramid. They were founding members of the Third Division North in 1921 and remained part of the Football League continuously until relegation to the National League in 2008.
The club returned to the EFL in 2023 after a 15-year absence, following their takeover by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Since then, Wrexham have enjoyed a remarkable rise, securing back-to-back-to-back promotions and returning to the second tier for the first time since 1982.
RACECOURSE GROUND
Built: 1807
Location: Mold Road, Wrexham, LL11 2AH
Capacity: 12,600
Phil Parkinson has overseen Wrexhamâs remarkable rise under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, taking the club from the National League to the Championship during his time in charge.
Parkinson began his career as a midfielder, making more than 500 appearances for Bury and Reading. He captained Reading to promotion to the First Division before turning his attention to management in 2003 with Colchester United.
Since then, he has managed more than 1,000 matches across spells with the likes of Hull City, Charlton Athletic, Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and Wrexham.
One of his standout achievements came at Bradford City in 2013, when he guided the club to the League Cup final after memorable victories over Arsenal and Aston Villa. The Bantams also secured promotion to League One that season, while their Wembley final ended in a 5-0 defeat to Michael Laudrupâs Swansea City.
Since arriving at the Racecourse, Parkinson has overseen 278 games, winning 158 of them, drawing 66 and losing 54.
Dominic Hyam has established himself as a key figure at the heart of Wrexhamâs defence since arriving at the Racecourse Ground from Blackburn Rovers on Transfer Deadline Day in September 2025.
The Scotland international brought a wealth of experience with him to North Wales, having already surpassed 350 senior appearances by the time of his move. Much of that experience had come in the Championship, where he had spent the previous five seasons competing at the second tier.
Hyamâs career has also been marked by success. He played an important role in two promotion-winning campaigns with Coventry City and was subsequently recognised as Player of the Season by both the Sky Blues and Blackburn Rovers.
His qualities of consistency and reliability have made him a highly regarded defender at Championship level, and those attributes were quickly evident after his move to Wrexham.
Hyam took on the captaincy and became a prominent figure in Phil Parkinsonâs side, with his performances earning further international recognition. His form in north Wales ultimately led to his inclusion in Scotlandâs squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Kieffer Moore joined Wrexham AFC from Sheffield United in August 2025, signing a three-year deal until the end of the 2027/28 season.
The striker began his career in non-league football before working his way up through the divisions. After spells with Yeovil Town, Viking, Forest Green Rovers and Ipswich Town, Moore enjoyed a prolific loan spell with Rotherham United, scoring 13 goals in 20 appearances. He later impressed with Barnsley, where he scored 17 goals in the 2018/19 season.
Moore has made more than 200 Championship appearances and is a two-time promotion winner, helping AFC Bournemouth and Ipswich Town reach the Premier League. He also scored on his Premier League debut for Bournemouth against Aston Villa in August 2022.
At international level, Moore made his Wales debut in 2019 and has since earned more than 50 caps. He featured at Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while he marked his 50th cap with the winning goal against Kazakhstan in September 2025.
Ollie Rathbone arrived at Wrexham with plenty of Football League experience, having established himself as a key midfielder with both Rochdale and Rotherham United.
A product of the Manchester United academy, Rathbone made his professional debut with Rochdale and spent five seasons at the club, making 183 appearances and scoring 15 goals. He later joined Rotherham in 2021, playing 128 times and helping the Millers win promotion to the Championship while also lifting the EFL Trophy.
Rathbone quickly became a popular figure at the Racecourse Ground and played a major role in Wrexham's promotion from League One. He scored eight goals during the campaign, including important strikes against Blackpool and Charlton, and was named the club's 2024-25 Player of the Season.
An injury suffered during pre-season in Sydney disrupted his start to life in the Championship, but Rathbone returned strongly and earned a new contract in 2026. So far this season, he has featured in all five of Wrexhamâs opening games.
Josh Windass joined Wrexham AFC from Sheffield Wednesday in July 2025, putting pen to paper on a three-year contract until the end of the 2027/28 season.
The 32-year-old spent five years with Sheffield Wednesday, making 153 appearances and scoring 53 goals before spells at Rangers and Wigan Athletic. He played a key role in their promotion from League One in 2022/23, scoring the decisive goal in the play-off final and earning a place in the League One Team of the Season.
Since moving to north Wales, Windass has quickly become an important attacking figure for Phil Parkinson, finding the net 15 times in the league during his first campaign while also providing five assists.
His impressive form saw him recognised at Wrexham's 2025/26 End of Season Awards, where he collected both the Men's Player of the Season and Top Goalscorer awards.
From the Racecourse to the Premier League
Few players can speak about both Wrexham and Swansea City from such a unique perspective as Neil Taylor.
Taylor began his professional career with the Red Dragons as a teenager, experiencing the highs and lows of life at the Racecourse Ground before making the move to Swansea City in 2010.
What followed was a remarkable rise.
Taylor became a key member of the Swansea side that won promotion to the Premier League in 2011, before establishing himself in the top flight and becoming a regular for Wales.
And now, with Wrexham and Swansea meeting once again, Taylor looks back on the very different roles the two clubs played in his career.
Starting out at Wrexham
Taylor was just 15 when he first found himself around the Wrexham first team, learning his trade in senior football while still in the early stages of his development.
âWhen I first started, I was 15 years of age. It was a club that was in League One at the time, competing for the LDV Vans Trophy and things like that,â Taylor recalled.
Those early years were spent learning the demands of first-team football, with Taylor gradually moving closer to senior action as Wrexhamâs fortunes began to change.
âThey were my youth-team years, sort of 16, 17, being in and around the first team, sometimes training, sometimes not.
âThen the club actually got relegated to League Two, and thatâs when I got my breakthrough year as a kid.
âBrian Little became the manager, and he gave youth a chance,â he explained. âHe decided to go down a different path, I guess, from the lads that got relegated.â
Wrexham continued to struggle, both on and off the pitch, with ownership problems followed by administration and a points deduction eventually resulting in relegation from the Football League in 2008.
For Taylor, however, those difficult circumstances provided an opportunity that would prove invaluable.
âWe did okay, but still struggled. There were massive problems at the club in terms of ownership; it changed hands a few times back in those days.
âThen we did get hit by administration and a points deduction, which eventually took us down to the Conference, and I ended up playing a year or two down there as well.
âSo, a breakthrough year was one of relegation and disappointment, mainly because of how things were dealt with off the pitch compared to on it.
âThen I had a couple of years playing in the National League. Those two years really set me up for football, really, in terms of the real world, should we say?â
Those seasons in the National League gave Taylor the regular senior football that can be difficult to find as a young player.
âI think it was just games for me, really,â he reflected. âAs a young player, I think by the time I was 20, 21, Iâd played 75 league games, which is pretty good.
âItâs a couple of seasons under your belt, which not a lot of people have. I think I was always grateful for ending up going down that route compared to being at a big club, playing in the academy, Under-23s or reserve-team football.
âI was thrown straight into menâs football early, which I think gave you a real, real chance in football.â
That experience would ultimately help open the door to Swansea.
âI think itâs probably one of the reasons that Swansea ended up looking at me,â Taylor admitted. âOne was because of my Welsh links. I think playing for the Welsh 17s, 19s, 21s, and, in the main, playing a lot of football matches at a young age, helped me.â
The move to Swansea
By 2010, Taylor was ready for the next step.
Swansea and Wrexham had shared the same division during his youth-team years, but their paths were now heading in very different directions.
âAround the time that I was going through my youth-team phase, and sometimes being what was called 19th man back then around the squad, being left out, 16 or 17, Swansea and Wrexham were in the same league, around Division One, and sort of both went in opposite directions,â Taylor explained.
âSwans went on and got promoted with Paulo, and my main connections with Swansea really went through Wales, in terms of Alan Curtis and then people around the club at Swansea, but also part of my youth development with Wales. Thatâs really where the connection with Wales came.â
A friendly against Italy at the Liberty Stadium would prove particularly significant.
âI canât remember the exact month, but I remember we played Italy in a friendly at the Liberty. Iâm still going to call it the Liberty!â Taylor laughed.
âI think I played well in that game, and I think that coincided with Alan Curtis pushing for the Swans to approach me and think about taking me.
âI think all the stars sort of aligned then.
âBut in terms of the club, no, you never really know that much about other clubs until you get there. Iâd only been down there a handful of times, obviously playing football for the national team.â
Taylor arrived at Swansea in 2010, initially working under Paulo Sousa before the Portuguese manager departed for Leicester City shortly afterwards.
âI became quite aware at the time that probably my signing wasnât a Paulo signing,â he admitted. âIt was more of a club signing.â
The arrival of Brendan Rodgers would prove transformational.
The Brendan Rodgers era
Rodgers inherited a squad containing a mixture of established Championship players and those who, like Taylor, had risen through the lower leagues.
For Taylor, there was a sense that the group and its new manager were perfectly aligned.
âI think everything aligned in terms of there were a lot of players that needed to prove themselves at the higher level,â he said.
âWe had a lot of lower-league players anyway. Ash Williams was a lower-league player, and a lot of us were lower-league players.
âIt was sort of aligned with the manager as well. He was trying to make his way in the game, so there was a lot of hunger around that group and desire to do better, to achieve great things. Whatever your motivation was, there was a lot of it in that group.â
Swansea already had a distinctive style of football, but Taylor believes Rodgers took it to another level.
âWe obviously went through a style of football that was already at the club through Roberto and Paulo,â he explained. âBrendan took it to another level.
âWe utilised the loan market really well. The boys that came, Scott Sinclair and others, came down and helped us that year.â
Swansea finished third in the Championship before overcoming Nottingham Forest in the play-offs and beating Reading 4-2 at Wembley to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Taylor was unable to feature in the final after being sent off in the opening minute of the semi-final first leg, but his contribution across the campaign remained significant.
âI went up twice with Villa through the play-offs as well. If you can do it through the play-offs, itâs the best way,â he recalled.
âIt was an unbelievable one of my fondest memories of the game really, outside of some of the Wales stuff, because there was a real change to the city that summer, real change to the people.
âSwansea was on the map, Wales was on the map, and it was a really big moment for everybody â the players, the club, the owners of the club.
âThey did a great job, a fantastic job, of getting the club to that point.
âFor us to all be in the Premier League together was sort of a bit of a dream, really.â
Life in the Premier League
Taylor would go on to make 179 appearances for Swansea across more than six years, experiencing Premier League football, European competition and the clubâs League Cup triumph in 2013.
His time at Swansea also coincided with some of the most memorable moments of his international career.
Taylor enjoyed a standout Euro 2016 campaign with Wales, playing every minute as Chris Colemanâs side reached the semi-finals. He also scored his first international goal in the famous 3-0 win over Russia in Toulouse.
Despite missing the League Cup final through injury, Taylor was an important part of the journey that took Swansea from the Championship to the Premier League and then into European football.
âSwansea was a massive part of my career,â Taylor reflected. âWe had some incredible moments and some fantastic players, and the club was progressing all the time.
âTo be part of that journey was something Iâll always be grateful for.â
A new chapter at Swansea
Taylorâs connection with Swansea has continued beyond his playing career, and he has followed the clubâs progress closely.
He is particularly encouraged by the appointment of Vitor Matos, a good friend with whom he completed his coaching badges with at the Football Association of Wales.
âI think Swansea are very fortunate now that weâve had this change of ownership, this sort of investment thatâs been injected into the club,â Taylor said. âIt's given them a new lease of life.
âObviously, Vitor Matos, a good friend of mine. We did our coaching badges together. Being the manager now, I think is a fantastic decision by the club.
âIt really reminds me of a Brendan-type appointment. Someone young or hungry fits the Swansea model.â
Taylor believes Swanseaâs identity will remain central to their prospects of success.
âI think Swansea over the years have come away from what we were,â he explained. âThere were certain types of managers that got the job that you probably knew from the off it werenât the right fit.
âThatâs no fault of the club or the manager. Theyâre just trying to employ somebody whoâs done a good job previously.
âBut itâs a special type of football down at Swansea that needs to be played in order to be different, in order to have a chance.
âNumerous people have brought that back. I know Russell Martin brought it back and had success with it, and Iâm convinced that Vitorâs going to do the same and carry on what heâs doing.â
Y Clwb Cymraeg | The Welsh Club
Croeso i gornel Gymraeg Clwb PĂŞl-droed Dinas Abertawe. Ym mhob rhaglen gallwch ddysgu geiriau a brawddegau newydd, dathlu hanes y clwb a helpu i hyrwyddoâr iaith yma yn Abertawe.
Welcome to Swansea Cityâs Welsh language corner. Whether youâre a fluent speaker or just starting to learn, each programme will help you discover new Welsh words and phrases whilst celebrating the people, stories and culture that make the Welsh language such an important part of our club and city.
Oeddech chiân gwybod? | Did you know?
Y gair Cymraeg am âDragonâ yw Draig.
Mae'râŻDdraig gochâŻwedi bod yn symbol o Gymru ers canrifoedd ac mae'n ymddangos ar faner genedlaethol Cymru, Igangynrychioli cryfder, dewrder a balchder Cymreig.
Yn Ă´l y chwedl, ymladdodd y Ddraig Goch yn erbyn y Ddraig Wen, a oedd yn cynrychioli'r Sacsoniaid, ac enillodd y frwydr.
The Welsh word for dragon isâŻDraig.
TheâŻRed DragonâŻhas been a symbol of Wales for centuries and features on the Welsh national flag â the only flag in the United Kingdom to include a dragon.
According to Welsh legend, the Red Dragon defeated the White Dragon, which represented the invading Saxons. It has since become an enduring symbol of Welsh strength and pride.
Gogledd v De | North v South
| De | South | Gogledd | North | Saesneg | English |
| Nawr | RĹľan | Now |
| Eisiau | Isio | Want |
| Fan'na | Acw | There |
| Fe | Fo | He |
| Lan | Fyny | Up |
| Bachgen | Hogyn | Boy |
| Merch | Hogan | Girl |
Ffaith Ddiddorol | Interesting Fact
| Dinas Abertawe | Wrecsam |
Snoop Dogg: 1 Emmy 16 enwebiad Grammy 35m+ o albymau wediâu gwerthu | Ryan Reynolds: 2 Emmy Seren ar âWalk of Fameâ Hollywood $6.6bn+ yn y swyddfa docynnau |
Martha Stewart: 19 Emmy 150m+ o lyfrau wediâu gwerthu | Rob McElhenney: 3 Emmy Seren y gyfres âIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphiaâ |
Luka ModriÄ 1 Tlws Ballon d'Or 6 Tlws Champions League | Wrex y Ddraig 0 Tlws Ballon dâOr 0 Tlws Champions League |
Yr Elyrch yn hedfan iâr brig (am y tro)
Mae wedi bod yn haf llawn newidiadau ar y cae, gydag wynebau newydd yn cyrraedd a rhai yn ffarwelio, ac wrth gwrs roedd cryn dipyn o edrych ymlaen at ddechrauâr tymor. Ac fel cefnogwyr, dwi ddim yn credu y gallen ni ofyn am ddechreuad gwell. Deg pwynt, dwy lechen lân ac eistedd ar frig y gynghrair â mae bwrlwm a chyffro wrth iâr tymor barhau gydag ymweliad Wrecsam â Stadiwm Swansea.com nos Sadwrn.
Dwi ddim eisiau canolbwyntio gormod ar y gĂŞm yn benodol, ond yn hytrach adlewyrchu ar yr hyn rydyn ni wediâi weld hyd yma, nawr bod pedair gĂŞm wedi cael eu chwarae a bod y gynghrair yn dechrau cymryd siâp. Yr hyn sydd yn amlwg wrth siarad â chefnogwyr ac o ddarllen adroddiadau yn y cyfryngau yw bod rhaid i ni anelu at gyrraedd y gemau ail-gyfle a dim byd llai. Ers i Matos gymryd drosodd, mae ein chwarae gydaâr bĂŞl wedi trawsnewid. Rydym yn creu mwy o gyfleoedd, yn rhoi mwy o bwysau ar y bĂŞl pan mae ein gwrthwynebwyr mewn meddiant, ac mae nifer ein hopsiynau ymosodol, dwiân siĹľr, yn dipyn o ben tost i Matos.
Efallai mai un rhan oâr cae lle nad oeddem ar ein gorauâr llynedd oedd ar yr esgyll, ac maeâr recriwtio dros yr haf wedi adlewyrchu hynny. Mae arwyddo Joseph Opoku wedi bod yn hwb enfawr, ac maeâr ffordd maeân ffitio i mewn iâr tĂŽm yn dyst iâr ffordd rydyn niân ceisio chwarae. Tymor diwethaf, roedd ein hasgellwyr wedi sgorio chwech o goliau, ond mae Opoku wedi sgorio dwy eisoes eleni. Byddaiân annheg peidio â sĂ´n am ddechrau Eom Ji-sung iâr tymor, sydd wedi sgorio dwy gĂ´l ac wedi creu dwy arall hefyd. Dros y ddau dymor diwethaf, mae Eom wedi rhoi cipolwg i ni oâr hyn y maeân gallu ei wneud, ond heb wneud hynnyân gyson. Y gobaith nawr, wrth gwrs, yw y bydd yn parhau ââr hyn y mae wediâi wneud yn barod eleni ac yn selio ei le yn yr un ar ddeg sydd ar y cae yn wythnosol.
Un o'r gwahaniaethau mwyaf amlwg hyd yma yw ein perfformiadau oddi cartref. Y tymor diwethaf, enillodd yr Elyrch 7 o'u 23 gĂŞm oddi cartref yn y Bencampwriaeth â cyfradd ennill o tua 30%. Ond rydym wedi dechrau'r tymor hwn gyda dwy fuddugoliaeth o ddwy.
Mae'r arbenigwr EFL Gab Sutton wedi enwi Abertawe ymhlith enillwyr ffenestr drosglwyddo'r haf, ar Ă´l i ni wario dros ÂŁ15m. Yn Ă´l Sutton, mae Stephen Welsh, Moussa Yeo ac Elijah Just wedi setlo'n arbennig o dda, tra bod Tom Iorpenda yn cynnig potensial sylweddol ar gyfer y dyfodol, rhywbeth dwiân credu y bydd pob cefnogwr yn cytuno ag ef. Ac mae effaith rhai o'r wynebau newydd eisoes i'w gweld ar y cae.
Mae'n rhy gynnar i ddod i gasgliadau mawr ar Ă´l llond llaw o gemau. Ond rhwng y gwelliant oddi cartref, mwy o ddyfnder yn y garfan a lefel o fuddsoddiad sydd wedi denu sylw ar draws yr EFL, mae mwy o dystiolaeth nag ers tro bod gennym sail gadarn i edrych i fyny'r tabl yn hytrach nag i lawr.
First-half goals from Harlan Perry and Josh Kallicharan were enough to secure a first victory on the road for Swansea City Under-21s as they secured three points over Hull City on Tuesday afternoon.
The hosts made a bright start to the first half, the trialist spotted the run of Ed Devine in behind the Swansâ backline in the opening minutes. Devineâs shot was saved by the outstretched right boot of goalkeeper Evan Watts.
Swansea took the lead inside the opening 10 minutes. A mishap playing out from the back was pounced upon by the visitors, Perry picked up the ball on the edge of the City penalty area and slotted past Howard for 1-0.
From this point onwards, Swansea were in total control of proceedings. Jack Fanning headed over shortly after the Swans took the lead and, despite Calvin Okike testing Watts from range, Swansea doubled their advantage in the 18th minute of the game.
Captain Yori Griffith received the ball on the right side of the area. His cross beat Stan Ashbee, and Kallicharan outmuscled George Goodman at the back post to turn home to make it 2-0.
The most dangerous of these crosses came from Kai Rhodesâ left-footed ball was inviting for those waiting in the area, but caught Joseph Davies unaware in the box, ricocheting off the Swansea forward and rolling wide.
After Albert Matique forced a corner in the 75th minute, the Swans countered from Cityâs ball into the area. Watts punched the ball away, before centre-back Gregory Asemokhai charged forward and found Rhodes. As he burst into the penalty area, a sliding recovery challenge from Ocaya denied a shot on Howardâs goal.
Before the final whistle, substitute Ekemini Umoren forced Watts into a diving save and Goodmanâs header was tipped over by the Swansâ âkeeper.
Swansea City U21s: Evan Watts; Billy Clarke (Kaven Bloniarczyk 80â), Iestyn Jones, Gregory Asemokhai, Jack Fanning; Milo Robinson (Bobo Evans 62â), Harlan Perry, Yori Griffith (C); Joe Davies, Josiah Kallicharan (Ramon Rees-Siso 45â), Kai Rhodes (Bobby Lewis 80â).
Subs Not Used: Joe Collins, Alfie Jones.
From working behind the camera at Fairwood Training Ground and the Swansea.com Stadium to pulling on the shirt herself, Swansea City plays a significant role in almost every part of Sammy Wynneâs life.
By day, she spends her time producing and editing content for the menâs first team, before swapping the camera for her boots and heading to the Joma High Performance Centre for training three evenings a week.
And Wynneâs commitment to the club extends far beyond her work off the pitch, with the midfielder recently appointed club captain by head coach Yzzy Taylor ahead of the new Genero Adran Premier campaign.
Taylor believes Wynne embodies the standards, behaviours and values she wants players throughout the Swansâ pathway to aspire to.
Having developed as a leader within the group over recent seasons, Wynne is looking forward to taking on the added responsibility of her new role.
âItâs been a real privilege to be handed the role, and I was really surprised when Yzzy gave it to me. Itâs really nice to be recognised.
âThis is my fourth season here and, over the last 12 to 18 months, I feel like Iâve really developed off the pitch and within the group.
âI might not be the loudest player, but I think I can lead by giving my best all the time and setting that example. We do have quite a young group now as well.
âAt 24, Iâm almost middle-aged,â she joked. âBut itâs nice to have that responsibility and hopefully I can use my experience to help the group.â
Away from her own commitments on the pitch, Wynneâs connection with Swansea City also extends into her professional career.
Wynne had a memorable first week in her new videographer role back in February. Not only did she cover two matchdays within a matter of days, but she also played a part in the club's media coverage when part owner Snoop Dogg visited Swansea - an experience she describes as an early career highlight.
"To work as a videographer for the men's first team is truly a dream job. My mum always used to ask me what I wanted to do when I was older, and I just wanted to work for the Swans, work at the stadium and be paid to watch football. That's exactly what I'm doing now, and to do it for the team you support is amazing.
"It was a crazy first week. I started on the Thursday, had a game on the Saturday, and then Snoop arrived on the Monday. To be thrown in at the deep end is always a good thing, and it's definitely been one of the highlights so far."
Wynne's footballing journey began at a young age, first playing alongside boys before earning the chance to represent her childhood club at academy level, which she describes as a dream come true.
"I started playing with the boys when I was six or seven at Dunvant & Three Crosses. My family were massive football fans, and I'd always be playing with my brother and cousins in the back garden. I just loved football.
"I played with the boys until I was about 12 and then, when I was 13 or 14, Swansea formed a girls' team. We'd train every week and play games every few weeks.
"Training at Landore back then was amazing. Getting to wear the Swansea kit and represent the club I supported was something I absolutely loved."
Her development with the Swans eventually opened the door to an opportunity with Women's Super League side Bristol City, where Wynne would make significant sacrifices to further her footballing career.
"I had the opportunity to trial at Bristol City, and the standard there was much higher than what I was used to at Swansea at the time. They had a proper academy set-up, a full fixture schedule and trained three times a week, so thankfully I managed to get through the trial.
"It was a big commitment at first, travelling up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while games on Sundays could be anywhere in England. I remember being really excited about it though.
"I spent three years travelling back and forth while I was still in school, but once I finished my GCSEs I moved to Bristol for college. I stayed with a host family from Monday to Friday before coming home for a day and then travelling again for games on Sunday.
"Moving away at 16 was quite tough at first and I definitely felt homesick. My host family were amazing, but naturally I missed home. At the same time, it taught me how to look after myself. I had to get myself to and from training, ride my bike everywhere and balance all of that with my A-levels, which was a big step up in workload."
While her time away from home presented plenty of challenges, it also gave Wynne the opportunity to develop alongside some outstanding young players, including future England international Lauren Hemp.
"I got to play with some great players at Bristol. One that really stands out is Grace Riglar, who now plays for Norwich City, and there were a lot of girls in the squad who now play in Tier Three in England.
"Lauren Hemp was a year or two older than me, but she would be around training every now and then. She's probably one of the best players I've had the chance to play alongside."
Another move followed when Wynne completed her A-levels, as she headed to London to begin university. Alongside her studies, she joined Oxford United, where she continued her football development and was given her first real opportunity to work in sports media.
"Once I finished my A-levels, I moved to London to start university and, while I was there, I played for Oxford United. It was a move that really suited me, and I found the club incredibly welcoming. It reminded me a lot of Swansea in that it had that family feel.
"I started with the development side and, towards the end of my degree, I began breaking into the first-team squad and getting some minutes. I felt I developed a lot as a player during my time there.
"I also got in touch with the Head of Media at Oxford and we came up with a plan because I was already travelling to the training ground in the evenings. I'd go up for the whole day and get involved in everything, whether that was writing, filming or interviewing. I absolutely loved it, and that's when I realised it was what I wanted to do."
Wynne's leadership qualities were also recognised during her time with the club, as she captained the development side in the latter stages of her spell.
"I got to captain the development team towards the end of my time there, and I felt I was showing much more of a leadership role.
"I'm probably a little different to the typical captain. I'm not the loudest person, but I'd like to think I lead by example. The girls were brilliant and always showed me a lot of respect."
Once university came to an end, Wynne returned home permanently for the first time in five years. While her initial plan was to focus solely on football, the perfect opportunity soon presented itself when a role became available with the Swansea City Foundation.
"Once I finished university, I came back home to Swansea. I remember getting a text from the coach at the time about the opportunity to return, which was something I hadn't really thought about because I'd planned on staying at Oxford.
"I came home that summer, started training again, and it just felt like home because, well, it is home."
Initially intending to take a year to concentrate on her football, Wynne's plans changed when she was offered the chance to begin her career with the club off the pitch as well.
"I'd decided I was going to focus on football for a year after university and almost have a bit of a gap year, but then a Media and Marketing role became available at the Swansea City Foundation.
"It was the perfect opportunity because it meant I could start working for the club while also continuing to play. It was the best of both worlds."
After spending years away from the club, Wynne admitted the womenâs programme was actually much better than what she may have perceived, and highlighted the opportunity to play in the Swansea.Com Stadium was an incredible experience, in front of nearly 4000 spectators who were watching like she did as a fan
âI think my preconception of the womenâs set-up at Swansea was probably lower than it should have been, but as soon as I walked through the door I realised how far it had come in terms of professionalism.
âMy first game at the Swansea.com Stadium was against Wrexham and there were nearly 4,000 people there. I was so excited when they told us we were going to be playing at the stadium.
âIt was strange because Iâd always said that was the dream. My season ticket was in the South Stand, Row F, and when youâre sitting in that seat as a youngster watching Premier League football, you dream about playing out there yourself.
âI was probably naive at the time because, although it was a dream, I never really thought it would actually be possible. So, for it to then happen was really special.â
It was another positive campaign for the Swans last season, with a top-four finish in the Genero Adran Premier and a place in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup final. However, Wynne believes the squad are capable of taking the next step under the guidance of head coach Yzzy Taylor and challenging for silverware once again.
âThis club has a history of winning trophies, and I think last season was one of progression.
âWeâve got to build on that, but our aim should always be to compete for and win silverware. Hopefully, under Yzzy this season, we can take that next step and achieve that.â
Lauren Davies believes Swansea City can head into the new Genero Adran Premier campaign full of confidence after rounding off an unbeaten pre-season with a 5-0 victory over Penybont.
Chloe Chivers opened the scoring before Davies, Ellie Lake, Caitlin Seaborne and Emily Richards found the net in the second half to secure a 5-0 victory at the DragonBet Stadium.
The Swans' number two was on target for the second goal of the afternoon, producing a fantastic solo run to evade several Penybont defenders before calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Molly Bird.
The result saw Swansea complete pre-season with a perfect record of four wins from four, scoring 15 goals without conceding.
The fixture was the final preparation ahead of Sundayâs Genero Adran Premier opener against Cardiff City, with the south Wales derby also marking the Swansâ first competitive fixture at their new home, the ThermaGlaze Ground in Garden Village.
Davies feels the performance against Penybont was the culmination of the work the squad have put in throughout pre-season, and was particularly pleased with the way the Swans stepped up their performance after the interval.
âI think this performance was something we had been building towards throughout pre-season. It was good to top it off with the win and create loads of chances," she said.
âGoing into the second half, we knew we could take it up another gear and I think we showed that. We were a lot more clinical and managed to score four goals in the second half.
"Four clean sheets in pre-season shows that we are sticking to the defensive principles we have worked on in training, and shows how organised and disciplined we can be going into the season.
âI think I could have scored a few in the first half, to be honest! But for the goal, I saw the space in front of me so I was just going to go for it. Then I saw the goalkeeper coming out, so I slotted it past her.
"From the start of pre-season, Iâve just kept growing in confidence and I want to keep developing as a player.
âLast season was tough with injuries, so I was motivated to build on last year while also making sure I was as fit as possible. I just want to play as consistently as I can and hopefully have a good year."
Ahead of tomorrow's league opener, Davies hopes the Swans can produce a performance to be proud of and believes the squad have the quality to go one step further and win silverware this season, having narrowly lost to Sundayâs opponents on penalties in last seasonâs Welsh Cup final.
âI think Sunday will be great. We are looking forwad to the fans coming down to Garden Village for our first game there and it will be really exciting. Hopefully weâll be able to put in a performance we can be proud of.
âWe all know how much the derby means to us, so itâs really important that we kick-start the league with a win.
âWe want to win silverware this season. We were close to that last season, but hopefully this year we can go that one step further because we have the quality to do so.â
Shwmae Junior Jacks,
Welcome back to the Swansea.com Stadium!
Weâre so happy to see you again. Twice in a week, thatâs very exciting! Are you ready for this evenings match? The South take on the North, Junior Jacks, do you think we can beat them?
Todayâs Take Five quiz is about the Welsh Language, how many of these football related words do you know? Click the button below to test your knowledge!âŻ
Our Score prediction for todayâs game is 2-1 to the Swans and we think Opoku and Idah will score!
What do you think the score will be?
Uppa Swans,
Cyril and Cybil
Keep Calm and Carry On! Itâs an instruction plastered over mugs, posters, t-shirts and just about any other inanimate object which can be printed upon.
The phrase, of course, originates from the start of World War II when the Government produced a series of posters bearing morale boosting messages.
The advice is just as appropriate for all sorts of situations in modern day life â especially if youâre a football fan. Whether your team has had a brilliant beginning to the season, or a less than auspicious start, Keep Calm and Carry On is sound advice during the early weeks.
Itâs a phrase Iâve been repeating to myself over the past few days. But Iâm sorry, keeping calm and not getting over excited is difficult to do at the moment â even though the season is in its infancy.
A productive transfer window, a rare win on the opening day of the season, two excellent performances against Derby and Watford and now we have the first all-Welsh tie of the season to look forward to tonight.
The ultimate goal for ambitious Championship teams is obviously promotion to the Premier League. The very minimum I am hoping for is domination of the Welsh domestic scene. As an initial goal, I want us to be the top Cymru dogs in the Championship.
If that brings with it higher honours, happy days! Finishing as the top ranked Welsh club in British football is not an ambition to be taken lightly.
Welsh club football is in a better place than it has been for some time. Of course, the zenith from an exposure point of view was when the Swans and Cardiff were both in the Premier League. The clashes between the two clubs back in the 2013-14 season brought unprecedented exposure to Welsh club football.
And, of course, Welsh football as a whole enjoyed huge positive publicity as Wales reached the semi-finals of the European Championships two years later and qualified for the World Cup in 2022.
The national team may be going through a sticky patch at the moment, but from a club perspective things are healthier than theyâve been for some time.
With the attention attracted by the likes of Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart and Luka Modric being associated with the Swans and Wrexhamâs Hollywood A-list backing, tonightâs match will draw huge interest far beyond Wales.
The praise the Swans have attracted for the style of football they have played so far this season will also add to the TV audience as neutrals tune in to enjoy the show.
And, of course, for the first time in 45 years, there are three Welsh clubs competing in the second tier of English football with Cardiff having been promoted back to the second tier at the end of last season.
The Swans were the undoubted top dogs the last time there were three Welsh teams in the second tier, as they secured promotion to the top flight in 1981, while Wrexham finished 16th and Cardiff were 19th in the 22 team division.
Wouldnât it be fantastic if the Swans finished top of the Welsh three-team âmini-leagueâ this season?
A win tonight would continue our flying start to the goal of being Walesâ highest place professional club â dethroning Wrexham who enjoyed that honour last season.
Itâs great to see four Welsh clubs continuing in the Football League with Newport County in a better position than they have been in for some time, albeit having staved off relegation from the Football League in dramatic circumstances last time around.
Meanwhile, look a little further down the English league pyramid and Merthyr Town had an excellent season in National League North last term.
The Martyrs finished eighth â just outside of the play-offs â an impressive achievement in their first season back in the sixth tier. And it could have been even better had their early season form not faded after Christmas.
There are also positive signs elsewhere in Welsh club football.
To my shame, I donât take a huge amount of interest in the Cymru Premier, but even Iâm starting to take a little more note this time around.
The expanded 16-team league has a shiny new title sponsor and the majority of matches will be played on Friday nights to avoid clashes with the English league structure.
The FAW has also launched its own streaming platform which means every game with be available live â supplementing the existing S4C free-to-air offerings.
Early indications suggest the changes have had a positive effect. The league's commercial income is said to be up by 160 per cent.
Average attendances for the first round of matches in the league were up by 11 per cent on last yearâs opening day crowds.
For a local example, almost 1,200 fans watched Briton Ferry beat top flight newcomers Ammanford on the first Friday.
Results for those representing the league in Europe may still be disappointing, but the hope is the changes will help boost those performances as well as the leagueâs standard in general.
Even further down the Welsh pyramid, clubs are grabbing headlines away from the pitch.
Eagle-eyed viewers of the Reading Festival would have spotted Fontaines D.C. lead singer Grian Chatten wearing a Cwmbran Celtic away shirt as the band headlined the event in front of tens of thousands of fans and a huge TV audience.
Apparently, sales of the Cymru South clubâs shirt have gone through the roof since its unlikely appearance at Reading.
It feels like something is stirring in Welsh club football generally.
For the Swans to be at the arrowhead of that success as the top placed club in the country would certainly be something to shout about.
So, while Iâm trying to follow the Keep Calm and Carry On mantra, tonightâs all-Welsh tie is certainly testing my resolve not to get over excited about what this season may hold.
Come on you Swans!
Gosh, where do I start?! Tuesday night, the first of the new season under the lights and what an incredible game, awesome goals and special atmosphere. If ever there was a time to be proud to be a Jack, that was it. It really did have everything and it certainly put us in the Championship spotlight.
The players, to a man, were a credit to our club. Of course, it is far too soon in the season to get carried away, and weâre much too level-headed as a fan-base to do that, but when others praise us to the hilt, and ask if we could be the âsurprise package of the Championship this seasonâ, we can spare ourselves a few moments to bask in that glory and to smile, wryly.
Former Swan and ex Welsh international, David Giles was at the game and he summed up what everyone who saw it was thinking: âEvery one of the Swansea players played well. There wasnât one who had a poor game,â he told the Rob and Blakey Commentary Box Podcast.
Thatâs pretty rare in football, especially when you think about the number of new recruits through our doors in the last few weeks, and the fact that we are four games into what we know will be a relentless and challenging campaign, because they all are.
But weâd be fools not to enjoy the wins when they come and it was good to see the gaffer in the dressing room post-match doing just that. He is such an amiable character. His enthusiasm is infectious, he oozes passion and he allows himself to get carried away in the big moments. I love that he uses the word âinsaneâ and that in his excitement, he broke the bin!!
Someone on social media said of the performance against Watford, that it was like watching a Brendan Rodgers team, someone else said it was Laudrup-esque and there were references to similarities with the way Graham Potter set us up.
No! I hope we donât fall into that trap of comparing Vitor Matosâ team to that of any of his predecessors. Theodore Roosevelt said âcomparison is the thief of joyâ and he wasnât wrong. Matos is his own man and this is his team, trained, coached, set up to play in the way he wants. He deserves to be given the credit for the evolution and hopefully, the revolution he is bringing to SA1.
Heâll certainly get the criticism when things donât go our way, so letâs make sure he gets the credit when weâre playing utterly delicious football and everyone on the pitch and in the stands is smiling as a result. In Matos we trust to get the job done and to bring the excitement and belief back to our club.
The home win sets us up nicely for what will probably be the toughest of the early seasonâs tests so far, tonightâs game at the Swansea.com against Wrexham. I wonât get into the âWelsh derbyâ debate, but whatever label you want to give it, with only three Welsh clubs in the Championship, this one has bragging rights â and naturally, we want them to be ours.
It would seem that a sell-out situation is likely, which should guarantee an electric atmosphere and another great opportunity to demonstrate what weâre building here, quietly but consistently and with clarity and commitment.
Letâs make enough noise to take the imaginary roof off and to ensure that everyone knows how much we love this club and how committed we are to Matos and every player who wears the shirt. Weâre Swansea City and weâll do it our way.
Enjoy the game, Jacks.
JULIE KISSICK
We are all Jacks is Swansea Cityâs 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 â 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 â 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 donât 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.
Head Coach Vitor Matos
1 Andy Fisher
2 Josh Key
3 Jenson Seelt
4 Jay Fulton
5 Ben Cabango (C)
6 Marko Stamenic
7 Melker Widell
8 Elijah Just
9 Žan Vipotnik
10 Jisung Eom
12 Jeremy Monga
14 Josh Tymon
15 Cameron Burgess
16 Tom Iorpenda
17 Gonçalo Franco
20 Tiago Parente
22 Lawrence Vigouroux
23 Stephen Welsh
26 Filip Lissah
27 Zeidane Inoussa
29 Paul Farman
30 Joseph Opoku
31 Ross Stewart
33 Adam Idah
35 Ronald
39 Evan Watts
40 NUMBER RETIRED
44 Thomas Woodward
46 Stephen Eustaquio
49 Moussa Yeo
50 Carter Heywood
Head Coach Phil Parkinson
1 Danny Ward
2 Callum Doyle
3 Jacques EkomiĂŠ
4 Max Cleworth
5 Dominic Hyam (C)
6 Joe Worrall
8 Benjamin Whiteman
10 Josh Windass
11 Bailey Cadamarteri
12 Issa KaborĂŠ
13 Liberato Cacace
14 George Thomason
15 George Dobson
17 Callum OâHare
18 Ben Sheaf
19 Kieffer Moore
20 Oliver Rathbone
21 Anthony Patterson
22 Callum Burton
23 Sebastian Revan
26 Zak Vyner
27 Lewis OâBrien
28 Sam Smith
30 Danny Imray
33 Nathan Broadhead
34 Aaron James
37 Matty James
40 Alex Moore
47 Ryan Longman
Referee: Elliot Bell
Assistant Referee 1: George Byrne
Assistant Referee 2: Conor Brown
Fourth Official: Samuel Allison
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 ModriÄ, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart
FIRST-TEAM STAFF
Head Coach - Vitor Matos
Head of Goalkeeping and analysis â Pedro Pereira
First Team Coaches - Kris O'Leary and Leon Britton
Head of Medical - Dr Jez McCluskey
Staff: Toze Mendes, Goncalo Ricca, Diogo Mendeiros, Ailsa Jones, Matt Murray, Thomas Gittoes, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Adam Mahoney, Patrick Orme, Lewis Binns, Chris Watkins, Jack Oliver, Harri Mathias, James Cole.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Chief Executive Officer: Tom Gorringe
Sporting Director: Ben Stevens
Head of Operations and Facilities: Andrew Davies
Head of Football Operations and Administration: Ben Greenwood
Head of Media and Communications: Andrew Gwilym
Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer
HR Manager: Nicola Butt
Head of Commercial: Katie Doyle
Head of Facilities: Gordon David
Head of Supporter Services: Hayley Ford
Head of IT: Jonathan Jones
CLUB STAFF
Football Operations & Administration Manager: Rebecca Gigg
Head of Partnerships: Lee Merrells
Head of Hospitality: Catherine Thomas
Head of Ticketing: David Enstone
Grounds Manager: Evan Davies
Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle
PROGRAMME PRODUCTION
Contributors: Andrew Gwilym, Rachael Tucker, Mackenzie Thomas, Cerith White, Sophie Davis, Mackenzie Squires, Sammy Wynne, Osian Cleaver, Hayley Ford, Owen Morgan, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, James Dow.
Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jac Elsey.