Swansea City v Birmingham City - 20-21 Season - Issue 1

Cadwch yn ddiogel Jacks

Issue 1 - Digital Copy

V

Swansea City v Birmingham City Saturday, September 19 - Kick-off 3pm

1

2

CONTENTS Page 12 - Transfer Round-up

Page 14 - Meet the Opposition

Page 18 - Match Reports

Page 28 - Q&A with Korey Smith

Page 41 - Swans U23s

Polite Warning: The British courts have now imposed a standard minimum three-year ban from all football grounds for football-related arrests – both inside and outside the ground. CCTV is currently in operation inside and outside the stadium, while police are also using handheld video cameras.

Offences include: obscene or racist chanting or gesturing; consuming alcohol in seated areas; continual standing in seated areas; aggressive behaviour; going onto the pitch; throwing of items; drunk and disorderly behaviour or under the influence of drugs. Please note there is also a no-smoking policy within the stadium. If broken, you could be ejected. Sales of goods inside and outside the stadium is prohibited unless via official registered sellers. The club badge is a registered trademark and unauthorised use of it will not be permitted. High-quality cameras are not permitted inside the stadium.

3

Teaching Excellence Framework

4

WATCH ALL THE

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES VISIT SWANSEACITY.COM

Chief Executive Julian Winter Board Of Directors Directors: Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Huw Jenkins, Stephen Kaplan, Jason Levien, Stuart McDonald, Martin Morgan, Gareth Davies Honorary Club President: Alan Curtis; Associate Directors: David Morgan, Cath Dyer Team Management Head Coach: Steve Cooper Assistant Coach: Mike Marsh Behind the Team Goalkeeping Coach: Martyn Margetson Head of Medicine: Dr Jez McCluskey Head of Performance Analysis: Steve Rands Head of Recruitment: Andy Scott Academy Manager: Nigel Rees Staff: David Tivey, Ritson Lloyd, Ailsa Jones, Matthew Murray, Adele Callaghan, Daniel Morris, Lee Watkins, Chris Watkins, Tom Jenkinson, Tom Goodall, Daniel Nisbett, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Huw Lake, Ashley Gill, Steffan Popham

Senior Management Group Andrew Davies (Head of Operations, Facilities & Development); Gareth Davies (CFO); Rebecca Edwards-Symmons (Head of Commercial) Club Staff Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood Assistant Football Secretary: Rebecca Gigg Head of Retail: Andrea Morris Head of Hospitality & Customer Services: Catherine Thomas Legal Counsel, Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer HR Manager: Nicola Butt Senior Commercial Sponsorship Manager: Lee Merrells Partnership Sales Manager: Cory Richards Media Manager: Chris Barney Ticket Office Manager: Luke Hughes Operations & Events Manager: Matthew Daniel Facilities Manager: Gordon David Grounds Manager: Anthony Harry Disability Access Officer: Mark Phillips Community Trust Manager: Helen Elton Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle

Programme Production Contributors: Alex Bennett, Julie Kissick, Owain Llyr, Chris Barney, Andrew Gwilym, Jonathan Davies, Sophie Davis, Adam Evans Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jordan Morcom Photography: Athena Picture Agency, Natalie Davis, PA, REX Print: DWJ Group Ltd Swansea City AFC Liberty Stadium, Landore, Swansea, SA10 2FA CP-D Dinas Abertawe Stadiwm Liberty, Landore, Abertawe, SA1 2FA Telephone/FfĂ´n: 01792 616606 Fax/Ffacs: 01792 616606 Web/Gwe: swanseacity.com Email/E-bost: info@swanseacity.com

5

G

ood afternoon to all Swansea City supporters around the world who will be watching today’s game on Swans TV. It ’s c er t ainly strange to be starting my first programme notes of the season in mid-September, but that is an indication of how everything has been affected by Covid-19.

As a result of the pandemic, we continue to play behind-closeddoors, which is a massive shame because we all want to be as one – whether that’s playing at the Liberty or up and down the country.

That is our biggest strength, but the most important thing is that you are all kept safe until we

6

can welcome you back into the stadium.

We kicked off the league season with a win at Preston last weekend. Going to Deepdale, playing against a team that have a very strong home record and coming away with three points and a clean sheet was very pleasing.

We looked threatening going forward, while defensively we were very solid.

We will look to replicate that performance this afternoon when we welcome Birmingham City to SA1.

We face a team that also got off to a great start on the opening day,

Manager’s Notes

STEVE COOPER but, as always, the biggest focus will be on ourselves.

It will be a first competitive game at the Liberty for our summer signings Jamal Lowe, Korey Smith and Morgan Gibbs-White, while Freddie Woodman and Marc Guehi know what it is all about.

We have been really pleased with the way everyone has settled in. This is a very close group of players and I think our display at Preston reflected that.

Now the big challenge is to continue building our performances.

Enjoy the game.

7

MATT GRIMES Captain’s Notes

H

ello and welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for our first Championship home fixture of the 2020-21 campaign against Birmingham City.

It was brilliant to start the league season with a win away from home and a clean sheet last weekend. Preston is probably one of the toughest places to go in the league, so we knew it was going to be a tough test going there for the first game of the season. We couldn’t ask for more than a win and a clean sheet and it was great to get the league campaign off to a good start.

8

It was a brilliant performance from our young defence, they’re fantastic players and we saw last season how good they are.

It’s worth noting that the threeman backline had a combined age of just 62 and it’s a credit to them to go away from home to a tough place like Preston and get a clean sheet.

We’ve had some new additions to the squad over the summer and they have settled in really well.

They are really good lads, it’s a fantastic group to be a part of and we like to think that we make them feel very welcome from day one. They come in with their families and settle down straight away which is what Swansea is all about, it’s a lovely place to be.

The three of them have come in and taken care of business.

Morgan got on the scoresheet and Jamal and Korey had a very good game on Saturday too.

They’re very important additions to the squad and it’s brilliant to have them around.

After last weekend, our focus quickly turned to the next match and we’ve been working hard in readiness for this weekend’s match against Birmingham. We had a good record against them last season, but I know they have got a new manager so it will be slightly different to last year. It’s a match we’re looking forward to and we’re really looking forward to being back at home in the Liberty.

We will be there without the Jack Army, which isn’t ideal, but they’ll be with us there in spirit.

We’re looking forward to getting back at the Liberty, building on last week’s performance and hopefully putting on a good show for the Jack Army watching at home.

Thank you to the Jack Army for your continued support and enjoy the game!

9

Home Kit 20-21 Buy now In-store or swanseacity.com 10

I

n a change from the usual Supporters Trust programme page format, new Trust Chair Andy Godden discusses the changes at the Trust and the Swans over the close season, along with the Trust’s future plans.

As is often the case, the Swans have seen some significant changes in personnel over the shortened close season.

Whilst we were sad to see the likes of Conor Gallagher and Rhian Brewster return to their parent clubs, we were delighted to see Marc Guehi and Freddie Woodman return for another season, along with Morgan Gibbs-White, Korey Smith and Jamal Lowe moving to SA1. If last week’s victory at Preston is a sign of things to come, there is every reason to be excited about our chances for this season as we aim to replicate or improve upon last season’s top-six finish.

Off the field, the Trust were disappointed to see Trevor Birch leave his role as club chairman. We had developed a much-improved working relationship since his appointment, so a change in leadership, particularly at this critical time, was not on our wish list. However, we are delighted to welcome Julian Winter to the role of chief executive. Julian comes to the club with a wealth of experience, particularly in community-related areas, which is something we look forward to working with him to develop further.

From a Trust perspective, we have seen a significant change in personnel too, with Phil Sumbler standing down as chair after a period spanning 15 years. I have served on the Trust Board with Phil for six years, and as his vice-chair for the last two years, so I have seen first-hand the challenges the Trust has faced.

There are areas that I would like to see the Trust improve in the future, and engagement with our members is a key part of that. Currently we are limited to virtual communications, and I urge you to join or follow our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where we constantly engage with fans and our members on the issues of the day.

Our swanstrust.co.uk website is also frequently updated with any Trust-related news. We will also be arranging regular virtual Q&A forums with our members on our social media platforms. This is your club, and your Supporters Trust, and it is important that we can engage as many people as possible, as often as possible.

To thank our long-standing members and to recognise the challenges many families will be facing at this time, we were delighted to announce that all 201920 Trust members have been automatically renewed for the 2020-21 season, while any new members can join at a 50 per cent discount until the end of the year.

For £5 (or less for seniors and juniors) you can help strengthen the Trust as we aim to represent the views of the fans within the club. The larger our membership, the stronger that voice can be, so please consider joining via swanstrust.co.uk.

I look forward to communicate more with supporters in the future, and hopefully that will take place in person at the Liberty Stadium soon. Being able to watch the games via SwansTV is great, but it doesn’t compare to being at the ground.

In the meantime, we’re sure the Jack Army around the world will be cheering on the Swans as we aim for another three points!

11

SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW ROUND-UP

W

e take a look at the new recruits and those who have moved on to pastures new during the summer transfer window as Steve Cooper and his side prepare to get their 2020-21 home campaign under way.

Smith brings a wealth of experience to Steve Cooper’s squad, having made more than 170 Championship appearances in a career that has also included spells with Norwich City, Barnsley, Yeovil Town and Oldham Athletic.

It has been a busy few weeks at Swansea City, with the typical ins and outs of a summer transfer window taking place amidst a short turnaround between seasons.

Within 48 hours of Smith joining, the Swans secured the signature of Freddie Woodman, who joined for a second season-long loan from Newcastle United.

Woodman quickly became a fan favourite among the Jack Army in his first season in SA1, making 43 appearances and saving three penalties out of the five he faced.

There have been five additions to the Swans squad so far, and they have provided much cause for excitement among supporters.

The first of those new arrivals came in mid-August when Korey Smith joined the club on a two-year contract following six years with Bristol City.

During his time at Ashton Gate Smith made 196 appearances, helping them to promotion from League One and Football League Trophy success in 2015.

He also scored a sensational late winner to knock Manchester United out of Carabao Cup in 2017.

12

Next to make the switch to SA1 was Wolverhampton Wanderers’ midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who joined on a season-long loan. The move saw the attacking midfielder reunite with Swans head coach Cooper, with the pair having worked together in the England age-grade set-up as the Three Lions won the Under-17 World Cup in 2017.

The 20-year-old had previously made 70 first-team appearances at Molineux, helping the club reestablish itself in the Premier League and playing a part in their Europa League adventure last season.

The fourth summer addition came in the shape of Marc Guehi, who returned to the club after sealing a seasonlong loan from Chelsea. The 20-year-old defender spent the second half of last season on loan at the Liberty, and made a big impression over his 14 appearances.

He excelled when brought into the starting line-up as the Swans moved to three at the back in the period after the resumption of football, and made a brilliant late block in the victory over Reading that clinched a top-six spot.

The most-recent addition to join Cooper’s squad is forward Jamal Lowe, who made the switch from Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee. The 26-year-old signed a three-year deal with an option for a further year in SA1.

Lowe appeared in all of the Latics’ 46 Championship games last season, helping them record the third-best record of any side in the second-tier during 2020.

The club also received a double boost as both Wayne Routledge and Kyle Naughton put pen to paper on new one-year deals at the Liberty Stadium. This will see the former complete a decade of service at the Swans, whilst the latter returns for his seventh season with the club.

There have also been outgoings, the most notable of which has been the departure of Bersant Celina to French top-flight club Dijon for an undisclosed fee.

The Kosovo international makes the move to the Ligue 1 outfit following two seasons in SA1, making 79 appearances and scoring 10 goals during that time.

Winger Joel Asoro, meanwhile, has sealed a loan move to Serie A side Genoa. Asoro, 21, joined the Swans from Sunderland in the summer of 2018 and has made 18 appearances for the club, the most recent of which came in the Carabao Cup defeat to Newport.

Some of the younger members of the Swans squad have also sealed loan moves to gain first-team experience.

Wales Under-21 international defender Brandon Cooper will spend the season on loan with Newport County in League Two, while his club and international colleague Jack Evans joined ex-Swansea under-23 coaches Cameron Toshack and Gary Richards at Pafos FC in Cyprus for the 2020-21 campaign.

Everyone at Swansea City wishes those players who have left the club, or sealed loan moves, every success.

BEAUTIFUL SHUTTERS TO ENHANCE ANY HOME

Visit our showroom at Janela Shutters & Blinds, 20A St John’s Terrace, Neath Abbey, Neath SA10 7NA. For a no-obligation quote call us on 13 01792 814988 or visit our website at www.janelashutters.co.uk

BIRMINGHAM CITY FACT FILE OWNER

NICKNAME

Blues

1875

@bcfc

@bcfc

BCFCofficial

St. Andrew’s

1906

29,409

TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK STADIUM OPENED CAPACITY

THE GAFFER The Spaniard was appointed in the summer following the departure of Pep Clotet. The 46-year-old enjoyed a successful playing career with Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid – winning three Champions Leagues with the latter – before making the move into management.

He worked as Jose Mourinho’s assistant at Real Madrid before striking out on his own at Middlesbrough – where he won promotion to the Premier League – and Nottingham Forest, before his recent appointment at St Andrew’s.

CLUB CAPTAIN The 29-year-old defender has made over 120 appearances for the Blues since joining from Brentford in 2017. Dean first broke through at Dagenham & Redbridge before having a handful of non-league loan spells. He was snapped up by then-League One Southampton in 2010, but it was at Brentford where he really made his mark, helping the Bees rise from League One to become regular play-off challengers in the Championship.

Was made captain by Dean Smith prior to his move to Birmingham.

14

FOUNDED

Trillion Trophy Asia

HARLEE DEAN AITOR KARANKA

CLUB DETAILS SOCIAL MEDIA FACILITIES

STADIUM MEET THE OPPOSITION

Birmingham have spent the majority of their 141-year history in the top-flight, but are currently starting their 10th-straight season in the Championship after dropping out of the Premier League in 2011.

They have finished higher than 10th on only one occasion during that time and they have battled relegation in four of the previous seven campaigns. The St Andrew’s club have won two FA Cups and two League Cups, with the most recent of those successes coming in 2011 when they stunned Arsenal in the League Cup final at Wembley as Obafemi Martins scored a last-gasp winner.

BIRMINGHAM CITY’S FORM

The Blues made an excellent start to the league season by beating last season’s play-off finalists Brentford 1-0 at St Andrew’s, which lifted spirits after the Carabao Cup exit against Cambridge the previous weekend.

They endured a challenging end to last season as a worrying run of form threatened to drag them into the thick of a relegation battle. Indeed, the win over the Bees was Birmingham’s first in 15 Championship matches and was an ideal start in Aitor Karanka’s first game at the helm.

THE KEY MEN

Former Everton striker Lukas Jutkiewicz has led the line for the Blues since joining in 2017, and ended last season as top scorer with 15 league goals.

Jeremie Bela has made an impression since his arrival from Albacete last November, while Karanka has brought in the experience of defender George Friend and midfielder Adam Clayton having worked with the pair at Middlesbrough. The Blues also recently signed goalkeeper Neil Etheridge from Cardiff, as well as former Hull forward Jon Toral.

15

ONES TO WATCH

ADAM CLAYTON

16

Clayton joined Birmingham on a free transfer earlier this month following his depar t ure from Middlesbrough at the end of last season.

The experienced midfielder made over 200 appearances during six years with Boro, who he helped gain promotion to the Premier League in 2016.

POSITION

DF

NATION

AGE

POSITION

28 MF

Colin made the move to St Andrew’s from Brentford in August 2017. The French fullback, who represented his country seven times at under-20 level, was a regular presence in the heart of defence last season, missing just two Championship games.

MAXIME COLIN

NATION

AGE

31

JÉRÉMIE BELA Bela is in his first full season at St Andrew’s having arrived as a free agent in November 2019. His free-kick against Reading the following month was voted the club’s goal of the season. T he French winger, who was previously with Albacete, scored the only goal of the game in last week’s victory over Brentford.

POSITION

MF

NATION

AGE

POSITION

23 FW

NATION

AGE

POSITION

27 FW

NATION

AGE

31

Croatia international Sunjic joined Birmingham from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2019 for an undisclosed fe e. T h e d efe n s i ve midfielder immediately established himself in his first season at St Andrew’s, making 44 appe aranc e s in all competitions and scoring three goals.

Jutkiewicz joined Birmingham from B urnley in J anuary 2017 following a successful loan spell.

The experienced forward, who helped the Clarets gain promotion to the Premier League in 2016, top-scored for the Blues last season with 15 goals.

IVAN ŠUNJIĆ

LUKAS JUTKIEWICZ 17

NEWPORT COUNTY 2 SWANSEA CITY 0

18

MATCH DETAILS DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 VENUE: RODNEY PARADE REFEREE: KEVIN JOHNSON

MATCH REPORT S

wansea City exited the Carabao Cup at the first-round stage as two first-half goals gave Newport County victory over their Welsh rivals at Rodney Parade.

The Swans – as acknowledged by head coach S teve C ooper post-match – c ould have few complaints as Tristan Abrahams’ brace sealed the win for Michael Flynn’s side.

The visitors – with new signings Morgan GibbsWhite, Jamal Lowe and Korey Smith all making their debuts – were without a number of players through international commitments and they fell behind early.

Ryan Haynes directed a cross into the box and Abrahams was on hand to convert from close range in just the seventh minute.

Lowe fired wide at the other end as the Swans s o u g ht a re s p o n s e, b u t t h ey a l s o s u r v i ve d scares as Kyle Howkins and Abrahams wasted good headed opportunities.

But Abrahams did double the lead on the stroke of half-time, c almly finishing after Freddie Woodman’s clearance deflected into his path.

It left Swansea facing an uphill task to advance, Wayne Routledge tested the hands of keeper Nick Townsend early in the second half, while he did find the net just past the hour mark only to be called offside.

LINEUPS Newport County: Nick Townsend, Ryan Haynes, Joss Labadie (capt, Robbie Willmott, 71), Kyle Howkins, Matty Dolan, Josh Sheehan, Liam Shephard, Tristan Abrahams, Scott Twine (Ryan Taylor, 83), Lewis Collins (Padraig Amond, 71), Mickey Demetriou.

Subs not used: Tom King, Ashley Baker, Saikou Janneh, Joe Woodiwiss.

Swans: Freddie Woodman, Kyle Naughton, Joe Rodon, Jay Fulton, Wayne Routledge (Kristoffer Peterson, 71), Jake Bidwell (Joel Asoro, 71), Matt Grimes (capt), Korey Smith (Yan Dhanda, 71), Morgan Gibbs-White, Jamal Lowe, Andre Ayew.

Subs not used: Steven Benda, Tivonge Rushesha, Cameron Evans, Daniel Williams.

QUOTE OF THE GAME "WE HAVE TO BE BETTER IN TERMS OF GAME MANAGEMENT, AND WE CAN BE BETTER IN HOW WE USE THE BALL LATE IN GAMES, AND WE WILL ALWAYS STRIVE TO GET BETTER. BUT WE ARE NOT GIVING UP." STEVE COOPER 19

PRESTON NORTH END 0 SWANSEA CITY 1

20

MATCH DETAILS

LINEUPS

DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 VENUE: DEEPDALE REFEREE: ROBERT JONES

Preston North End: Connor Ripley; Alan Browne (captain), Jordan Storey, Ben Davies, Andrew Hughes; Ben Pearson, Ryan Ledson; Scott Sinclair (Jayden Stockley 57), Brad Potts, Billy Bodin (Sean Maguire 57); Tom Barkhuizen.

MATCH REPORT S

Subs not used: Matt Hudson, Patrick Bauer, Joe Rafferty, Josh Harrop.

wansea City made a winning start to the new Championship campaign as Morgan GibbsWhite netted the winner on his league debut for the club at Deepdale.

The on-loan Wolves midfielder struck the decisive blow eight minutes into the second half, arriving right on time to turn in Jake Bidwell’s volleyed cross.

It gave Steve Cooper’s side a deserved win – their first at Deepdale since 2008 – as they posed the greater attacking threat whilst also limiting Preston with a rock-solid defensive display.

Connor Roberts, Marc Guehi and Ben Cabango had all returned to the starting line-up following their efforts on international duty, and the Swans made an assured start.

The first half was one of few chances, with Jamal Lowe firing wide on his league debut, but the Swans asserted their authority early in the second period.

Bidwell had a goal ruled out for offside after meeting an excellent Andre Ayew cross at the far post, and the two would link up again to set up the winner.

Ayew spread the ball wide to Bidwell, who expertly took the ball in his stride and sent an inviting ball across the six-yard box for Gibbs-White to tap in.

Bidwell headed onto the roof of the net a few moments later, and the Swans held out a late Preston surge with Freddie Woodman denying Tom Barkhuizen.

Swans: Freddie Woodman; Ben Cabango, Joe Rodon, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Korey Smith, Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Morgan Gibbs-White (Jay Fulton 63); Jamal Lowe (Wayne Routledge 79), Andre Ayew.

Subs not used: Steven Benda, Kyle Naughton, Yan Dhanda, Kristoffer Peterson, Liam Cullen.

QUOTE OF THE GAME "IT IS DEFINITELY A GREAT START, ANY RESULT YOU GET HERE IS A GOOD ONE. IT WAS A BRILLIANT TEAM GOAL." STEVE COOPER

21

2018 GlobalData UK Market Analyzer (released Aug 2019)

22

STILETTOS & STUDS

BY JULIE KISSICK

H

ere we are again. T he first home game of another season. T hough, of c our se, this isn’t just another curtain-raiser on a new campaign, this is a very different one for players, fans – in fact, everyone associated with professional football.

I do hope that wherever you are reading this, a n d w h i c h eve r s i d e yo u s u p p o r t , yo u a n d those you love are navigating the unpredictable waters that Covid-19 has cast us into as well as you possibly can.

It has been a challenging few months for us all – and there is no doubt that it will continue to be for many more to come.

Football though, has managed to survive, albeit with adaptations. The pause in proceedings in March wasn’t permanent and we go again, supporting our beloved Swans through another campaign.

And what a great start it was to get a win at D e e p d a l e - n o m e a n fe at g i ve n o u r r e c o r d against Preston North End. Equally impressive was the c ontribution of Morgan Gibbs-White - getting the only goal of the game on his league debut and gifting his new side three points along with it. It was good to see Joe Rodon back where he belongs too, and Jake Bidwell put in an impressive display.

Off to a flyer.

D u r i n g S w a n s T V c o m m e n t a r y, A n t h o n y O’Connell told his co-commentator, Alan Curtis, that he was missing the Steve Cooper fist pumps which became a staple of the post-match victory celebrations last season.

The gaffer’s reactions delighted the fans as he marched across the pitch and applauded them, raising his fist aloft to express his delight at three points.

The sterile nature of games in supporter-less stadiums has been discussed ad infinitum since Covid-19 arrived, uninvited, at our gates. For now, the Liberty is a no-go zone. We all want to be back there. Our club needs us to be back there. But for now, this unruly and unwelcome visitor has blocked the entrance.

But the beautiful game goes on, battered, but not beaten.

I was fascinated by the comments of a couple of former pros over the weekend as they discussed the pandemic and its impact on the players.

They both talked about the pitch being a place of work for footballers and how in preparation for playing, professional athletes ‘zone out’ in order to ‘zone in’ on their jobs.

I’m sure the loss of atmosphere, the absence of the sound of the crowd, the adulation that reverberates when a goal is sc ored, are all missed by the 22 men on the pitch but, like most of us, they are having to adapt to a new normal.

For those of us who won’t experience our usual matchday routine today, it won’t be the same.

It won’t be the same watching from home. It won’t be the same listening in the car, or in the garden or following on social media. It won’t be the same for a while yet.

But football is still here, and so are our super Swans - still alive, still kicking and still giving us plenty to celebrate and shout about. And if three points today against Birmingham City could become another part of the ‘new normal’, we’ll all be happy Jacks.

Good luck Steve and the boys; “Spread your wings you silver Swans and rise and fly away …”

23

Ministry

Group

Ministry

Graphics

24

ERTHYGLAU CYMRAEG

BY OWAIN LLYR, BBC WALES

M

a e d e c h ra u t y m o r n ew yd d b o b t ro y n gyfnod cyffrous i gefnogwyr pêl-droed.

Ac er ei bod hi’n sefyllfa wahanol iawn i’r arfer gan fod gemau yn gorfod cael eu chwarae t u ô l i d d r ys a u c a e e d i g , m a e’ r g o b a i t h a’ r cynnwrf yr un fath ag erioed.

Am ddechrau gafodd Aberawe i’r tymor y penwythnos diwethaf gyda buddugoliaeth oddi c artref yn P reston. Dwi’n siŵr y byse Steve Cooper wedi bod yn ddigon hapus i ddychwelyd o Deepdale i Dde Cymru gyda phwynt, ond mi oedden nhw ’n llawn haeddu’r tri-phwynt yn dilyn eu perfformiad yn yr ail-hanner.

Fel y gwnaeth o’r tymor diwethaf mae Steve Cooper wedi cryfhau ei garfan yn ofalus dros yr haf ac wedi defnyddio ei gysylltiadau o fewn y byd pêl-droed yn effeithiol unwaith eto. Braf yw gweld Freddie Woodman a Marc Guehi yn dychwelyd ar fenthyg unwaith eto, dau wnaeth gryn argraff y tymor diwethaf. Mi fydd profiad Korey Smith yn holl-bwysig yng nghanol y cae, ac mae Jamal Lowe wedi profi gyda Wigan ei fod yn chwaraewr cyffrous.

Ond y chwaraewr all fod yn gwbl allweddol i obeithion Abertawe y tymor yma yn fy marn i yw Morgan Gibbs-White. Mae o wedi profi’n barod

yn Preston fod ganddo lygaid am gôl. Mi oeddwn i wedi fy synnu ryw ychydig fod Wolves wedi penderfynu ei ryddhau ar fenthyg ar ôl ei weld yn chwarae iddyn nhw yn Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr ac yng Nghynghrair Ewropa. Ond yn amlwg mae nhw am ei weld yn chwarae’n rheolaidd y tymor yma, ac fe gaiff o’r cyfle i wneud hynny yn Stadiwm Liberty.

Dwi’n ysgrifennu’r erthygl hon ddydd Llun, felly pwy a wyr efallai y bydd pethau wedi newid erbyn dydd Sadwrn. Ond heb os ac oni bai mae angen i’r Elyrch arwyddo ymosodwr arall cyn i’r cyfnod trosglwyddo ddod i ben, boed hynny yn barhaol neu ar fenthyg. Mi fydd Rhian Brewster yn golled enfawr os na fydd yn dychwelyd ar fenthyg o Lerpwl, felly mae angen i Cooper ddod o hyd i bartner arall i Andre Ayew yn y llinell flaen.

Er na fydd ‘na gefnogwyr ar Y Liberty heddiw mi fydd y chwaraewyr yn falch iawn o gael dychwelyd yno. Mae Birmingham hefyd wedi cael dechrau da i’r tymor, felly fydd hi ddim yn gêm hawdd yn erbyn tîm Aitor Karanka. Ond does ‘na ddim rheswm o gwbl pam ‘na all Yr Elyrch sicrhau 6 phwynt o’u dwy gêm gyntaf.

25

A truly integrated service.

sa group.

IT & Support.

Telecoms.

Digital Marketing.

sa1group.com 26

sa telecoms. sa creative.

For the latest news and to share your match day experiences, follow…

EFL

theEFL

EFL

Q&A WITH KOREY SMITH

Age: 29 Position: Midfielder Nationality: English Former Clubs: Norwich City, 73 Apps, 4 Goals Barnsley (Loan), 12 Apps, 0 Goals Yeovil (Loan), 17 Apps, 0 Goals Oldham (Loan), 10 App, 0 Goals Oldham, 52 Apps, 2 Goals Bristol City, 196 Apps, 5 Goals

28

IT’S JUST A FEW SHORT WEEKS SINCE KOREY SMITH BECAME SWANSEA CITY’S FIRST SIGNING AHEAD OF THE 2020-21 SEASON. HERE, THE MIDFIELDER GIVES AN INSIGHT INTO HOW HE IS SETTLING INTO LIFE IN SA1, AND REVEALS THE SLIDING DOORS M O M E N T T H AT P U T H I M O N THE PATH TO A CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER. Korey, you’ve had a few weeks to start to bed in following your arrival at Swansea City. How are you and your family finding life here so far?

The club has been brilliant to be fair. They have really helped me and my family settle, they helped us find a nice home, and knowing my family is happy allows me to focus on doing the best I can on the pitch.

We’ve done some exploring. After the win over Preston we had the Sunday off, I’ve been told there is no more beautiful place than Swansea when it is sunny so we went down to Caswell as a family.

That was just amazing, the boys loved the lido down there and they had their Joe’s ice cream so they are absolutely loving life! As long as they are happy, and I do what I need to do on the pitch, then things will be good.

On the pitch how do you feel things are going?

It’s been a quick turnaround, but can you feel the understanding with your team-mates growing every day?

I have only been here three or four weeks, and when you have been at another club a long time you need to adapt to different tactics, styles and partnerships.

I feel with every week I am growing on that side, I feel I am bringing some value to the group. I hope they can see I work hard, I am a leader and I want to help everyone improve and the team get better.

CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE...

And it doesn’t do any harm when your first league game produces a win and a clean sheet?

To go away to a side who have been challenging over the last few years is always tough. They have a very good midfield so going there I knew I was in for a test in there. We had to win that battle and I felt we did that. We know we have good technical players, but what I really liked was how solid we were and how together we were. In this league, from my experience, that’s what can take you that step further. It’s something to build on, but 1-0 away from home is ideal. You cannot go wrong with that, that’s one of my favourite scorelines.

You’ll be looking to build on that today in your home debut? Usually you would have 20,000 members of the Jack Army to cheer you on and welcome you, but are you still looking forward to it?

Obviously we have had a few friendlies but it’s a different intensity in the league, and I am a bit gutted that I won’t be able to play in front of the fans for the first time. I’ve heard so many good things about the supporters, and I know what the Liberty can be like from previous games as an opponent. I wanted to be able to engage with them, but I know they will be watching and I will put my all in to try and help this club get another win.

You joined the club following six years at Bristol City, but you got your breakthrough at Norwich. How did that come about?

It’s a bit of a strange story, really. I am from Hatfield, and Norwich had a development centre there as you could scout players within two hours of where you were based. That centre allowed them to scout players in London. One day a friend of mine, DJ, came to knock on my house, we jumped on our bikes and went down and jumped over the university fence where they were training. I noticed there was a guy there who had coached me in primary school. His name was Laird Budge, and he asked me if I was still playing football. When I told him, he said I should come down and join Norwich’s training on the Thursday. I went down and trained, later that night he rang me and told me I had a trial and would play for them against a West Ham side. Literally, within two months I had moved to Norwich. I think about it, and if my friend had not knocked for me, or I had decided to play on the PlayStation, it could have been different. It’s funny how things work out.

29

It must have been a big development to leave home at 16?

Yeah, I was doing my GCSEs through a college course that Stevenage Borough were running. Then I was in Norwich on my own. It was crazy.

It was just me and my mother in our house, and it was tough for her. Literally, one day I came home and said I was moving to Norwich in the next month and she would be on her own.

She was very supportive, but there were definitely a few tears for the both of us.

It’s all a bit of a blur, I just went off adrenaline. I worked as hard as I could, I had an opportunity I did not expect and I had a real hunger and desire to make the most of it. That has really helped me.

When you made you first-team breakthrough at 17, there were some big names in that Norwich squad.

You had Darren Huckerby, Dion Dublin, Gary Doherty.

Guys who had been in the Premier League. What was that like?

They were great players and characters. I ended up playing a lot of games with Gary Doherty, Dion Dublin was just a great character, really loud in the dressing room and you could not help but like him. Darren Huckerby was just a legend there too.

But, from the moment I started training with them I told myself I had to treat them like any other player.

If there was a tackle to be made, it had to be made. I could not be scared to play my game.

I think doing that meant they respected me, and it helped me break into the team. I went from college to playing in the Championship in barely a year. Two years later and Norwich were a Premier League club.

It was just crazy.

You would also have played alongside a former Swan in Owain Tudur Jones?

Yeah, I did. He was such a funny guy, he always put smiles on faces in the dressing room. What a guy, he was!

He was playing for Wales at the time and I got on well with him, he was a very good player. He just had everyone in stitches off the field.

30

Those two seasons – back-to-back promotions – must have felt surreal. You score in Paul Lambert’s first game in League One, and then suddenly the club is in the Premier League.

I had been given a chance by Bryan Gunn at the end of the previous season as we were getting relegated from the Championship. Then, when the following season started, I was on a tour in Holland with the youth team. The first team were playing Colchester and they lost 7-1. We couldn’t believe it. I got back and they appointed Paul Lambert, and I got asked to train with the first team as they were short on numbers for an 11-a-side drill. I felt it went well and on the Friday my name was on the board in the squad. I was thinking it was great and I would be on the bench.

I got to the game, and the thing about Paul Lambert was that when he read the team out, he just gave 11 names. He never mentioned formations or positions.

He just reeled them off. He was going through them and I thought I heard him say “Korey Smith”, but he said it so quickly I could not be sure. So, I was checking with the players and staff that he had said my name. It turned out he had, it was out of nowhere, and then in the first half I scored with a half-volley from about 30 yards. We won 5-2, the fans were going wild and from there I was a regular in the side over the two seasons. It was a lot for a young player.

I had come from nowhere, and suddenly I had a bit of money and a house of my own. It was a lot to take in, suddenly I was a player at a Premier League club.

It must have been such an exciting time, but then injury struck at just the wrong time for you.

Yeah, I had been the 19th man for the game at Chelsea. Paul Lambert had told me my chance would come. The next Tuesday I played a reserve game against Newcastle and I did my ankle in the first few minutes and I was out for months. It killed me a bit, I was on my own, I did not know how to look after myself. How to eat right, those little bits that can make a difference in getting you back that bit quicker. When I got back I was nowhere near the level I needed to be at. I had loan spells, I went to Barnsley.

Meanwhile, Paul Lambert left, Chris Hughton came in and he had his own experienced players he wanted to bring in and play. It was tough, that season does haunt me a little bit. I was so close to being in the Premier League.

CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE...

31

32

Does that drive you now, that you were so close to the Premier League but didn’t quite get the chance to play in it?

It does, it’s a big thing inside of me. I want to get another chance at that. I have had a few injuries since then and been completely different in understanding the nutrition and recovery process. I have grown a lot since then, but it is definitely something that pushes me on in the back of my mind.

You also had loan spells with Yeovil and Oldham, playing for father and son in Gary Johnson at the former and Lee Johnson at the latter. What was that like?

It was interesting as I went to Yeovil the year they were promoted to the Championship. I went back to Norwich at Christmas, I only had six months on my contract and I could not go back out on loan. I could only go out to play if it was a permanent move. I had done well under Gary Johnson, he was an old school manager but we worked well together. Lee had been watching at a few of those games, I went to Oldham on an emergency loan near the end of the season as that was allowed, and a day later he was appointed as manager! He had told the club to sign me, because he had seen me even though I had no idea he was coming in.

I also worked with him at Bristol City. We got promoted and won the Football League Trophy under Steve Cotterill, and then in the Championship he got sacked and there were rumours Lee was coming in.

I had a good relationship with him, and it went from there. He was great for me, we had a lot of good times together and I am sure he will keep moving forward as a manager.

Yo u m e n t i o n s o m e g r e at m o m e n t s , s u r e l y that Carabao Cup quarter-final winner against Manchester United is up there?

extra touch onto my right foot. I told the boys before extra-time that I would make that run again and to look for me. I did not think they would track me. The difference was this time I knew I could not take an extra touch, if it was there I had to get the shot away.

Matty Taylor played it in to me, I had a go with my left and luckily it bounced and it went in the goal. I almost don’t know what happened after that, it was such a special moment and it will live with me and my family for all time. I think my mother still watches it on YouTube whenever she can, and that’s what it’s all about. She is proud of that and it was special for all of us.

We certainly hope you will have some special moments here at Swansea. You’ve had some injuries over the last couple of seasons, but was the break in last season good for you in terms of being able to build that fitness up?

It was very important for me. Initially I found it quite annoying as I had returned in November and had got myself back into the side. But it helped me physically, no doubt. I had not played 90 minutes in 15 months due to knee and foot injuries almost back to back.

I was buzzing to be playing again, but I think that I needed that extra time and that break. It gave me a few months for my body to repair and I could do more strengthening. I felt better and stronger after lockdown. I put in some good performances, I felt I was playing better and I had a good game against Swansea that has obviously helped me to get to this amazing club.

Now I am here I want to do everything I can to help the club be successful. The welcome I have had from the players, the staff and the fans has been fantastic.

I just want to give my all and do my best for Swansea City.

When you are young that is a dream. When I was a kid, Arsenal and Manchester United were the teams going for the title. I was an Arsenal fan, but United are one of the biggest clubs in the world and they had a strong side out. Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Anthony Martial; they were all playing.

I remembered in the first half I had made a forward run, and no-one had tracked me. In the end Victor Lindelof came across because I tried to take an

33

I

JACK THE LAD s anyone else having difficulty working out exactly what time of year it is?

The calendar says one thing, but everything going on around me says another.

Let me explain.

I am a complete sports nut. Not just football, but everything from athletics to zorb football.

Okay, perhaps not zorb football, but I couldn’t think of a sport starting with Z, so I Googled it and that’s what came up.

Although, in the current climate, zorb football may be a particularly appropriate sport to play as participants are literally enclosed in individual bubbles. The perfect isolated and socially-distanced sport.

Anyway, suffice to say I love sport, so my internal calendar doesn’t tend to follow your conventional January, February, March etc, it follows what sporting event is going on at that particular time.

So you can imagine what the cancellation of this year’s Olympic Games has done to me. The biggest sporting event in the world - which only comes around once every four years - back by a whole year.

My whole summer was thrown into disarray, and that was before you even start to consider the annual

34

milestones which mark out my year.

For example, I follow cycling. For those of you who don’t, we are currently halfway through the Tour De France, so that means we are obviously in mid-July.

But it can’t be mid-July because Wales are playing a Six Nations rugby match against Scotland at the end of next month, so that means it must be January, possibly February.

Wait a minute. T he L ondon Marathon is being run next month.

The London Marathon is ALWAYS run in April, so this must be March.

Yes? No. Hang on. There must be some sport going on currently that I can depend on being in the right place.

That’s it . . . football!

The Championship season kicked off last weekend. So, we must definitely still be in August. Surely?

Apparently not. But we are getting a little bit closer to where we should be in the annual sporting calendar.

Good old dependable football, I knew I could rely on you to get me back on track. Well almost, we’re only about a month out.

But if it’s the start of the football season, shouldn’t I be getting

excited about going to a game?

This Saturday should have been the first home league game of the season.

It’s that time of year when you get that flutter of excitement in your stomach as the new season gets going.

It’s been three long months since the end of the season and you’re desperate to see the Swans in action again.

Hang on, here we go again! It’s not three long months since the Swans last played.

In fact it’s only been just over six weeks since they last kicked a ball in anger, bringing to a close the most bizarre campaign I can remember during more than 40 years of following the Swans.

I think one of the strangest moments of last season was sitting in just a pair of shorts, soaking up the sweltering mid-June sun in my back garden watching us play Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Swans TV. I should have been watching cricket, not football. Mind you, if I had been watching cricket it would probably have rained.

But witnessing the Swans play an away game against Middlesbrough without the need of at least three layers of clothing just didn’t seem right!

I suppose it was in-keeping with the rest of this most peculiar of peculiar years, and prepared us for what was to come during the run-in to the end of last season.

It’s always a huge bonus when a new arrival makes a matchwinning contribution on his debut, and that’s exactly what Morgan Gibbs-White did last Saturday.

Especially that never-to-beforgotten, topsy-turvy, helter-skelter of a night when the Swans pulled off the unlikeliest of all turnarounds to claim their place in the play-offs.

And what about the performance of Swansea’s three young defenders, Ben Cabango, Joe Rodon and Marc Guehi?

By now, whenever now is, we hoped we would be returning to somewhere approaching normal life.

Alas, we are not and whether it’s January, March, August or September, we have be thankful for small mercies at the moment.

And having the Swans back playing again has certainly provided a feeling of comforting familiarity.

Especially as we started the season with a positive result, which has become something of a reassuring habit in recent seasons with the Swans not having lost on the opening day since 2013.

That run was continued with a hard-fought 1-0 win on the road at Preston North End.

Cabango and Guehi are 20, while Rodon is just 22. The maturity of their performances was that of players in their mid to late 20s, rather than their early 20s . . . which has now made me confused about what year it is let alone what month it is!

With the likes of Connor Roberts, Freddie Woodman and Jake Bidwell not exactly ready to draw their pensions, the performance was hugely reassuring for the future.

And donning my Wales-supporting hat, isn’t it hugely satisfying that the Swans are providing such accomplished young defenders as Cabango, Rodon and Roberts for the national team?

short-term future, beginning with this Saturday’s match against Birmingham City I know we would all love to be heading to the Liberty Stadium this weekend but, for now, that is not possible.

Let’s just be grateful we’ve got some football to enjoy and, for me, I am doubly grateful for some kind of sporting routine I can get back into without getting too confused about what time of year it is.

I don’t know when we’ll be back at the Liberty . . . November, December, next year . . . who knows?

What’s important now is that we all stay as safe as we possibly can until the next time we are all together in a stadium once again.

In the meantime, we support the Swans as best we possibly can, wherever we all are and whatever time of year it is!

C’mon you Swans!

All of which makes me hugely excited for the long, medium and

35

CLUB SHOP OPENING TIMES

S

upporters are advised that the Liberty Stadium club shop will be open on Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30am until 5.30pm during home match weeks, and Fridays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 5.30pm during away match weeks and international breaks.

The club shop will remain closed on home matchdays for the foreseeable future in order to support the Welsh Government’s guidance on social distancing.

Supporters are still able to shop online at store.swanseacity.com. We are also still operating a click and collect service from our Cwmdu warehouse, Cwmdu Industrial Estate, Unit 26, SA5 8JF. Click and collect is available Monday to Friday between 9am and 2.30pm.

We would like to thank the Jack Army for their continued support.

DOWNLOAD NEW SWANS WALLPAPERS S

wansea City fans can spruce up the backgrounds on their desktop, tablet or mobile devices with our new downloadable wallpaper designs.

Modelled on our new home and away kits for outfield players and goalkeepers, the designs mean you can show your colours with our range of free backgrounds.

Go to www.dropbox.com/sh/y4bzs6j2b6z224z/ AAAzBoOyaW7E-8IDV6lqjnt4a?dl=0 to download your favourite.

37

WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE ONLINE BETTING COMPANY

38

Enjoy gambling responsibly. BeGambleAware.org 18+

SWANS ACADEMY

BY NIGEL REES

G

ood afternoon everybody/Prynhawn da pawb and welcome back to what is going to be an exciting and challenging season for our academy players.

All our squads are now in full attendance after the summer holidays and the Covid-19 pandemic, and the games programme is fully operational for our professional phase players. The Landore training facility is an extremely vibrant and busy environment with over 200 players ranging from under-nine to under-23s in attendance on a daily basis.

Players and staff have created a very positive and professional atmosphere for our players to develop.

Last season was a successful season in terms of the development of our players with Ben Cabango, Jack Evans, Tivonge Rushesha, Jordon Garrick and Kees de Boer all making first-team debuts. Our academy programme underlines a long-term desire to enhance our reputation as one of Britain’s leading clubs.

The infrastructure, both in terms of our staff and physical facilities, are improving year on year. We are becoming an established academy with all our staff fully committed to setting high standards on and off the field to meet the demands of young players from ages eight to 23.

Our aim is to make young players the focal point of our development programme, with all our efforts generated towards acquiring and improving players who will have the ability to eventually play for the first team.

The under-23s had an excellent campaign last year and have started this season with an emphatic 5-1 win against Cardiff City in the Professional Development League programme thanks to goals from Daniel Williams, Garrick, Kristoffer Peterson, Cameron Evans and Ali Al-Hamadi. The players put in an excellent performance and have set their stall out for the remainder of the season.

The games programme is both intense and competitive and will help to bring our players as close to first-team experience as possible.

The under-18s have had a very productive pre-season with staff and players working tirelessly during these very uncertain times to ensure that the players have had a structured programme in which they can train and develop. Pre-season plays a key role in the development of the players as it allows both coaches and players to build up a good understanding of the needs of each individual before the games programme begins.

For many of this squad it will be the first time they have lived away from home and we are always mindful of helping each player with this big transition. The players will be with us on a full-time basis and this is a very different environment that takes time for the players to adjust to.

The first fixture for this squad is also against Cardiff City and the players are eagerly awaiting their first competitive match for almost six months. Both our foundation and youth phase are now back in training, but this has been a very complicated process to ensure that we comply with both Welsh Government and EFL rules. It has been a huge relief to get all the players back and I would like to thank all the parents, players and staff for their patience and diligence during this time.

Although we had numerous meetings with parents and players using a variety of social media platforms, seeing them for the first time after lockdown was amazing.

Both these phases have developed very positively during the last few years and there has been a great investment into both phases in terms of resources and coaching hours.

We have developed an innovative curriculum, which is designed to allow all our players the opportunity to learn in a “no fear� environment, and all players are encouraged to express themselves at every opportunity.

Again, a big thank you to our ground staff for getting our pitches ready in such a short time and, yet again, the pitches look excellent. This is a very exciting time for us and we are all looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Enjoy the game!

39

Become an extraordinary leader ionleadership.co.uk

Dental Care Provider to

The Swans 01792 642 733

www.eastsidedental.co.uk 40

DATE: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 VENUE: LANDORE TRAINING CENTRE Swans U23s: Lewis Webb,

SWANS U23S 5 CARDIFF CITY U23S 1 MATCH REPORT S

Tivonge Rushesha, Jacob Jones, Jake Thomas, Cameron Evans (captain), Scott Butler, Daniel Williams, Oli Cooper, Jordon Garrick (Bradley Gibbings, 80), Ryan Bevan (Cameron Congreve, 80), Kristoffer Peterson (Ali Al-Hamadi, 60).

Subs not used: Tyler Evans, Harry Jones.

at thin air with a magnificent 25-yard free-kick that curled in off the post for his first goal at this level.

wansea City Under-23s made a blistering st a r t t o t h e P rofe s s i o n a l D eve l o p m e nt League season with a thumping victory over Cardiff City at Landore.

Goals from Daniel Williams, Kristoffer Peterson and Jordon Garrick gave the development side a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time, while further strikes from Ali Al-Hamadi and Cameron Evans completed the rout.

For their first competitive game in six months, the young Swans fielded a starting XI featuring four first-year pros and two scholars, while Garrick and Peterson were given the opportunity to get valuable minutes under their belts.

Coaches Jon Grey and Martin Davies also handed an under-23s’ debut to 16-year-old Cameron Congreve in the latter stages, against a Cardiff side featuring six players with over 700 Football League appearances between them.

The opening exchanges proved to be evenlyfought, before the Swans took full control of the contest.

They broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute when Williams left Cardiff keeper Joe Day clutching

Peterson doubled the lead four minutes before half-time, showing great c omposure under extreme pressure in the box with a couple of neat touches to beat his opponents before slotting home.

Within three minutes it was 3-0, as a long ball broke kindly for Garrick, who fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

Steve Morison’s Cardiff narrowed the deficit 17 minutes into the second half with one of the few clear chances they created, as substitute Isaak Davies set up Chanka Zimba to pull one back.

Davies then shot agonisingly wide soon after as the visitors looked to build on their momentum.

But the Swans responded in the 72nd minute when substitute Al-Hamadi finished from a rebound after initially playing in Garrick, who was denied by Day. Garrick was involved again as Evans put the icing on the cake 12 minutes from time.

Picking up the ball inside his own half, the skipper ran into the open space and exchanged passes with Garrick before firing home to round off a five-goal, five-star performance.

41

STAPLES JOINS LADIES’ STAFF

S

wansea City Ladies have added the experienced Colin Staples to their coaching staff ahead of the upcoming season.

S t a p l e s wo r ke d w i t h t h e o r i g i n a l S wa n s e a L adies back in the early 1990s in the South West Counties League, prior to the formation of Swansea City Ladies in 2002.

His impressive CV includes stints with Welsh Premier Women’s League outfit Port Talbot and Yeovil Town in the Women’s Super League; as well as being head coach of the Wales Under-17 and Under-19 Ladies squads.

The Swans will embark on their very own E u r o p e a n a d ve n t u r e i n t h e U E FA Wo m e n’ s Champions League in the coming weeks, as a result of them lifting the WPWL title with an an unbeaten record last season.

It’s an experience Staples cannot wait to be a part of.

“I have been lucky enough to have had experiences in UEFA championships for national teams but not at club level, so it is a great opportunity,” he added.

The newly-appointed head coach is excited to have been given the chance to represent the club he has supported his entire life.

“In terms of the league, I want to see how much I can help to improve the players even further and see what we can get out of them, beyond what they have already produced.”

“I’m a Swansea boy and I have been a massive Swansea City fan since I was little, so the chance to come and work within my hometown club was a great opportunity for me,” said Staples.

The announcement of Staples’ appointment on Twitter was welcomed by the Jack Army, and he was grateful for the warm reception the news has received.

“I c ame here (Swansea City L adies ) to test myself and hopefully help the team to progress even further.

“I was over the moon (at the reaction). It ’s always nice to be welcomed somewhere and, when I saw that sort of reaction, it did take me aback,” he said.

“The record of the club in the women’s game is impressive so it will be great to work alongside great players.”

“Now I have to prove that it was worth the club’s effort to take me on.”

During Staples’ time as the man in charge of Wales’ youth sides, he gained vast experience on the European stage.

43

STRENGTHS

VERY STRONG PENALTY SAVING STRONG LONG PASSING STRONG SAVING CLOSE-RANGE SHOTS STRONG CONCENTRATION

SWANS’ RECORD v BIRMINGHAM CITY

44

FEWEST GOALS CONCEDED

SINCE 19-20

BIRMINGHAM CITY 1-3 SWANSEA CITY SWANSEA CITY 3-0 BIRMINGHAM CITY SWANSEA CITY 3-3 BIRMINGHAM CITY

BRENTFORD 21 SWANSEA 23 DERBY 23 BLACKBURN 24

BIRMINGHAM CITY 0-0 SWANSEA CITY BIRMINGHAM CITY 0-2 SWANSEA CITY BIRMINGHAM CITY 1-2 SWANSEA CITY

P

r e s t o n h u ff e d a n d p u ff e d b u t c o u l d n o t b r e a k

When it comes to head-to-head record, the hosts hold the

Swansea City ’s resolve at Deepdale on Saturday

upper hand in the recent meetings between the two sides.

as the Swans got their 2020-21 campaign off to a

winning start.

The Swans are unbeaten in the last six clashes against Birmingham, winning four, and they did the double over

Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal early in the second half – on

the Midlands side last term. How they would love to

his league debut - proved to be the difference between

continue that sequence and make it six points from six at

the two sides as Steve Cooper oversaw a 1-0 win in

the start of the new campaign.

Lancashire.

It ’s back to the Liberty Stadium this weekend as the Swans gear up to welcome Birmingham City for their home opener. Like Swansea, Birmingham also earned a hard-fought 1-0 win on the opening weekend, picking up a victory at Brentford’s expense to secure all three points.

However, the Blues need to improve their fortunes on the road if they are to build on that triumph over last season’s play-off runners’ up.

B i r m i n g h a m h ave l o s t t h e i r l a s t t h r e e away l e a g u e matches and have failed to sc ore in their last four.

That doesn’t bode well for the Midlands outfit against a Swansea side that has conceded just 23 home league goals since the start of 2019-20, and they ’ll need to find a way past one of the Championship’s more solid goalkeepers in the form of Freddie Woodman.

A shut-out at Deepdale means Woodman has kept 13 clean sheets in England’s second tier since the start of last season, one of the best returns in the league.

Woodman kept a clean sheet in this fixture last season and given Birmingham’s goalscoring difficulties - since the start of 2019-20 only a handful of teams have scored fewer goals than the Blues tally of 52 - he’ll be looking to add to his impressive clean sheet record on home turf.

Indeed, Birmingham’s chance conversion rate of just 8.8 per cent is one of the worst of all Championship sides over the same period. Not that Swansea will be taking anything for granted with a new man in the Blues dug-out looking to revitalise their fortunes.

That’s not to say Birmingham are to be underestimated, and Swansea certainly won’t be taking the visitors lightly.

New Blues boss Aitor Karanka is an experienced Championship head coach and he has the tactical nous to make life difficult for opponents.

The Spaniard is likely to look to Lukas Jutkiewicz to lead the line once more and, while he was unable to get on the scoresheet last time out, the striker has still scored more league goals (15) than any other Birmingham player since the start of the 2019/20 campaign.

Dominant in the air, Swansea may need to be wary of Birmingham looking to play the ball long to maximise his aerial ability and try and find a way to unsettle a Swansea defence that showed great resilience at Deepdale last weekend Jutkiewicz did score in the meeting at St. Andrew’s last season, so he is aware of what is needed to breach the Swans defence.

But , if Woodman plays to the best of his ability, the Swansea keeper will back himself to prevent the 31-yearold from opening his account for the season at the Liberty Stadium.

Considering their record against Birmingham and a strong end to last season, Swansea can come into Saturday’s clash with confidence but knowing they need to avoid complacency.

And Woodman and his defence will look to keep their focus and continue from the solid foundations laid last time out.

45

FAN FOCUS NATHAN SCOTTER ABOUT NATHAN Name: Nathan Scotter Age: 19 From: Sydney, Australia

How long have you been supporting the Swans?

Seven years What was the first Swans game you attended/ watched on TV? Manchester United on the opening day of the 2014-15 season. We won 2-1, so a great match to start with!

a tough task . T he Swans not only won, but S i g u rd s s o n a l s o s n i p e d a g o a l a n d a s s i st , suddenly sparking my interest in this team I had hardly ever heard of before. This may also sound strange, but I found the Swans badge aesthetically pleasing and by watching more and more games, enjoying the style of football and the quality of players such as Wilfried Bony, Jonjo Shelvey, Andre Ayew, Bafetimbi Gomis, Lukasz Fabianski, I continued to support the Swans.

What is your most memorable Swans moment?

Why did you start supporting the Swans?

As an avid fantasy football player, I had put Gylfi Sigurdsson in my team on the opening day of the 2014-15 Premier League season, owing to his great statistics from the previous year. Not really knowing too much about Swansea City, I simply wanted Sigurdsson to score or assist a goal against Manchester United - seemingly

46

This would probably be the 3-2 win against Liverpool at Anfield during the 2016-17 c ampaign. T his was one of the only games in the season that was televised free to air in Australia, so I stayed up for the midnight k i c k- o ff. G o i n g 2 - 0 u p, I r e m e m b e r g o i n g absolutely crazy, probably texting everyone in my phone. With Firmino’s brace having levelled up the game, Sigurdsson’s winning goal was all the more thrilling, and to hold on against Liverpool’s onslaught for the next 20 minutes in such fashion away from home, being bottom of the league, has to make this game and this win my most memorable Swans moment.

Can you tell us about the greatest sacrifice you have made to watch the Swans?

Whether it be late nights or early mornings, anyone who lives Down Under would say their greatest sacrifice to watch the Swans would be their sleep.

Describe to us your typical pre-match ritual?

Secure my Swans TV Live account, set up the laptop, connect it to my Bluetooth speaker for as real a matchday experience as I can. And maybe, just maybe, a cheeky bet (always for the Swans to win of course)!

Who is your favourite current player, and why?

A ndre Ayew. Having been at the club for a number of years, he has continued to perform on a consistent basis. With a sensational workrate and technical skill, he is not afraid to take defenders on, and adds that spark to the team we have needed of late. He also grabs goals, and has scored some worldies throughout his Swans career. Definitely my favourite current player.

Who is your favourite Swans player of all time, and why?

L uk as z Fabianski. He was one of the mo st underrated goalkeepers in the Premier League in my opinion, and continued to improve season by season at the Swans. He saved us countless times and was one of my inspirations to become a goalkeeper. He was an integral member of the squad for most of our time in the top flight, with a humble attitude and friendly demeanour.

What is your favourite Swans kit from over the years?

I really like the 2015-16 kit. The colour, diamond sponsor design and copper collar – special!

What has been your most disappointing moment watching the club?

It would have to be conceding a terribly scrappy goal against Southampton, which saw us lose our relegation battle after a long and courageous fight.

What makes Swansea City special to you?

The uniqueness of the club in terms of its playing st y l e, h i st o r y, p l aye r s , a n d t h e c o m m u n i t y atmosphere about Swansea make it so special.

Despite being so many miles away, I feel a part of the club, and that means so much to me.

47

48

49

MAIN PARTNERS

CLUB PARTNERS

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS

50

PLAYER SPONSORS 20-21 FREDDIE WOODMAN

STEVEN BENDA

JOE RODON

BEN CABANGO

MARC GUEHI

KYLE NAUGHTON

CONNOR ROBERTS

JAKE BIDWELL

MATT GRIMES

KOREY SMITH

JAY FULTON

YAN DHANDA

MORGAN GIBBS-WHITE

JORDON GARRICK

WAYNE ROUTLEDGE

JAMAL LOWE

ANDRE AYEW

LIAM CULLEN

CALL 01792 616 624 OR

EMAIL L.MERRELLS@SWANSEACITY.COM FOR AVAILABILITY 51

SEASON 2020-21

52

Match Statistics

Key

Goal =

Captain =

Sub = 2 (number denotes player replaced)

FIXTURE

DATE

TEAM

Newport County (CC R2) A L 2-0

Sat, Sep 5, 3pm

Woodman

Routledge 3

Naughton

Rodon

Fulton

Bidwell 1

Preston North End A W 0-1

Sat, Sep 12, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Rodon

Guehi

Bidwell

Birmingham City H

Sat, Sep 19, 3pm

Waycombe Wanderers A

Sat, Sep 26, 12.30pm

Millwall H

Sat, Oct 3, 3pm

Huddersfield Town H

Sat, Oct 17, 3pm

Coventry City A

Tue, Oct 20, 7.45pm

Bristol City A

Sat, Oct 24, 3pm

Stoke City H

Tue, Oct 27, 7.45pm

Blackburn Rovers H

Sat, Oct 31, 3pm

Brentford A

Tue, Nov 3, 7.45pm

Norwich City A

Sat, Nov 7, 3pm

Rotherham United H

Sat, Nov 21, 3pm

Sheffield Wednesday A

Wed, Nov 25, 7.45pm

Nottingham Forest H

Sat, Nov 28, 3pm

Middlesbrough A

Wed, Dec 2, 7.45pm

Luton Town H

Sat, Dec 5, 3pm

A.F.C. Bournemouth H

Tue, Dec 8, 7.45pm

Cardiff City A

Sat, Dec 12, 3pm

Derby County A

Wed, Dec 16, 7.45pm

Barnsley H

Sat, Dec 19, 3pm

Queens Park Rangers A

Sat, Dec 26, 3pm

Reading H

Tue, Dec 29, 7.45pm

Watford H

Sat, Jan 2, 3pm

Barnsley A

Sat, Jan 16, 3pm

Blackburn Rovers A

Tue, Jan 19, 7.45pm

Brentford H

Sat, Jan 23, 3pm

Rotherham United A

Sat, Jan 30, 3pm

Norwich City H

Sat, Feb 6, 3pm

Sheffield Wednesday A

Sat, Feb 13, 3pm

Nottingham Forest H

Wed, Feb 17, 7.45pm

Huddersfield Town A

Sat, Feb 20, 3pm

Coventry City H

Wed, Feb 24, 7.45pm

Bristol City H

Sat, Feb 27, 3pm

Stoke City A

Wed, Mar 3, 8pm

Middlesbrough H

Sat, Mar 6, 3pm

Luton Town A

Sat, Mar 13, 3pm

A.F.C. Bournemouth A

Tues, Mar 16, 7.45pm

Cardiff City H

Sat, Mar 20, 3pm

Birmingham City A

Fri, Apr 2, 3pm

Preston North End H

Mon, Apr 5, 3pm

Millwall A

Sat, Apr 10, 3pm

Wycombe Wanderers H

Sat, Apr 17, 3pm

Queens Park Rangers H

Tues, Apr 20, 7.45pm

Reading A

Sat, Apr 24, 3pm

Derby County H

Sat, May 1, 3pm

Watford A

Sat, May 8, 3pm

Booked =

Sent off =

Carabao Cup = CC

FA Cup = FA

Correct as of September 16, 2020

SUBSTITUTES Grimes

Smith 2

Gibbs-White

Grimes

Smith

Gibbs-White

1

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Rushesha, Evans, Williams, Dhanda 2, Peterson 3, Asoro 1

Lowe 2

Ayew

Benda, Naughton, Fulton 1, Dhanda, Routledge 2, Peterson, Cullen

53

CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE 20-21 POS TEAM

P

*Sheffield Wednesday deducted 12 points subject to appeal.

W D L

F

A

GD PTS

1

Queens Park Rangers

1

1

0

0

2

0

2

3

2

Reading

1

1

0

0

2

0

2

3

3

Bournemouth

1

1

0

0

3

2

1

3

4

Bristol City

1

1

0

0

2

1

1

3

5

Birmingham City

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

3

6

Luton Town

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

3

7

Norwich City

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

3

8

Rotherham United

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

3

9

Swansea City

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

3

10

Watford

1

1

0

0

1

0

1

3

11

Millwall

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

12

Stoke City

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

13

Blackburn Rovers

1

0

0

1

2

3

-1

0

14

Coventry City

1

0

0

1

1

2

-1

0

15

Barnsley

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

16

Brentford

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

17

Huddersfield Town

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

18

Middlesbrough

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

19

Preston North End

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

20

Wycombe Wanderers

1

0

0

1

0

1

-1

0

21

Cardiff City

1

0

0

1

0

2

-2

0

22

Derby County

1

0

0

1

0

2

-2

0

23

Nottingham Forest

1

0

0

1

0

2

-2

0

24

Sheffield Wednesday*

1

1

0

0

2

0

2

-9

T

UPCOMING FIXTURES WYCOMBE WANDERERS (A)

Saturday, Sep 26, 12.30pm

MILLWALL (H)

Saturday, Oct 3, 3pm

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (H) Saturday, Oct 17, 3pm

COVENTRY CITY (A)

Tuesday, Oct 20, 7.45pm

BRISTOL CITY (A)

Saturday, Oct 24, 3pm

Correct as of September 16, 2020

NEXT UP AT HOME - MILLWALL

he Lions have made a solid start to the season, drawing their opening league fixture against Stoke and advancing to the third round of the Carabao Cup. Gary Rowett’s side were among the play-off contenders last term, only to miss out late in the season, and will have aspirations of launching another promotion push.

20

19

Promoted back to the Championship in 2017, Millwall were a top-flight club in the late 1980s - with the likes of Teddy Sheringham and Tony Cascarino in their side.

They were relegated in 1990 and have played their football in the second or third tiers of English football ever since.

54

SWANS

MILLWALL

11 DRAWS 50 PAST MEETINGS

55

SQUAD LIST V

HEAD COACH: STEVE COOPER Freddie Woodman Joe Rodon Marc Guéhi Jay Fulton Korey Smith Matt Grimes Jamal Lowe André Ayew Morgan Gibbs-White Steven Benda Wayne Routledge Kristoffer Peterson Liam Cullen Yan Dhanda Connor Roberts Jake Bidwell Kyle Naughton George Byers Tivonge Rushesha Oli Cooper Daniel Williams Cameron Evans Jordon Garrick Lewis Webb Ben Cabango

1 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 20 21 23 24 26 28 30 31 37 38 41 42 44

HEAD COACH: AITOR KARANKA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 14 16 17 20 21 23 25 26 28 30 31 34 37 38 40 42

Andrés Prieto Maxime Colin Kristian Pedersen Marc Roberts George Friend Maikel Kieftenbeld Dan Crowley Adam Clayton Lukas Jutkiewicz Jérémie Bela Harlee Dean Jonathan Leko Josh Mceachran Ivan Sanchez Gary Gardner Agustin Medina Jon Toral Josh Dacres-Cogley David Davis Miguel Fernandez Neil Etheridge Charlie Lakin Ivan Šunjić Odin Bailey Zach Jeacock Adan George Steve Seddon

MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE: GAVIN WARD ASSISTANT REFEREES: SAM LEWIS AND GRAHAM KANE FOURTH OFFICIAL: MARK RUSSELL

56