Swansea City v Nottingham Forest – 20-21 – Issue 17

Cadwch yn ddiogel Jacks

Issue 17 - Digital Copy

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Swansea City v Nottingham Forest Wednesday, February 17 - Kick-off 7pm

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CONTENTS Page 15 - Curt helps local charity

Page 16 - Meet the Opposition

Page 20 - Match Report

Page 28 - Q&A with Paul Arriola

Page 38 - Curt’s tribute to Dai Davies

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.

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CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES VISIT SWANSEACITY.COM

Chief Executive Julian Winter Board Of Directors Directors: Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Huw Jenkins, Jason Levien, Stuart McDonald, Martin Morgan, Gareth Davies, Julian Winter, Jake Silverstein, Sam Porter 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 Director: Mark Allen Staff: David Tivey, Ritson Lloyd, Ailsa Jones, Matthew Murray, Adele Callaghan, Daniel Morris, Lee Watkins, Chris Watkins, Tom Jenkinson, 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 Commercial Marketing Manager: Katie Hughes Head of Media & Communications: Ben Donovan Media Manager: Chris Wilson-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, Alun Rhys Chivers, Ben Donovan, Chris Wilson-Barney, Andrew Gwilym, Jonathan Davies, Sophie Davis, Adam Evans, Gwyn Rees, Ben Jones, Dylan James, Luke Evans, Rachael Tucker 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/Ffôn: 01792 616400 Web/Gwe: swanseacity.com Email/E-bost: info@swanseacity.com

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Chief Executive’s Notes

JULIAN WINTER G

ood evening and welcome back to the Liberty Stadium for tonight’s Championship game against Nottingham Forest.

U nfo r t u n at e l y, t h e i s s u e of racism in society has reared its ugly head once again in the past week, with one of our own having to suffer unacceptable and vile abuse via social media.

As Steve has said before, this season is like no other in terms of the busy schedule and we are embracing the challenge for what it is.

We have also recently published t h e r e s u l t s o f o u r c at e r i n g survey that went out to supporters, and the feedback we had was excellent.

It ’s been a week now sinc e we were last in action as we bowed out of the FA Cup against Manchester City here at the Liberty.

This will help us to provide a better catering experience for all supporters when you are safely allowed back in the stadium.

T h e c l u b h ave a c t e d i n t h e best possible way and Yan has conducted himself with great dignity in what has been a really tough period for him.

It was great to see young Morgan Whittaker get his first goal for the club, as well as several other players make their first appearances for Swansea City.

As a club we fully back the EFL’s open letter that was sent to Twitter and Facebook last week, and once more we urge them to go above and beyond to stamp out this abhorrent behaviour from their platforms and from society.

Sadly, however, the club learned of the passing of former Swans and Wales goalkeeper Dai Davies earlier the same day.

Yan continues to have our full support and we will back him in every way possible.

We had hoped to come into this fixture on the back of a positive result at Sheffield Wednesday, but unfortunately that game fell foul to the inclement weather.

Dai had three spells with the club and starred as the Swans finished sixth in the First Division in 1981-82. Our thoughts and c ondolenc es are with D ai’s family and friends at this time.

I’m writing these notes ahead of our first ever virtual fans’ forum, which took place this week. Since I have arrived at the club I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to engage properly with supporters and we hope that the event is a success.

There was also some positive news earlier this week as youngster Ollie Cooper signed a new contract with the club, and we wish Oli all the success here in the short and long-term.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the management, players, staff and directors from Nottingham Forest who have made the trip to Wales for tonight’s game.

We enjoyed a fine win the last time we played a league game on home soil against Norwich, so fingers crossed for another positive result this evening.

Enjoy the game.

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Head Coach’s Notes

STEVE COOPER G

ood evening everyone as we look ahead to our Championship encounter with Nottingham Forest.

I think it is only right to start my notes by reiterating that everyone at Swansea City has given their full support to Yan Dhanda after he was subjected to appalling racist abuse on social media following the FA Cup tie against Manchester City.

I have spoken to Yan every day since last Wednesday. It has been a tough situation, and credit to him in how he has handled himself and articulated himself.

He has tried to ensure the right message gets out publicly on how things can be improved, whilst dealing with the abuse he has received on a personal level.

It just shows what a strong character Yan is; he wants answers and solutions so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.

We are very, very proud of Yan for the person he is. He has been put in a very difficult situation, but he has handled himself brilliantly.

Unfortunately, I have experience of similar situations where players have been subject to racial abuse in the past, and I learned that everyone is different and there’s not just one way of dealing with it.

We made changes, got some new players on the pitch and we got to play against one of the best teams in the world, but there were no players hiding from the challenge and that is a good sign of our mentality.

Yan knows that he has everyone here at Swansea City ready to help in any way.

The postponement of last weekend’s league game at Sheffield Wednesday meant we have gone a week since that cup clash with City, which has allowed us a bit more time to prepare for tonight’s game.

That could be a conversation or someone just to be there – support comes in many ways, and we’ll provide that.

All we can do is support him, be there for him, and make sure he knows we are behind him 100 per cent.

He won’t be beaten by mindless individuals and neither will Swansea City Football Club.

I often talk about the importance of everyone sticking together and helping each other during the good and testing times, and I think we’ve seen that over the course of the past week.

This will be the third time we’ve played Forest this season, with the last outing coming just last month in the FA Cup, where we played very well to progress into the next round.

Every game is different though, and we look at tonight as a different challenge particularly as both teams have added new players to their squads.

Enjoy the game.

Back to on-field matters, our cup exit to Manchester City was a game which we could learn a lot from as a group.

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MATT GRIMES Captain’s Notes

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ood evening and welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for this evening’s Championship meeting with Nottingham Forest at the Liberty.

Last time out we fell to defeat against Manchester City in the Emirates FA Cup, in a game we always knew was going to be a difficult challenge, and it certainly proved to be so.

It was made even more difficult when we gave two goals away early in the second half, but we pushed on, showed resilience and battled to ensure we didn’t concede again, pulling a goal back through Morgan Whittaker.

There were lessons to take from the game and we are well aware that we were up against one of the best teams in the world.

We were obviously disappointed to lose but immediately our mindset switched and our focus was firmly set on the Championship.

Away from on-pitch matters, it goes without saying that we were appalled and saddened following the match to hear that Yan Dhanda had been subjected to such vile and abhorrent racial abuse on social media.

Myself and the rest of the squad stand strong and are unwavering in our support of Yan. The level of abuse he and other players have to endure on social media is wholly unacceptable and more has to be done by social media companies to stamp this out, because it is becoming a stain on the game we all love.

More needs to be done to eradicate all forms of hate and abuse on social media. No one should be subjected to abuse for their ethnicity, sexuality or gender. There is no place for it in society, let alone football.

as a club, will continue to offer our full support to him.

Back on the field, it was disappointing to have Saturday’s match at Sheffield Wednesday called off due to a frozen pitch but, as I’ve said before, we are ready to adapt to whatever comes our way and we took it in our stride.

It was by no means a break from football, or a weekend off, as we utilised the extra days to get more training under our belts and set our focus on this evening’s match.

We want to make sure that is reflected in our performance.

Enjoy the game this evening.

Yan is a popular and valued member of the squad and we as team-mates, and Swansea City

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Ministry

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oday, Terry Sinnett and Ceri Stone write: These are exciting times for both the club and Supporters’ Trust but sadly our progress has been overshadowed by shocking events off the field.

We congratulate the squad for an excellent run of form and in particular Steve Cooper for being named Sky Bet EFL Championship Manager of the Month. We are celebrating real growth in membership as we head into our 20th anniversary year.

However, this week, we need to address the disgraceful treatment of Yan Dhanda on social media.

We have publicly supported Yan and the club. We join our entire community in condemning the vile behaviour of the mindless minority. We abhor racism, discrimination and hate speech in any form. There is no place for it in society, sport or our football club.

We unequivocally support Yan and will actively assist the club and South Wales Police in their investigations.

We were pleased to see immediate and positive action from the club and an outpouring of support for Yan from true fans on social media platforms. It is also reminiscent of an incident that Ceri experienced four years ago, where he encountered first-hand experience of this anti-social behaviour. He recalls: “Saturday, May 6, 2017. We produced one of the outstanding performances of our season to beat Everton 1-0 and help stave off the threat of relegation.

During the game the man sat directly behind me shouted the most offensive racial epithet towards an Everton player. I was shocked. I protested and asked him to refrain from the use of such language. The lady sat next to him was braver than I and politely explained to him the error of his ways.

“After the game three fans separately reported the incident to the stewards. The club acted swiftly and decisively. They carried out a thorough investigation, interviewed us all and the ‘gentleman’ was banned from the club.”

Ceri was upset at the vile abuse but heartened that the response from the club and supporters was exemplary. We stayed true to our values and showed that we will not tolerate such behaviour. We support Yan and everyone in the wider community that suffer from such abhorrent actions. The authorities must act as decisively and swiftly, as our club did in 2017.

We have three simple starting points: 1. Proof of identity must be introduced as a necessity to set up a social media account. This removes anonymity and makes it easy to identify culprits.

2. Greater punishments must be introduced for offenders.

3. Introduce stricter regulation of social media platforms and firm punishments when they fall short.

Take them offline for ignoring offensive behaviour.

The Supporters’ Trust welcomes all people irrespective of gender, race or sexual orientation. We will not tolerate any discriminatory behaviour or hatred to our members or club.

For the ignorant minority it’s time to stop. Enough is enough. You are not welcome in our club.

WE STAND WITH YAN. #YJB

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Available online at www.store.swanseacity.com 14

HONORARY PRESIDENT CURTIS HELPS LOCAL CANCER CHARITY S

wansea City honorary president Alan Curtis has helped raise £1,500 for local cancer charity Maggie’s.

The Swans legend, along with his wife Clare, c ompleted the Walk 50 miles for Maggie’s challenge in January.

Curtis, who overcame prostrate cancer eight years ago, is now an ambassador for Maggie’s and has helped raise vital funds in what has proved a difficult time for charities throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Maggie’s Swansea is a local charity that provides practical, emotional and social support to men, women and children with cancer, their families and friends, across south west Wales.

They also offer a range of support including benefits advice, children’s counselling services, bereavement support, cancer specific support groups, nutrition advice and post-treatment courses.

Lucia Osmond, centre fundraising manager, said: “We are delighted that our ambassador Alan Curtis and his wife Clare took part in the challenge for Maggie’s in Swansea this January, along with nearly 3,000 participants.

“The doctor arranged for me to see a nurse, and we chatted about general health,” said Curtis. “I was training quite hard back then, but I was always going back to the toilet day and night.

“They asked if I had done a prostrate exam. I said no, so they tested me.

“I went for a biopsy at Morriston Hospital, and they said there were five or six traces. It was early enough, but they could act on it. I was referred to Velindre Hospital in Cardiff.

“I saw a gentleman who was a season ticket holder that sits behind the dug out at the Liberty. He discussed the treatment, and I was going back every three months or so.

“But it just shows how important it is to not ignore doing a prostrate exam. It could save your life.”

To find out more about Maggie’s Swansea and to see how the centre supports people with cancer and their families across South West Wales, call 01792 200000 or email swansea@maggies.org or visit: www.maggiescentres.org/swansea

“A huge thank you to all the sponsors that supported Alan and Clare. The impact of the pandemic has significantly affected our ability to fundraise through our usual plans, but the need for cancer support is more than ever.

“Thank you so much for continuing to champion Maggie’s in Swansea.”

Curtis, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s honours list, also stressed the importance of having a prostrate check.

It was in 2013 that Curtis was diagnosed, having originally gone to see his doctor to get his ears syringed.

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NOTTINGHAM FOREST

FACT FILE THE GAFFER

OWNER

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@NFFC

@officialnffc

@officialnffc

City Ground

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TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK STADIUM OPENED CAPACITY

Chris Hughton is the man in charge at the City Ground after taking over from Sabri Lamouchi at the beginning of October last year. The 62-year-old played the majority of his career for Tottenham Hotspur as a left back, before spells with West Ham United and Brentford. He represented the Republic of Ireland 53 times, becoming the first mixed race player to do so. Hughton has also managed Spurs, Newcastle United, Birmingham, Norwich and Brighton.

CLUB CAPTAIN

Forest initially named four captains for the season, with Grabban, Michael Dawson, Samba Sow and Joe Worrall the quartet selected. Chris Hughton has not ripped up that template, but it has been Grabban who had been wearing the armband on the pitch when fit. Experienced striker Grabban, 32, has long been a reliable goalscorer and he is well-travelled having had spells with Crystal Palace, Oldham, Motherwell, Brentford, Rotherham, Bournemouth, Norwich, Reading, Sunderland and Aston Villa before joining Forest.

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FOUNDED

Evangelos Marinakis Forest

LEWIS GRABBAN CHRIS HUGHTON

CLUB DETAILS SOCIAL MEDIA FACILITIES

STADIUM MEET THE OPPOSITION Forest are most known for their European success back in 1979 and 1980, where they won the European Cup in back-to-back years under the famous Brian Clough. In his last decade in charge, Clough led Forest to two League Cups in as many years, as well as an FA Cup Final. The Reds have not been in the PL since relegation in 1999, but came agonisingly close to making the playoffs last term, only to be edged out by the Swans.

FOREST’S FORM Forest had a miserable start to the season and even a change of manager did not lift them from a slump that had started at the tail-end of last season. But they have found some solid form over the last couple of months, losing just one of their last 11 league fixtures. Prior to that they had been on a run of seven games without win, but things are starting to look up.

THE KEY MEN January loan signing Glenn Murray has wasted little time making an impact, with two goals from his first three appearances for Forest and his reliable goalscoring record could prove to be a major asset. Lyle Taylor was a high-profile off-season acquisition as the striker arrived from Charlton, and has five goals to his name, but has been on the bench recently. While Matty Cash departed last summer they retained the excellent Joe Worrall, who has provided them with a big boost since returning from injury at the back.

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CYRUS CHRISTIE

ONES TO WATCH

Right-back Christie is on loan at Forest from Premier League side Fulham, and has made 27 appearances in the Championship this season.

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The Republic of Ireland international has been defensively solid, and has no shortage of experience following spells with Middlesbrough, Derby and Coventry.

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After signing from Sporting Lisbon on loan in January 2018, the defender made his move permanent just months later on July 1st.

The 26-year-old has a wealth of experience in top flight football, in the E uropa L eague and Champions League.

Has made 25 appearances so far this season, making a big impact in the improving Forest defence.

TOBIAS FIGUEIREDO

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JOE LOLLEY Signing in 2018 from Huddersfield Town, Lolley penned a four-year deal at the City Ground.

Lolley enjoyed a successful 2019/2020 campaign, with ten goals and nine assists in all competitions.

This season he has found starting opportunities harder to come by, even though he has made 25 appearances in all competitions. However, he remains a dangerous Championship operator.

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Signing from Olympiacos on deadline day in October, Cafu has made 18 appearances for Forest this season. The Portgual man’s best performance to date came up against Millwall in January, where he received huge praise from the Forest faithful for his efforts.

The 27-year-old has flourished under Reds boss Chris Hughton, putting in consistent performances wherever he’s been asked to play.

CAFÚ

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He may be in the latter stages of his career, but veteran forward Murray remains a reliable goalscorer and has already netted twice for Forest since joining on loan. Over 19 years in the game, Murray is best known for his three stints with Brighton, during which he netted over 100 league goals for the south-coast club.He also grabbed 44 goals in 112 league games for Crystal Palace.

GLENN MURRAY 19

SWANSEA CITY 1 MANCHESTER CITY 3

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MATCH DETAILS DATE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 VENUE: LIBERTY STADIUM REFEREE: PETER BANKES

MATCH REPORT S

w a n s e a C i t y ’ s FA C u p r u n c a m e t o a n e n d d e s p i t e a b att l i n g d i s p l ay a g a i n s t Manchester City in their fifth-round tie at the Liberty Stadium.

Kyle Walker’s cross found its way into the net to give the visitors the half-time lead, and quickfire strikes from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus put the Premier League leaders firmly in control after the interval.

But Steve Cooper’s side never wilted, and got a deserved goal as striker Morgan Whittaker marked his debut with an excellent finish with 13 minutes to go.

The hosts had defended stoutly over the opening exchange – with Jordan Morris looking lively in attack on his first start – but they fell behind when Walker’s ball into the box evaded Jesus and Sterling but still found its way into the far corner of the net.

And the visitors teed up their 15th straight win in all competitions with two goals in quick succession at the start of the second half.

Sterling calmly finished from a fine throughball, before Jesus’ delightful control allowed him to volley home a third.

But the Swans had the last word as Whittaker expertly controlled Ryan Manning’s cross and dispatched a volley into the far corner.

LINEUPS Swans: Freddie Woodman; Joel Latibeaudiere, Ben Cabango, Marc Guehi (Jake Bidwell 66); Connor Roberts (Kieron Freeman 66), Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Ryan Manning; Yan Dhanda (Conor Hourihane 77); Jamal Lowe (Paul Arriola 65), Jordan Morris (Morgan Whittaker 66).

Subs not used: Lewis Webb, Ryan Bennett, Andre Ayew, Kyle Naughton.

Manchester City: Zack Steffen; Kyle Walker, Eric Garcia, Aymeric Laporte, Benjamin Mendy; Bernardo Silva (Phil Foden 66), Ilkay Gundogan (Tommy Doyle 57), Rodri (Claudio Gomes 72); Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling (captain, Riyad Mahrez 56).

Subs not used: Ederson, Adrian Bernabe, Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Oleksandr Zinchenko.

QUOTE OF THE GAME “WE ARE DISAPPOINTED TO LOSE, BUT WE HAVE PLAYED ONE OF THE BEST TEAMS AROUND AND WE WILL CERTAINLY LEARN A LOT FROM IT.” STEVE COOPER 21

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STILETTOS & STUDS

BY JULIE KISSICK

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wanted to start this week by expressing my anger, sadness and frustration at the abuse given to Yan Dhanda by someone on social media following the FA Cup game against Manchester City a week ago.

And, as a fan, to echo the support he has had from the coaching and playing staff here at Swansea City and from the wider football community. We stand you, Yan. Like most right-minded people, I am appalled that this is still happening in football and in wider society.

I don’t know why the decision makers at Instagram are being so slow to react equitably to this ongoing problem, but a temporary suspension of direct messages is no deterrent at all.

Sadly, this is a stain on wider society and we all have a part to play in helping to eradicate it.

As the skipper said: “The level of abuse that he (Yan) and other players have to endure on social media is wholly unacceptable and more has to be done by social media companies to stamp this out, because it is becoming a stain on the game we all love.

“No one should be submitted to abuse for their ethnicity, sexuality or gender.”

This is not unacceptable because it happened to one of our players, it is unacceptable full stop. And it has to stop. And, if it doesn’t, we have to do more - we have to hold those in authority to account.

I saw lots of people on social media on the weekend talking about a Marcus Rashford-style campaign, calling out those who could do more and questioning them when they don’t. And, there were suggestions of boycotting the platforms until

they act. Whatever it takes. It’s time to stop talking and start doing, even if that means collectively suspending our social media accounts.

On a more positive note, we’ve reached that point in the season where excitement levels are being ramped up.

The Championship table is still looking good from a Swansea perspective, and the ‘unexpected’ results, similar to the one Brentford experienced at the weekend, make the second half of the campaign even more unpredictable than the first.

While we would all expect the Bees’ unbeaten run to come to an end at some stage, a 2-0 defeat at home to Barnsley was probably not the most obvious place for it to happen. It certainly spices things up and there will, inevitably, be discussions around whether that will be a temporary blip or if it is the start of something more significant for them.

It doesn’t really matter to the coaching staff I’m sure, because only results they can influence are the ones our players are involved in and that includes tonight’s game against a resurgent Nottingham Forest.

They’ve lost once in 11 games and held Bournemouth to a goalless draw at the weekend.

Chris Hughton signed veteran striker Glenn Murray in the January transfer window in the hope of adding some goals. The 37-year-old duly obliged by scoring a brace on this full debut against Wycombe Wanderers.

He’s likely to be one to watch this evening as the visitors look to climb out of the wrong end of the table at the same time as we seek to close the gap between us and the top two.

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ERTHYGLAU CYMRAEG

BY ALUN RHYS CHIVERS, GOLWG

D

wi’n ysgrifennu cyn i Brentford herio Barnsley.

Mae Abertawe’n dechrau’r wythnos hon mewn sefyllfa gref, gan anelu i fynd gam yn nes at ddychwelyd i’r safleoedd dyrchafiad awtomatig unwaith eto. Byddai triphwynt heno’n gam mawr tuag at y nod.

Daw’r ornest lai na mis ar ôl i’r Elyrch guro tîm Chris Hughton o 5-1 ym mhedwaredd rownd Cwpan FA Lloegr – canlyniad wnaeth arwain at gêm yn erbyn Manchester City, gwrthwynebwyr cyntaf erioed yr Elyrch yn yr Uwch Gynghrair nôl yn 2011 – ac fe wnaethon nhw frwydro’n ddewr.

Yn 2011, chwaraeodd Nottingham Forest ran flaenllaw yn nhaith yr Elyrch i’r brif adran, wrth i dîm Brendan Rodgers drechu tîm Forest Billy Davies yn rownd gynderfynol y gemau ail gyfle i sicrhau’r gêm fawr yn Wembley.

Ar noson yr ail gymal, yn dilyn cymal cyntaf di-sgôr, sgoriodd Leon Britton a Stephen Dobbie cyn i gôl gofiadwy Darren Pratley o bellter gau pen y mwdwl ar y fuddugoliaeth, gyda’r Cymro Rob Earnshaw yn sgorio unig gôl Forest.

Curo Reading yn y rownd derfynol oedd dechrau’r cyfnod mwyaf cyffrous yn hanes yr Elyrch wrth iddyn nhw hedfan i uchelfannau’r Uwch Gynghrair.

Diolch i ymdrechion Steve Cooper a’i dîm, mae’n siwr bod pawb yn dechrau breuddwydio eto am y dyddiau da drachefn. Ac mae’n rhaid dweud bod ganddyn nhw

gyfle da i efelychu os nad rhagori ar yr hyn gafodd ei gyflawni ddegawd yn ôl pan gyrhaeddon nhw ac ennill y gemau ail gyfle.

Mae’n deg dweud bod yr Elyrch wedi dangos eu doniau yn erbyn Forest eisoes y tymor hwn, er mai yn y gwpan ddaeth y fuddugoliaeth ysgubol o 5-1 fis diwethaf. Roedd arwyddion bryd hynny fod gan yr Elyrch ymosodwr cryf ar y cyrion, gyda Liam Cullen yn sgorio dwy gôl cyn i anaf olygu y bydd e ar y cyrion am ran fwya’r gemau sy’n weddill. Gyda Matt Grimes hefyd yn rhwydo ddwywaith ac Ollie Cooper yn sgorio’i gôl gyntaf, roedd yn arwydd unwaith eto o waith da Steve Cooper a’i dîm hyfforddi, yn ogystal â sawl rheolwr arall yn y gorffennol, gyda’r to iau sydd wedi torri trwodd.

Ers y gêm gwpan, mae’r Elyrch a Forest yn ddi-guro yn y gynghrair. Ond tua’r gwaelod mae’r ymwelwyr heno.

Bydd tîm Steve Cooper wedi cael wythnos o seibiant ar ôl i’r gêm yn Sheffield Wednesday dros y penwythnos gael ei gohirio o ganlyniad i’r tywydd. Bedwar diwrnod yn ôl chwaraeodd Forest ddiwethaf. Gawn ni weld heno ai’r Elyrch neu Forest fydd yn elwa o amserlen y gemau’n ddiweddar.

Un gêm ar y tro fydd neges Steve Cooper o hyd.

Dyw’r neges honno ddim wedi newid ers y diwrnod y cerddodd e i mewn i’r Liberty. Ond gyda gemau i ddod yn erbyn Bristol City, Huddersfield a Coventry cyn diwedd mis Chwefror, gallai’r Mis Bach fod yn fis mawr i’r Elyrch.

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wansea City AFC Community Trust is delighted to announce that Marc Guehi will be our special guest at the Online Kicks Club on Monday evening.

This will be the 14th workshop of the online programme – devised after loc al lockdown restrictions led to the cancellation of several outside football sessions.

The Premier League Kicks initiative uses the power of football and value of sports participation to help youngsters in some of the most high-need areas across England and Wales.

So far, we have also enjoyed special guest appearances from Freddie Woodman, Jordon Garrick, Ali Al-Hamadi, Jacob Jones and club ambassador Lee Trundle, while Swansea City Ladies have been represented by Katy Hosford and Gemma Border.

It promises to be an exciting evening with the popular defender, who joins us to discuss his career so far and answer questions from our Kicks participants.

Following a successful stint with the Swans during the second half of last season, Guehi returned to SA1 on loan from Chelsea in the summer.

To register your place at Monday’s session, visit: www.form.jotform.com/202862855617362 For more information, please contact: craig@scfccommunitytrust.co.uk

The 20-year-old has since established his place in the heart of Steve Cooper’s defence, racking up 26 appearances in all competitions.

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Q&A WITH PAUL ARRIOLA

Age: 26 Position: Winger Nationality: American Clubs: Tijuana, 83 Apps, 4 Goals DC United, 69 Apps, 14 Goals

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FROM OVERCOMING AN ACL INJURY TO SCORING GOALS FOR AMERICA AND MOVING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, IT’S CERTAINLY BEEN A BUSY PERIOD FOR SWANSEA CITY LOANEE PAUL ARRIOLA. HERE, THE DC UNITED STAR TALKS ABOUT HIS DEADLINE DAY MOVE TO SA1, HAVING A FAMILIAR FACE TO HELP SETTLE HIM IN, AND HIS OWN YOUTUBE CHANNEL! It has been a hectic start to life at Swansea City for you, Paul. Your feet had barely hit the floor and you’d already trained and made your debut within a few days. How did you find it?

Yeah, it was busy to say the least. I flew in from the States and got my first training session in very quickly, and soon after that I was making my debut against Manchester City in the FA Cup. So it’s definitely been a busy start, but I’ve loved it.

I give a lot of credit to everyone at the club because they’ve been so welcoming. All the staff and players have been super warm, and that has helped me settle. Even on my first day, everyone could not have done any more for me.

What was it about Swansea City that really appealed to you?

C oming t o a big club in Swans e a that has aspirations of playing in the Premier League next year was huge for me. It’s a big opportunity for me. It’s my first time playing in Europe and the first moment I heard this could be an option, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be here.

The move happened on deadline day – the same day you scored against Trinidad & Tobago – plus you’ve fitted in a birthday during that time.

When you arrived, you spoke very highly of head coach Steve Cooper. How important has he been in your move here?

He has been great. He communicates well and puts across the culture that is in place here, and the team he has. I felt I would be a good fit here, just like he did, so I have nothing but great things to say about him.

You have a familiar face and voice in the changing room, with fellow countryman Jordan Morris having recently joined on loan from Seattle Sounders. That must be a great help?

Jordan and I go back a while in the national team. We spoke about the potential move earlier in the month and how amazing it would be at the same club. It has been an easier transition with Jordan around – having a close friend around always helps.

With Jordan already in the squad, and now yourself, your social media accounts have probably gone into overdrive with well wishes from the Stateside Jacks.

I received a ton of support and love from Swansea fans everywhere around the world. For sure, the Stateside Jacks have send a lot of supportive messages, and they really want us to succeed here. They are proud to see myself and Jordan part of this great club.

You can play out wide and in more central positions.

What do you hope to bring to the team?

Coming to this club, my goal is to help the team in any shape or form. Every time I step onto the field I will give everything I have because I understand what an amazing opportunity it is to represent such a great club.

I can bring a lot to the team. Regardless of the position – I am versatile and can play in multiple positions – but my goal is to settle quickly and give to the team what it asks of me. I come with a lot of energy, I love to press and get in behind, and I love to win! I do whatever it takes to win and to get promoted.

The important thing was that the move happened. I was playing and staying fit with the national team, and it was great to score two goals that day. To get the move completed too made it a great day all round for me. But now I’m here and all my focus is on helping the team.

CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE...

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In terms of your career, you started at the IMG Academy in America which helps young sportsmen get to the elite level. What was that like?

We had an under-17s residency programme where we lived, and that was huge for my development. It was away from home and let me focus on knowing what it took to be a pro player. It was football first, and then school.

In America, clubs are starting to realise the importance of having the fundamentals and basics of what it’s like to be in a professional environment.

We are starting to see the benefits with that in terms of an increase of American players and the level they are playing at.

You started with LA Galaxy, but made your first steps into pro football with Tijuana in Mexico. What was the reason behind that?

The reason I went to play in Liga MX instead of the MLS was that the structure in the MLS wasn’t quite right for young players back then to break through and to get experience. In Mexico, it had already been founded and there was a system to how they wanted to develop players. I went there because I wanted to play every week. I went as an 18-year-old and was able to burst straight onto the scene. I played for four years and made a big move to DC United.

That meant you had to cross the America-Mexico border every day to train and play matches.

That’s right. My family are from San Diego and the border is about two or three miles away from where I grew up in Chula Vista. It was an amazing experience – living in the United States and training and playing in a different country was fantastic.

At DC United, you went on to play with one of English football’s biggest names – Wayne Rooney. How did you find playing with him?

Playing with Wayne Rooney was amazing. He played at the highest level and was such a brilliant player. He was great for us at DC United. He was a great leader on and off the pitch. He definitely raised my level of playing and my team-mates too.

It’s exciting to see him take on a new challenge as a gaffer in the Championship.

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You had a big setback a year ago after suffering an ACL injury. How have you dealt with that?

It was hard for me when I tore my ACL in February.

It was pre-pandemic so I thought I’d miss out on a huge year for my club and country. It took only a few days for me to realise my career was taking a different direction and my mentality completely changed. When you have such a big injury the battle is no longer on the pitch, it’s a battle within yourself. I’ve pushed myself and I’ve been fortunate to have played a few games since November. That means I’m here and ready to go.

With those games under your belt, more minutes must be the next target?

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Exactly. I am full of confidence having played a few good games with the national team, and then arriving here.

Swansea has showed a lot of confidence in me, so I’m super excited and ready to repay the club for their faith.

Can the move help you develop you as a player and person?

I hope to take everything and anything from this experience. My goal is to play here and be a part of this club. I live by the moment, and I think I can be successful here and contribute. The culture and environment set here – it shows me we’re set up for success. Now it’s about continuing the good work already put in.

We can’t finish the interview without mentioning your own YouTube channel - Kickin’ It with Akela and Paul – I’m sure the fans will be interested to hear if you have any Swansea City content planned?

Haha, my girlfriend would love that! She is always pushing me to do it and to be a part of it. After a crazy year I am just concentrating on my football and improving. If you ask my girlfriend, she would be ready to do it! She’s the star, I’m just there and part of it.

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H

JACK THE LAD is bardic name in the Gorsedd of Bards was ‘Dai o’r Cwm.’

For those who don’t understand Welsh, that’s “Dai from the Valley.”

There are a lot of Dais from the valleys of Wales.

But this one was different. This one was special.

The ‘Dai’ in question is international goalkeeper Dai Davies, who sadly passed away last week. And the ‘cwm’ he was from is Cwmaman, or the Amman Valley.

This is the valley where I grew up during the 1970s, and Dai was something of a hero.

At that time most of the local sporting heroes tended to be rugby players like Wales and British Lions legend Gareth Edwards, from Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, the village where I grew up.

I loved rugby, but I played football, and international footballers didn’t tend to come from the Amman Valley . . . except that is for Dai. For a football-mad youngster growing up during the Welsh rugby glory years of the 1970s, Dai was a beacon of hope.

It wasn’t just rugby players from our valley who could go on and make their name in top-flight sport.

Dai proved that it was possible for local boys like me to go on and make the grade at football too.

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When he first came to my attention, Dai - Glanaman born and bred - was actually playing at the pinnacle of English professional football having been signed in 1970 from his local club Swansea City by the champions of England - Everton.

N o t o n l y t h at , D a i w a s t h e Welsh international goalkeeper, following in the footsteps of his great childhood hero Jack Kelsey.

Like most goalkeepers, who are generally considered a breed apart, when Dai arrived on the p r ofe s s i o n a l s c e n e h e wa s different in many ways.

For a start, he was a little older than most emerging players, having been to teacher training college.

Something else that set Dai apart from most top Welsh players at the time was that he also spoke the country’s native language and was the first professional footballer admitted into the Gorsedd of Bards.

In those days, even more so than now, the majority of Welsh speakers seemed to play rugby.

Soccer seemed to be a much more anglicised game.

This seemed to elevate Dai to even greater fame, amongst Welsh speakers in particular, because he would be the only one interviewed for Welsh language media after matches.

This gave the appearance of Dai taking on opposition from all over the world single-handed.

No matter who was man of the match, it would be Dai who was invariably interviewed after the game.

However, Dai was no footballing superhero. Although different in so many ways, like every other goalkeeper who ever pulled on a pair of gloves, he was fallible.

A few high-profile errors resulted in him being awarded the unfortunate nickname of ‘Dai the Drop’ by some fans.

But the sign of a good goalkeeper is not letting those errors affect you and Dai’s sheer strength of character meant he would put those errors behind him and bounce back stronger.

During his third spell at Swansea, which coincided with the club’s first ever campaign in the top flight in 1981-82, Dai notched up a club record of six consecutive clean sheets and shared the player-of-the-year honours with the late Robbie James.

The team had been written off as cannon fodder by some before a ball had even been kicked, but they topped the table three times and eventually finished sixth in the old First Division.

Dai will go down in Swans’ folklore for losing his rag and barging Terry McDermott into the net and tangling with Graeme Souness after McDermott had scored a second penalty in an emotionally charged 2-2 draw at Anfield in the wake of Bill Shankly’s death.

Despite spending most of his career at Everton and Wrexham, the Swans played a big part in Dai’s career. Before that successful third spell at the Vetch, this was where he made his professional debut after making his name with his local club, Ammanford Town.

After struggling to hold down his place at Goodison, in 1974 Dai returned on loan to the Swans who were then managed by former Manchester United goalkeeping legend Harry Gregg, who he credited with rebuilding his confidence and his career before returning to Merseyside.

As well as a long and successful club career, Dai also enjoyed some unforgettable moments playing 52 times for his beloved Wale s between 1975 and 1982.

The goalkeeper won his first cap during Wales’s historic 2-1 win in a European Nations Cup match at the same Nep Stadium where England had been humbled and where Hungary were unbeaten since 1941.

And my admiration for him only grew over the p ast months as his renowned strength of character and sense of humour shone through the adversity of his terminal illness.

Despite the significance of the occasion, winning his first cap against the Mighty Magyars, legend has it that Dai fell asleep in the changing room before the game! That win helped put Wales on the road to the quarter-finals.

An interview he gave for Everton’s official website l a s t D e c e m b e r, s p e a k i n g from Wrexham’s Nightingale Hospice where he was receiving palliative care, was as heartbreakingly poignant as it was inspirational.

I’m sure he would have particularly enjoyed being part of arguably Wales’s two greatest wins over England.

He kept a clean sheet in 1977 to earn Wales’s one and only victory at Wembley, and also played in the record 4-1 win over the English at Wrexham in 1980.

Being a huge Wales and Swans fan, as well as coming from the same valley, playing a part in these two victories just served to cement Dai’s legend in my eyes.

Dai may have become a hero of mine for his sporting exploits on the pitch, but having gone on to be a champion of the Welsh language as a football pundit and setting up a natural health clinic in North Wales, he will be admired and missed by many far beyond the football field.

Cysgwch yn dawel ‘Dai o’r Cwm’.

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31/07/2018 13:53:55

SWANS ACADEMY

BY MARK ALLEN

G

ood evening everyone. After seeing our under18s clash with Colchester called off last Friday, it was good to see our under-23s in action on Monday.

After surviving an early penalty miss and going a goal down, the boys rallied well to end the first half on equal terms with Ali Al-Hamadi netting on the half hour mark with a well-taken goal after a good move.

Despite falling behind again, this time from a set piece clearance, the team showed great character and belief.

Ali netted from the penalty spot before we took the lead pretty soon after when one of our trialists scored after some more good play.

It was to be Ali’s day when he duly completed his hattrick with 10 minutes to play and despite conceding a late own goal from a set piece we ran out 4-3 winners.

It was good to give Ben Lloyd, one of our under-16 players, some valuable game time at this level and he acquitted himself very well, playing a significant part in one of the goals.

Equally as good was the return to playing for some of our boys who have been out injured, so to get 90 minutes for them was very beneficial.

The recent times have, as I have said been quite frustrating, particularly so for our younger age groups.

Due to the current lockdown restrictions in Wales, the academy’s U9-U16 age groups have been unable to train. The staff have still been providing a holistic network of support for the players to continue their development. Joe Roberts, Oliver Jefferies and Ryan Davies, with the support of the many part-time coaches at the club, have been meeting with the players every week via Zoom. These calls aim to check on the well-being of the players, with guidance and support offered to them during this difficult period.

Players also have the opportunity to set up one-to-one calls with coaches throughout the week.

The call with the players also introduces them to the activities they will be able to complete. Players are given three technical challenges, plus one physical challenge to attempt each week. At the end of each week all the scores are recorded and a leaderboard for the week is created. Players have been challenged to help their parents around the house and to develop life skills.

The players are also set a challenge of recreating famous Swansea City goals. Players have had a go at recreating Lee Trundle’s famous goal against Carlisle.

The players have been really creative in setting the scene with family members, pets and even snowmen getting involved in the action!

Every week, the squad is also invited to a Zoom Q&A session with academy graduates and first-team players at the club. The players have gained a valuable insight to the journey some of their heroes have made through the academy. Connor Roberts, Ben Cabango and Freddie Woodman are a few of the players who have shared their experiences with the academy players.

Throughout the week, they are able to attend live sessions with academy strength and conditioning coach Billy Gill and academy physiotherapist Sara Gray. These sessions are created to provide support for the physical needs of the players. Players have also been completing opposition and player scout reports on teams and players from the Championship.

As you can see, there is still a lot of work going on at the academy, even though sessions aren’t taking place. We will continue to provide the players with the best support possible during these tough times.

Enjoy the match,

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DATE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 VENUE: LANDORE TRAINING CENTRE Swans U23s: Jamie Searle;

SWANS U23S 1 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1 MATCH REPORT “WE PLAYED THE WAY WE B WANTED TO. WE LOOKED Panashe Makokowe (Scott Butler, 60), Jake Thomas, Cameron Evans, Cameron Congreve; Daniel Williams, Ryan Bevan, Adrian Akande (Ben Lloyd, 70); Ali Al-Hamadi (Joel Cotterill, 60), Trialist, Trialist.

“I was happy with the point in the end. I was quite pleased with how we performed,” under23s coach Grey said.

en Lloyd’s late equaliser rescued a point for Swansea City Under-23s in their draw with Queens Park Rangers in the Professional Development League at Landore.

The 15-year-old debutant climbed off the bench to cancel out Manasse Mampala’s earlier effort two minutes from time; becoming the youngest-ever scorer for the development side.

Along with Joel Cotterill, Lloyd was one of two under-16 players that Jon Grey named in the matchday squad which boasted an average age of just 17.9 years.

There were also welcome returns to the starting lineup for Cameron Evans and Daniel Williams, while Ali Al-Hamadi was back from injury and got 60 minutes under his belt.

The young Swans dominated large periods of the first half, before a scrappy contest ensued in the second.

They fell behind in the 69th minute following a setpiece that saw Mampala’s thumping strike leave goalkeeper Jamie Searle with no chance.

To their credit, the hosts refused to lie down and deservedly grabbed an equaliser with two minutes remaining.

The QPR goalkeeper could only parry Cameron Congreve’s free-kick straight into the path of Lloyd who, with almost his first touches, made it a debut to remember.

AT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN TERMS OF HOW WE PLAY IN POSSESSION AND, MORE PARTICULARLY, OUT OF POSSESSION. THAT WAS QUITE EVIDENT IN THE GAME. “I was really pleased for the two young lads.

Joel came on for 30 minutes, Ben came on for 20 and both made a big impact on the game.

It’s testament to them what they’ve done with themselves when they haven’t been here. They’ve had one training session and come straight into an under-23s game.

“After falling behind, I’m delighted that the boys kept going.In recent weeks, we’ve let our heads go down and conceded two quick goals. But they kept going and got their equaliser towards the end.”

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CURT PAYS TRIBUTE TO “ULTIMATE WELSHMAN” DAI DAVIES

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A

lan Curtis paid tribute to “ultimate proud Welshman” Dai Davies after the former Swansea City goalkeeper sadly passed away this week.

“He was a really good organiser. He’d push defenders on, get his full-backs tighter, he’d scream at me to help the full-back.

Davies, 72, had been receiving treatment at Wrexham’s Nightingale House Hospice after being diagnosed with terminal cancer last year.

“He was probably the best goalkeeper I had worked with in terms of organising, and was arguably our player of the year in our first year in the top flight - he was a huge contributor that year.

The former Wales international spent three different spells at the Vetch, and helped the Swans to their highest ever top-flight finish of sixth in the First Division in 1982.

“He was always fair with his criticism and equally quick with his praise. They all say goalkeepers are eccentric and he certainly was.

He won the Welsh Cup that year and on top of 52 caps for his country, Davies also played for Everton, Tranmere and Wrexham during his career.

“He was such a proud Welshman and was very, very patriotic. He was proud to promote the Welsh language too.

“Dai was a great character,” said Curtis. “He was like a nice headmaster. He’d be ‘alright Curt? family ok?

Keeping in touch with them? You ok?

“I won my first Wales cap in 1976 and Dai was part of the Wales team, which was great for me because he was a friendly face in new surroundings.

“He left the club before I started, but then I played with him in his second and third spells.

“It was such sad news to hear of his passing. I knew he had been ill for a while, but it was still very much a shock to hear it.”

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SWANS & SOUTH WALES POLICE WANT TO TACKLE HATE CRIME

S

outh Wales Police has joined forces with Swansea City Football Club to tackle hate crime.

Hate crime is any crime motivated or perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice to someone’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Hate crime comes in many different forms such as verbal abuse, assault or damage and can have a huge impact not only on individuals but also the wider community.

PC Anne Overton, hate crime officer, said: “We would like to thank Swansea City AFC for helping us raise awareness of hate crime. Sport is a key area where we can all work together to instil an inclusive culture that tackles racist and homophobic behaviour. There is no place for hate in our communities including in sport.”.

Superintendent Steve Jones added: “Confronting hate crime is a challenge for everyone in South Wales – not just for the police – and we all have a responsibility to challenge prejudice and insist that our communities live up to the best standards of our traditions of tolerance and solidarity.

South Wales Police takes hate crime seriously we have specialist officers who oversee the investigation of hate crime and make contact with all hate crime victims.

If you witness a hate crime or are a victim please contact us via 101 or 999 if the matter is of an urgent nature. You can also report online on South Wales Police website www.south-wales.police.uk or True Vision website www.report-it.org.uk.

41

A CENTURY OF LEAGUE FOOTBALL Historian Gwyn Rees looks at the club’s campaigns throughout its 100-year involvement in the Football League divisions and Premier League.

1991-1992 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION THREE (FINISHED 19TH)

1990-1991 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION THREE (FINISHED 20TH)

The outset of the first full season of the new decade saw the much-loved double-decker West Stand demolished after more than 60 years of use.

On the field, manager Terry Yorath spent nearly £300,000 recruiting Terry Connor, Jimmy Gilligan and Andy Watson; money made available by the sale of Chris Coleman to Crystal Palace, while Robbie James and Alan Davis swapped clubs.

Local boy Russell Coughlin arrived from Blackpool too, after a slow start to the season, and an upturn in form had the Swans in the play-off race at the turn of the year.

However, an unwanted club rec ord of nine defeats in a row saw those hopes fade and Yorath departed to be replaced by the experienced Scot Frank Burrows.

He helped stave off the threat of relegation, and the Swans ended the season by beating Wrexham 2-0 to claim their 10th Welsh Cup success at the National Stadium.

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The most significant transfer of the season saw Roger Freestone secure a permanent move to the club from Chelsea for a fee worth £45,000, a sum that would prove considerable value for money for a player who would go on to make more appearances for the Swans than anyone else in the club’s history.

Burrows also brought in John Cornforth and John Ford into the squad, both players would play a significant role in the club’s future.

The league season started slowly, although there were bright moments in cup competitions via a League Cup win over Tottenham and a brave European showing against Monaco – managed by a certain Arsene Wenger - at the Vetch. However, both ties would end in eventual aggregate defeats.

The season continued with the side at the lower end of the division, in what was a season of transition at the club, with new faces and youngsters introduced into the first team.

But on-field matters were put into perspective when midfielder Davies was found dead in his car at a Gower beauty site, leaving his family, friends and club to mourn a loving family man and a talented player who had won the FA Cup with Manchester United in 1983.

1992-1993 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO 1993-1994 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO (FINISHED 5TH)

(FINISHED 13TH)

Once again the Swans cashed in on a player bought from non-league football for a small fee.

The Swans were in Division Two for the new season. Not as a result of promotion, but rather the advent of the Premier League shaking up the established football order.

Burrows’ awareness in the transfer market paid dividends for the club with John Williams - who was signed by the club from Cradley Town for £5,000 - was sold in the off season to Coventry City for a £250,000 fee. With this sale the manager paid a small fee for Andy McFarlane from Portsmouth, and signed the much-travelled Colin West on a free transfer.

This time Des Lyttle - who had been signed from Worcester City for £12,000 - moved to First Division Nottingham Forest for a fee of £375,000.

Andy Legg also left for Notts County for £275,000, while Colin Pascoe returned to the club from Sunderland, and John Hodge and Steve Torpey arrived from Exeter City and Bradford City respectively.

Hopes were high after the previous campaign’s promotion push, but inconsistency would put paid to such aspirations.

The early season results were promising, with the experienced Freestone giving the defence much needed stability.

There were early League Cup and FA Cup exits to Oldham and Nuneaton respectively, but the Autoglass Trophy caught the imagination of fans as the Swans closed in on a first-ever appearance at Wembley.

However, although the side led the division in October, scoring goals became a problem, resulting in the manager bringing in former Arsenal and Celtic forward Martin Hayes to the club.

Following wins over Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle, Port Vale and Leyton Orient, the club found itself playing against Wycombe Wanderers in the Southern Area Final.

The striker won over the supporters instantly when he scored the winner at rivals Cardiff City in an Autoglass Trophy game, and the Swans continued to be amongst the front runners for promotion all season.

By winning five out of their final seven fixtures, the Swans confirmed their place in the end of season play-offs, where the opponents were the heavilyfancied West Bromwich Albion.

At a rain-soaked Vetch Field, the Swans took a 2-1 advantage into the second leg at the Hawthorns. But two early goals for the home side cancelled out any advantage and, following a second half red card for West, the dream of a Wembley final was ended.

CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE...

A 3-1 victory on St David’s Day at home meant that the side were 90 minutes away from Wembley. A nervy second leg saw the side lose 1-0, but progress to a famous day at the Twin Towers.

The opponents on the day were Huddersfield Town and, after just eight minutes McFarlane became the first Swansea player to score a goal at Wembley from Freestone’s long kick upfield.

Huddersfield equalised in the second half and the game went into extra time and then to penalty kicks.

The Swans saw Cornforth, Kwame Ampadu and Torpey successfully convert their spot kicks, while Huddersfield imploded - managing only one success - and so the club won on its first visit to the home of football.

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HELPING FAMILIES ENJOY FOOTBALL AT HOME The ‘homemade waste pipe goal’. Waste pipes, push-fit knuckle bends and some barrier fencing. It doesn’t seem like much, but sometimes it’s all you need to transform your garden into a proper footy pitch.

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1994-1995 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO (FINISHED 10TH)

A good performance saw Burrows’ side hold their heads high after a League Cup exit at First Division Norwich, while wins over Walton and Hersham and Bashley in the FA Cup set up a third-round tie against Middlesbrough at the Vetch.

An entertaining game saw the Swans take the lead in the first half curtesy of a Ford strike, while the second half saw the visitors push hard to get back on level terms, and a goal on the hour from Alan Moore meant that the team would replay again in three days’ time.

On a night of drama on Teesside, the Swans scored two early first-half goals from Dave Penney and Torpey and - although the hosts pulled one back - it was the Swans who progressed to the fourth round.

Top-flight Newcastle ended the run in the next round, but the sequence of results had given the team confidence.

The previous two seasons made supporters feel that there was a realistic chance of a promotion push, but there was disappointment again as too many points were dropped in games where the Swans were favourites to take three points.

A run of one defeat in 12 games saw them climb to sixth, with a 4-1 win over Cardiff in the snow at the Vetch among that sequence.

But injuries to key players halted the club’s progress in the league, and the defence of the Autoglass Trophy was ended in a tense semi-final clash at Birmingham City, where the Swans lost 3-2 after extra-time.

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BECOME A VIRTUAL MASCOT Calling all young Swans fans, do you want to be a Swansea City virtual mascot from the comfort of your own home?

T h e r e a r e o n l y t wo s p a c e s available for each fixture so we would encourage you to book early to avoid disappointment.

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52

Match Statistics

DATE

Key

Goal =

Sub = 2 (number denotes player replaced)

Captain =

TEAM

Newport County (CC R2) A L 2-0

Sat, Sep 5, 3pm

Woodman

Routledge 3

Naughton

Rodon

Fulton

Bidwell 1

Grimes

Preston North End A W 0-1

Sat, Sep 12, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Rodon

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Birmingham City H D 0-0

Sat, Sep 19, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Rodon

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Waycombe Wanderers A W 0-2

Sat, Sep 26, 12.30pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Rodon

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Millwall H W 2-1

Sat, Oct 3, 3pm

Benda

Roberts

Cabango

Rodon

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Huddersfield Town H L 1-2

Sat, Oct 17, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Naughton 3

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Coventry City A D 1-1

Tue, Oct 20, 7.45pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Bristol City A D 1-1

Sat, Oct 24, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Stoke City H W 2-0

Tue, Oct 27, 7.45pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Bennett 3

Guehi

Manning 1

Grimes

Blackburn Rovers H W 2-0

Sat, Oct 31, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Naughton

Guehi

Bidwell

Smith

Brentford A D 1-1

Tue, Nov 3, 7pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Smith

Norwich City A L 1-0

Sat, Nov 7, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Rotherham United H W 1-0

Sat, Nov 21, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Sheffield Wednesday H D 1-1

Wed, Nov 25, 7.45pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Bennett

Naughton 2

Bidwell 4

Grimes

Nottingham Forest A W 0-1

Sun, Nov 29, 12pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Middlesbrough A L 2-1

Wed, Dec 2, 7pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango 2

Bennett

Guehi

Manning

Smith 5

Luton Town H W 2-0

Sat, Dec 5, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Cabango

Guehi 3

Bidwell

Grimes

A.F.C. Bournemouth H D 0-0

Tue, Dec 8, 7.45pm

Woodman

Roberts

Latibeaudiere

Cabango

Naughton

Bidwell

Grimes

Cardiff City A W 0-2

Sat, Dec 12, 12.30pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Derby County A L 2-0

Wed, Dec 16, 5.30pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton 2

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell 3

Grimes

Barnsley H W 2-0

Sat, Dec 19, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Queens Park Rangers A W 0-2

Sat, Dec 26, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Reading H D 0-0

Wed, Dec 30, 8pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Watford H W 2-1

Sat, Jan 2, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Guehi

Cabango

Bidwell

Manning 1

Grimes

Stevenage A (FA R3) W 0-2

Sat, Jan 9, 3pm

Woodman

Garrick 4

Naughton

Cabango

Evans

Barnsley A W 0-2

Sat, Jan 16, 7.45pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Cabango

Nottingham Forest H (FA R4) W 5-1

Sat, Jan 23, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts 5

Latibeaudiere

Brentford H D 1-1

Weds, Jan 27, 7pm

Woodman

Roberts

Naughton

Rotherham United A W 1-3

Sat, Jan 30, 3pm

Woodman

Roberts

Norwich City H W 2-0

Fri, Feb 5, 8.15pm

Woodman

Manchester City H (FA R5) L 1-3

Wed, Feb 10, 5.30pm

Woodman

Sheffield Wednesday A

Sat, Feb 13, 3pm

Nottingham Forest H

Wed, Feb 17, 7pm

Huddersfield Town A

Sat, Feb 20, 3pm

Coventry City H

Wed, Feb 24, 7pm

Bristol City H

Sat, Feb 27, 3pm

Stoke City A

Wed, Mar 3, 8.15pm

Middlesbrough H

Sat, Mar 6, 3pm

Blackburn Rovers A

Tue, March 9, 6pm

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

1

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Smith

Bennett

Naughton

Bidwell

Grimes

1

3

Manning

Byers

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Bennett

Guehi 4

Manning

Hourihane 3

Cabango

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Cabango

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Roberts

Naughton

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Roberts 3

Latibeaudiere

Cabango

Guehi

Manning 4

Grimes

Booked =

Sent off =

Carabao Cup = CC

FA Cup = FA

Correct as of February 15, 2021

SUBSTITUTES Smith 2

Gibbs-White

Smith

Gibbs-White

Smith

Gibbs-White

Lowe 1

Smith

Gibbs-White 1

Lowe

Smith

Gibbs-White 2

Smith Smith

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

Ayew

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

Ayew

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

Lowe 1

Ayew

Webb, Naughton, Fulton 2, Routledge, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres 1

Gyokeres 1

Lowe 2

Ayew

Benda, Evans, Fulton, Dhanda, Palmer 1, Garrick 3, Cullen 2

Gyokeres 1

Lowe 2

Ayew

Benda, Manning, Fulton 1, Dhanda, Palmer, Garrick, Cullen 2

Smith

Fulton

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Naughton, Manning, Dhanda, Routledge, Cullen, Gyokeres 1

Fulton

Dhanda 2

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Cabango 3, Bidwell 1, Smith, Palmer 2

Fulton

Dhanda

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Bennett, Manning, Grimes, Routledge, Palmer 2, Gyokeres 1

Dhanda 2

Lowe 3

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Grimes 1, Routledge, Palmer 2, Gyokeres 3

Palmer 3

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Grimes 1, Dhanda 3, Routledge, Gyokeres 2

Fulton

Dhanda 2

Lowe 3

Cullen 1

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Rushesha, Williams, Smith 3, Cooper, Routledge 1, Palmer 2

Smith

Dhanda

Lowe 3

Cullen 1

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning 4, Rushesha, Fulton, Cooper, Routledge 3, Palmer 2, Ayew 1

Smith

Fulton

Lowe 1

Ayew

Benda, Cabango, Manning, Dhanda, Routledge 1, Palmer, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres

Palmer 4

Lowe 3

Ayew

Dhanda 2

Cullen 2

Ayew

Fulton 1 Fulton

Fulton

2

1

Smith Smith

Dhanda 2

Lowe 1

Smith

Fulton

Lowe

Smith 5

Fulton 1

Fulton

Dhanda

Fulton

Dhanda

Fulton Fulton Fulton 1

Routledge

Fulton

Smith

Dhanda

Grimes

Fulton

2

1

, Cullen, Gyokeres

Benda, Naughton, Bidwell, Grimes 1 , Dhanda 4 4

Ayew

, Routledge 2, Garrick 5, Cullen, Gyokeres 3

Benda, Latibeaudiere 3, Manning, Fulton, Routledge, Palmer 2, Garrick, Lowe 1, Gyokeres 4 Benda, Evans, Manning, Fulton, Routledge, Palmer 2, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres 1

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Manning, Routledge 1, Palmer, Dhanda, Cullen, Gyokeres

Lowe 4

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Manning 3, Garrick 4, Palmer 3, Dhanda 1, Cullen 5, Gyokeres

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Smith, Routledge, Palmer, Cooper, Cullen, Gyokeres

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Smith 1, Routledge, Palmer, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres

Smith 2

Lowe 3

Ayew

Benda, Latibeaudiere 1, Manning, Routledge, Palmer 2, Dhanda, Cooper, Garrick, Gyokeres 3

Smith

Lowe

Ayew

Benda, Evans, Routledge, Palmer, Dhanda, Gibbs-White 1, Cooper, Garrick, Gyokeres

Dhanda

Gyokeres

Webb, Guehi, Bidwell 3, Grimes, Smith 1, Williams, Cooper 4, Cullen 2, Lowe

1

2

1

Lowe

Ayew

Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Routledge, Byers, Dhanda, Cooper, Garrick, Cullen

Routledge 1

Cullen

Webb, Cabango, Naughton, Bidwell 4, Fulton 2, Cooper 3

Hourihane

Lowe 1

Ayew

Hamer, Bennett, Latibeaudiere, Manning 1, Williams, Dhanda, Cooper, Garrick, Morris

Dhanda 1

Hourihane

Lowe 2

Ayew

Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Evans, Manning, Williams, Fulton 1

Fulton

Hourihane

Lowe 1

Ayew

Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Manning, Freeman, Dhanda, Cooper, Morris 1, Whittaker.

Fulton

Dhanda

Lowe 1

Morris 2

Webb, Naughton, Freeman 3, Bennett, Bidwell 4, Hourihane 5, Arriola 1, Whittaker 2

2

5

, Garrick 5, Ayew, Lowe 1

, Cooper, Garrick, Morris 2

.

53

CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE 20-21 POS TEAM

P

*Sheffield Wednesday deducted 6 points.

W D L

F

A

GD PTS

1

Norwich City

29

17

7

5

39

24

15

58

2

Brentford

29

16

9

4

55

30

25

57

3

Swansea City

27

15

8

4

35

15

20

53

4

Watford

29

14

9

6

37

20

17

51

5

Reading

29

14

6

9

42

34

8

48

6

Bournemouth

29

12

10

7

43

28

15

46

7

Cardiff City

29

11

7

11

40

33

7

40

8

Middlesbrough

29

11

7

11

32

30

2

40

9

Blackburn Rovers

28

11

6

11

42

31

11

39

10

Stoke City

29

9

12

8

33

33

0

39

11

Preston North End

29

12

3

14

34

37

-3

39

12

Barnsley

28

11

6

11

31

34

-3

39

13

Bristol City

29

12

3

14

29

39

-10

39

14

Millwall

29

8

14

7

28

27

1

38

15

Luton Town

28

10

7

11

23

29

-6

37

16

Nottingham Forest

29

8

9

12

25

30

-5

33

17

Queens Park Rangers

27

8

9

10

26

32

-6

33

18

Huddersfield Town

29

9

6

14

33

42

-9

33

19

Derby County

28

8

7

13

19

29

-10

31

20

Coventry City

29

7

10

12

27

40

-13

31

21

Rotherham United

27

8

5

14

33

38

-5

29

22

Sheffield Wednesday*

28

9

7

12

21

30

-9

28

23

Birmingham City

29

6

10

13

21

35

-14

28

24

Wycombe Wanderers

28

4

7

17

21

49

-28

19

UPCOMING FIXTURES HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (A)

Saturday, Feb 20, 3pm

COVENTRY CITY (H)

Wednesday, Feb 24, 7pm

BRISTOL CITY (H)

Saturday, Feb 27, 3pm

STOKE CITY (A)

Wednesday, Mar 3, 8.15pm

MIDDLESBROUGH (H)

Saturday, Mar 6, 3pm

Correct as of February 15, 2021

NEXT UP AT HOME - COVENTRY CITY

O

nce a top-flight mainstay with a 34year stint in the First Division and Premier League, Coventry are back in the Championship after securing the League One title last season.

Formed in 1883, Coventry joined the Football League in 1919 and steadily rose to reach the First Division in 1967 under the management of Jimmy Hill.

9

13

9

They claimed their only major honour when they won the FA Cup with a 3-2 win over Tottenham in 1987, with Keith Houchen scoring one of the great Wembley goals.

SWANS 54

COVENTRY CITY

DRAWS 31 PAST MEETINGS

55

SQUAD LIST V

HEAD COACH: STEVE COOPER Freddie Woodman Ryan Bennett Ryan Manning Marc Guéhi Jay Fulton Korey Smith Matt Grimes Jamal Lowe André Ayew Jordan Morris Steven Benda Conor Hourihane Wayne Routledge Morgan Whittaker Ben Hamer Paul Arriola Liam Cullen Yan Dhanda Joel Latibeaudiere Connor Roberts Jake Bidwell Kyle Naughton Tivonge Rushesha Ollie Cooper Kieron Freeman Brandon Cooper Daniel Williams Cameron Evans Lewis Webb Ben Cabango

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 30 31 34 36 37 38 42 44

MANAGER: CHRIS HUGHTON 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 33 37 39 48

Cyrus Christie Tobias Figueiredo Joe Worrall Yuri Ribeiro Loïc Mbe Soh Lewis Grabban Jack Colback Sammy Ameobi Jordan Smith Gaëtan Bong Fouad Bachirou Luke Freeman Carl Jenkinson Alex Mighten Cafú Miguel Ángel Guerrero Michael Dawson Samba Sow Ryan Yates Joe Lolley Tyler Blackett Glenn Murray Scott McKenna Filip Krovinovic Anthony Knockaert Brice Samba Harry Arter Lyle Taylor James Garner Abdoulaye Diallo Will Swan

MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE: GEOFF ELTRINGHAM ASSISTANT REFEREES: RICHARD WILD AND MARK POTTAGE FOURTH OFFICIAL: KEVIN JOHNSON

56