Swansea City v Norwich City – 20-21 – Issue 15

Cadwch yn ddiogel Jacks

Issue 15 - Digital Copy

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Swansea City v Norwich City Friday, February 5 - Kick-off 8.15pm

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CONTENTS Page 15 - Back a Jack winner Iola

Page 16 - Meet the Opposition

Page 20 - Match Reports

Page 28 - Q&A with Jordan Morris

Page 44 - Deadline Day Round-Up

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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WATCH ALL THE

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/FfĂ´n: 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 Norwich City.

We are now entering a period where the fixtures are coming thick and fast as the second half of the season really begins in earnest.

Last Saturday saw us secure a fantastic 3-1 win away at Rotherham to extend our unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions.

Rotherham is never an easy place to go, particularly as they came off the back off a fine victory against Middlesbrough, so to score three goals and defend the way we did was very pleasing.

That win came just a few days after a resilient home draw against Brentford here at the Liberty, where once again Steve’s players showed great character to secure a point despite playing the last 25 minutes with ten men.

We come into this fixture on the back of the January transfer window coming to a close, which is always a tricky time of year for clubs.

After the arrival of Conor Hourihane and Jordan Morris, we were delighted to bring in Morgan Whittaker from Derby as well as Paul Arriola and Kieron Freeman.

Morgan is a young player who has spent his entire career at Derby until now, and we look forward to seeing him in a Swansea shirt.

Paul is another player who has joined us from the US following his loan move from DC United, while Kieron’s switch to us until the end of the season saw Jordon Garrick to head to Swindon on loan until the end of the campaign.

There were two other departures on loan this week as youngsters Matthew Blake and Josh Thomas joined Cardiff Met for the rest of the season.

We have recently lost both Liam Cullen and Wayne Routledge to long-term injuries, and everyone at Swansea City wishes them a speedy recovery. Liam – along with Tivonge Rushesha – have both signed new contracts with us recently and we are looking forward to seeing them both progress here at the Liberty.

This week we saw us release news regarding our virtual fans’ forum event that will take place on Tuesday, 16 February at 7pm.

You can find out more details on our website but I’m very much looking forward to chatting with supporters and to continue the positive lines of communication.

I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the management, players, staff and directors from Norwich who have made the long trip from East Anglia for tonight’s game.

It promises to be another exciting clash under the lights, as we welcome the Sky Sports cameras to SA1.

It is one of those games where we all wish supporters were in attendance, but I hope everyone is staying safe at home and enjoying the fine performances that we have produced this season.

Enjoy the game.

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Head Coach’s Notes

STEVE COOPER G

ood evening everyone as we look forward to tonight’s fixture with Norwich City.

This week saw the transfer window come to a close, and I’m sure you were all happy with the business we did.

Morgan Whittaker and Kieron Freeman have joined us on permanent deals while Paul Arriola is linking up on loan from DC United.

It’s great for us to have strengthened the squad, and we’re all looking forward to working with the players in order to help us push forward.

Kieron has plenty of experience of promotions from his time at Sheffield United, while Paul has picked up plenty of international caps for the US, so they are both players who can bring extra qualities to the squad.

Morgan is one for the future, but we’re looking forward to seeing what he’ll bring in the short term too.

We have also seen Jordon Garrick head out on loan as part of the agreement to bring Kieron here. As

we saw with Brandon Cooper earlier this season, a loan move to get some regular first-team football is a great opportunity and hopefully it will benefit Jordon.

Looking ahead to tonight, we go into the game on the back of some positive performances and results.

A 1-1 draw against Brentford was followed up by a 3-1 win at Rotherham United last weekend, and we were happy to have picked up four points from six.

We scored three very good goals at Rotherham via Matt Grimes, Conor Hourihane and Jay Fulton, who struck with his first touch. You take a goal in any form, but I’m sure you really enjoyed those ones while watching from home.

Another win means the feeling in the camp remains positive and the players have worked very hard on the training pitch this week.

professional bunch of players, but in the end, it’s a league environment, and these big games are the ones you want to be judged on.

It’s got the makings of a good game.

They’re going well, we’re going well.

They have a very clear way of playing.

I’ve got a lot of respect for the job their manager Daniel Farke has done. We need to be ready for the game, but it couldn’t come any quicker. We back ourselves in every challenge that’s in front of us.

Friday night football under the Liberty lights is an occasion we’d love to share with you, because it would be another special atmosphere.

But I can assure you that the players will be doing all they can to give you the result you deserve.

Enjoy the game.

We’ve got to look forward to these big games. I just love the camaraderie within the lads. They’re a really

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MATT GRIMES Captain’s Notes

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ello and welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for this evening’s Championship fixture against Norwich City at the Liberty.

L ast time at the L iber ty we secured a hard-earned point in a 1-1 draw against Brentford.

We obviously went into the match with the objective of taking away three points but we showed great charac ter and resilience to come back from being a goal down with 10 men to secure a point. All the boys gave their all and showed immense determination to get back into the game after we trailed.

It was a fant astic oc c asion for Conor Hourihane with him scoring on his league debut. It was a superb free-kick into an area that had been identified by t h e a n a l ys i s t e a m a s a n area we could hit prior to the match and it was executed to perfection.

We then fac ed Rotherham United at the New York Stadium and we were delighted with the performance and the goals in the win.

We were disappointed to concede in the manner we did but the boys showed composure to ensure we got back to a two-goal advantage and it proved a very pleasing three points.

It was a very busy deadline day for the club, with some great additions joining us. Morgan, Paul and Kieron will be valuable additions to the squad and we’re looking forward to getting started with them.

We face the league leaders this evening, a side which possess Premier League quality, and we are fully aware of the threats they bring. We have had six days since our last game to focus on ourselves and ensure we are prepared for the challenge ahead.

Enjoy the game this evening.

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Ministry

Group

Ministry

Graphics

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oday, Adam Lewis writes: After what felt like 300 days of January as we toughed out another month in lockdown, it’s great to be into February. The increasing rollout of vaccines and the nine-game unbeaten run for the Swans give us a lot to be optimistic about.

In my first outing in the writer’s chair, I gave a brief overview of my first six months as a co-opted board member of the Supporters Trust – in this issue I have answered a few of your questions about the role from our mailbox.

About me: By day I’m a consultant, working with the government on a wide range of issues and projects meaning it certainly has been an interesting 12 months for me. I’m an avid Swans fan too, and a season ticket holder for the past 14 seasons.

Why did I apply?

I’d been following the trust for the past few years and was intrigued by their role in representing the views of the fans with the club’s board. I am a huge advocate of direct fan involvement in the running of clubs especially as it is we the fans who ultimately pay the wages.

What do you do as a co-opted member?

In many ways the role is what you make of it. The key factors are where your skills and experiences can be most beneficial, and how much time you are able to commit. Many of us on the board maintain full-time jobs, and so efficiency is also key.

The trust has a broad range of roles and ongoing initiatives with the club, but this year I have been focussed on communications and membership initiatives for our members. In the future I would certainly like to expand that work to include other areas.

How can I become a co-opted member?

The trust runs the co-option recruitment process each summer alongside the full board member elections – unlike board members, you do not need to receive nominations by existing members – and is designed to recruit skills on a more targeted basis to help drive the trust forward.

There are a few conditions that must be met to qualify: you must be a trust member, over the age of 18, and be able to commit time to delivering projects with the board.

We assess applications based on a personal statement, and sometimes follow up with informal interviews – just to gauge how you could best fit with what we are doing and what we have planned. Having been through the process, I can vouch for its usefulness in giving both sides an understanding of how things may work.

We will be looking to run this process again during the summer, so keep a look out for postings about it in the future.

The game tonight presents another tough test, but our recent outings against Brentford and Rotherham have shown that when the going gets tough, the boys dig deep and grind out results. Let’s hope for the same tonight.

Enjoy it from wherever you’re watching and continue to stay safe.

Enjoy the game #YJB

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IOLA PARTON NAMED BACK A JACK WINNER FOR JANUARY

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fter Swansea City was again inundated with nominations from supporters for January’s edition of our B ack a Jack campaign – sponsored by Peter Lynn & Partners – the club is delighted to be able to announce Iola Parton was the winner.

Iola, who is nine years old and from Treboeth, has managed to raise a whopping £1,000 for the NHS. As the Covid-19 pandemic has taken hold, Iola has spent many hours making ‘Thank You’ bracelets – even receiving orders from across the globe - and selling them in an attempt to raise money for the NHS. Iola’s idea came as a way of saying thank you to the key workers across the NHS who have played such a huge role in the fight against coronavirus, as well as their efforts with her beloved grandfather before he sadly passed away with kidney cancer.

Iola is a huge Swans fan and plays football for Preseli Under-10s, recently being selected to play for Swansea Schoolgirls.

Catherine Thomas, Swansea City’s head of fan engagement, added: “We are so proud of Iola’s efforts. We have given her the prize of a signed football in a presentation case, so she can look at it and know her achievements have been acknowledged and everyone at Swansea City is incredibly proud of her.”

Iola’s biggest challenge may be keeping her prize to herself as she hails from a house full of Jacks.

Nominations are now being taken for the February Back a Jack campaign. The deadline for this month’s nominations is Saturday, February 20.

Please email HERE with who you wish to nominate and why!

Her mum, Marie, said: “She just wanted to say thank you to all NHS staff for all their hard work. I am so, so proud of Iola – she is always thinking of others.”

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NORWICH CITY

FACT FILE OWNER

NICKNAME

Delia Smith & Canaries Michael Wynn-Jones

TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK @NorwichCityFC @norwichcityfc /NorwichCityFC

STADIUM OPENED CAPACITY Carrow Road

1935

THE GAFFER

Daniel Farke spent his entire playing career in the German lower leagues as a striker before pursuing a career in management.

After cutting his teeth in management in the same divisions, his opportunity came in a two-spell at Borussia Dortmund following a successful time in charge of their reserve team. He led the Canaries to the Championship title in 2018-2019, but were relegated from the Premier League the following year. However, Farke once again has his sights set on returning Norwich City to the top flight this campaign, with his team currently sitting top.

CLUB CAPTAIN The Norwich skipper has endured multiple injuries since joining the Canaries in 2017 but continues to be a vital role in their success. The Scottish international previously played for Blackburn Rovers before a brief spell at Newcastle United in 2016, where he occupied the number five shirt formerly worn by Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum.

He won the Championship title with the Magpies, and again achieved the same feat with Norwich in 2019. The 6ft 2in central defender scored a later winner for Blackburn at Old Trafford back in 2011 to spoil Sir Alex Ferguson’s 70th birthday.

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FOUNDED

1902

27,359

GRANT HANLEY DANIEL FARKE

CLUB DETAILS SOCIAL MEDIA FACILITIES

STADIUM MEET THE OPPOSITION Founded in 1902, Norwich’s “On the ball, City” song is the oldest football chant in the world after being written in 1890 and is still sung today. Two-times winners of the League Cup (1962 and 1985), Norwich’s highest position came via a third-placed finish in the Premier League in 1992-93. That led to participation in the Uefa Cup, where they famously saw off Bayern Munich over two legs which included Welshman Jeremy Goss’ stunning goal sealing the first victory for a British club at the Olympiastadion in Munich. After relegation from the top flight in 1995, Norwich have spent most of their time in the Championship along with six seasons in the Premier League and a year in League One.

NORWICH CITY’S FORM The leaders are actually without a win in their last three games in all competitions, but have not been beaten in their last six matches in the Championship. Two goalless draws with Middlesbrough and Millwall have allowed the chasing pack to gain ground, but they took their clean sheet total to 12 for the season in all competitions. With 26 points accumulated on the road, Farke’s side have the best away record in the division – just beating the Swans’ total of 24.

THE KEY MEN Max Aarons and Tottenham Hotspur loanee Oliver Skipp are the only two players to start every league game for the Canaries this term. Experienced Dutch international Tim Krul is a formidable figure between the sticks while, at the other end, Teemu Pukki continues to lead the way in terms of goals having struck 11 times in 21 league appearances this term. In midfield, Emi Buendia is capable of scoring from all ranges.

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ONES TO WATCH

MAX AARONS

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Hammersmith-born Aarons started his career in Luton’s youth ranks before making the switch to East Anglia. He enjoyed a hugely successful first season in senior football as he helped Norwich to the Championship title. His efforts saw him included in the Championship team of the season and was named the EFL young player of the season.

Scored his first professional goal in only his second appearance – a 3-1 win over Cardiff in the EFL Cup – and has just passed 100 league appearances for the club.

POSITION

GK

NATION

AGE

32 RB

Renowned Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul arrived on British shores when he was just 17, joining Newcastle United.

Following loan spells with Falkirk and Carlisle United, Krul secured his spot as first-choice keeper for the Magpies. He made 193 appearances in the Premier League for Newcastle and Norwich, before going on to play every minute of the Canaries’ Championshipwinning campaign in 18-19.

TIM KRUL

POSITION

NATION

AGE

21

TODD CANTWELL The Tottenham Hotspur has proved a key cog in the Canaries midfielder this season. Despite being just 20, Skipp has already made 23 appearances for Spurs in the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. Highly-rated at Spurs, for whom he signed a new three-year deal last summer, he is able to play in either a holding role or as a boxto-box midfielder. He featured in the previous meeting between tonight’s sides, which Norwich won 1-0 at Carrow Road last November.

POSITION

MF

NATION

AGE

POSITION

20 MF

NATION

AGE

POSITION

22 ST

NATION

AGE

30

The 22-year-old midfielder joined Norwich’s academy at under-10 level, and has worked his way into the first team after returning from a season-long loan from Fortuna Sittard, for whom he helped secure promotion to the Eredivisie in the Netherlands. Making his debut for Norwich in the FA Cup against Chelsea in 2018, he has since become a pivotal player in Norwich’s starting XI.

F i n n i s h fo r wa r d Te e m u Pukki is a household name at C arrow Road. His 72 goals in 164 games for Danish side Brondby led to Norwich snapping him up on a free transfer in July 2018. In his first season, he was named EFL player of the season and won the Golden Boot for scoring 29 league goals. He’s also played in Germany for Schalke and Scotland for Celtic, where he won the league title.

OLIVER SKIPP

TEEMU PUKKI 19

SWANSEA CITY 1 BRENTFORD 1

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MATCH DETAILS DATE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 VENUE: LIBERTY STADIUM REFEREE: JOHN BROOKS

MATCH REPORT C

onor Hourihane’s first goal for the club ensured 10-man Swansea City extended their unbeaten run and climbed back into second place in the Championship table with a hard-earned point against Brentford.

Steve Cooper’s side had looked set to suffer a rare defeat when Tariqe Fosu-Henry headed home with 16 minutes to play, shortly after Kyle Naughton had seen red after receiving two yellow cards from referee John Brooks.

But Hourihane, on his first league appearance for his new club, caught out the Brentford defence and keeper with a whipped free-kick that found the far corner of the net.

It was reward for a gritty performance from the hosts and stretches their unbeaten run to eight games, while they are 11 games without losing at the Liberty.

There were few clear chances until the game come to life late on when Naughton was handed a second booking for a challenge on Sergi Canos with 22 minutes to play.

And the visitors led when substitute Fosu-Henry headed home a Henrik Dalsgaard cross in the 75th minute.

H o w e v e r, t h e S w a n s o n c e a g a i n s h o w e d tremendous character to respond, with Hourihane curling a free-kick over the head of David Raya and into the far corner of the net.

LINEUPS Swans: Freddie Woodman; Kyle Naughton, Ben Cabango, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Conor Hourihane; Jamal Lowe (Ryan Manning 90), Andre Ayew.

Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Ryan Bennett, Joel Latibeaudiere, Dan Williams, Jordon Garrick, Yan Dhanda, Ollie Cooper, Jordan Morris.

Brentford: David Raya, Henrik Dalsgaard (captain), Mads Sorensen, Ethan Pinnock, Rico Henry; Josh Dasilva, Vitaly Janelt (Saman Ghoddos 85), Mathias Jensen; Bryan Mbuemo (Tariqe Fosu-Henry 56), Ivan Toney, Sergi Canos (Marcus Forss 79).

Subs not used: Luke Daniels, Mads Roerslev, Jan Zamburek, Fin Stevens, Alex Gilbert, Maxwell Haygarth.

QUOTE OF THE GAME “WITH THE FREE-KICK, WHEN YOU’VE GOT A MAN LESS, IT’S PROBABLY ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN TRY AND SCORE. IT’S A STRENGTH OF MINE AND LUCKILY FOR MYSELF, IT WENT IN AND HOPEFULLY I CAN GET A FEW MORE.” CONOR HOURIHANE 21

ROTHERHAM UNITED 1 SWANSEA CITY 3

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MATCH DETAILS DATE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 VENUE: AESSEAL NEW YORK STADIUM REFEREE: TONY HARRINGTON

MATCH REPORT S

wansea City closed the gap at the top of the Championship table to four points as they overcame Rotherham United at the New York Stadium.

First-half goals from Conor Hourihane and Matt Grimes put the visitors in command in Yorkshire.

And although Rotherham pulled one back through Freddie Ladapo after the break, substitute Jay Fulton made an immediate impact from the bench to restore the two-goal buffer and secure the points.

After a scrappy opening the visitors continued to plug away and broke the deadlock in the 28th minute following a good spell of attacking pressure.

Yan Dhanda neatly cushioned the ball into the path of Hourihane, who struck a sweet half-volley into the bottom corner past a flat-footed Jamal Blackman.

And they doubled their lead when the Rotherham goalkeeper punched Hourihane’s delivery straight to the edge of the penalty area, where Grimes flashed a ferocious first-time drive into the back of the net.

Substitute Freddie Ladapo nodded in to pull one back for Rotherham in the 65th minute after the Swans had failed to deal with a long throw.

However, they responded superbly and restored their two-goal advantage just nine minutes later.

Less than 60 seconds after climbing off the bench, Fulton made an immediate impact as he rounded off a quickfire counter by neatly flicking home Jake Bidwell’s cross at the near post.

LINEUPS Rotherham United: Jamal Blackman; Matthew Olosunde (Ryan Giles 46), Richard Wood (captain; Clark Robertson 58), Michael Ihiekwe, Angus MacDonald, Wes Harding; Shaun MacDonald (Freddie Ladapo 46), Jamie Lindsay, Ben Wiles; Matt Crooks (Florian Jozefzoon 79); Michael Smith (George Hirst 76).

Subs not used: Josh Vickers, Viktor Johansson, Trevor Clarke.

Swans: Freddie Woodman; Ben Cabango, Ryan Bennett, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Matt Grimes (captain), Conor Hourihane, Jake Bidwell; Yan Dhanda (Jay Fulton 74); Andre Ayew, Jamal Lowe (Jordan Morris 83).

Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Ryan Manning, Joel Latibeaudiere, Cameron Evans, Daniel Williams, Ollie Cooper, Jordon Garrick.

QUOTE OF THE GAME “WE SCORED THREE GOALS FROM THREE GREAT FINISHES, AND SHOWED COMPOSURE WHEN WE CONCEDED. IT WAS REALLY PLEASING.” STEVE COOPER 23

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STILETTOS & STUDS

BY JULIE KISSICK

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here is no doubt that we have another big week ahead with the visit tonight of league leaders Norwich City and then the FA Cup clash with Manchester City on Wednesday.

I joked with a friend of mine this week that the Swans were my sanity at the moment, one of the few constants and the gift that keeps on giving.

Those of us who’ve been supporters for a long time will be able to identify times when that wasn’t the case, but for now, like most of you no doubt, I’m so grateful.

Notwithstanding the fact that we can’t physically watch the games at the Liberty, our position in the league, the performances, the results, the work rate of the players … there is so much to smile about – and we can’t say that about much at the moment.

The game on Saturday against Rotherham was a case in point. Three superb goals. I have to say, for me, the standout was from captain fantastic Matt Grimes. I literally shrieked and danced with joy when that hit the back of the net.

Two of my three dogs leapt up from their beds and barked in bewilderment at me (the third is very old and completely deaf, so neither the goal nor my response to it had any impact on her!).

It was such a great team effort, again, and one which lifted my spirits on a snowy Saturday afternoon when I was longing for some normality in life.

But this is the ‘new normal’ for us as Swans fans, and we should embrace it and take joy from it, every goal, every win - these are good times.

Of course, tonight is a huge test against a Norwich side that has excelled so far this season. At the time of writing, their lead at the Championship summit had been cut to four points ahead of their midweek game with Millwall.

But, regardless of that result, this will be a test for both sides. As with the Brentford game, we’ll have to dig deep and I have no doubt that Steve Cooper and his coaches will have drilled the boys perfectly ahead of such a big game.

Former players often talk about matches like this as being built up beyond their significance by the media and the fans, because at the end of the day, there are still only three points on offer to the winning side.

I suppose for us, such games are a chance to see how far we’ve come as a team and as a squad, an opportunity to test our promotion credentials.

We all know how tight it is at the top and how disappointing the end to last season was, but as always, we have to believe. The evidence is good, the table doesn’t lie and the transfer window certainly delivered more than many of us were expecting.

So, as we give a warm Swansea City welcome to the deadline day new boys, Paul Arriola, Kieron Freeman and Morgan Whittaker, we do so knowing that it’s a good time to be a Jack.

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ERTHYGLAU CYMRAEG

BY DAFYDD PRITCHARD, BBC WALES

M

ae diwrnod olaf y ffenestr drosglwyddo fel arfer yn eithafol brysur i ohebwyr pêl-droed; 24 awr lle mae’r ffôn symudol yn canu yn ddi-baid ac ebyst (ond nid ffacs, yn wahanol i glybiau) yn pentyrru yn ddi-ddiwedd.

Roedd yna dal i fod tipyn o fynd a dod yn Abertawe ac ymhlith clybiau eraill ddydd Llun - ond yn sicr roeddi’n dawelach nag arfer.

O Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr lawr at yr Ail Adran ac ar hyd brif gynghreiriau Ewrop, roedd yna lai o wario arian ym mhob man fis yma, a hynny oherwydd bod clybiau ar draws y byd dal i geisio arbed arian o ganlyniad i holl effeithiau enfawr coronafeirws ar bêl-droed.

Er y cyfyngiadau ar wario, roedd yna ddigon yn digwydd yn Abertawe i gadw fi a fy nghyd-newyddiadurwyr yn brysur wrth i Morgan Whittaker, Paul Arriola a Kieron Freeman ymuno - er mae’n debyg byddai Steve Cooper wedi dymuno ambell i un arall hefyd.

Dwedodd prif hyfforddwr yr Elyrch ei fod e’n falch i beidio golli unrhywun o’i chwaraewyr blaenllaw, ac ei fod e’n hapus i ychwanegu at ei garfan, yn enwedig wrth ystyried bod Conor Hourihane yn barod wedi ymuno ar fenthyg o Aston Villa. Ar ôl dim ond tair gêm i’w glwb newydd, mae chwaraewr canol cae

Gweriniaeth Iwerddon yn barod yn edrych fel un o drosglwyddiadau gorau’r tymor yn y Bencampwriaeth.

Mae wedi bod yn dymor ardderchog i Abertawe hyd yn hyn ac, er bod Cooper yn ofalus wrth drafod obeithion ei dîm yn gyhoeddus, rhaid bod ef a’i chwaraewyr yn targedu dyrchafiad i’r Uwch Gynghrair.

Bydd gêm heno yn erbyn Norwich yn her go iawn. Nhw sydd ar frig y tabl ar hyn o bryd ac, efo chwaraewyr megis Teemu Pukki, Max Aarons a Todd Cantwell yn eu plith, nhw sydd ag un o’r carfannau cryfaf yn y Bencampwriaeth.

Mae gemau rhwng y ddau glwb yma - yn enwedig wrth i’r ddau ohonyn nhw anelu am ddyrchafiad - yn atgoffa rhywun o’r gêm gofiadwy rhwng y ddau yma yn Stadiwm Liberty yn ôl yn 2011.

Sgoriodd Fabio Borini, Mark Gower a Tamas Priskin wrth i Abertawe ennill 3-0, cyn iddyn nhw fynd ymlaen i drechu Reading yn rownd derfynol y gemau ail gyfle yn Wembley i sicrhau eu lle yn yr Uwch Gynghrair.

Mae dal i fod bron hanner tymor i fynd eleni ond, os all Abertawe ennill unwaith eto heno, tybed faint o’u cefnogwyr bydd yn breuddwydio am hanes yn ailadrodd?

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Q&A WITH JORDAN MORRIS

Age: 26 Position: Winger, Striker Nationality: American Clubs: Seattle Sounders, 105 Apps, 35 Goals

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IT’S BEEN AN INTERESTING COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR JORDAN MORRIS AFTER THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FORWARD COMPLETED HIS LOAN MOVE TO SWANSEA CITY. IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW AS A SWAN HE REVEALS THE DEBT HE OWES TO JURGEN KLINSMANN, HIS DESIRE TO SHOW JUST WHAT HE CAN DO HAVING MADE THE MOVE ACROSS THE POND, AND WHY HIS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DIABETES IS SO CLOSE TO HIS HEART. Jordan, welcome to Swansea City. It’s been a pretty busy time for you, but now it’s all done and you’re a Jack?

I am so excited, this has been a couple of weeks in the works, with some long travelling days, and I couldn’t wait to get started.

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks, but it is great to finally be here and have everything sorted out.

You mention the travelling. It sounded like a fairly long couple of days to get here, how was it from your perspective?

It’s just been really exciting, my agent came to me a couple of weeks ago and said Swansea were interested, and from that moment on I wanted to come here and I could feel that excitement about making the move.

I spoke to Steve Cooper, he gave me a call, and from then on I knew it would be a great fit.

He was really welcoming and spoke about how much he wanted me to come here, and it’s always nice to go somewhere you are wanted. It’s a huge honour to be here.

I could also sense the passion the fans and the city have for this team, and a combination of all that made me know this was the right club for me.”

What do you hope that you can bring to the club over this initial loan spell?

Every time I step on the field I am going to work really hard and give my all. I think this is a really exciting team, I have been following the games and there are so many

CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE...

great players I am excited to meet and get to play and train alongside.

“I am a player who likes to use my speed to get in behind defences, to create opportunities for myself and others, and I hope I can bring that to the table.”

You are known for being a player who has pace, is direct, and likes to take people on, are those the qualities you consider yourself to have?

I have been lucky to be blessed with speed and I think that’s a fair reflection of how I like to play.

I like to get in behind opponents, I like to try and stretch defences and make opportunities for myself and my team-mates. I have tried to do that throughout my career and I want to do that here.

What was it about Swansea City that made you consider the right move at this stage of your career, Jordan?

It all started with the manager calling me. It showed great respect for him to take the time to do that.

The way he outlined the culture of the club and the dressing room atmosphere, it really appealed to me.

I just felt this would be a great fit.

And how excited are you to experience a new football environment and culture having spent your career in the United States up until this point?

It is 100 per cent something I am looking forward to.

As you say, I have played all my career so far in the United States. That has been great, and I have loved it, but I am looking forward to a new challenge. This just seemed like the perfect step to take.

You have long been identified as a talent to watch.

You were the college player of the year, you were first capped by the United States while in college.

You have been named in the MLS XI of the year too. Did the move across the pond feel like a natural step at this stage?

It did. Last season I was very focused on helping my team in Seattle, but I was also itching a little bit to see what was out there. To see if there was an opportunity to go over and play in Europe, and this just felt like the logical next step.

As I say, when Swansea called I was so excited to get over here and get down to work.

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You’ve played in no shortage of big games. You’ve been on winning and losing sides in the MLS Cup, you scored the winner to help the USA win the Gold Cup in 2017. You must be hoping there are more big games to come with Swansea looking to stay high up the table?

Definitely. Those games are what you live for as a footballer, playing in finals and key games in a tight league.

That is what it is all about. When you are a kid those are the sort of games you dream of being involved in. I’m no different, I certainly hope to be a part of days that like here.

Gregg Berhalter is your coach with the United States.

As a player he was someone who left the US for spells in Euope. He played for Crystal Palace and had spells in Germany. Did you speak to him about this move and his own experiences?

Jim Shorin/stanfordphoto.com

I did. I love playing under Gregg and I respect his opinion so much, so he was definitely someone I spoke to about it. I know he spoke to the manager here too, and we both agreed this was just a great opportunity for me.

He is obviously someone who is a big influence on you, who would you describe as some of the other key figures in your development?

My coaching staff and team-mates in Seattle were great for me, and it had that atmosphere that was similar to the tight-knit feel the manager spoke about at this club,” he said.

That atmosphere and coaching staff helped my development so much, but I also have to give thanks to Jurgen Klinsmann, who took a chance on this college kid and called him up to the national team.

AP Photo/Ted S. Warren

I don’t think a lot of coaches would have done that, so he has always been a big influence for me.

He was great, he was an unbelievable player so it was great to play for him. I think a lot of people would have passed over this college kid, but he did not, and I will forever be grateful for that.

He was always working on finishing drills with me, and things like that. It’s fun to learn from someone like that, and see the clips of how great a player he was.

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Roy Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Swansea fans will notice there is a tattoo on your arm which relates to your diagnoses with Type 1 diabetes as a child. Can you explain to us how you have had to adjust over time and how you have to manage the condition to ensure you can perform at your best?

I was diagnosed when I was nine, so it has been part of my life for a while now.

The main thing is I have to keep my blood sugar in the right spot, especially on game day. I really have to focus on what I eat.

It’s another challenge to overcome, but I have been dealing with it for a long time and I feel I have good control.

You and your family have set up the Jordan Morris Foundation to help children with the condition, looking to educate and inspire them that it need not be a barrier to their ambitions. It’s something very close to your heart?

John Dorton/ISI Photos/Getty Images

The foundation is something close to my heart, when I went back to Seattle to play my family set up the foundation.

When I was a kid, there were people I looked up to playing professional sports who had Type 1 Diabetes, but I was not able to talk to them or reach out and hear their stories.

So, I told myself I would use my platform to try to help and, hopefully, try to inspire and educate these kids. “ That’s how it started, and we are still going today, which is great.

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I

JACK THE LAD don’t know about you, but I’ve been getting hugely excited by this evening’s fixture.

First versus second - a genuine top of the table clash . . . and it’s on a Friday night. What more could you want?

Well, being there!

The absence us fans is the only thing that’s going to detract from what would normally be a hugely exciting evening at the Liberty Stadium.

Norwich have been in top form while the Swans will be hoping to extend the seven-match league unbeaten run which has made them genuine promotion contenders.

Can you imagine what the atmosphere would be like at the ground for this evening’s match?

Friday night matches traditionally attract big crowds and lot s of excitement.

There’s something special about the atmosphere - it must be that Friday feeling!

Since I first started supporting the Swans I’ ve always loved Friday night matches – what a way to kick off the weekend!

It’s a massive shame none of us will be there to cheer on the Swans and I’m sure Norwich would have brought a colourful and vocal following, despite the distance.

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But one advantage of the current situation is that you may be reading this article earlier than usual on your laptop or phone rather than flicking through the physical version at the ground a few minutes before kick-off.

Instead of generating an inspirational and intimidating wall of sound as they step out pitch on Friday night, let’s send a massive virtual wave of support and good wishes to the club and the players.

This means we’ve got a bit more time to let the team know we’re right behind them for what is a genuinely massive game.

Let’s make sure they feel 10feet tall as they emerge from the tunnel to take on the league leaders.

In normal circumstances, we would be able to leave the team in absolutely no doubt of our support with a Liberty Stadium roar as they walked out onto the field and throughout the 90 minutes.

To get you in the mood for tapping out your upbeat messages, I thought I’d look back at a few of my own favourite Friday night football occasions in Swansea over the years:

So, we’re going to have to let them know the Jack Army is cheering them on in a different way.

Swans 3-3 Watford - March 1978

Social media and football haven’t been mixing in a particularly positive way in the past couple of weeks.

The news has been full of sickening stories about players suffering racial abuse across the various social media platforms.

So, let’s use social media in a positive way in the last few hours before the clash against Norwich.

Let’s absolutely flood Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and whatever other new-fangled platforms people are using today, to show our support for the Swans ahead of this huge game.

John Toshack’s debut as player manager on March 3, 1978 was a Friday night game.

Fair enough, it would have been a special occasion whatever day it was played, but the thrilling 3-3 draw in front of 15,500 people at the Vetch, the biggest home crowd for seven years, helped cement my fondness of Friday night football.

Goals by Kevin Moore and Toshack himself had given the Swans a two-goal lead, but the champions elect fought back to go in front, before Alan Curtis scored a late goal for the Swans, who would also be promoted from the old Fourth Division.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Swans 2-1 Chesterfield - May 1979 Few who were there that night would forget the Swans facing Chesterfield on the evening before the 1979 Arsenal v Manchester United FA Cup Final.

It was the last game of the season and in order to gain promotion to the old Second Division, the Swans needed to win and hope some of their promotion rivals slipped up.

Such was the occasion, a group of us fans from the Amman Valley hired a coach to make sure we were able to get to the game on time and not worry about dashing off to catch the last service bus home immediately afterwards – especially if there was to be a promotion party on the pitch!

Our clever plan almost backfired when the bus broke down on the way to Swansea, but we just managed to scramble into the packed ground minutes before kick-off.

With over 22,000 cheering the Swans on, I can remember thinking that the 100,000 at Wembley the following day would do well to make more noise and create a better atmosphere.

It all went a bit quiet after 15 minutes though when Chesterfield took the lead. We needn’t have worried, Alan Waddle grabbed an

equaliser and eight minutes from time, player-manager Toshack, having brought himself off the bench, thumped in a brilliant header to win the match.

After an agonising wait for the other results to come in, the Swans were going up and the celebrations could begin.

Swans 1-0 Derby County November 2009 Everyone’s favourite pantomime villain Robbie Savage arrived at the Liberty with Derby County in the run up to the Panto season.

Swans 2-0 Yeovil - November 2005

T he straight-t alking former Welsh international had recently been critical of John Toshack’s management of the national team.

When the Swans moved to the Liberty Stadium, many feared the special atmosphere generated for night matches at the Vetch would be lost at the new stadium.

The Swans’ supporters certainly let him know what they thought of his criticism with a resounding chorus of “One John Toshack, there’s only one John Toshack”.

But their fears were eased when 19,228 turned out on a Friday night to see the Swans face Yeovil in November 2005.

And every touch of the ball by Savage was greeted by a barrage of pantomime-like boos and hisses.

Not only was there that old familiar night-time, big match atmosphere, but there was plenty of action on the pitch too.

And I’m not just talking about Lee Trundle’s spectacular long-range effort, which he lobbed perfectly over the visiting keeper.

No, that game will als o be remembered for the exploits of an extraordinarily brave/foolish streaker, who ignored the bitterly cold November night air to run onto the pitch wearing nothing more than a huge smile and a barely there thong!

He even had a “He’s behind you!” moment, when Fede Bessone snuck up on his blind side to race past and latch on to Joe Allen’s brilliant pass for a thrilling late winning goal which sent the Liberty Stadium into raptures.

Hopefully those memories will get you in the mood to post your social media support for the Swans tonight.

We may not be there in person, but let’s leave the players in no doubt that we will be there in spirit.

C’mon you Swans!

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SWANS ACADEMY

BY MARK ALLEN

G

ood evening everyone. It’s been another couple of difficult weeks in the programme as we battle the latest protocols with player availability and a congested fixture list for under-18 and under-23 programmes.

programme. Whilst this process is difficult, especially when we decide a change of environment might be best for some, it is important that we seek to identify not just plans for the retained players but also a plan for those we release.

The result of this is that we are having to effectively use one squad to fulfil both games programmes as at present we are unable to utilise our under-16 group.

I have now had a chance to engage with our younger age group staff, albeit through zoom or telephone, and I have been greatly impressed by their attitude and adaptability during these times. I am looking forward to when I will be able to see the younger age groups play and train and also when I can sit and speak directly with parents and share how we propose to move forward and the part I hope they will play in sharing their son’s developments.

My strong opinion at these ages is development over results, and whilst we have struggled from a results perspective, encouragingly we have been able to stretch our players and challenge them at older age groups as we plan their journey towards first-team football. I think it is also fair to acknowledge that injuries have not been kind to the coaching staff when selecting teams.

What is heartening to me is that we continue to have boys integrated and part of the first-team squad and as we saw in the FA Cup, these lads are given chances and are taking them in the first-team arena, which is the most important thing for me to see with academy development.

Planning is also well under way for next season as we analyse our current under-18s and under-23s group and consider what areas we need to recruit for in early preparation for what we all hope will be a more realistic year in terms of operation.

I am continuing to familiarise myself with all our processes and operational procedures. In the coming weeks, final decisions will be taken on what boys will be retained and released from the academy

I intend to give the programme stage to a number of our staff who will be able to familiarise everyone with the working of their areas and the part it plays in a player’s development. The areas of athletic development, analysis and sports medicine are vitally important to how players develop and support the better known areas of coaching and recruitment.

As I write these note we have just been forced to cancel and rearrange our under-23s fixture with Colchester. The teams will now face each other on Friday, May 7 at Florence Park (1pm).

As always, all that remains for me to say is best of luck to the head coach Steve Cooper and his players tonight.

Mark Allen

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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.

1986-1987 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR (FINISHED 12TH)

1985-1986 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION THIRD (FINISHED 24TH)

Yet again the summer was a busy one at the Vetch, with Chairman Sharpe able to appoint a former Leeds United and Wales captain Terry Yorath as manager.

The side he inherited was a young one, with Yorath able to bring in Terry Phelan from Elland Road.

It proved another season to forget at Swansea City as the club suffered a third relegation in four seasons on top of the club being wound up.

Despite manager John Bond signing the likes of Tommy Hutchison, Colin Randell and Swansea born Garry Emmanuel, the financial troubles that engulfed the club was not going away, with a receiver appointed to look into the clubs financial affairs.

The Swans were bottom of the table and, just five days before Christmas, the club was wound up with Bond and his backroom staff sacked. With the club effectively no more, a united front of various factions at the club banded together to create “Swans Aid” and permission was granted by the Football League to allow the club to play its Boxing Day game at Ninian Park.

The season ended in relegation, with a with a new board headed by Chairman Doug Sharpe coming to an agreement with the High Court to have a winding up order at the club lifted.

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A bright start saw Sean McCarthy a regular on the score sheet and new full back Phelan catching the eye with his energetic displays.

A decent run in the FA Cup saw the Swans see off Slough and Wealdstone before a thrilling 3-2 victory over West Brom. A 1-0 home defeat to Hull City saw the cup adventure come to a conclusion, but a further blow came with a serious knee injury to skipper Dudley Lewis, which kept him out of the game for a long period.

The season ended with a mid-table finish, but given the events of the previous few years a period of consolidation was more than welcome.

1987-1988 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR (FINISHED 6TH)

With a more settled feel at the Vetch, the Swans were soon moving division again – this time in the right direction.

Young Phelan’s performances saw him join First Division side Wimbledon in a deal worth £100,000, while Alan Knill, Alan Davies and Joe Allon signed on at the Vetch Field and local boy Chris Coleman arrived from Manchester City.

A decent first half to the season saw the Swans sit in the top half around the Christmas period, and a significant arrival came in the form of Robbie James, who joined from Leicester City for £35,000.

The good news was followed by bad news, though, as young goalkeeper Mike Hughes retired from the game following problems picked up during a brain scan.

But when everything seemed to be going well at the club, manager Yorath dropped a bombshell at the club, making his intentions clear to move back to Yorkshire to be with his family, and take up the managerial vacancy at his former club Bradford City. Hutchison filled the role of caretaker manager until Wales and former Crystal Palace defender Ian Evans was appointed.

Despite the promotion push falling off track, a ninth Welsh Cup success thanks to a 5-0 win over Kidderminster Harriers at the Vetch Field gave the Swans fans something to cheer.

1989-1990 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION THREE (FINISHED 17TH)

Despite the sale of Colin Pascoe to Sunderland for £70,000, the Swans finished the season strongly and two victories in their final two games sealed a play-off spot.

The Swans saw off Rotherham to set up a two-legged final against Torquay. After a 2-1 win over on home soil, the Swans drew 2-2 draw in the return leg to gain promotion back to Division Three.

1988-1989 FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION THREE

(FINISHED 12TH)

In his first full season as Swans manager, Evans brought in Terry Boyle from Cardiff City on a free transfer and exciting winger John Salako on loan from Crystal Palace.

Mark Harris also joined from Crystal Palace after the Swans leaked goals in the opening games, but that didn’t stop Reading from running riot in September as they left the Vetch with a 6-1 win.

But, days later, a future legend of the club joined on loan from Chelsea – Roger Freestone.

A busy pre-season saw manager Yorath strengthen his squad with the addition of Steve Thornber and Brian Wade, while goalkeeper Rhys Wilmot and Dean Holdsworth arrived on loan.

The early results were impressive, with the midfield trio of Alan Davies, Robbie James and Tommy Hutchison using all their experience to dictate play in most games.

The new year saw the club in sixth place and right in the hunt for a second promotion.

The club’s European adventure involved a trip to Greece to face Panathinaikos. A 3-2 defeat was followed by a 3-3 draw in front of a fully-charge Jack Army was not enough though as they exited 6-5 on aggregate.

With the club stuck in the lower reaches of the division for most of the season, Evans was sacked in March. His replacement?

Former boss Yorath. He steered the club to safety with a finalday draw against Bolton – a game that saw club legend Alan Curtis announce his retirement from football.

A highlight of the campaign came in the FA Cup, with the Swans holding Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at the Vetch before a 8-0 thumping at Anfield.

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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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LEIGHTON JAMES ANDY ROBINSON FABIO BORINI v LIVERPOOL 1982 v COLCHESTER 2005 v NORWICH CITY 2011 Swansea-born James struck one of his most memorable goals against Liverpool at the Vetch during a First Division encounter.

The winger struck a crucial goal to keep the Swans top of League One in this clash with Colchester at the Liberty.

The Italian was a big hit at the Liberty as he played a vital role in the Swans’ promotion to the Premier League.

The left-winger was part of a Swans side that had genuine title ambitions, and this goal came against a Liverpool team that went on to top the division.

Flying high, Kenny Jackett’s team were settling nicely into their new home in SA1, and Robinson’s strike sealed a point after Chris Iwelumo had given the visitors the lead.

Signed on loan from Chelsea in January, Borini struck six goals in 12 games for the Swans, and this one was among the best.

James’ connection with Alan Curtis was one to be feared, and they linked up to set up this memorable goal as Curtis was fouled around 30 yards out with less than 15 minutes left on the clock.

James took control and placed the ball on the exact spot he wanted, sprinted up to it in what the newspapers called a “fast bowlers’ run-up” and his thunderous effort beat the Liverpool wall and Bruce Grobbelaar at the near post, leaving everybody in the stadium stunned.

The ferocious strike opened the scoring before Curtis added a second in the final minute as the Swans gained a memorable victory against the eventual First Division winners.

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Robinson was a set-piece specialist and was deadly when stood over a free-kick.

This particular effort against Colchester was one to be admired.

There was half an hour on the clock when the free kick was awarded. The ball was placed around 25 to 30 yards out and Robinson was stood over it with one thing in mind. He curled it over the wall with pace and beyond the reach of the diving ‘keeper.

As the ball rippled the net in the top corner, Robinson was already celebrating as his teammates chased him down to join in.

The Swans would see off Colchester in the Football League Trophy later that season in a competition they would eventually win, while Robinson’s time with the Swans saw play a key role in two promotions.

Hosting a Norwich side that were also pushing for promotion, the Swans were ahead after just five minutes after Borini was hacked down inside five minutes by Zak Whitbread around 30 yards out and just left of the centre of the goal.

T he talented striker picked himself up and dusted himself off and took control of the situation, making sure he was the man to make Norwich pay, and that’s exactly what he did.

The 20 year-old’s strike flew over the wall with pace and dip and found the top left corner of the goal, giving John Ruddy in the Norwich net no chance of getting anywhere near it.

Borini’s effort, hit with his laces and the technique to make the ball dip at the last second, was his third in as many games to keep the Swans on the promotion charge.

JONATHAN DE GUZMAN GYLFI SIGURDSSON GYLFI SIGURDSSON v VALENCIA 2013 v ARSENAL 2014 v MANCHESTER UNITED 2017 One of the most iconic nights during Michael Laudrup’s time in charge came at the Mestella against Valencia during the Swans’ opening Europa League group stage match.

We couldn’t have written this piec e and not included the free-kick master himself, Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Icelander was the Swans’ best ever set piece taker ever seen at the Liberty.

The Iceman would score a number of free-kicks over the years that could have made this selection, but his last in a Swansea shirt was a special one away at Manchester United.

The League Cup winners were already in dreamland by the time de G uzman s c ore d un unbelievable set-piece.

One of his best ever came against the Gunners at the Liberty as the Swans turned the game on its head late on and in a matter of minutes to c ondemn the Londoners to defeat.

In a season where the Swans struggled, Sigurdsson was still up to his usual tricks in the game, almost scoring from one free-kick and his cross from another going close to setting up a goal but he saved one of his best strikes in a Swansea shirt until last.

Adil Rami had been sent off after 10 minutes before Wilfried Bony and Michu had given the Swans a 2-0 lead.

Then came de Guzman’s moment.

The Swans won a free-kick around 35 yards from goal. Valencia didn’t bother with a wall and instead decided to mark the Swansea players they thought would be challenging for the cross.

The Dutchman had other ideas however, and his lengthy run up was worth the wait as he curled the free kick into the top-right hand corner of the goal, out of reach of Vicente Guaita in the Valencia net.

S c orer of two goals during the League Cup Final win over Bradford earlier that year, de Guzman scored 15 goals in 93 appearances over two loan spells at the Liberty before going on to join Napoli – the team that eventually ended the Swans’ Europa League adventure.

K ieran Gibbs brought down Modou Barrow 25 yards from goal, earning himself a yellow card in the process, and that caused immediate danger for Arsenal as Sigurdsson placed the ball down and cleared the rest of his team-mates out of the way.

He waited patiently for the referee to mark the spot where the wall would stand, but he needn’t have bothered as Sigurdsson bent the ball over the top of the watching Arsenal players with speed and whip and into the back of the net.

It was only his second goal of the season, but easily the best he produced that term. His strike also helped the Swans up to fifth position at the time.

Wayne Rooney brought down Jordan Ayew nearly 25 yards from goal as the clock ticked towards 80 minutes - in prime Sigurdsson range.

After a lengthy wait for United to get themselves sorted out, the Icelander spotted Ander Herrera leaving his position on the goalline and he guided the ball over the wall and into the net in nonchalant fashion, leaving David de Gea rooted to the ground.

He then wheeled away into the corner where 3,000 travelling Swans fans celebrated Sigurdsson goal for the last time.

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DEADLINE DAY ROUND-UP I

t proved to be another hectic transfer deadline day in the EFL, and for Swansea City it was no different. There were three new arrivals at the Liberty Stadium, while a further three players were sent out on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

Swansea also completed the loan signing of USA international Paul Arriola from MLS side DC United for the remainder of the season.

One of the new additions was young forward Morgan Whittaker.

The 20-year-old, who represented England at various youth levels, arrived from Derby County on a fourand-a-half-year deal.

Along with Whittaker, the 25-year-old provides Steve Cooper’s attacking options with a timely boost following injuries to Liam Cullen and Wayne Routledge in the FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest.

The final incoming before the window closed was Wales international defender Kieron Freeman.

The 28-year-old joined from Swindon Town until the end of the season, and brings plenty of EFL experience to the Swans’ defence having also turned out for Forest, Derby and Sheffield United.

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USA international Jordan Morris also arrived on loan from Seattle Sounders, with the agreement including an option to buy the winger at the end of this season.

He made his debut in last weekend’s 3-1 win at Rotherham United.

Meanwhile, Jordon Garrick moved in the opposite direction on a loan deal for the remainder of the campaign.

Youngsters Matthew Blake and Josh Thomas also made temporary moves away from SA1; joining reigning Cymru Premier side Cardiff Met until the conclusion of this term.

And following injury to Steven Benda earlier in the month, Huddersfield Town goalkeeper Ben Hamer was acquired on an 18-month deal to provide competition for Freddie Woodman between the sticks.

January also saw the departures of two academy products as Jack Evans and Joe Lewis moved to Newport and Torquay respectively, having both spent well over a decade in the youth ranks in SA1.

Overall, it proved to be a busy and productive window for the Swans.

Meanwhile, George Byers joined League One side Portsmouth on loan for the remainder of the season, while Declan John linked up with League Two outfit Bolton.

Experienced midfielder Conor Hourihane has hit the ground running since his loan switch from Aston Villa; scoring in each of his first two league appearances against Brentford and Rotherham.

We also said farewell to Morgan Gibbs-White, Kasey Palmer and Viktor Gyokeres; all of whom were recalled by their parent clubs after spending the first half of the campaign on loan at the Liberty.

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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 Smith 5

1

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Smith

Bennett

Naughton

Bidwell

Grimes

Middlesbrough A L 2-1

Wed, Dec 2, 7pm

Woodman

Roberts

Cabango 2

Bennett

Guehi

Manning

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

Cabango

Norwich City H

Fri, Feb 5, 8.15pm

Manchester City H (FA R5)

Wed, Feb 10, 5.30pm

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

3

Manning

Byers

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Bennett

Guehi 4

Manning

Hourihane 3

Cabango

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Bennett

Guehi

Bidwell

Grimes

Booked =

Sent off =

Carabao Cup = CC

FA Cup = FA

Correct as of February 4, 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

Benda, Naughton, Bidwell, Grimes 1 , Dhanda 4

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 Dhanda 1

2

1

4

Ayew

, Cullen, Gyokeres

, 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

Hourihane

Lowe 2

Ayew

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

2

, 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

27

16

7

4

35

21

14

55

2

Brentford

26

14

9

3

48

26

22

51

3

Swansea City

26

14

8

4

33

15

18

50

4

Reading

26

14

5

7

40

29

11

47

5

Watford

27

13

8

6

31

20

11

47

6

Bournemouth

27

11

9

7

40

26

14

42

7

Middlesbrough

27

11

7

9

30

24

6

40

8

Blackburn Rovers

26

11

6

9

41

28

13

39

9

Bristol City

27

12

3

12

29

31

-2

39

10

Stoke City

27

9

11

7

32

29

3

38

11

Preston North End

27

11

3

13

31

34

-3

36

12

Barnsley

27

10

6

11

29

34

-5

36

13

Luton Town

26

9

6

11

21

28

-7

33

14

Millwall

27

6

14

7

22

25

-3

32

15

Huddersfield Town

27

9

5

13

30

38

-8

32

16

Cardiff City

26

8

7

11

33

31

2

31

17

Queens Park Rangers

26

7

9

10

25

32

-7

30

18

Coventry City

27

7

9

11

26

37

-11

30

19

Nottingham Forest

27

7

8

12

22

30

-8

29

20

Derby County

27

7

7

13

17

28

-11

28

21

Birmingham City

27

6

10

11

19

31

-12

28

22

Rotherham United

25

7

5

13

30

35

-5

26

23

Sheffield Wednesday*

26

8

7

11

18

26

-8

25

24

Wycombe Wanderers

25

3

7

15

18

42

-24

16

A

MANCHESTER CITY (H)

Wednesday, Feb 10, 5.30pm

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (A)

Saturday, Feb 13, 3pm

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (H)

Wednesday, Feb 17, 7pm

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (A)

Saturday, Feb 20, 3pm

COVENTRY CITY (H)

Wednesday, Feb 24, 7pm

Correct as of February 4, 2021

NEXT UP AT HOME - MANCHESTER CITY

few days after hosting the Championship leaders, the Premier League table-toppers are the next opposition for the Swans. Pep Guardiola’s side are in incredible form, with a club-record 13 consecutive wins secured thanks to a midweek victory over Burnley. From those 13 games, City kept 10 clean sheets.

Cup Winners’ Cup champions in 1969-70, City’s trophy cabinet also includes six top-flight titles (Division One and Premier League), six FA Cup trophies and seven League Cup successes.

25 7 SWANS

54

UPCOMING FIXTURES

4 MANCHESTER CITY

DRAWS 36 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 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 37 38 42 44

HEAD COACH: DANIEL FARKE 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 27 30 33 34 35 38

Tim Krul Max Aarons Sam Byram Grant Hanley Christoph Zimmermann Lukas Rupp Mario Vrančić Jordan Hugill Kieran Dowell Przemysław Płacheta Ørjan Nyland Todd Cantwell Xavi Quintillà Emi Buendía Marco Stiepermann Jacob Sørensen Oliver Skipp Teemu Pukki Kenny McLean Josh Martin Onel Hernández Bali Mumba Alex Tettey Dimitris Gianoulis Michael McGovern Ben Gibson Adam Idah Aston Oxborough

MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE: SIMON HOOPER ASSISTANT REFEREES: DEREK EATON AND DANIEL LEACH FOURTH OFFICIAL: LEE SWABEY

56