Swansea City v Plymouth Argyle – Carabao Cup – 21-22 – Issue 4

SEASON 2021-2022

VERSUS

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE Tuesday, August 24, 2021 - Kick-off 7pm

ISSUE 4

JOMA-SPORT.COM PAGE 2

CONTENTS Page 16 - Fulton reaches 150 appearances

Page 24 - Meet the Opposition

Page 29 - Match Highlights

Page 32 - Interview with Flynn Downes

Page 46 - Swans Ladies

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.

STUDY STUDY AT AT ASTUDIWCH YM SWANSEA MHRIFYSGOL SWANSEA UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY ABERTAWE WHERE BRIGHT FUTURES BEGIN

WHERE BRIGHT FUTURES BEGIN DISCOVER MORE DISCOVER

MORE >

DRWS I DDYFODOL DISGLAIR DYSGWCH FWY

>

TEACHING EXCELLENCE & STUDENT OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK

FFRAMWAITH RHAGORIAETH TEACHING EXCELLENCE & &STUDENT DEILLIANNAU MYFYRWYR OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK

(The highest award for Teaching Excellence at UK universities)

(Y dyfarniad uchaf am Ragoriaeth Addysgu ym mhrifysgolion y DU)

(The highest award for Teaching Excellence at UK universities)

Chief Executive Julian Winter Board Of Directors Directors: Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Huw Jenkins, Jason Levien, Martin Morgan, Gareth Davies, Julian Winter, Jake Silverstein, Terry Sinnett, Sam Porter Honorary Club President: Alan Curtis; Associate Directors: David Morgan, Sian Davies Team Management Head Coach: Russell Martin Assistant Head Coach: Luke Williams Behind the Team Technical Development Coach: Matt Gill First-Team Coach: Alan Tate Goalkeeping Coach: Dean Thorntan Head of Physical Performance: Matt Willmott Head of Medicine: Dr Jez McCluskey First-Team Performance Analyst: Ben Parker Sporting Director: Mark Allen Head of Recruitment: Andy Scott Staff: Ritson Lloyd, Ailsa Jones, Matthew Murray, Adele Callaghan, Daniel Morris, Lee Watkins, Chris Watkins, 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)

Programme Production Contributors: Ben Donovan, Chris Wilson-Barney, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Adam Evans, Dom Hynes, Rachael Tucker, Efan Willis, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, Cerith White, Dom Valerio

Club Staff Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood Assistant Football Secretary: Rebecca Gigg Head of Retail: Andrea Morris Head of Hospitality & Customer Services: Catherine Thomas 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: Evan Davies Disability Access Officer: Catherine Thomas Swansea City AFC Foundation Manager: Helen Elton Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle

Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jordan Morcom, Lewis Ward Photography: Athena Picture Agency, Natalie Davis, Alamy Swansea City AFC Swansea.com Stadium, Landore, Swansea, SA10 2FA CP-D Dinas Abertawe Stadiwm Swansea.com, Landore, Abertawe, SA1 2FA Telephone/Ffôn: 01792 616400 Web/Gwe: swanseacity.com Email/E-bost: info@swanseacity.com

PAGE 6

A MESSAGE FROM

JULIAN WINTER G

ood evening everyone as we look forward to tonight’s Carabao Cup tie with Plymouth Argyle.

It has been a hectic start to the season, with this match being our sixth game of the 2021-22 campaign.

We st ar ted the new se ason with a new coaching set up, and I think credit must go to Russell Martin and his staff for how well and quickly they ’ ve settled in.

There are obvious challenges when you start at a new club, let alone with a new season kicking off just days after your appointment, but I’m sure you’ ve all been really impressed with how Russell and the team have done so far.

It can take time to implement a new style and for player s t o adapt , but I thought our performance at Bristol City last Friday night showed that the hard work is already starting to pay off.

Aside from the team’s performance in our 1-0 win, I was massively impressed by the incredible support from you – the Jack Army – at Ashton Gate.

To have over 2,300 Swans fans in the away end was truly a fantastic sight to see, and the noise you generated gave the players a real lift.

This team is looking to create new memories in the c ompetition, though we are well aware of Plymouth’s promising start to the season.

It really hammered home just how connected the team and the supporters are, because you both bounced off each other.

F inally, I’d like t o highlight Swansea City L adies’ efforts in the recent UEFA Women’s Champions League.

We l o o k f o r w a r d t o s e e i n g you all at the Swansea.c om Stadium once again this evening and hearing that famous Jack Army roar.

Despite being an amateur side, they represented the club with distinction as they came up against professional opposition.

That support is going to be crucial this season as we face up to the challenges that lay ahead.

From a fantastic league win to an intriguing cup contest, our focus for the past few days has firmly been on tonight’s opponents Plymouth.

W h e n e ve r t h i s c o m p e t i t i o n is mentioned, supporters fo n d l y r e m i n i s c e a b o u t t h e club’s success back in 2013.

That was a truly remarkable achievement, and the cup proudly sit s in the club’s trophy cabinet.

They took Russian champions WFC CSKA Moscow to extra-time in their opening game, before pushing Belarusian outfit FC Dinamo Minsk to the wire.

Despite leaving Cyprus w i t h t wo l o s s e s , we a re a l l immensely proud of their performance and attitude as they represented Swansea City in Europe.

Enjoy the game, Julian

PAGE 7

PAGE 8

A MESSAGE FROM

RUSSELL MARTIN

G

ood evening and welcome to the Swansea.com Stadium for tonight’s Carabao Cup tie against Plymouth Argyle.

We come into this game on the back of a really positive result against Bristol City where we picked up a good win, and we were able to give our wonderful travelling support something to celebrate after they had travelled in their numbers to cheer us on.

I s aid after the game that I felt the performance was not one of our better ones when it came to how we used the ball, but it’s understandable that there is some tiredness after a really hectic start to the season, and players are anxious to get that first league win on the board.

It’s been a tough period, and it has been made tougher with t h e c o m p l i c at i o n s we h a ve faced due to the Covid cases we have had among the squad.

But the circumstances have given players an opportunity, and we are viewing this fixture tonight as exactly that; an opportunity for players to show what they are capable of and for us to continue our development as a team.

We will face a Plymouth side I am familiar with having faced them in League One last season, and they are a strong team who are managed well by Ryan Lowe.

They play a similar system to ourselves, they play a similar style so it should make for an interesting game; one where we will need to look to dictate with our play on the ball and show the required intensity and accuracy.

I have only recently started to work with J ay, but I c an already see that he is a true professional, and he is someone we know we can rely on.

He has done really well coming back into the side after suspension. He has been excellent in how he has applied himself in training and he has been great to work with.

Overall, we are really pleased with the work the players are putting in during a challenging period, and we hope we can take another step forward with a positive showing for you all.

Enjoy the game, Russell

Playing a side from the division above, they have nothing to lose and we have to rise to that challenge.

One man who rose to the challenge at Bristol City was Jay Fulton, on what was his 150th appearance for this fantastic club.

PAGE 9

education furniture - fitted & loose

workplace furniture showroom

wallart - hoardings - signage

At Ministry of Furniture, we’re experts in creating inspirational workplace and educational environments.

Ministry Group specialises in furniture supply, recruitment and graphics.

print, such as wallart, hoardings and building signage.

At our factory in Ystalyfera in the Swansea Valley, we remanufacture and manufacture our own ranges of fitted furniture, storage and tables.

Our design team are experts in creating inspirational interiors that will help you achieve the best use of space in your workplace. We’re literate in the very latest space design and BIM modelling software, and can plan the smallest scheme to the very largest of contract projects.

Our print production facility specialise in contract graphic design and large scale

Ministry of Furniture, Neath 01639 812382 sales@ministryoffurniture.com

www.ministryoffurniture.com

Contact us to find out more or to book a showroom visit!

A MESSAGE FROM

MATT GRIMES G

ood evening Jack Army a n d we l c o m e t o t h e Swansea.com Stadium for this evening’s Carabao Cup secondround tie with Plymouth Argyle.

As a squad we were determined to put things right after the loss and had no time to dwell with just three days before we headed to Ashton Gate.

The loss against Stoke City last time out at the Swansea.com was a difficult result to take. It hurt to concede from two set-pieces, especially after being in control for spells of the match.

It was a fantastic evening in Bristol and we were ecstatic to get the three points in our first league win of the season. We knew it was going to be tough, Ashton Gate is always a difficult place to go and they’re a very good side.

We showed character to pull a goal back and kept fighting until the end. We’re in a period of transition and have faced obst acles with injuries and the Covid situation, but we are working hard to implement our style and take on board all advice from the gaffer and his coaching staff.

We were all delighted for Joel to get his third goal in four appearances, it was a superb finish and he put in a great shift for the team, as did everyone.

We’ll take a lot of confidence from that result and performance and it’s only fuelled our hunger to produce more positive displays.

It was a real battling performance and we were certainly boosted by the superb support from the Jack Army in the away end. They made it feel like a home match at times and were loud and proud from start to finish.

We know that the fixture means a lot to Swans fans and we were over the moon to give them something to cheer about as a thank you for their amazing support.

We hope we can deliver more of the same tonight.

Enjoy the game this evening!

Matt

PAGE 11

Search V-Hub by Vodafone

Can we scale up without letting up?

Your business can grow as fast as it needs to with our cloud-based software and connectivity packages.

For terms & details, see www.vodafone.co.uk/business/medium-sized-business

A MESSAGE FR M

CERI STONE

M

id-August is a vibrant time with your Supporters’ Trust.

We have the dawn of a new season and all the hope and expe c t ation it brings . A s a Supporters’ Trust we are in the midst of a new membership cycle and, personally, I have to choose which of the new kits I buy for the year ahead.

This year the club have got the kits spot on. They are steeped in the heart and traditions of our club and are both stylish and timeless.

The response to them so far has been very positive. Whichever one I choose will be worn for years to come, like one of the great retro tops from the past.

Credit must go to the club for developing merchandise and a badge we can wear with pride.

Credit must also go to Russell Martin and the squad for a superb result on Friday night in the M4 derby. Could we be at the start of something special here? We congratulate Julian Winter and his team for an inspired appointment.

Speaking of pride, your Trust board are hugely impressed with the response from members to the beginning of our 20th Anniversary season.

The new membership cycle is in full flow and the team behind the scenes are hard at work taking applications from both old and new. We are matching our numbers from last year and this season all members will receive a commemorative pin badge and car sticker. The response to these has been great but we are especially overwhelmed by the Jack Army’s support of the Trust.

Firstly, the level of donations that have been made to the Trust from its members is incredible. In these interesting times we have been bowled over by how much our fans constantly support both the Trust and the club.

S ec ondly, we have seen an increase in overseas members and we love how the Jack Army is spreading far and wide.

International members groups are increasing and many are now joining the Supporters’ Trust from places as far afield as Brazil, USA, Italy and Kilgetty.

As your representative we want to engage with all supporters and continue the great work of previous boards who have done so much to make us an organisation admired nationwide.

You can reach out to us through the usual methods on social media and also via our website.

T he pod is still out side the stadium on matchdays.

Here you can meet some of our board members and renew membership if you don’t wish to do it online, although we do have to apologise for it being closed tonight. A couple of our volunteers have been forced to self-isolate for 10 days.

A l t e r n a t i v e l y, y o u c a n j o i n t h e S u p p o r t e r s ’ Tr u s t a t swanstrust.co.uk/join-the-trust.

Membership is still only £10, which leaves spare cash for a memorable first team jersey.

Speaking of which, I’m off to buy the home one.

No. The black one. No. Definitely home.

No matter the colour, here’s l o o k i n g fo r w a r d t o a g r e a t performance against the Pilgrims tonight.

Enjoy the game.

PAGE 13

"Proud sponsors of Swansea City"

PROUD SPONSORS OF

PAGE 14

HEATING INSTALLATIONS

MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS

UNDERFLOOR HEATING

AIR CONDITIONING

RENEWABLE ENERGY

PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS

PAGE 15

JAY FULTON BECOMES PART OF SWANS 150 CLUB PAGE 16

S

wans midfielder Jay Fulton made his 150th appearance for Swansea City against Bristol City on Friday night.

The Scot joined fellow Swans’ Matt Grimes and Connor Roberts in reaching the milestone during this calendar year.

The midfielder will be hoping there are more such landmarks to come having signed a contract extension through to June 2024 earlier this year; a deal that will see him bring up a decade of service in Swansea colours.

Prior to Friday the 27-year-old has made 149 appearances since arriving from Falkirk in January 2014, scoring eight goals, having also had loan spells with Oldham and Wigan.

Fulton joined Swansea City as a 20-year-old.

He had shown his potential in the S c ottish Championship, having made over 100 senior appearances and helped Falkirk to two semi-finals in domestic cup competitions.

The Scot made his first Premier League appearance as a substitute in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa back in April 2014, before making his maiden start in the final game of the season away at Sunderland.

He clocked up 19 appearances over the next couple of the seasons, while also featuring six times during a loan spell with Wigan Athletic in the second half of the latter term, which included helping the Latics cause a huge upset by dumping Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City out of the FA Cup. Upon his return to South Wales, Fulton racked up 38 games during the 2018-19 campaign under Graham Potter.

The Scot played 39 times the following season - making his 100th appearance along the way scoring three goals.

Fulton c ontinued to be a pivotal figure in the Swans’ st ar ting XI throughout the 2020-21 season, making 47 appearanc es and sc oring t h r e e t i m e s t o h e l p t h e Swa n s t o t h e p l ay off final.

Here are some of the key statistics from his time as a Swan.

Vital statistics 1 - The Scot has only received one red card during his time at Swansea City, that coming in last season’s play-off final 3 - Fulton is the third Swans player this calendar year to reach 150 appearances for the Club.

5 - The midfielder has been a recipient of the Man of the Match award five times.

6 - Fulton has registered six assist s in all competitions in his Swansea career.

7 - He has made appearances for the Swans under seven different managers or head coaches: Garry Monk, Francesco Guidolin, Bob Bradley, Paul Clement, Graham Potter, Steve Cooper and Russell Martin.

10 - His first goal for the club came on his 10th senior appearance in a League Cup win at Peterborough in August 2016.

21 - His first league goal for the Swans came in his 21st league appearance against Preston in August 2018.

25 - During his time at Swansea, Fulton has received 25 yellow cards.

50 - Fulton’s 50th appearance for the Swans came in a 1-0 Championship win over Millwall in SA1 in February 2019.

76.9 - Frequently known as the ‘Scottish Pirlo’ by many Swans fans, Fulton has an average pass success percentage of 76.9.

100 - He made his 100th appearance for the Swans in the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Brentford in the 19-20 season, in which he set up Andre Ayew’s volleyed winner.

111 - Of his 150 appearances, 111 have come in the Championship, with 19 coming in the Premier League, nine in the FA Cup, six in the League Cup and another five in the play-offs.

PAGE 17

PAGE 18

JORDON GARRICK JOINS PLYMOUTH ARGYLE ON LOAN

S

wansea City winger Jordon Garrick has joined Plymouth Argyle on loan for the remainder of the 2021-22 season, subject to international clearance.

The 23-year-old linked up with the League One Pilgrims ahead of their weekend trip to face Shrewsbury.

He will not be eligible to face the Swans in tonight’s Carabao Cup clash between the sides under the terms of the loan agreement.

Garrick came through the ranks at non-league club Ossett Albion before joining the Swans in November 2015.

The Jamaican-born winger was part of the under-23s side that won the league and cup double in 2016-17.

After making his senior debut in the Carabao Cup victory over Northampton, Garrick broke into the first-team squad during the 2019-20 season, scoring three goals in 14 appearances.

He made five further appearances in 2020-21 before joining Swindon Town on loan.

He scored two times in 19 appearances but couldn’t prevent the Robins from being relegated to League Two. Garrick signed a contract extension with the Swans in March 2021, with the deal running until the summer of 2023.

PAGE 19

Become an extraordinary leader ionleadership.co.uk

PAGE 20

SWANSEA CITY UNVEIL JOMA THIRD KIT FOR 2021-22

S

wansea City is delighted to unveil the Joma third kit for the 2021-22 season. The coral kit features a retro pattern design in the material, with a coral mesh panel on the shirt underarm and complete with a black stripe detail.

Elasticated cuffs on the shirt ensure a fitted look on the arms, while there is also Swansea City AFC taping detail inside the hem. The kit also features this season’s heritage crest, in celebration of 40 years since Swansea City reached the First Division.

Swansea University will feature on the front of all third jerseys as part of the club’s partnership for the 2021-22 campaign, with Westacres starring on the back of the shirt. Digital NRG will also feature as our back of shorts partner for the third kit.

WHERE TO BUY Supporters can purchase replica third kits online here.

The third kits are available to purchase in-store at the Swansea.com Stadium club shop.

The club shop will be open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9.30am until 5.30pm. The shop will also open for any home match days, with shop hours to be amended dependent on fixture time.

We are also still operating a click and collect service from our Cwmdu warehouse (Cwmdu Industrial Estate, Unit 26, SA5 8JF), which is free of charge for supporters.

Our local sponsors enable the Jack Army to be able to wear the same shirts as their Swans heroes.

PAGE 21

~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTHOWNER ~ PLYMOUTH NICKNAME FOUNDED ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ STADIUM OPENED CAPACITY ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK ~ ~ PLYMOUTHTWITTER ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH THE GAFFER ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ CLUB CAPTAIN ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ ~ PLYMOUTH ~ PLYMOUTH ~ Simon Hallett

The Pilgrims

1886

Home Park

1893

18,600

@Only1Argyle

@only1argyle

@plymouthargylefc

Ryan Lowe began his managerial career at the now defunct Bury, coaching them in a caretaker capacity from 2017-2018, before earning a permanent role in 2018. Lowe made the move to Plymouth the following year, taking over a month before they were relegated from the third tier. In his first full season, Lowe gained immediate promotion back to League One in 2019-20, and finished 18th last season.

RYAN LOWE

In his playing career, the forward made 626 total league appearances for nine different English clubs, including over 50 appearances for Shrewsbury Town, Bury, Crewe Alexandra and Chester City.

Joe Edwards spent nine years in Bristol City’s youth academy before getting his first senior call up in 2010. After leaving the Robins in 2013, Edwards spent time with Yeovil Town, Colchester United and Walsall before becoming Lowe’s first signing in 2019.

He initially signed a two-year deal with Argyle and penned a two-year extension ahead of this season after earning the club’s Player of the Year honours in 2020.

JOE EDWARDS

PAGE 22

The full-back took over as captain of Argyle last season after Gary Sawyer went down with injury, and was kept as the club’s skipper for this season.

He’s made 78 league appearances, scoring 10 goals, during his time at Home Park.

HOME PARK MEET THE OPPOSITION

HOW’S THEIR FORM?

Originally founded as Argyle in 1886, the club turned professional in 1903, and they have played at Home Park since 1901.

Plymouth enjoyed a busy pre-season campaign, winning three fixtures and drawing two. The Swans were along those to pay a visit to Home Park which resulted in a 2-1 victory for the travelling side.

Argyle have a reputation of being a ‘yo-yo club’. Despite winning many titles from the 1950s onwards, they have also suffered relegation relatively frequently after winning some of those titles. They were relegated into the fourth tier for the first time in 1995, and though they would win immediate promotion in 1995–96, they were relegated again in 1998.

The Pilgrims kicked off the season with a defeat away to Rotherham, however they bounced back with three dominant wins over Peterborough, in the first round of the Carabao Cup, and Gillingham and Shrewsbury in the league.

Plymouth secured a record fifth third-tier league title in 2003–04, remaining in the Championship for six seasons until administration and two successive relegations left them in League Two by 2011. In 2016– 17 Argyle won promotion to League One, and again in 2019–20 following relegation the previous season.

PAGE 23

ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH

PANUTCHE CAMARA POSITION

CM

NATION

AGE

SHIRT NO.

24 28

ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH ONES TO

ONES TO WATCH

WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

M ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH PAGE 24

idfielder Panutche Camara first arrived on British shores as a teenager to join the B arnsley Academy, before signing for National League South side, Dulwich Hamlet in 2017.

Known for his energy and running ability with the ball, Camara quickly became a fan favourite at Home Park, he has scored six goals in 53 matches for the Pilgrims.

He caught the eye of several EFL sides and signed for Crawley Town on a two-year deal before joining Argyle.

His dominant performances with the club in the 2020-21 season led to his first call-up for the Guinea-Bissau national team this year.

LUKE JEPHCOTT POSITION

ST

NATION

AGE

SHIRT NO.

21 31

T

he Wales Under-21 international was Argyle’s top scorer for the 2020-21 season with 18 goals in all competitions.

A product of the Argyle Academy, Jephcott became the first player born in the 21st century to play for Plymouth.

The centre-forward was sent out on loan to gain more first team experience, however, he was recalled by Plymouth where he had his breakthrough to the first-team squad. That season, Jephcott scored seven goals in 14 games.

His excellent form earned him a call up to Welsh under-21 side, and he now has five caps to his name.

RYAN HARDIE POSITION

ST

NATION

AGE

SHIRT NO.

24 9

A

product of the Rangers youth ac ademy, S c ottish striker R yan Hardie c ompleted a permanent move to the Pilgrims after two previous loan spells at Home Park. His two loan spells had seen Hardie score 10 goals in 34 matches, whilst also playing a vital part in Plymouth’s promotion from League Two. Known for his pace and finishing ability, the Scot will be looking to extend Argyle’s cup run. Hardie is no stranger to the Welsh side as he scored against Swansea back in a preseason friendly in July.

Hardie has represented Scotland at all age levels in his youth.

PAGE 25

PAGE 26

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS

SWANS 1 STOKE CITY 3

SWANSEA CITY FELL TO DEFEAT AT THE SWANSEA.COM STADIUM AS STOKE CITY CLAIMED THE SPOILS.

TEAM LINEUPS Swans: Steven Benda; Ben Cabango, Brandon Cooper, Ryan Manning; Joel Latibeaudiere (Ethan Laird 58), Flynn Downes, Jay Fulton (Jamie Paterson 58), Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Yan Dhanda (Joel Piroe 38); Jamal Lowe.

Subs not used: Lewis Webb, Morgan Whittaker, Liam Cullen, Dan Williams.

Stoke City: Josef Bursik; Tommy Smith, Leo Ostigard, Harry Souttar, Ben Wilmot; Joe Allen (captain); Jacob Brown, Nick Powell (Jordan Thompson 50), Sam Clucas, Josh Tymon; Sam Surridge (Steven Fletcher 74).

Subs not used: Adam Davies, Morgan Fox, Danny Batth, Alfie Doughty, Tom Ince.

Attendance: 15,927

PAGE 27

Your digital marketing partner

Want to succeed digitally?

We’re an integrated digital marketing agency who can help your business be found and convert online when it matters most.

Backed by industry leading partners, we have access to the latest technology and tools to help you succeed online.

We can help you with: SEO - Improve your organic search visibility and be there when a customer searches for your products & services.

Web Development - Represent your brand and identity correctly online with an up-to-date easy to edit website.

PPC - Generate new leads TODAY by fast-tracking your way to the top of Google.

CRO - Optimise your website and maximise the value of every visit, ensuring new visitors convert into paying customers.

Paid Social - Leverage the power of Facebook and Instagram ads to drive new business and promote your brand on social media.

The team have quickly proven their knowledge in their field is 2nd to none, proving not only with a huge growth in traffic but also they are there to help with other duties online that may require further in depth knowledge. Super easy to work with - a friendly approach. They are there to support the growth of the business.

Request your FREE digital marketing audit today! Usually £299 www.digitalnrg.co.uk/swansea-free-audit

PAGE 28

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS

BRISTOL CITY 0 SWANS 1 JOEL PIROE’S SUPERB FINISH SAW SWANSEA CITY PICK UP THEIR FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP WIN UNDER HEAD COACH RUSSELL MARTIN, AND SECURED JUST A SECOND VICTORY AT ASHTON GATE IN 28 YEARS.

TEAM LINEUPS Bristol City: Dan Bentley (captain); Danny Simpson (Andy King 86), Rob Atkinson, Tomas Kalas, Jay Dasilva; Matty James, Han-Noah Massengo; Alex Scott (Antoine Semenyo 60), Andreas Weimann, Cameron Pring (Nahki Wells 71); Chris Martin.

Subs not used: Max O’Leary, Tyreeq Bakinson, Nathan Baker, Kasey Palmer.

Swans: Steven Benda; Joel Latibeaudiere, Ryan Manning, Brandon Cooper; Ethan Laird, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Jamie Paterson, Liam Cullen (Morgan Whittaker 71), Joel Piroe (Jamal Lowe 81).

Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Kyle Joseph, Yan Dhanda, Lincoln Mcfayden, Dan Williams.

Attendance: 20,139 (2,300 away)

PAGE 29

WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE ONLINE BETTING COMPANY

Enjoy gambling responsibly. BeGambleAware.org 18+

The UK’s leading Transport & Warehouse Company

PAGE 31

PAGE 32

NEW SWANSEA CITY SIGNING FLYNN DOWNES REVEALS HOW FACING A RUSSELL MARTIN SIDE PLAYED A PART IN HIS MOVE TO SA1, AND OUTLINES WHY THE JACK ARMY MADE A BIG IMPRESSION ON HIM DURING HIS TIME AT PREVIOUS CLUB IPSWICH. CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE....

Flynn, welcome to Swansea City, it’s good to have you here.

It’s a move that was touted for a while, how has it been from your perspective?

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, as you can imagine. But I’m buzzing to be here, I got the phone call about a week ago and it ’s all happened sinc e then. It’s a massive club, I can’t wait to get going.”

You’ve been linked with Premier League clubs and Championship clubs previously, what was it about Swansea City that made you feel that it was the right move for you?

“I spoke to the gaffer, it’s a massive club and you can’t turn that down. I know Gilly [Matt Gill] already. I like the way they come across, the plans they’ve got. It just all added up for me.”

You touched on Matt Gill, you worked with him at Ipswich. Did that attachment play a part in the move and did you enjoy working under him?

“I loved it, Gilly is a top man. That made me want to come here even more, I’ve got a familiar face here so that helped.”

He’s [Russell Martin] is looking to implement quite a bold style of play, an attacking style of play.

I guess that really appeals to you and your strengths as a player.

Massively, funnily enough I played against the gaffer’s team last year and we touched the ball like four times in the whole game. When I knew I was coming here, I was like ‘wow’, that’s a dream move. The way he plays football, the way he wants the team to play football, it appeals to me massively.”

PAGE 33

There’s a familiar face in the dressing room in Joel Latibeaudiere, you know Joel from your time at England.

“He’s a lovely lad, unbelievable player as well. Like I said, it’s a familiar fac e again which makes me want to come here even more.”

Did you have a chance to speak to Joel or Matt when it came to deciding about the move?

“I spoke to Gilly, but it was a bit of whirlwind, so it happened so quick. I didn’t really get a chance to ask too many questions but I’m happy I’m here.”

You’ve played in this stadium i n t h e C h a m p i o n s h i p a fe w year s ago, and in the game at Portman Road, did that experience of playing against Swansea leave an impression on you?

“Big time, the stadium’s lovely.

It’s one of those stadiums that’s quite close to the pitch, so you can really get close to the fans, I remember it. I can’t wait to step out there and hear all the fans, it’ll be mad.”

You made your debut against Sheffield United in front of the Sky cameras and made an impression. That must have been a special night?

“It was a very special day. I suppose the fans haven’t been here for about a year now, so that’s been weird. At Ipswich it was weird, so I can imagine here it was even weirder. But it was great to be out there and it was a fantastic atmosphere”

PAGE 34

Can I ask you about your time at Ipswich? You were there from a very young age, all the way through to now. Obviously you had a great experience there and they’ve developed you into who you are.

“I can’t thank them enough.

Obviously the last couple years have been tough with the club getting relegated and everything, but I can’t thank them enough.

I joined when I was seven, been there 15 years, they’ve made me the player that I am. The coaches throughout the years have made me who I am, so I can’t thank them enough. “ The fans were unbelievable.

They ’ ve literally stuck by me every step of the way. I wish them all the best, I really hope they get promoted this season because they deserve it.”

You’re known as a hard-working player, a player who likes to get on the ball and make things happen. How would you sum yourself up?

“Do you know what, you’ve hit the nail on the head! It’s a tough one, really, I suppose I like to do a bit of everything, that’s my game; box-to-box, on the ball, tackling, just a bit of everything.

“Hopefully I can show all the fans that.”

How excited have you been to get down to work, to meet your new teammates and coaches?

“I couldn’t wait to get started here. I know how well Swansea have done over the last few seasons and I want to try to be part of something special here.”

At Ipswich you bec ame the club’s youngest ever captain.

When you consider some of the players, and the ability that some of the players have shown over [Ipswich’s] long, illustrious history, that suggests you’re vocal, you’re fit to be a leader on the field. “ Ye a h , d e f i n i t e l y. T h a t ’ s a massive honour, I still can’t believe it to this day. It’s crazy!

But, yeah, I suppose I like to try and lead by ex ample, that’s sort of the way I play.

I’m not a massive shouter; if I need to say something, I’ll say something, but I suppose I like to just play and help the boys as best as I can.”

Both on an individual level and a team level, what do you hope to achieve during your time with Swansea City?

“Team level, obviously, is to get the team back to the Premier League. That’s it, really. I think that’s the vision the gaffer ’s got as well, so we’ll be going for that. Individually, I just want to play as much as I can and help the team. The better I play, hopefully the better the chance the team has of getting up [to the Premier League]. I want to win games and get us back to the Premier League.”

PAGE 35

PAGE 36

PAGE 37

S

wansea City’s crest for the 2021-22 season is a nod to the 40-year anniversary of John Toshack leading the club into the top-flight for the first time. Here is the third part of a series of features charting the course of the Swans promotion to the First Division, looking at how the club got to the point where they were ready to create club history.

John Toshack initially brought in the likes of Ian Callaghan and Tommy Smith from Anfield, experienced heads with a winning mentality, and the example they set rubbed off on those around them.

Just a week after Harry Griffiths’ untimely passing the Swans sealed promotion to the third tier, and they were promoted again the following season with Toshack himself scoring a memorable clinching goal against Chesterfield, an iconic image capturing him hanging in the air as he headed home.

And a group of players enjoyed an end-of-season treat to mark those promotion seasons.

The Magaluf incentive “That was a reward for us, I remember he put it up on the changing room wall in his first season that if promotion was achieved then there would be a group of people from Swansea City going to Magaluf,” says Wyndham Evans.

“I quite liked the sound of that, and once we got to the Third Division he put the same notice up in the dressing room.

“You’d come in after training or a game and, if you’d made a mistake or had a bad day, the boys would be telling you to look out or you wouldn’t be going to Magaluf at the end of the season.

“You could call it the secret of Tosh’s success, really! We did alright out of it, didn’t we?

“Tosh would come along, so would Terry Medwin and we’d see lots of other teams out there. I think it was the place for teams to go.

“It was an excellent reward!”

PAGE 40

“Whenever I meet up with Wyndham he always talks about the incentives of the Magaluf trips,” chuckles Nigel Stevenson, “Apart from Tosh, he was the one that would instigate things like that. He’d say ‘Come on boys, Magaluf is around the corner.’ I suppose we had an added incentive.”

The Swans consolidated the following season, finishing 13th in the Second Division, but they were ready to take the next step.

To that end, there were important additions to the squad. Leighton James was brought in from Burnley, and the Wales international was at his peak and a player of undoubted top-clash calibre.

Toshack would also add Dzemal ‘Jimmy’ Hadziabdic to his squad after the player was recommended to him.

Toshack had faced the Yugoslav international with Wales, and he quickly made his signing a straightforward affair when – while still on trial – he received an ovation from those present at the Vetch for his showing in a pre-season friendly against Tottenham; playing 45 minutes having felt under the weather. Not that anyone would have known.

“Jimmy was a great character,” says Alan Curtis with a smile.

“We started to teach him English, and he got to three words: ‘whisky, Valbonne - the bar - and an expletive. We asked if he wanted any more, and he said that was fine. It was all he needed!

“To be fair, all jokes aside, he did end up speaking really good English. He was a really good lad and a great player.”

“Dismal we used to call him,” says Evans with a chuckle.

“But he was far from that, he was a top-calibre player. It didn’t take long to realise that.”

When the season got under way on August 16, it would commence with a 2-1 defeat against Watford, but it would not be long before the Swans would underline their promotion credentials.

PAGE 41

E R E H T IS R E T T E B A O T Y A W R U O Y BUY ?

R A C T NE X CAZOO YEAH!

Buy or finance a car online and we’ll deliver it to your door with a 7-Day Money Back Guarantee.

PAGE 42

SWANS U18s 1 COVENTRY CITY U18s 1

S

wansea City Under-18s shared the points with Coventry City Under-18s, with both sides netting in an entertaining draw at Landore.

Byron Anthony’s side opened the scoring through Iwan Morgan, who had scored the late winner in the side’s first fixture of the season against Barnsley Under-18s, but could not secure all three points following Coventry’s equaliser.

The Swans enjoyed most of the ball and found themselves in better positions going forward, but failed to capitalise on some quality passing moves.

The Under-18s have now picked up four points in their first two games, putting them joint top of the U18 Professional Development League South.

After an encouraging first 20 minutes, striker Morgan put the hosts up a goal to the good, getting on the end of Charlie Veevers’ slick threaded pass and slotting the ball to the left of the keeper.

But the Sky Blues answered back just five minutes later, with midfielder Craig Hewitt skipping past a white shirt and firing home from long range, placing the ball just a hair out of keeper Ben Hughes’ reach.

Veevers, the 16-year-old who arrived in SA1 from Manchester U n i t e d ’ s a c a d e m y ove r t h e summer, found himself in the referee’s book at the half hour mark for a rash challenge on fullback Tristen Batanwi.

Cameron Congreve picked up a knock with 10 minutes to go in the first period, but carried on as the Swans looked to retake the lead in this closely-contested clash.

Coventry City defender Thierry Katsukunya had a chance to take the lead for the visitors 10 minutes after the restart, but dragged his effort from distance just wide of the post.

A break in the action just after the hour mark to attend to a downed Coventry defender saw the Swans make their first change of the

afternoon; Richard Faakye was brought on the replace Congreve.

Substitue Kyrell Wilson’s first touch of the ball drew a foul from defender Joe Wynne, giving the Jacks a free kick on the edge of the box; but they could not make the most of the opportunity.

A dangerous cross from the right flank found the feet of Zane Myers at the back-post, but his firsttime effort was parried away for a Swansea corner as the game finished all square.

TEAM LINEUP Swans: Ben Hughes, Dan Watts, Zane Myers, Charlie Veevers, Filip Lissah, Ryan Bassett, Adrian Akande, Josh Edwards, Iwan Morgan, Cameron Congreve, Ben Lloyd (captain).

Subs not used: Aimar Govea, Tyler Evans, Dave Roberts, Richard Faakye, Kyrell Wilson.

PAGE 43

AWARD WINNING FISH & CHIPS FAMILY RUN TAKEAWAY AND LICENSED RESTAURANT SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNERS OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 9AM TILL 8PM LAST ORDERS AT RESTAURANT 7PM

SUNDAY ROAST LUNCH AVAILABLE

RESTAURANT OR TAKEAWAY 12PM - 3.30PM

FISH AND CHIPS ALSO AVAILABLE TO TAKEAWAY SUNDAYS 4PM - 9PM

CLICK & COLLECT AVAILABLE! DOWNLOAD OUR APP

60-61 HIGH ST, GORSEINON, SA4 4BP

BEAUTIFUL SHUTTERS TO ENHANCE ANY HOME

Visit our showroom at Janela Shutters & Blinds, 20A St John’s Terrace, Neath Abbey, Neath SA10 7NA. For a no-obligation quote call us on PAGE 44 01792 814988 or visit our website at www.janelashutters.co.uk

SWANSEA CITY SIGN UP DUO TO JOIN U23S SQUAD

S

wansea City has signed Dylan Morgan and Jaden Forrester on free transfers for the under23s squad following successful trials.

Morgan, 18, has penned a one-year deal with the option of an extension following time at Southampton and Forest Green Rovers’ academy.

Forrester also arrives on the same deal, with the striker joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He spent just over 10 years with the Wolves Academy, signing scholarship terms in 2019, with the 18-year-old catching the eye with a recent twogoal performance in a friendly win over Larkhall.

The pair now form part of Kristian O’Leary’s under23s side ahead of the start of the Professional Development League campaign.

PAGE 45

LLEWELLYN PROUD OF THE “AWESOME” EFFORT PAGE 46

S

wansea City Ladies produced an outstanding display to take WFC CSKA Moscow to extratime in their Champions League firstround tie in Limassol, but ultimately lost out in an entertaining encounter.

In the early stages of the second half, CSKA found a way through the Swansea defence as Ordega was fe d in behind, but the Nigerian international could only fire wide of the far post.

The two-time defending Welsh top-flight winners had the Russian champions rattled at times and put in a great fight until the final whistle.

But ultimately, CSKA were able to find what was needed to get past a battling Swansea side after 120 minutes.

Skinner denied CSKA a goal to remember after she was equal to a powerful first-time strike on the edge of the box from Ordega.

The result means the Swans will face FC Dinamo Minsk on Saturday in the third-place play-off in group six, while CSKA will take on Apollon in the final.

And, while defeat will hurt, there was so much to be proud of as the Swans - a side made up entirely of amateur players - pushed their fully professional opponents all the way.

The Swans had been bullish in the build-up and it was clear to see why in an even opening to the fixture with both sides sizing each other up.

Midway through the first half CSKA claimed strongly for a penalty, but the referee waved away the shouts confidently.

Keeper Claire Skinner then made a crucial save to deny Francisca Ordega, who had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock.

The Russians began to create some chances, which allowed Kseniya Kovalenko to fire one from the edge of the box, however, her strike was directed way over the bar.

Towards the end of the first half, Tetyana Kozyrenko delivered an accurate cross into the box to pick out Gordon, but the American winger was unable to direct her header goalward.

As the game progressed, space began to open up with CSKA building pressure, but the Swans held firm at the back.

But it then appeared like CSKA nicked it at the death as Nevena Damjanovic diverted home Nadezhda Smirnova’s drilled pass across the face of goal.

However, Swansea showed great spirit to equalise almost instantly after Katy Hosford picked out Chloe Chivers, who then rounded the move off with a powerful strike from distance to take the game to extra time.

CSKA came back at Swansea at the start of extra time and retook the lead in the 92nd minute after Maria Kiskonen hammered the ball into the roof of the net from close-range.

Chivers nearly levelled the scores once again but her first-time strike was dragged marginally wide of the post.

CSKA increased their lead with 10 minutes of extra time remaining after Smirnova’s deflected shot found its way home for her second of the night.

Moments after it was 4-1 as Margarita Chernomyrdina got herself onto the scoresheet after she was there to turn in Onguene’s blocked shot on the rebound.

But the final result flattered the Russians and could not detract from a superb performance from the brave Swans.

Despite defeat head coach Chris Llewellyn was full of pride and praise for his side.

“A 4-1 result after 120 minutes doesn’t do the girls justice. For 90 minutes they applied themselves and done everything the coaching staff asked of them,” he said.

“To go one goal down that late on and to be able to pull one back, just shows what the girls are all about.

“They are a full-time outfit, so the fitness was probably on their side, but we went toe-to-toe with a very good side, and we were unlucky to lose the game.

“The performance was testament to what they have done over the last few years, not just the girls, but the club in general.

“They are trying to push boundaries and put things in place for the future, and performances like this should only make people stand up and take notice.

“The players, coaching staff and everybody involved with the team should be proud of what they have achieved.

“Everybody in Wales should be proud bec ause anyone who watched that game, especially for the first 90 minutes, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between who was the amateur and who the professional outfit.

“On another day we could have won the game and the girls were awesome.”

PAGE 47

ALICIA POWE PROUD OF NEVER-SAY-DIE ATTITUDE PAGE 48

S

wansea City Ladies’ UEFA Women’s Champions League experience ended with defeat at the hands of FC Dinamo Minsk in Cyprus.

The Swans conceded at either end of the first half through an own goal and a set-piece from Collete Ndzana Fegue.

The second half witnessed a battling attempt to get back into the fixture, But the two-time defending Welsh champions couldn’t salvage anything from the match in the end.

The Swans fell behind early on after an attempted clearance on the line from Shaunna Jenkins unfortunately ended up being turned into her own net.

Dinamo controlled the play and they nearly converted it into a second goal but, fortunately for the Swans, Kelly Adams was there to clear Anastasiya Shalpkova’s shot inside a crowded penalty box off the line.

The Belarusian side had another great chance, but Claire Skinner was able to keep hold of Viktoria Valyuk’s header from close-range.

After a slow start, Swansea began to force some mistakes out of Dinamo and grew into the match.

However, their hopes were dented when Ndzana Fegue found the top corner with a superb freekick from the edge of Swansea’s box to double Swansea’s deficit.

The opening of the second half lacked any clear chances with the closest coming from Lebohang Ramalepe; the midfielder had sight of goal from an acute angle but didn’t pose much of a threat on Skinner’s goal.

The Swans posed danger after Chloe Chivers put a looping pass over the top of the Dinamo defence to feed in Katy Hosford, however, Ekaterina Ulasevich was quick off her line to put an end to the attack.

Skinner then made a fine reaction save with her left foot in a one-on-one situation to deny Lebohang Ramalepe as the Swans bowed out beaten, but with plenty to be proud of having taken professional Russian champions WFC CSKA Moscow to extratime in their group six semi-final in midweek.

S

wansea City Ladies captain Alicia Powe was proud of the attitude her side showed to battle to the end as their UEFA Women’s Champions League campaign ended with defeat to semiprofessional FC Dinamo Minsk in Limassol.

Having pushed professional Russian champions WFC CSKA Moscow all the way in the group six semifinal earlier in the week, the Swans lost 2-0 against the Belarusian champions with the goals coming at either end of the first half.

Swansea fought hard to find their way back into the tie but couldn’t break through the Dinamo backline.

But skipper Powe couldn’t fault the attitude and effort of the team whatsoever. “ We fought until the end, obviously it was a disappointing scoreline but, at the end of the day, we have come toe-to-toe with professional and semi-professional athletes,” she said.

“We gave our all and unfortunately we just didn’t get the result on the day.

“It’s always a disappointment and hard to take when you concede so early on; a little lapse of concentration led to a goal.

“The weather definitely played a major factor in the game, obviously we are not used to playing in such heat.

“But, like I said, the girls gave everything and we are proud.

“We are proud of where we have come from as a team, proud of what we have achieved and hopefully we can take this into the season coming up.”

After the performances that the ladies put in on the biggest stage in club football, Powe is fully confident that the Swans will be ready to challenge to retain their Welsh title for the third season in succession. “ We have got bundles of confidence now and everybody can take something away from this experience,” she added.

“We worked extremely hard to get to where we are, and we now we are looking forward to getting back home to Wales and kicking the league off.”

PAGE 49

GREAT-TASTING LOW-CAL ENERGY

SHOP NOW AT

DRINKCARABAO.CO.UK PAGE 50

Giving Football Back to Small Business At eBay, we know small business and football clubs used to be like chips and gravy, two peas in a pod – a match made in community heaven.

Ironmongers, ship workers, spring makers and cobblers, all formed clubs which decades later are still prospering.

But nowadays, you’d think it was all eyewatering transfers, Super Leagues and mega sponsors, detached from the humble origins of our historic clubs.

That’s why eBay are proud to support 300,000 small businesses who help power EFL clubs nationwide. We’ll be donating our advertising space to a lot of these businesses – on match day hoardings, around grounds and beyond – throughout the coming season, to ensure they can continue to thrive in our local communities. So, join us in giving your support to Small Business Power, because today, they need us more than ever.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

PAGE 51

SWANS LAUNCH THE FORMER PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION

W

ith the recent launch of Swans e a C ity ’s Former Players’ Association, we hear from lifetime president Alan Curtis about the importance the new body can have for those wishing to continue, or re-establish, connection with the club.

Full Name: Alan ’Curt’ Curtis, MBE Association with Swansea City: Former player and honorary club president Role with FPA: Lifetime president Position: Forward Appearances: Over 400

Alan Curtis represented Swansea City in three separate spells during his playing career and has been a coach and caretaker manager at the club over many years. He was awarded the MBE for services to football in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List.

He believes the FPA can play an important role in the club and will appeal to ex-players across the generations.

“I think something like this can be so much to so many,” said Curtis.

“To the ex-players it can mean as much or as little in terms of commitment as they feel is right for them.

“It’s important that we make sure the FPA has as wide an appeal as possible, particularly involving the older generation of players who might not be on social media or have mobile phones but who would benefit from coming to a game and being involved.

“For those who’ve been away from football for a long time the opportunity to be back at a game and perhaps meet up with friends they haven’t seen in a long time will be a real boost.”

H e a l s o b e l i e v e s t h e F PA will serve the wider football community and evoke a sense of nostalgia among many fans.

He said: “For the fans it will mean seeing more of the players they remember and seeing them at the Swansea.com Stadium, perhaps for the first time if they were from the Vetch era, will be special.

“It might be that they just see them in the stand and it evokes a memory of them playing back in the day, or they might get a chance to chat to them.

“I think that’s really important, to let the players have a chance to reconnect with the club and the fans to see their heroes again.”

T h e F PA w i l l b e o r g a n i s i n g fundraising and social events, some of which will be open to fans as well as former players.

“There has always been a lot of goodwill between the players and the fans of this club, that’s always been one of the things that’s made us unique so getting them back together again is a positive for everyone,” added Curtis.

PAGE 53

ASTUDIA YM MHRIFYSGOL ABERTAWE DRWS I DDYFODOL DISGLAIR DYSGWCH FWY

FFRAMWAITH RHAGORIAETH & DEILLIANNAU MYFYRWYR PAGE 54

(Y dyfarniad uchaf am Ragoriaeth Addysgu ym mhrifysgolion y DU)

FAN FOCUS ~ BROUGHT TO YOU BY

T

his season’s fan feature kicks off from Spain as we put our loyal supporters under the spotlight.

Fan Focus gives every member of the Jack Army a chance to share their favourite tales, games and goals from supporting the Swans over the years.

And to get us started, a loyal Jack based in Valencia talks about his big passion.

What is your most memorable Swans moment?

I’ve been quite lucky to have enjoyed some fantastic moments following the team, but the ones that really stand out to me are from cup competitions.

Firstly, the win over Valencia at the Mestella in the Europa League was incredible. What a night to be a Swans fan.

Name: Gwion Davies

Secondly, the League Cup win over Bradford at Wembley is right up there too.

Age: 17

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

From: Gwynedd, Wales.

Leon Britton. He’s a club legend and an amazing person. He is Swans through and through, and he was an amazing footballer.

How long have you been supporting the Swans?

I’ve been supporting the Swans for the past 10 years.

What was the first Swans game you attended/ watched on TV? The first game I saw on TV was the Championship play-off final against Reading in 2011. Not a bad start to life watching the Swans!

The first game I saw in person was the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in 2013.

Why did you start supporting the Swans?

I started to support Swansea because they are a Welsh team and I wanted to see a Welsh team succeed. We had just won the play-off final too, so I really started to enjoy watching the team after that game.

What is your favourite Swans kit from over the years?

I absolutely loved the orange away kit during our first season in the Premier League. It was also my first Swansea City kit, so it’s one that I really cherish.

What has been your most disappointing moment watching the club?

It has to be our relegation from the Premier League in 2018. It was the end of our Premier League adventure, and it was a tough way to end it.

What makes Swansea City special to you?

We’re the best club in Wales, with passionate players and fans with an amazing history. The club is always in my heart even though I rarely watch the Swans at the stadium due to travel distances.

PAGE 55

JUNIOR CYRIL'S HALF-TIME QUIZ QUESTION ONE

QUESTION TWO

QUESTION THREE

Who were the Swans’ opponents in their first Premier League fixture?

Who captained the Swans in that game?

Tonight’s teams last met in a competitive game in 2010. Who scored the Swans’ goal in the 1-1 draw?

Tip: They have won the Premier League five times.

Tip: He’s part of the current firstteam staff.

Tip: He once scored a memorable goal against Nottingham Forest for the Swans.

QUESTION FOUR

QUESTION FIVE

QUESTION SIX

Who scored the Swans’ first competitive goal this season?

Which Dutch club did Joel Piroe join the Swans from this summer?

Tip: He joined on a free transfer this summer.

Tip: They play in red and white.

Ethan Laird made his first Swans start in the 1-0 win at Bristol City, but which club has he joined on loan from?

T i p : T h ey a r e k n ow n a s t h e Red Devils.

CYRIL AND CYBIL'S PREDICTION SWANS 3 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1

PAGE 56

PAGE 57 Cyril’s Half-Time Quiz Answers Question One - Manchester City Question Two - Alan Tate Question Three - Darren Pratley

Question Four - Jamie Paterson Question Five - PSV Eindhoven Question Six - Manchester United The real ball is Ball Number 1

3 1 2

HELP CYBIL FIND THE REAL BALL

R JACKS

GREAT-TASTING LOW-CAL ENERGY

NOW AVAILABLE AT

PAGE 58

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

EFL

theEFL

EFL

FIXTURE LIST SEA FIXTURE

DATE

TEAM

Blackburn Rovers A L 2-1

Sat, Aug 7, 3pm

Benda

Naughton

Reading (CC R1) A W 0-3

Tue, Aug 10, 8pm

Benda

Naughton

Sheffield United H D 0-0

Sat, Aug 14, 8pm

Benda

Stoke City H L 1-3

Tue, Aug 14, 7.45pm

Benda

Bristol City A W 0-1

Fri, Aug 20, 7.45pm

Benda

Plymouth Argyle (CC R2) H

Tue, Aug 24, 7pm

Preston North End A

Sat, Aug 28, 3pm

Hull City H

Sat, Sept 11, 3pm

Millwall H

Wed, Sept 15, 7.45pm

Luton Town A

Sat, Sept 18, 3pm

Huddersfield Town H

Sat, Sept 25, 3pm

Fulham A

Wed, Sept 29, 7.45pm

Derby County A

Sat, Oct 2, 3pm

Cardiff City H

Sat, Oct 16, 3pm

West Bromwich Albion H

Wed, Oct 20, 7.45pm

Birmingham City A

Sat, Oct 23, 3pm

Peterborough United H

Sat, Oct 30, 3pm

Coventry City A

Tue, Nov 2, 7.45pm

AFC Bournemouth A

Sat, Nov 6, 3pm

Blackpool H

Sat, Nov 20, 3pm

Barnsley A

Wed, Nov 24, 7.45pm

Reading H

Sat, Nov 27, 3pm

Middlesbrough A

Sat, Dec 4, 3pm

Nottingham Forest H

Sat, Dec 11, 3pm

Queens Park Rangers A

Sat, Dec 18, 3pm

Millwall A

Sun, Dec 26, 3pm

Luton Town H

Wed, Dec 29, 7.45pm

Fulham H

Sat, Jan 1, 3pm

Huddersfield Town A

Sat, Jan 15, 3pm

Preston North End H

Sat, Jan 22, 3pm

Hull City A

Sat, Jan 29, 3pm

Blackburn Rovers H

Sat, Feb 5, 3pm

Stoke City A

Tue, Feb 8, 3pm

Bristol City H

Sat, Feb 12, 3pm

Sheffield United A

Sat, Feb 19, 3pm

AFC Bournemouth H

Tue, Feb 22, 3pm

West Bromwich Albion A

Sat, Feb 26, 3pm

Coventry City H

Sat, Mar 5, 3pm

Blackpool A

Sat, Mar 12, 3pm

Peterborough United A

Wed, Mar 16, 7.45pm

Birmingham City H

Sat, Mar 19, 3pm

Cardiff City A

Sat, Apr 2, 3pm

Derby County H

Sat, Apr 9, 3pm

Barnsley H

Fri, Apr 15, 3pm

Reading A

Mon, Apr 18, 3pm

Middlesbrough H

Sat, Apr 23, 3pm

Nottingham Forest A

Sat, Apr 30, 3pm

Queens Park Rangers H

Sat, May 7, 12.30pm

Correct as of August 23, 2021.

PAGE 60

Cabango

Bennett

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Smith 1

Cabango

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell 3

Williams

Manning

Cabango

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Downes

Manning

Cabango

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere 3

Bidwell

Downes

Laird

Manning

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Fulton

2

Match Statistics Key

ASON 2021~2022 SUBSTITUTES Paterson

Grimes

Lowe

Cullen 2

Defreitas-Hansen, Mcfayden, B.Cooper, Dhanda 1, O.Cooper, Joseph, Whittaker 2

Dhanda

Piroe

Whittaker

Defreitas-Hansen, Manning 1, Mcfayden 3, Lloyd, Joseph 2, Lowe, Cullen

Grimes

Paterson 3

Lowe 1

Cullen 2

Webb, Mcfayden, Williams, Dhanda 3, Joseph, Piroe 1, Whittaker 2

Grimes

Fulton 2

Dhanda 1

Lowe

Webb, Laird 3, Williams, Paterson 2, Cullen, Piroe 1

Grimes

Paterson

Piroe

Cullen

Hamer, Mcfayden, Williams, Dhanda, Joseph, Lowe 2, Whittaker 1

Grimes

1

Goal =

Captain =

Sub = 2 (number denotes player replaced) Booked =

, Whittaker

Sent off =

Carabao Cup = CC FA Cup = FA

PAGE 61

LAST ROUND

S

wansea City booked their place in the second round of the Carabao Cup and gave Russell Martin his first win as head coach with a dominant 3-0 victory at Reading.

Set-piece goals from Joel Latibeaudiere - his first for the club - and Ben Cabango had the Swans well in control, before Joel Piroe marked his debut following his arrival from PSV Eindhoven by calmly sweeping home the third.

The winning margin could have been greater as Swansea again showed plenty of encouraging signs as they moved

the ball around with great assurance, enjoying the lion’s share of possession and crafting a number of chances.

They had few moments of concern at the other end, and they put themselves in the hat for the second-round draw as they made it 16 games unbeaten against Reading in a sequence stretching back to 2008.

There were numerous positives, including an outstanding debut for Dan Williams in midfield, as well as bright showings from new signing Piroe, fellow forward Morgan Whittaker and Kyle Naughton.

GLANMOR CHARTERED SURVEYORS Commercial Property Consultants

SERVICES

• • • • •

Agency Lease Advisory Asset Management Investment & Development PAGE 62 Occupier Acquisition

01792 439105 info@glanmorproperty.co.uk

JOMA-SPORT.COM

THE TEAMS SWANS

Head Coach: Russell Martin 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 35 36 37 42

Steven Benda Ryan Bennett Ryan Manning Flynn Downes Ben Cabango Jay Fulton Korey Smith Matt Grimes Jamal Lowe Morgan Whittaker Jamie Paterson Kyle Joseph Brandon Cooper Joël Piroe Ben Hamer Tivonge Rushesha Liam Cullen Yan Dhanda Joel Latibeaudiere Connor Roberts Jake Bidwell Lewis Webb Kyle Naughton Ethan Laird Liam Walsh Ollie Cooper Lincoln Mcfayden Ben Lloyd Daniel Williams Nico Defreitas-Hansen

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE Manager: Ryan Lowe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 15 20 22 23 25 27 28 31 32 36 37 41 42

Michael Cooper James Bolton Macaulay Gillesphey Jordan Houghton James Wilson Dan Scarr Ryan Broom Joe Edwards Ryan Hardie Danny Mayor Niall Ennis Conor Grant Adam Randell Brendan Galloway Luke McCormick Callum Burton Ryan Law Panutche Camara Luke Jephcott George Cooper Finley Craske Brandon Pursall Ollie Tomlinson Rhys Shirley

NEXT UP AT Hull City Saturday, Sep 11 Kick-off: 3pm

NEXT AWAY Preston North End Saturday, Aug 28 Kick-off: 3pm

FOLLOW US

~ Referee: Robert Madley ~ ~ Assistant Referees: Kevin Howick and Grant Taylor ~ ~ Fourth Official: Daniel Lamport ~

Correct as of August 23, 2021

PAGE 64