Swansea City v Blackburn Rovers – SkyBet Championship – 21-22 – Issue 17

SEASON 2021-2022

VERSUS

BLACKBURN ROVERS Saturday, February 5, 2022 - Kick-off 5.30pm

ISSUE 17

JOMA-SPORT.COM PAGE 2

CONTENTS Page 11 - A Message from Matt Grimes

Page 16 - Meet the Opposition

Page 21 - Match Highlights

Page 32 - Interview with Cyrus Christie

Page 40 - History Makers

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 Goalkeeping Coach: Dean Thornton Head of Physical Performance: Matt Willmott Head of Medicine: Dr Jez McCluskey First-Team Performance Analyst: Ben Parker Sporting Director: Mark Allen Staff: Ritson Lloyd, Ailsa Jones, Matthew Murray, Adele Callaghan, Daniel Morris, Lee Watkins, Chris Watkins, Daniel Nisbet, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Huw Lake, Steffan Popham, Bethany Chaddock

Senior Management Group Andrew Davies (Head of Operations, Facilities & Development); Gareth Davies (CFO); Mark Allen (Sporting Director); Rebecca Edwards-Symmons (Head of Commercial) Club Staff Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood Football Operations & Administration Manager: 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 Head of Marketing: Katie Hughes Head of Media & Communications: Ben Donovan 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

Programme Production Contributors: Ben Donovan, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Adam Evans, Dom Hynes, Julie Kissick, Gwyn Rees, Alun Rhys Chivers Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jordan Morcom, Lewis Ward Photography: Athena Picture Agency, Natalie Davis, Alamy Swansea City AFC Swansea.com Stadium, Landore, Swansea, SA1 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

OUR FORTRESS, YOUR HOME. Season Ticket Renewal 2022-23 Visit swanseacity.com

PAGE 6

A MESSAGE FROM

JULIAN WINTER G

oo d e v e n i n g a n d welcome back to the Swansea. com Stadium for tonight’s Championship fixture against Blackburn Rovers.

This is our second game of a hectic February, with seven league games to play this month alone.

Tuesday’s game against Luton w a s t h e f i r s t o f t h o s e, a n d while it was frustrating to lose on the night, there were plenty of positives to take.

Once again we created numerous chances and continued to play the way we want and be the team we want to be, and Russell spoke afterwards about the fact that it just isn’t happening for us at the moment.

That’s football, and sometimes we will get games where we don’t convert our chances and the opposition take one of theirs and we end up on the losing side.

But the bigger picture is that the second half of the season

is now upon us and we want to keep on improving and move up the table in order to look forward to the summer and the start of a new campaign.

A s everyone is aware, Jamie Paterson returned to firstteam training this week after a difficult period at the club.

There was a lot of speculation that he could have departed during the J anuary transfer window and while there were offers for him, these fell well below our valuation.

It has been well documented that Jamie wasn’t in the right frame of mind to play over the past few weeks, but the club has been suppor tive of him and his situation, and staff at the training ground have been unequivocal in their backing as well as his relationship with Russell remaining strong.

He never once asked for a move away from the club, nor d i d h e e v e r r e f u s e t o p l a y.

There were also reports that the club had fined him – again, this was never the case.

Jamie is a Swansea City player and we look forward to having him back in the squad and doing what he does best, and that’s playing football and helping us get results.

We would like to remind supporters that while the early bird window for season ticket renewals has now closed, season ticket holders can still renew their season ticket and keep their seat for the 202223 campaign until midnight on Thursday, March 31.

F i n a l l y, I ’ d l i k e t o e x t e n d a warm welcome to the management , player s, st aff and directors from Blackburn who have made the trip to Wales for today ’s game.

It’s an exciting game against a team who are enjoying a fine season, and with the Sky Sports cameras in attendance we hope that we can again show what we are capable of.

Enjoy the game, Julian

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A MESSAGE FROM

RUSSELL MARTIN G

ood evening and welcome back to the Swansea. com Stadium for our Championship game against Blackburn Rovers.

We come into today’s game on the back of a frustrating defeat against Luton here on Tuesday night.

We created some very good chances and didn’t score, whereas they created one opportunity towards the end and took it. That can happen in football, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.

The lads are giving everything they have got, and that is all you can ask. We limited Luton to very little, we had a lot of the ball but we have got to make more of it.

Unfortunately at the moment, it is not quite clicking in the final third but we are working hard every day to get to where we want to be and it will come.

With the January transfer window closing on Monday night, Jamie Paterson has remained a Swansea City player and we are delighted about that.

Pato has been missed and I’m just glad that he can get back to doing

what he does best, and that’s playing football with a smile on his face, playing well for Swansea City and helping us win games.

He’s looking forward to putting on the shirt again and getting back out there. I’m sure there’ll be fans who have their own feelings on it, but for me it’s important that they’re backed like they have been all season.

His team-mates are pleased he’s back and hopefully we can move on because he’s felt really connected to what we’re doing here.

The beauty of the Championship means we have an opportunity to bounce back quickly as we turn our attention to this evening’s game.

Tuesday night is probably as bad as I've felt since I've been here, of course I want to win more football matches and I’m really confident in time that we will. The people here are amazing, and whatever we do we do it together and we’ll remain consistent in what we want to be.

It’s been a challenge but the players have been great in buying into what we are trying to do, it’s now about making sure we work hard to improve on the first half of the season in terms of points

tally, performance and what the guys are capable of.

Look at the QPR performance, I thought we were great, Huddersfield sec ond half, I thought the guys were incredible.

We’re piecing that together now over a period of time and the hope is to finish as high up as possible.

It’s about building something and having a running start next season. This season now is about bringing everyone together, and all I can ask is that everyone gets behind us and we’ll finish really strongly. It just prepares us for having a go next year.

Blackburn are a young team who are having a very good season, and Tony Mowbray is a manager who I have a lot of respect for what he’s achieved in the game.

We are aware of the challenge that we fac e but we are at home and we want to get on the front foot and give our brilliant supporters a lot of cheer about.

Enjoy the game, Russell

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A MESSAGE FROM

MATT GRIMES

G

oo d aft e r n o o n a n d welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for this evening’s Championship against Blackburn Rovers at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Tuesday’s home game against L uton Town was frustrating and we were hurt to lose in the manner we did. We’re giving our all and did create chances but didn’t manage to convert them, Luton buried their chance and that made all the difference in the end.

We managed to keep Luton quiet for large parts of the game and are

working day in day out to build on this and to ensure we take our chances.

It’s important that we all stick together and focus on getting back to winning ways.

We’re delighted to have Pato back with us, we’ve all missed him and we’re looking forward to seeing him back out on the pitch doing what he loves.

He plays a huge part on and off the pitch in what we are trying to do and build here and he’s raring to get back out there and help us as much as he can.

After Tuesday ’s defeat , our attention quickly t urned to this evening’s game against Blackburn Rovers.

B l a c k b u r n a r e i n f i n e fo r m and sit in second place in the Championship table going into this evening’s game.

They’ve done brilliantly so far this season and we are well aware of the threats they possess. They certainly didn’t make it easy for us in the away fixture but we’ve done everything we can to make sure we are as prepared as we can be.

Enjoy the game this evening!

Matt

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A MESSAGE FR M

CERI STONE

T

oday we welcome high-flying Blackburn Rovers to the Swansea.com Stadium. Since fixtures resumed in January, we have faced sides on impressive winning streaks in Huddersfield, Preston, QPR, Hull and now Blackburn.

The New Year is a difficult period as it is, without having to manage a transfer window in a turbulent financial period for world football, whilst stadiums were closed in Wales, with the Swans not playing for five weeks and then facing the five form sides in the division. This has been one of the most challenging January's to date.

I never enjoy this period and prefer to switch off all social media until February. As a Trust we can reflect on this very hectic time, that started at the beginning of the month with the shock departure of Ethan Laird and has seen a significant turnover of playing staff.

We have witnessed 12 players depart the club. Two loans were recalled.

One contract was terminated and Jake Bidwell moved on a free transfer. We wish them all well.

Eight players have been sent out on loan to gain further experience. These include: Morgan Whittaker, Liam Cullen, Brandon Cooper, Liam Walsh, Steven Benda, Dan Williams, Lewis

Webb and Harry Jones. They are all young talents with bright futures ahead of them and they could be the backbone of the club in years to come. We wish them every success and hope that they gain plenty of positive experience to bring back to SA1 in the summer.

Out of the departures only Jake Bidwell and Ethan Laird were first team regulars during the first half of the season. The remaining players supported the squad but in moving on they released funds that allowed us to bring in six players who will be competing for frequent first team action.

We welcome Andy Fisher, Nathanael Ogbeta, Hannes Wolf, Finley Burns and Cyrus Christie, together with the returning Kyle Joseph, to Swansea.

May your performances be great and your impact important. You are now part of the Jack Army and it is time to rise to the anthem that is Hymns and Arias.

In the media there has been speculation as to why some deals were not made and why other players were not moved on. We cannot second guess why some decisions have been made by players, agents or other sides but we have to accept that we are a club that is very well run and can balance its books.

Only a couple of clubs, such as Bournemouth and Hull City, have very wealthy benefactors with open cheque books. The rest of the league have to manage t h e i r b u d g et s a c c o rd i n g t o t h e i n c o m e t h e y g e n e r a t e, otherwise we would find ourselves in the predicaments being faced by Reading and Derby County at present. We were in those same shoes 21 years ago and personally I am grateful that we are healthily solvent and not staring down the barrel of the gun that we faced in the past.

We also kept hold of two players who could be crucial to our run in. Both Jay Fulton and Jamie Paterson have big roles to play as the fixtures pile up. Again, we cannot second guess how Jamie has been advised but I would welcome him back into the first team for one very simple reason: He put the ball in Cardiff’s net.

After an eventful start to the New Year, we are ready to move forward. We have a core squad of 17/18 players who are capable of beating any of the teams in this division so let’s start today with the high-flying Rovers.

YJB!

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T

he Swansea City AFC Foundation is excited to announce that sign up for the February half-term Soccer Camps is now open.

All sessions will run between 10am and 2.30pm, with all dates and loc ations of the c amps detailed below:

Our camps provide the perfect environment for Junior Jacks to develop and hone their skills.

Tuesday, February 22 Bishopston and Coleg Sir Gar

Open to boys and girls of all abilities aged between five and 12, the camps are a great opportunity to keep your young Swans active during the halfterm break.

Children attending will enjoy fun technical activities, smallside d game s , c ompetitions and prizes – all delivered by our FAW qualified coaches in a safe and friendly environment, with some special guests set to make appearances.

Wednesday, February 23 Bishopston and Coleg Sir Gar Thursday, February 24 Pembroke and Llandarcy Friday, February 25 Pembroke and Llandarcy

Sign up now at www.swanseacity. com/news/february-soccercamps-sign-now Junior Jack members are entitled to two, £5 vouchers to be redeemed against the Soccer Camps.

Today’s bucket collection is in aid of Llys Nini, a local charity t h at re s c u e s a n d c a re s fo r approximately 3000 animals each year, 80% of which are from RSPCA inspectors.

Most of the animals that Llys Nini care for have been saved from life threatening situations, including tackling the recent increase in puppy farming and offering a second chance to these dogs.

Llys Nini also have a programme of helping lonely, isolated and vulnerable people. Working with animals and being outdoors promotes the well-being of these adults and children. They work with many local organisations such as Crisis, Shaw Trust and local colleges offering individuals with additional needs the opportunity to volunteer, up skill and learn essential social skills.

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BLACKBURN

BLACKBURN BLACKBURN BLACKBURN BLACKBURN BLACKBURN OWNER

NICKNAME

FOUNDED

Venkys London Ltd.

Rovers

1875

STADIUM

OPENED

CAPACITY

Ewood Park

1882

31,367

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

@Rovers

@Rovers

/Rovers1

THE GAFFER

Mowbray is now in his fifth consecutive campaign as head coach at Blackburn Rovers. A defender in his playing days, and a Middlesbrough legend, the 57-year-old made over 420 appearances for Boro before joining Celtic in 1991 and Ipswich Town in 1995.

He kicked off his coaching career at Ipswich Town as an interim manager, before relocating to Scotland where he managed Hibernian and former club Celtic. In 2006, Mowbray took over at West Bromwich Albion, leading them back to the top-flight in the 07-08 campaign.

TONY MOWBRAY

He once again returned to a former club for a three-year stint at Middlesbrough, before being appointed manager of Coventry City in 2015. Mowbray went on to join Blackburn in 2017.

CLUB CAPTAIN

The Republic of Ireland defender joined Rovers in the summer of 2011 as an 18-year-old from Irish club Belvedere.

He spent a year in Blackburn’s academy setup before stepping up to the pro ranks, and gained valuable first-team experience during a loan spell with League One Burton during the 2014-15 season as he made 17 appearances, scoring once.

BLACKBURN DARRAGH LENIHAN

PAGE 16

He returned to Ewood Park in April 2015, making his senior debut against Millwall and has since become a key player in Rovers’ starting XI racking up over 200 appearances for the club to date.

He was handed the captaincy in June 2021.

N

N N N N N

N

EWOOD PARK MEET THE OPPOSITION

HOW’S THEIR FORM?

Blackburn Rovers were established in 1875 and have spent most of their existence in the top-flight of English football, winning three league titles – the most recent under Kenny Daglish in 1995 - and the FA Cup six times.

Very strong. Rovers have surged into the top two on the back of a run of one defeat in 13 league games.

Blackburn were last in the top-flight in 2012, and have endured some tough times since.

Five years to the day after dropping out of the Premier League the club was relegated to League One in 2017, however they were in the third tier for just one season as they won the League One title in April 2018.

They have since consolidated their position in the second tier and are in the hunt for automatic promotion this term.

That has included a sequence of six wins in a row, with one of those being an impressive 2-0 triumph over promotion rivals Bournemouth.

They have the best home record in the Championship, but have backed that up on their travels where they have suffered just four defeats and are in the top six for points garnered away from home.

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ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH

RYAN

ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH

NYAMBE POSITION

RWB

NATION

AGE

SHIRT NO.

24 2

ONES TO WATCH

ONES TO WATCH ONES TO WATCH ONES TO

ONES TO WATCH

WATCH ONES TO WATCH

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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 18

F

ull-back Nyambe came through the ranks at the Rovers academy and made his firstteam debut in a League Cup tie against Ipswich in 2015 at the age of just 17.

The Namibia international can play anywhere across the back four but has nailed down the right back or right wing-back slot in recent seasons.

He was a regular as Tony Mowbray led Rovers back to the Championship during the 2017-18 season, and has proved an accomplished performer in the second tier ever since.

Nyambe has racked up 192 appearances for the Lancashire club but has yet to get on the scoresheet.

JOE ROTHWELL POSITION

CM

NATION

AGE

SHIRT NO.

27 8

L

ike Brereton Díaz, Rothwell is another former Manchester United youngster who has gone on to produce outstanding form with Rovers.

Rothwell spent 15 years on the books at Old Trafford but never had the chance to make a first-team outing for the Red Devils.

There were short loan spells with Blackpool and Barnsley, but it was a full-time move to Oxford in 2016 that saw him start to showcase his talent at senior level.

Rovers snapped up the former England youth international in 2018 and he has since made 145 appearances and scored 11 goals.

BEN BRERETON DÍAZ POSITION

ST

NATION

AGE

SHIRT NO.

22 22

T

he striker is enjoying an outstanding c ampaign, and has already gone through the 20-goal mark for Rovers as they battle for promotion.

The former Manchester United youth player has flourished since leaving Nottingham Forest for Ewood Park in 2019, and his confidence has visibly grown following his fairytale call-up and goalscoring exploits for Chile at last summer’s Copa America.

He has recently been away on international duty, again getting on the scoresheet, but has linked up with the Rovers squad again in time for this fixture.

O n l y A l e k s a n d a r M i t r ov i c h a s s c o r e d more Championship goals this term than Brereton Diaz.

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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS

SWANSEA CITY 0 LUTON TOWN 1

SWANSEA CITY SUFFERED DEFEAT AT THE SWANSEA.COM STADIUM AS HARRY CORNICK’S STRIKE GAVE LUTON TOWN ALL THREE POINTS.

TEAM LINEUPS Swans: Andy Fisher; Ryan Bennett (Kyle Joseph 89), Kyle Naughton (Korey Smith 22), Ben Cabango; Cyrus Christie, Flynn Downes (Joel Piroe 74), Matt Grimes (captain), Ryan Manning; Olivier Ntcham, Hannes Wolf; Michael Obafemi.

Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Jay Fulton, Joel Latibeaudiere, Finley Burns.

Luton Town: DJames Shea; Reece Burke, Gabe Osho, Kal Naismith (captain); James Bree, Allan Campbell, Henri Lansbury (Luke Berry 81), Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Amari’I Bell; Fred Onyedinma (Harry Cornick 63), Danny Hylton (Cameron Jerome 63).

Subs not used: Jed Steer, Dan Potts, Carlos Mendes-Gomes, Tom Lockyer.

Referee: Oliver Langford Attendance: 16,598

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WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR CHANCES WHEN ON TOP IN GAMES SAYS MARTIN

R

ussell Martin felt Swanse a City paid the price for not scoring when on top as missed chances proved costly in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Luton.

Harry Cornick’s 72nd minute goal gave the visitors the three point s at the Swans e a.c om S t adium, but the host s had their chances to take a positive result from the contest.

Michael Obafemi and Joel Piroe were denied from close range, Hannes Wolf was unable to convert and Ben Cabango was denied by the woodwork.

And the head coach believes a lack of a clinical edge in the final third is costing his side at the moment.

“I felt we had three huge chances and we didn’t score, they created the one big chance towards the end and took it,” he said.

“Apart from that they had a couple of bits in the first half from setpieces, a few balls flashing across goal but they did not cause us much harm, although they are a really good team who are well organised and you can see why they are doing so well.

“But we have to score when we are on top, how many times have I said that? It’s that little bit of quality in the final third.

“Michael has a brilliant chance, Hannes has a brilliant chance and in another game or two that might have been another outcome as I

thought he was great tonight, and Michael did well too.

“Ben Cabango hits the post and Ryan Bennett missed the follow-up, and it means we are really disappointed.

“I did not see many problems with the performance in general, they made it hard for us when we did not beat the press.

“The lads are giving us everything they have got, that is all you can ask. We limited them to very little, we had a lot of the ball but we have got to make more of it.

“Unfortunately at the moment, it is not quite clicking in the final third and we concede such a poor goal. You cannot concede a goal like that.”

PAGE 23

Football is a game of many opinions, but there is one that we must all share. There is no place for discrimination in our game. If you do not agree, then you are not welcome.

If you see or hear discrimination in this stadium, please report it to the nearest steward or via the Kick it Out App. Because we are all #TogetherAgainstDiscrimination Download the Kick it Out app for free from your app store.

EFL.com

YOUNG SWANS HARI AND DYLAN HAILED AS HEROES FOR AVERTING M4 CRASH

A

cademy youngsters Hari Thomas and Dylan Pritchard-Evans, 12, from Aberporth, were being driven home from a Swans Academy training session by Harri’s mum, Catrin, when she fainted at the wheel near Junction 47.

Si t t i n g a l o n g s i d e h e r, H a r i managed to grab the steering wheel, change gear and guide the Volkswagen onto the hard shoulder.

Once it came to a halt Dylan shouted at Hari from the backseat to engage the handbrake and switch on the hazard warning lights.

Showing admirable teamwork the two boys – both p u p i l s a t Ys g o l y P r e s e l i , Crymych – then flagged down passing motorists, who went to Catrin’s aid.

“We were going out of Swansea when my mum started feeling a bit sick,” Harri said.

“We were doing about 60 mph when all of a sudden she just passed out.

“Me and D ylan were on our phones when I saw her head go back – but I was able to grab the wheel and steer for the hard shoulder.”

The boys were later picked by Hari’s uncle while police drove Catrin to Morriston Hospital where she was subsequently discharged after checks.

“What those boys was absolutely brilliant,” said Catrin, who has made a full recovery.

“If Hari hadn’t managed to get control of the car there could have been carnage.”

Hari’s dad proud Martyn said: “He didn’t freeze when many people would have.”

The club will be showing their appreciation for Hari and Dylan during half time this evening.

PAGE 25

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T STILETTOS AND STUDS BY JULIE KISSICK

hursday was Time to Talk Day, so designated to give us an opportunity to focus on having conversations about mental health.

Just as we all have physical health, we all have mental health and yet while one is stigmatised the other is accepted.

No-one would question someone with a broken leg but , sadly, we haven’ t got to the place as a society – or in football - where we have normalised our mental health impacting on the way we function, on the decisions we make, or the way we view the world.

“Football is quite a macho world and people find it difficult to drop that image and admit they have problems,” said Kev Johns, official chaplain at S w a n s e a C i t y f o r 2 0 y e a r s a n d PA announcer and matchday host. “ B u t m o r e a n d m o r e r e c e n t l y, footballers who are heroes to thousands have come forward to say they have a mental health problem.

“And it helps them in talking about it, but it allows others to come forward too and football fans think, ‘if he can talk about it, I can talk about my problem’, and it impacts everybody.”

The club launched its weekly One-Stop Mental Health Hub yesterday, (Friday), in conjunction with the Jac Lewis Foundation, a charity providing mental health and wellbeing support in the community.

Qualified counsellors will facilitate the Hub sessions between 9am and 5pm and they are open to supporters and local residents alike. BRILLIANT! What a fantastic initiative.

You can find out more about it HERE. This is one of the many reasons why I’m proud to be a Jack. I believe wholeheartedly in professional football clubs making a positive impact in the community and through initiatives like

this, together with our Swansea City Foundation, our club is doing just that.

And of course, we have our own part to play too. As individuals we have all seen the #BeKind used liberally across social media following a tragic event or the unfair treatment of an individual or group.

We all know we could and should be kinder, yet I think football and those of us associated with it on whatever level, could still do more.

How many times have we verbally berated a player or commented on a decision made by the coach or taken to social media to direct our anger at someone for doing something we don’t agree with, without thinking about the consequences of our comments on those individuals?

We are all familiar with the saying ‘noone knows what goes on behind closed doors’ and the truth, is we don’t always know what’s going on in our own minds, let alone be able to explain it to someone else.

We’re all influenced by those around us, by the company we keep and those we live and work with.

Whatever we do in life we want to feel valued, be that in our relationships, our jobs, or our social activities.

D a y s l i k e T i m e t o Ta l k D a y a n d initiatives like our One-Stop Mental H e a l t h H u b a re n ot j u st fo r p e o p l e who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health, they should be the catalyst for us all to consider the impact we have on others.

They should be the nudge we need to see one another as individuals with feelings, not as commodities incapable of being hurt ; a reminder not to let ourselves off the hook when it comes to our treatment of one another.

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ASTUDIA YM MHRIFYSGOL ABERTAWE DRWS I DDYFODOL DISGLAIR DYSGWCH FWY

FFRAMWAITH RHAGORIAETH & DEILLIANNAU MYFYRWYR PAGE 30

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

WELSH COLUMN BY ALUN RHYS CHIVERS, GOLWG

M

ae’r Elyrch eisoes wedi colli yn erbyn Cymro yr wythnos hon, gyda thîm Luton Nathan Jones yn fuddugol o 1-0 nos Fercher, ac mae Cymro arall yn glanio yn Stadiwm Swansea.com heddiw. Mae’r Elyrch wedi arfer â gweld hen wynebau’n dychwelyd i’r ddinas a sgorio yn eu herbyn nhw ar hyd y blynyddoedd, a’r dasg heddiw fydd cadw’r asgellwr Ryan Hedges, un o wynebau newydd Blackburn, yn dawel yn ei gêm gyntaf i’w glwb newydd.

Mae’r Cymro sydd wedi cynrychioli timau dan 19 a dan 21 ei wlad yn llygadu lle unwaith eto yng ngharfan Cymru ar ôl symud o Aberdeen i ogledd-orllewin Lloegr ar ddiwedd y ffenest drosglwyddo. Enillodd yr olaf o’i dri chap dros ei wlad yn erbyn Trinidad a Tobago yn 2019, ond mae e wedi bod yn yr anialwch ers hynny ac eithrio un alwad i’r garfan heb lwyddo i ddod i’r cae.

Roedd e wedi gobeithio perfformio ar lefel ddomestig a dal sylw Ryan Giggs ac yna Rob Page wrth i’r garfan ryngwladol baratoi ar gyfer yr Ewros y llynedd. Ond yn yr anialwch arhosodd e, ac mae e bellach yn llygadu cyfle o’r newydd ar drothwy gemau ail gyfle Cymru ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd. Mae’n bosib y caiff e rywfaint o hwb o gofio mai yn fuan ar ôl symud i Aberdeen o Barnsley yr enillodd e ei gap diwethaf, ac mae’n siŵr ei fod e’n awyddus i fwrw iddi y prynhawn yma, yn y ddinas lle dechreuodd ei yrfa broffesiynol.

Roedd e’n 18 oed pan ddaeth e i Abertawe ar ôl saith mlynedd yn nhîm ieuenctid Everton a chyfnod yn y Fflint, dafliad carreg o Ysgol Hawarden lle cafodd ei addysg – ysgol sydd â rhestr o gyn-ddisgyblion sy’n cynnwys Gary Speed, Danny Ward a Michael Owen. Yn yr ysgol honno y gwnaeth e argraff fel aelod o dîm Ysgolion Cymru dan 18 oed.

Enillodd Hedges ei le yng ngharfan dan 21 yr Elyrch yn 2013-14, gan sicrhau cytundeb blwyddyn ar ddiwedd y tymor hwnnw, cyn cael estyniad o dair blynedd yn 2015.

Serch hynny, daeth sawl cyfnod ar fenthyg i ffwrdd o’r clwb wedyn – yn Leyton Orient, Stevenage a Yeovil – cyn iddo symud i Barnsley yn barhaol yn 2017 ar gytundeb dwy

flynedd a hanner. Ond symudodd e eto yn 2019 i’r Alban at Aberdeen ar ôl gwrthod cytundeb newydd gan Barnsley, ond buan y daeth e’n rhwystredig o barhau ar gyrion y garfan genedlaethol, ac fe symudodd e eto yr wythnos hon ar ôl sgorio 11 gôl mewn 66 o gemau yn Uwch Gynghrair yr Alban, ac 18 mewn cyfanswm o 86 o gemau ar draws yr holl gystadlaethau, gan gynnwys hatric Ewropeaidd.

Mae e wedi llofnodi cytundeb tair blynedd a hanner ar Barc Ewood, gyda’r opsiwn o’i ymestyn am 12 mis arall. Ac mae’n dychwelyd i Abertawe ag atgofion melys o’i “fagwrfa dda” yn y clwb. “Bydd hi’n braf mynd yn ôl a gweld nifer o wynebau cyfarwydd, ond bydda i’n mynd yn ôl yno a chael triphwynt, dyna’r peth pwysig”.

A dyna fydd y peth pwysig i’r Elyrch a Russell Martin hefyd ar ôl y golled ganol yr wythnos.

Ers dechrau’r flwyddyn a’r golled yn y gwpan yn erbyn Southampton yn dilyn y seibiant hir oherwydd Covid-19, dim ond unwaith mae’r Elyrch wedi ennill ac maen nhw wedi llithro i’r pedwerydd safle ar bymtheg, un uwchlaw Caerdydd ond 12 pwynt uwchlaw safleoedd y gwymp ac un gêm wrth gefn.

Ond does dim cuddio rhag y ffaith fod angen pwyntiau – a goliau, yn dilyn tair gêm heb gôl ers y fuddugoliaeth o 1-0 dros Preston dros yr wythnos a hanner diwethaf. Mae gan yr Elyrch opsiynau, ond bydd rhaid i un ohonyn nhw danio – a thanio’n gyflym.

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HANNES WOLF HAS PROVED A LIVELY ON-FIELD PRESENCE SINCE JOINING SWANSEA CITY ON LOAN FROM BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH. HERE, HE REVEALS HIS REASONS FOR MOVING TO SA1, REFLECTS ON PLAYING ALONGSIDE A LIST OF STARSTUDDED TALENTS AND OUTLINES HOW A SERIOUS INJURY SETBACK MADE HIM STRONGER AS A PERSON. CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE....

Hannes, welcome to Swansea City. You’ve got a few games under your belt since sealing your January move. How has it been for you?

I am really happy here and really excited. I had an interesting journey to get here, I did everything I could to make the move happen quickly and to get here and be ready to play has been very nice.

It’s always good to get everything done. I think it was five countries in two days, I went from Dusseldorf to Paris to Amsterdam to Bristol, and finally to Swansea as it was the quickest way to get things done with my visa.

I t wo u l d h a ve t a ke n l o n g e r o t h e r w i s e, b u t I w a n t e d t o start here as soon as possible and play against Preston.

“It has been amazing to play in front of the fans, it was a really nice feeling. The club, the staff and the training facilities are amazing; everybody is so kind. My girlfriend has now come over and we’re very happy.”

Yo u w e r e l i n k e d w i t h a n u m b e r of c l u b s , i n c l u d i n g C e l t i c , d u r i n g t h e w i n d o w.

What was it about Swansea that made you decide to join? “ T he fir st thing for me was that I had a really good Zoom c all with the c oach, he told me how they want to play footb all and he showed me some videos of how the team has been playing,” he said.

“ When I saw it, I just loved it from the fir st moment , it is the same way I see football.

“I knew the club, Swansea is a big club and so everything was top. I told my agent and we decided to come here. “ T his is a t e am that has s o much possession, and as an offensive player you can get so many chances per game.

“This suits me, and I feel I can help the team playing this way.

I have watched five or six of Swansea’s games this season and it is really good football. “ This is a new experience for me, and it is something I wanted to do. I wanted to do something different for me and I think this could be perfect.”

The Bundesliga is a great league and one that’s popular w i t h f a n s i n t h i s c o u n t r y, have you likewise been watching a lot of British football during your time in Austria and Germany?

Yes, of course. I have watched a lot of the P remier L eague when I was young and I remember seeing Swansea play and do so well. I have also watched the Championship as a good friend of mine moved to play in this division a few years ago.

I t wa s P at r i c k S c h m i d t w h o w a s a t B a r n s l e y. I w a t c h e d some of his games and I watched a lot of Swansea games before moving.

PAGE 33

I asked him about how things are. We often say in Austria that English football is hard football but Patrick told me that it is tough but Swansea are a team that play football and so I knew this would be a good fit for me.

This is a new experience in a new country for you. How much did that side of things appeal to you?

This is also something I wanted to do. I have been in Austria and Germany and I felt it was time for something new.

I feel like this step could be perfect for me. I left my hometown of Graz at the age of 14 to make the move to RB Salzburg and I worked my way up from there.

So I have been used to moving to take on new challenges, I got a professional deal and played two years under Marco Rose, who had been my coach as a young player.

We had a good time there and won some titles, I will never forget those and we have gone on from there.

What was it like to leave home at such a young age?

It was hard sometimes, as you would expect.

There are times you are homesick and you just want to go home.

But I was able to go and visit home every week and that helped with things. It was a three-hour drive and my parents came to see me and to get me so it was fine.

You mentioned your time with Red Bull Salzburg, and you also played for Red Bull Leipzig. You’ve played with some big names in global football like E rling Haaland, Takumi Minamino and Patson Daka.

All of those guys are nice guys and really great players. I think you look at that group of players who have gone on from Red Bull Salzburg and ended up in England or Germany, you can see the talent they develop as a club.

They got nice moves but they got those moves because of their talent and how they have developed.

PAGE 34

You got your move to Red Bull Leipzig, but were so unfortunate to suffer a bad injury before you had a chance to make your debut as you broke your ankle at the European Under-21 Championship with Austria.

That must have been tough?

It was hard as I felt really good. I was performing well and then the injury happened. But sometimes football is like this. Leipzig is a big club with some great players and after half-a-year out it was not so easy to get the games I needed so I moved on as I needed to play.

I learnt a lot from those hard times as that was the first time things were not going as they had been going.

Things in life do not always move in just one direction, there are ups and downs.

You understand there is another side of life, but I got through it, my ankle is good and I feel good.

You joined your old coach Marco Rose at Borussia Monchengladbach and had a great season with him.

How big an influence has he been on your career?

He called me, he was a person who wanted to help me get the old Hannes back. We had a great season, we had the Champions League and we did okay in the cup and the Bundesliga.

He left after one year, this is football and this is a new challenge.

You’re a player with a lot of energy, you like to drive forward with the ball. But how would you sum yourself up as a player?

I like the ball at my feet, I like to dribble with the ball and take on defenders, looking to play the right ball in the right moment.

I hope I can show from the first day what I can do, I have not played so many games these past months but I will be giving everything for Swansea.

I trained and played with the team, and it was really nice and the training ground and everything here is top.

The quality of training is great and I felt good.

I now need to play my football again, and play with speed and confidence. As a team, there is so much quality here that we want to move up the league. I am excited for the games we have left.

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I

n the latest chapter of our series of features recalling Swansea City’s historic 1980-81 season, John Toshack enlists the help of his famous mentor as he and his squad count down to kick-off on the big day at Deepdale.

The Swans would make the journey to the north west and make the most of John Toshack’s connections with his former club.

When it came to their final team meeting at the team hotel before setting off for Deepdale, Toshack elected to take a back seat and allow his mentor Bill Shankly to address his players.

Shankly, a man with 10 trophies to his name from his spell in charge at Liverpool, was not a stranger to the Swans squad.

He would often attend their games in the north west, and was a big supporter of Toshack and his side.

Like his protégé, the Scot carried an aura and a presence with him. When he spoke, you listened.

“One of the pieces of advice I can remember him giving us has always stuck with me,” says Wyndham Evans.

“He would say that a football team needs eight people who can carry a piano, and three who can play the thing. When I was manager of Llanelli I would always say the same thing.

“He looked around at us and would say to me that my job was to win the ball and give it to the piano players; Curt, Robbie James and Leighton James.

“That was the key, to give the ball to your best players in a position where they could do something with it, the other side of the job was to work hard and make sure we didn’t give anything away.

“You only had to look at his record to know you had to listen to what he was sharing with you.

“In that team talk before Preston he walked around us and looked each of us in the eye and asked; ‘Are you ready, son?’

PAGE 40

“I replied ‘yes’ and he went round us all and said to Tosh ‘he’s ready, he’s ready’.

“He finished off by telling us; ‘Make sure you don’t let down those people out there. They are the people you are doing it for’.”

“He invited himself, did Shanks,” adds Toshack.

“The strange thing was that Preston was Shanks’ club. He’d captained them and won the FA Cup as a player before going to Liverpool.

“For us to be going up to Preston, to play that game at Deepdale – a stadium he knew so well – and Preston had to get a result to stay up…”

“He had joined us whenever we were up north,” says Jeremy Charles.

“He was a huge mentor to Tosh, and when someone like that walks into a room you hang on every word they say. You are in awe really.

“I don’t remember all of what he said but I know he had some good stories in there that made us laugh a bit and lightened the mood.”

The supporters Shankly had mentioned in his address to the team had packed out the away end and beyond at Deepdale.

When the players emerged to warm-up and looked to the one end of the ground all they could see were a sea of black and white scarves and placards and messages of support.

“It was incredible, all you could see was black and white,” said Alan Curtis.

“The one end and the one side all appeared to be our supporters.

“No-one really needed to say anything although Bill Shankly was at the hotel and spoke to us.

“He was an iconic figure in football. He told us we had come this far and that it was about us and the supporters.

Do not let them down, do not let the city down.

“You did not need the motivation but it gave us that little extra sense of the occasion. It was clever from Tosh.

“You looked out at all that and said ‘we are not going to lose this’,” says Evans.

“He spoke to us too, but he left Bill Shankly go first because he knew the reaction he would get.

“Could you imagine if you had lost that game?

The support was marvellous, there were 10,000 up there.”

“It felt like everyone was there. Mike England, the Wales manager was there, Gareth Edwards was there.

There was Shankly and a few Welsh politicians too.

“You think that a lot of those people had followed the club through the bad days in the Fourth Division,” says Charles.

“You did not need telling what was at stake.”

“It was about doing something great for them.”

PAGE 41

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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.

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PAGE 44

SWANS U23s 1 MILWALL U23s 2

S

wansea City U nder-23s were dealt their first loss in five matches as they suffered defeat against at Millwall at L a n d o r e i n P r o fe s s i o n a l Development League South.

Swansea fell behind midway through the first half after Sean O’B rien’s clinic al free kick , however, Cameron Congreve found an equaliser for the hosts with a powerful shot.

H o w e v e r, M i l l w a l l f o u n d another way through just seconds before the half-time whistle was blown with Tyrese Briscoe making the most of a misplaced pass to score what ultimately proved to be the decisive goal.

The Swans controlled the early stages and got the first sight on goal, but Congreve’s strike from the edge of the penalty area curled narrowly wide of the far post.

Congreve tried his luck again soon after, however, this time from a free kick which he could only find the side-netting.

Despite Swansea having most of the possession it was Millwall who

found the back of the net courtesy of an O’Brien set piece into the bottom left corner and out of the reach of the trialist in the home goal.

The Lions looked to extend their advantage as Jayden Davis threatened the Swansea goal with approaching 30 minutes played, but the Swans keeper reacted quickly to parry it away to safety.

The Swans came agonisingly close to equalising after Lincoln Mcfayden played in a dangerous low cross into the box, but Jaden Forrester was unable to get the vital touch.

Following those chances, Congreve smashed home the leveller finding the top-right corner after he manufactured a yard of space on the edge of the box.

But, on the stroke of half-time, Millwall were back in front after Briscoe gathered a loose back pass, and he made no mistake with the finish.

The Swans looked to get back on terms as soon as possible after the resumption and nearly found it through Millwall's Chinwike Okoli, after he nearly turned McFayden’s cross into his own net with Lions keeper Jordan Gilmore tipping the ball to safety.

Millwall came close to extending their advantage with 10 minutes left after a good cross to the front post from George Walker was there to be attacked, but Ben Erickson was able to tidy up the situation.

The in-form Forrester nearly made it six goals in as many games but his strike on the rise was pulled inches wide of the mark as Kris O'Leary's side could not quite find the finishing touch to secure a point.

TEAM LINEUP Swans: Trialist, Tivonge Rushesha, Joe Thomas, Azeem Abdulai, Cameron Evans, Ben Erickson (captain), Ben Lloyd, Sam Leverett (Tarrelle Whittaker 64), Jaden Forrester, Cameron Congreve (Joel Cotterill 74), Lincoln Mcfayden.

Subs not used: Tyler Evans, Jacob Jones, Jack Stafford.

PAGE 45

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PLAYERS CAN BE PROUD OF PERFORMANCE, DESPITE THE DEFEAT SAYS CHRIS CHURCH

C

h ris Church sung the praises of his players despite Swansea City Ladies’ defeat against Cardiff Met in the quarter-final of the Genero Adran Trophy.

“My players did well. To have not played a competitive game since December 19 and put in a performance like that , you c an’ t fault the players,” he said.

The match went to penalties after the score was tied at 1-1 after the 90 minutes but Met came out on top in the shootout.

“It is still going to take something special for somebody to beat us in 90 minutes and I still believe that. They (Cardiff Met) didn’ t look like they wanted to beat us in 90 minutes.

It was the Swans’ first match in 42 days, and they controlled the game for most of the second half.

Church applauded his players despite the defeat, and he is expecting a reaction next Sunday when they take on Pwllheli in the FAW Women’s Cup.

“I may sound a bit bitter but that is because I want to win every game in whatever way it might be.

“My players can be proud of their performance. They are going to be down of course because that is how football goes. “ We want to win every trophy that we are in bec ause that is the nature of the club, but this is just a blip because it was out of our hands. Penalty shootouts are lotteries.

“Good luck to the next team that play us because a wounded animal is a dangerous animal.

T h e s e p l a ye r s a r e g o i n g t o be so hungry for a win in the next game.”

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HERE’S HERE’S AAST STAT AT I IBET BET YOU YOU DIDN’T DIDN’T KN KN WW PAGE 50

O S T

T 6 2 O

(

A H S S A

T

OVER HALF A MILLION OVER HALF A MILLION SKY SKY BET BET CUSTOMERS USE USE DEPOSIT LIMITS CUSTOMERS DEPOSIT LIMITS TO MANAGE THEIR BETTING BUDGET. TO MANAGE THEIR BETTING BUDGET.

THAT’S ENOUGH TO FILL: THAT’S ENOUGH TO FILL: 6 WEMBLEYS. 6 WEMBLEYS. 201 ALLY PALLYS. 201 ALLY PALLYS. OR 8OR CHELTENHAM GOLD CUPCUP DAYS. 8 CHELTENHAM GOLD DAYS.

(THAT’S A LOTAOF TWEED) (THAT’S LOT OF TWEED)

ALL ALL GOOD BOOKMAKERS GOOD BOOKMAKERS HAVE DEPOSIT LIMITS. HAVE DEPOSIT LIMITS. SO WHOEVER YOUYOU BET WITH, SO WHOEVER BET WITH, SET AN ONEONE FORFOR YOUYOU SETAPPROPRIATE AN APPROPRIATE ANDAND THEN ENJOY THE THE SPORT. THEN ENJOY SPORT. DEPOSIT LIMITS DEPOSIT LIMITS

THAT’S BETTING BETTER. THAT’S BETTING BETTER.

JACK THE LAD

I

f ever there was a day to inspire mixed emotions in the football world it's transfer deadline day.

find it exciting one bit! It’s built up on Sky Sports News and everyone wears yellow ties, but realistically I don't think anyone enjoys it.

There are players not knowing what part of the country they might be plying their trade in the following day.

"The opportunities in the window come up really late. I’m hoping to go home at 11pm happy and not disappointed."

Football reporters standing for hours outside training grounds trying to catch a glimpse of players' faces through tinted windows as cars arrive and leave.

Deadline day must be a nightmare for managers - especially ones who have teams to prepare for a match the following day.

Managers waiting to see who they are going to be able to choose from as they prepare for the next match.

And then there's the fans. Do they start regretting shelling out getting a particular player's name printed on a replica shirt, or start planning their next purchase with a new star signing's name emblazoned across their backs?

In truth, I've never really had that much sympathy for the hacks lurking around club premises on deadline day, although the January window has the potential to be a particularly uncomfortable wait weather wise.

It can' t have been pleasant enduring the effects of Storms Malik and Corrie while staking out training grounds up and down the country, but my sympathies generally lie elsewhere, such as with the managers who have to cope with the hype generated by the media throughout the window.

Russell Martin suggested recently he's not a fan of deadline day, which is perfectly understandable.

During the final days of the window the manager said: "I don’t

PAGE 52

The past week has been a busy one for Martin, with the transfer window slamming shut on Monday night - that metaphorical window is going to smash one day - and then the match against Luton the following evening.

A s well as the plight facing managers, I have never been able to come to terms with the situation facing players involved in last minute deals.

As someone who has lived and worked in South Wales for pretty much all my life, I can't imagine what it's like for a player to find himself heading to the other end of the country, or even a different country altogether at the drop of a hat.

I know that is part of the life of a professional footballer, who are extremely well rewarded for a job the vast majority of us could only dream of doing.

But sometimes we fans forget that footballers are human beings with personal lives away from the pitch, not just players who represent our clubs.

Many have families and children, who are settled in schools. It must be a massive upheaval to be living

in one part of the country and then be expected to turn up for work the following day in a completely different community let alone club.

Not only that, you may be expected to perform immediately in front of thousands of people with a completely different set of teammates at your side.

Things don't always go to plan in those circumstances.

Former England defender Matthew Upson recently recalled the circumstances of his deadlineday move from Birmingham City to relegation threatened West Ham in January 2007, which happened so quickly he didn't even have his boots with him!

"I'd played for Birmingham in the midweek and I got everything sorted on the Thursday, leaving only the Friday to train and then we were away at Aston Villa, so you are on the bus to the hotel.

"Any move like that, they are late notice," said Upson. "You get a phone call and just jump in your car. Everything is a bit up in the air. I got injured in the first game, I think the preparation I'd had for the game wasn't good, it was a disaster, I felt awful.

"You've just signed for a club who are in a bit of a sticky situation, they ' ve paid good money and you are laying about on a treatment table."

We all want new players to hit the ground running when they join our clubs, but we have to remember there's an awful lot surrounding a transfer especially late ones - that we know absolutely nothing about.

Most of the Swans' business was done before deadline day, although Nathanael Ogbeta's arrival was a hugely welcome one as he joined the club's other arrivals Andy Fisher, Cyrus Christie, Hannes Wolf and Finley Burns.

Unfortunately, there will always be disappointments surrounding transfer windows, however well business goes.

Personally, I was sad to see Ethan Laird head to Bournemouth via his parent club Manchester United, but Cyrus Christie has shown enough in his first few appearances for the Swans to suggest he will be a valuable addition to the squad.

And as someone whose first memory of a World Cup Final was West Germany's win over the Netherlands in 1974, signing an attacking player who wears 13 on his back from a German club was always going to spark my imagination!

The great Gerd Muller scored 68 goals in 62 games for Germany and was wearing the number 13 shirt when he scored the winner in the final against the Netherlands.

I know Hannes Wolf is Austrian, but the fact he has come from Germany on loan and wears 13 is enough to get me excited!

One thing is for sure, Wolf and all the players who have arrived during the J anuary window deserve to be warmly welcomed at the club and us fans can play our part by giving them all the support we can to help them settle here.

C'mon you Swans!

PAGE 53

FORMER PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION PAGE 54

W

h en Vic Gomersall arrived in Swansea from Manchester 55 years ago, he had no intention of making the place his permanent home.

But the ‘ugly, lovely town’ referred to by Dylan Thomas sucked him in, as it does, and even after his playing days ended, the adopted Jack remained.

The popular left-back made 178 league appearances for the Swans over five years and netted six times.

He came to south west Wales from his home club Manchester City. There, he started his professional career against Chelsea in 1961 and ended his time with the Sky Blues away to Middlesbrough in 1965, having made 39 appearances for them.

His time with the Swans saw him play in the old Third and Fourth Division.

“I’ve been really fortunate to be able to stay in Swansea, a place I love, and continue to work and do what I love for all of these years," he said.

“Football is a tough game but I loved it as a player and then as a fan and of course I’m an honorary Jack because Swansea have always been my team since I played for the club.

“It gave me some incredible highs and some awful lows too as a player and they’re the same but different as a fan, as we all know.

“As a player you can influence games and you know if you’ve had a good one or a bad one.

“As a fan you kick every ball and argue every decision in your head but you can’t do a thing about it because you’re not on the pitch!

“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunities in the game I did and then to be able to be around football after I finished playing.”

There were also some dark days associated with a life in football, from the general uncertainty around life in the lower leagues to the unexpected loss of someone he considered a close friend, former Swan Robbie James.

“I can’t look back on my time in football without remembering Robbie. I was in Llanelli at the game the day he collapsed on the pitch and at the hospital afterwards and that was one of the worst days of my life.

“Even now, I can remember it clearly.

Curt (Alan Curtis) was with me. It was a terrible tragedy and so difficult for everyone bec ause he was so highly thought of across the game.”

Nine years ago, Gomersall’s contribution to Swansea City was marked with an inclusion into the club’s hall of fame, something he still finds touching.

“When you leave the game as a player there is a lot of uncertainty and a certain amount of fear about what the future will hold and where it will take you.

“I’ve done a lot of different jobs if you like, including for the Swans, going into schools, hosting at the LT10 in the stadium and I’ve been able to stay around the club, which was good for me.

“You meet so many great people along the way and many of them can be a part of the future after you finish playing, whether you do like I did and stay in football or leave the game altogether.

“That’s why something like the Former Players’ A ssociation is so good for the club and the players who played for it because it will draw them back together if they want to be involved.

“E ven though I left Manche ster C ity a long time ago I still get invited back to their events and as you get older you realise the importance of being able to stay in touch with a club. It means a lot.”

Ex Swans who want to be involved with Swansea City Former Players’ A ssociation are asked to fill in the registration form HERE. The club is also keen to hear from relatives a n d f r i e n d s o f fo r m e r p l a ye r s w h o a r e n o t online but who might still like to join the FPA .

Anyone in this category is asked to call t h e F PA s e c r e t a r y, C a t h e r i n e T h o m a s , o n 01792 616420 or email c atherinethomas@ swanseacity.com “I said at the time that it was a humbling and emotional experience and it still is. You never know with football where it will take you and to still be able to be involved with Swansea City and recognised for my various roles with the club over the years is something I’m very proud of.”

G o m e r s a l l a l s o p l a y e d f o r L l a n e l l i To w n , Haverfordwest and Pontardawe Town and went on to have a successful sales and commercial career as well as being involved in the entertainment scene in Swansea for many years.

Alternatively, the three former players on the c ommittee, chair L ee Trundle, deputy chair Leon Britton and lifelong president Alan C ur tis , are also happy to t alk to player s or their families directly.

The Former Players’ A ssociation exists to unite those who have worn the club shirt and who wish to continue or renew their links with Swansea City Football Club.

The FPA is free to join and is open to men and women who have played for the club.

He is also a regular host in the function rooms at the Swansea.com Stadium.

PAGE 55

JUNIOR CYRIL'S HALF-TIME QUIZ QUESTION ONE What was the score when we played Blackburn at home last season?

QUESTION FOUR Which player started his career at Blackburn before playing for the Swans and scoring a famous hat-trick to keep the club in the Football League?

QUESTION TWO Who scored his first Swansea goal when we lost to Rovers on the opening day of the season?

QUESTION FIVE Where do Blackburn play their home games?

QUESTION THREE What year did Blackburn win the Premier League?

QUESTION SIX Who scored our first goal in last season’s 2-0 home win over Blackburn?

CYRIL AND CYBIL'S PREDICTION SWANS 2 BLACKBURN 1

PAGE 56

PAGE 57 Cyril’s Half-Time Quiz Answers Question One - 2-0 to the Swans Question Two - Jamie Paterson Question Three - 1995

Question Four - James Thomas Question Five - Ewood Park Question Six - Ben Cabango The player's are: Olivier Ntcham, Andy Fisher & Ben Cabango

CAN YOU HELP CYBIL FIND OUT WHO THESE SWANS PLAYERS ARE?

R JACKS

PLAYER SPONSORS 2021~2022 BEN HAMER

CYRUS CHRISTIE

KYLE NAUGHTON

ANDY FISHER

RYAN BENNETT

BEN CABANGO

RYAN MANNING

JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE

FINLEY BURNS

WESTACRES

NATHANAEL OGBETA

BEN LLOYD

MATT GRIMES

JAY FULTON

FLYNN DOWNES

KOREY SMITH

TRAVEL

HOUSE .CO.UK

OLIVIER NTCHAM

CALL 01792 616 624 OR PAGE 58

JAMIE PATERSON

MICAHEL OBAFEMI

JOEL PIROE

HANNES WOLF

EMAIL L.MERRELLS@SWANSEACITY.COM FOR AVAILABILITY

TODAY'S MASCOTS

ARWEL JONES AGE: 6 FROM NEATH

RYAN DAVIES AGE: 10 FROM LLANELLI

BECOME A MASCOT

Swansea City is delighted to re-introduce its mascot packages for the 2021-22 season.

For more info and booking click HERE.

PAGE 59

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

Bristol City A W 0-1

Fri, Aug 20, 7.45pm

Cabango

Bennett

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Smith 1

Cabango

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell 3

Williams

Manning

Cabango

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Downes

Benda

Manning

Cabango

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere 3

Bidwell

Downes

Benda

Laird

Manning

B.Cooper

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Fulton

2

Plymouth Argyle (CC R2) H W 4-1

Tue, Aug 24, 7pm

Hamer

Manning 1

Joseph 3

Bennett

Latibeaudiere

Bidwell

Fulton

Preston North End A L 3-1

Sat, Aug 28, 3pm

Benda

Manning

Laird

Bennett 2

Latibeaudiere 1

Bidwell

Fulton 3

Hull City H D 0-0

Sat, Sept 11, 3pm

Hamer

Laird

Williams

Bennett

Naughton 3

Bidwell 2

Downes

Millwall H D 0-0

Wed, Sept 15, 7.45pm

Hamer

Naughton

Cabango

Bennett

Laird

Manning

Downes

Luton Town A D 3-3

Sat, Sept 18, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

R Williams 1

Bennett

Laird

Manning

Downes 3

2

Brighton & Hove Albion (CC R3) A L 2-0

Wed, Sept 22 7.30pm

Benda

R Williams

Cooper

Cabango 1

Latibeaudiere

Walsh 2

Fulton

Huddersfield Town H W 1-0

Sat, Sept 25, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Cabango

Manning

Laird

Bidwell

Downes

Fulham A L 3-1

Wed, Sept 29, 7.45pm

Hamer

Naughton

Cabango

Manning

Laird

Bidwell 3

Downes 2

Derby County A D 0-0

Sat, Oct 2, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Cabango

Manning

Latibeaudiere 1

Bidwell

Downes

Cardiff City H W 3-0

Sun, Oct 17, 12pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett 2

Manning

Laird

Bidwell

Downes

West Bromwich Albion H W 2-1

Wed, Oct 20, 7.45pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett

Cabango 2

Laird

Bidwell 3

Downes 1

Birmingham City A L 2-1

Sat, Oct 23, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett

Manning

Latibeaudiere

Laird

Smith 1 Smith

Peterborough United H W 3-0

Sat, Oct 30, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett

Manning

Laird 3

Bidwell

Coventry City A W 2-1

Tue, Nov 2, 7.45pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett

Manning

Laird

Bidwell

Smith

AFC Bournemouth A L 4-0

Sat, Nov 6, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett

Manning

Laird

Bidwell 2

Downes

Blackpool H D 1-1

Sat, Nov 20, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Cabango

Manning

Laird

Bidwell

Downes

1

Barnsley A W 0-2

Wed, Nov 24, 7.45pm

Hamer

Bennett

Naughton

Cabango

Laird

Bidwell 2

Downes 1

Reading H L 3-2

Sat, Nov 27, 3pm

Hamer

Bennett 2

Naughton

R Williams

Laird

Manning

Ntcham

Middlesbrough A L 1-0

Sat, Dec 4, 3pm

Hamer

Naughton

Cabango

R Williams 2

Laird 3

Downes

Manning

Nottingham Forest H L 1-4

Sat, Dec 11, 3pm

Hamer

Laird 1

Cabango

Bennett

Manning

Downes

Smith

Southampton (FA C R3) H L 2-3 (AET)

Sat, Jan 8, 5.30pm

Hamer

Naughton

Bennett

B.Cooper

Manning

Downes

Smith 5

Huddersfield Town A D 1-1

Sat, Jan 15, 3pm

Hamer

Cabango

Naughton

Manning

Christie 1

Latibeaudiere

Grimes

Preston North End H W 1-0

Sat, Jan 22, 3pm

Hamer

Cabango

Naughton

Manning

Christie 3

Latibeaudiere

Grimes

2

Queens Park Rangers A D 0-0

Tues, Jan 25, 7.45pm

Hamer

Cabango

Naughton

Manning

Christie

Latibeaudiere

Grimes

Hull City A L 2-0

Sat, Jan 29, 3pm

Hamer

Cabango

Naughton

Manning

Christie

Latibeaudiere

Grimes

Luton Town H L 0-1

Tues, Feb 1, 7.45pm

FIsher

Cabango

Naughton 1

Bennett 3

Christie

Manning

Grimes

Blackburn Rovers H

Sat, Feb 5, 5.30pm

Stoke City A

Tue, Feb 8, 7.45pm

Bristol City H

Sun, Feb 13, 1pm

Sheffield United A

Sat, Feb 19, 3pm

AFC Bournemouth H

Tue, Feb 22, 7.45pm

West Bromwich Albion A

Mon, Feb 28, 8pm

Coventry City H

Sat, Mar 5, 3pm

Fulham H

Tues, Mar 8, 7.45pm

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

Millwall A

Tues, Apr 5, 7.45pm

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 February 4, 2022.

PAGE 60

Match Statistics Key

2

Goal =

ASON 2021~2022 SUBSTITUTES Cullen 2

Lowe

Paterson

Grimes

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

Williams

Dhanda

Lowe

Whittaker

Webb, Naughton 2, Piroe, Cullen, Cooper, Cooper 1, Laird 3

Grimes

Paterson

Cullen

Piroe

Hamer, Cooper 1, Williams, Dhanda, Whittaker, Lowe 2, Naughton 3

Grimes

Ntcham 1

Paterson

Piroe

Benda, Cabango 3, Latibeaudiere, Manning 1, Fulton, Cullen, Obafemi 2

Grimes

Ntcham 1

Paterson 2

Piroe 3

Benda, Fulton, Obafemi 1, Cullen 3, Latibeaudiere, Bidwell, Walsh 2

Grimes

Walsh 2

Paterson

Obafemi

Benda, Cabango 1, Fulton, Smith, Ntcham 2

Bidwell

Smith 3

Whittaker

Cullen

Webb, Manning 1, Rushesha, Laird, Downes 2

Grimes

Ntcham 3

Piroe

Grimes

Ntcham 1

Piroe

Grimes

Smith 3

Piroe 2

Grimes

Smith 1

Piroe

3

Grimes

Smith

Piroe

3

Paterson

Benda, Latibeaudiere 3, Williams 2, Walsh, Ntcham 1, Cullen, Whittaker

Grimes

Ntcham 2

Piroe 3

Paterson

Benda, Cabango, Williams, Fulton, Walsh 2, Cullen 3, Obafemi 1

Grimes

Ntcham

Grimes

Ntcham 1

Grimes

Ntcham

Grimes Grimes

Grimes

1

2

2

, Whittaker

, Piroe 3

, Latbeaudiere

, Dhanda 3, Piroe

Paterson 1

Benda, Cooper, Latibeaudiere, Fulton 3, Smith 1

Paterson

Benda, Cooper, Latibeaudiere 3, Fulton, Smith 1, Walsh, Cullen 2

Paterson

Benda, Williams, Laird 1, Fulton, Walsh, Cullen 2, Whittaker 3

Paterson

Benda, Cabango 2, Latibeaudiere, Walsh, Ntcham 1, Cullen 3, Whittaker

, Walsh, Cullen 2

Paterson

Piroe

1

Benda, Cabango, Latibeaudiere, Downes 2

, Whittaker 3, Obafemi 1, Cullen

Paterson

Piroe

2

Benda, Cabango, Latibeaudiere, Downes 2

, Whittaker, Obafemi 1, Cullen

Paterson

Piroe

Ntcham 2

Paterson

Piroe

Smith

Paterson

Piroe 3

Benda, R.Williams, Latibeaudiere, Manning 2, Walsh, Ntcham 1

Grimes

Smith 1

Paterson

Piroe

Benda, Downes 1, Cooper, Cullen 2, Latibeaudiere, Bidwell, Walsh

Grimes

Smith 1

Paterson

Piroe

Benda, Bennett, Obafemi 2, Ntcham 1, Cullen, Latibeaudiere 3, Bidwell

Grimes

Ntcham

Paterson

Piroe

Benda, R. Williams, Latibeaudiere 1, Bidwell, Walsh, Obafemi 2, Cullen

3

Benda, Cabango, Latibeaudiere, Smith 1, Walsh 3, Whittaker 2, Cullen Benda, R.Williams, Latibeaudiere, Smith 2, Walsh, Obafemi 1, Cullen

1

, Cullen 3

Cullen 3

Obafemi 4

Piroe

Benda, R. Williams 5, Abdulai, Bidwell, D. Williams, Fulton 4, Grimes 1, Ntcham 2, Dhanda 3

Downes

Smith

Ntcham 2

Piroe

Fisher, Bennett, Abdulai, Fulton, Walsh, Joseph 2, Obafemi 1

Downes

Smith

Ntcham 1

Piroe 2

Fisher, Bennett, Fulton 3, Walsh, Wolf 1, Joseph 2, Obafemi

Downes

Smith

Wolf 2

Piroe 1

Fisher, Bennett, Abdulai, Fulton 2, Walsh, Joseph, Obafemi 1

Fulton 1

Smith 3

Wolf 2

Piroe

Fisher, Bennett, Abdulai, Walsh 3

Downes

Ntcham

Wolf

Obafemi

Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Burns, Fulton, Smith 1, Joseph 3, Piroe 2

Walsh

1

2

of the longest running Hospital

Liaison Team, who will collect the

Radio Services in the country.

unit after the game finishes. To

They

long

request this free service please

at the Swansea.com Stadium

association with Swansea City

email accessibility@swanseacity.

via

dating back to the days of

com or contact the ticket office.

“Swansea Town” and the Vetch.

To get more information on Radio

Supporters

a

visual

can

improve

their

day

experience

match a

audio

Captain =

with

impairment

City

Hat-trick =

, Ntcham 2, Joseph, Obafemi 1

special 1386AM

service.

Radio

has

provided

commentary

service

have

enjoyed

a

City 1386AM visit their website

for supporters with a visual

They cover all Swansea City home

on

impairment since the opening of

games with live commentary

or email sport@radiocity1386am.

the stadium in 2005, while it has

of the action Anyone with a

co.uk

broadcasted to the patients, staff

visual impairment can request a

and visitors to the Health Board

headset which will be delivered

Hospitals since 1968 and is one

to your seat by the Disability

Sub = 2 (number denotes player replaced) Booked =

Sent off =

www.radiocity1386am.co.uk

Carabao Cup = CC FA Cup = FA

PAGE 61

TABLE 2021~2022

POS TEAM 1

Fulham

28

P W D 17

7

L 4

74

F

26

A GD PTS 48

58

2

Blackburn Rovers

29

15

8

6

45

30

15

53

3

Bournemouth

28

15

7

6

44

24

20

52

4

Queens Park Rangers

28

15

6

7

44

31

13

51

5

Huddersfield Town

30

13

9

8

40

34

6

48

6

West Bromwich Albion

29

12

9

8

34

24

10

45

7

Middlesbrough

28

13

6

9

32

26

6

45

8

Nottingham Forest

29

12

7

10

39

31

8

43

9

Luton Town

28

11

9

8

39

32

7

42

10

Coventry City

27

11

7

9

35

31

4

40

11

Sheffield United

26

11

6

9

35

32

3

39

12

Stoke City

28

11

6

11

33

30

3

39

13

Preston North End

29

9

11

9

33

35

-2

38

14

Millwall

28

9

10

9

29

29

0

37

15

Blackpool

28

10

7

11

29

33

-4

37

16

Bristol City

29

9

7

13

38

51

-13

34

17

Birmingham City

29

8

9

12

32

44

-12

33

18

Hull City

28

9

5

14

25

31

-6

32

19

Swansea City

27

8

8

11

28

35

-7

32

20

Cardiff City

28

8

5

15

31

48

-17

29

21

Reading*

28

8

4

16

33

55

-22

22

22

Peterborough United

27

5

5

17

23

55

-32

20

23

Derby County*

29

8

12

9

28

30

-2

15

24

Barnsley

28

2

8

18

17

43

-26

14

Correct as of Feb 4, 2022.

*Derby County deducted 21 points and Reading deducted 6 points under EFL Regulations.

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 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 21 22 23 26 27 30 33 35 47

Ryan Bennett Ryan Manning Flynn Downes Ben Cabango Jay Fulton Korey Smith Matt Grimes Michael Obafemi Olivier Ntcham Jamie Paterson Hannes Wolf Kyle Joseph Nathanael Ogbeta Joël Piroe Ben Hamer Tivonge Rushesha Yan Dhanda Joel Latibeaudiere Cyrus Christie Kyle Naughton Josh Gould Finley Burns Andy Fisher Lincoln Mcfayden Azeem Abdulai

BLACKBURN ROVERS

Head Coach: Tony Mowbray 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 30 37 41 42

Thomas Kaminski Ryan Nyambe Harry Pickering Bradley Johnson Daniel Ayala Jacob Davenport Reda Khadra Joe Rothwell Sam Gallagher Tyrhys Dolan Joe Rankin-Costello Aynsley Pears James Brown Scott Wharton Dilan Markanday Ryan Hedges Tayo Edun John Buckley Ben Brereton Díaz Bradley Dack Jan Paul van Hecke Darragh Lenihan Lewis Travis Ryan Giles Ian Poveda Jack Vale Antonis Stergiakis Deyovaisio Zeefuik

NEXT UP AT Bristol City Sunday, Feb 13 Kick-off: 1pm

NEXT AWAY Stoke City Tues, Feb 8 Kick-off: 7.45pm

FOLLOW US

~ Referee: TIm Robinson ~ ~ Assistant Referees: Andrew Fox and Nigel Lugg ~ ~ Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone ~

Correct as of February 4, 2022

PAGE 64