Jack Swan Issue #88

ISSUE #88 FREE

60 YEARS AT THE SWANS

Youth Development

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INTRO: the small rant........

It has all been very much the same on the pitch at the Swans. Signs of promise followed by a few poor performances.

Then, the moment you give up on the play-offs; they give you a glimmer.

The side is half decent. Ayew, Celina, Galagher and Brewster are good Championship players who could (maybe should) be able to score at will but it isn’t turning out that way.

The young defence is solid but naïve at times, the Derby game a clear example of this. The team just hasn’t yet learned the art of winning football matches. The top sides in this league are rarely the very best footballing teams but the ones able to grind out the most results in this gruelling league.

We’ve dropped points in recent weeks whilst playing well. We’ve also dropped points when playing incredibly badly mind!

The Fulham match showed the level that we are at in my opinion. Asides from the referee which got Leigh Dineen active on Twitter, we were quite clearly second best.

It is understandable that we are second best to a side with high hopes of returning to the topflight. Whilst we have seen our best players leave in the last two seasons, sides like Fulham and West Brom have shown the ambition to get back to where they feel they belong.

The ambition is often a gamble. Reckless in reality, Stoke a prime example of the state you can find yourself in. I do still struggle to see what our clubs plan and real direction is though.

Next year the parachute payments drop significantly. Our recent accounts show a substantial loss despite the ‘austerity’ within the club. Ticket sales are reducing, merchandise and sponsorship too, there are less assets to strip and a larger deficit to fill.

For these reasons the club are looking at all options but with what end goal?

The real question has to be, how can the Swans be better than a side like Fulham in two, three or four years time?

We could simply hope for promotion via default. All other clubs make themselves so financially screwed that we inevitably walk to the topflight. But this isn’t really going to happen, three sides will come down from the topflight next year with parachute payments and another three the year after that. Even if the likes of Stoke eventually do falter, there will be new ones to take their place, We are doing well considering, no fault of the players or the manager who I feel have done a decent job but I’m simply confused to the plan.

The latest cost-cutting measure rumoured is our academy. Our one bright light in this fairly dull period. This issue I have taken a long, close look at the history and potential of this and spoken with some of the best players this area has produced in order to find out what is what.

A couple of wins, fluke our way through the play-offs and everyone will be talking of how Trevor Birch is a genius in the same way as Huw Jenkins……… I still don’t get the plan……

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60 YEARS AT SWANSEA CITY FC

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT This year, I fancied a change and so we are doing feature issues looking back at how the club has changed (better and for worst) over the last sixty years. We are going to speak with ex-players from this time and look at key subjects each issue. This one being youth development in Swansea.

How successful has the region in and around Swansea been at producing top quality footballers over these years and whether those players have come through Swansea City ranks.

REST OF WALES

I wanted to give a breakdown of some figures (I love stats) before speaking to people to try and understand them.

One way to look at the success of developing players is to look at the National team. For the sake of this, I’ve broken Wales into three catchment areas: Swansea, Cardiff and the Rest of Wales. Swansea being everything West of Bridgend, down to Fishguard but no further north than Cardigan.

Cardiff being everything East of Brecon to the bridge but no further North than Brecon and then the rest.

SWANSEA AREA CARDIFF

In the 1960s, every player that first represented Wales was AREA born here (very different to today). But less than 20% were from the Swansea region. Just over 30% from Cardiff and 50% the rest of Wales. On a map, ‘the rest of Wales’ is pretty big but as a population, is smaller than the other two. There is a pretty simple explanation to why so many players came Swansea produced nearly 25% of the newly capped Welsh internationals in the 70s, Cardiff 34%, Rest of Wales 27%. from North Wales; rugby!

What we begin to see though is ‘losses’ at club level. Of the Ten Swansea born internationals, only 6 came through Swansea ranks. Of the 14 from Cardiff only 6 started with the Bluebirds. Players like Ian Walsh and Peter Nicholas going to Crystal Palace at a young age. Carl Harris and Bryon Stevenson starting out at Leeds. Port Talbots Brian The 70s saw South Wales catch up slightly but with some Flynn opting for neither Swansea nor Cardiff but Burnley English and even a German born representative for Wales. for his youth development.

In 1960, Swansea RFC hosted and beat South Africa. The Welsh clubs in this day were known the World over. Rugby was the sport of South Wales. As a young boy growing up, rugby was the natural game to play, further North you’d only see the round ball on the playing fields.

And as South Wales played more football and less rugby and produced more frequent talent, the exodus continued into the 80s and 90s. The breeding ground of Swansea, Cardiff and the Rest of Wales all produced 12 new Welsh caps each in the 1980s. Only 6 started at Swansea and a shocking 3 at Cardiff.

But of those born here, Swansea are doing very, v well. Nearly half (8) of the Welsh born players came f the Swansea region and SEVEN through the Sw youth system.

BRH PLUMBERS From Neath, Mark Bowen and Clayton Blackmoore went to Spurs and Manchester United respectively. Bristol Rovers produced more Welsh caps than Cardiff City in the 80s with players born in South Wales.

For any club, being able to spot, nurture and deve quality players must be the aim. I’m going to spea those involved through these years to try understand where the club has gone wrong in the p and why things have changed.

It is important to remember that producing qua players takes three things. Firstly, finding tal secondly nurturing them and finally keeping hold them.

Local & Reliable 24 Hour Service The 90s is even worst reading. Half of the players (16) born in Wales who won their first cap in the 90s were from the Cardiff catchment area but only 3 came through their youth system. 8 were born in the Swansea area but the club were far better than their rivals at being able to keep and nurture them; 6 of these 8 came through the Swans system.

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Ryan Giggs the most high-profile loss for Cardiff but also

Chris Llewellyn and Craig Bellamy who both went to CENTRAL HEATING OIL TANKS Norwich. Cardiff missed out on 13 future Welsh internationals and often to similar sized clubs. Swansea nabbing Jason Bowen and Steve Jenkins from the Cardiff Valleys. The Swans were unable to secure John Hartson though who left for Luton.

The start of the new millennium was a dark age for Swansea City producing young talent. Just four players born in the catchment area went on to win a cap over the whole decade and only two through the Swans system. Joe Allen and Richard Duffy the two. Simon Davies and Marcus Margetson the two missed out on.

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For Cardiff it was very much the same. 14 players from Cardiff won caps, only 5 through their system. Gareth Bale clearly the highest profile. By now English born players made up over 40% of all new internationals.

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The last decade, with Premier League football, youth academies, there has been a very noticeable improvement. Over 60% of players who won their first cap in the last ten years were born outside of Wales. Not a great stat that but that’s the way the cookie crumbles and we have all enjoyed seeing Wales in the Euros……

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There is an honour in being a super fan. We are measured as And supporters byWales the hours wemore devote to ourand beloved side, as South played football less rugby theand away trip; Rotherham on a talent, Tuesdaythe night!

And produced more away frequent exodus now there is into a new fan;90s. theThe boycotting those continued thesuper 80s and breedingone, ground of I’m always interested in the Match ofinthe Day against stat at the who have given up the ticket protest the Swansea, Cardiff andseason the Rest of Wales all produced 12 end of a#yanksout. game where it says ‘expected goals’. From what I regime new Welsh caps each in the 1980s. Only 6 started at understand this is based on all the chances in the game, Swansea and a shocking 3 at Cardiff. how good a chance theyyou are sit andback what percentage of it shots Its all a bit mental when and think about isn’t from that position end in a goal; there is a lot of money in it. From Neath, Mark Bowen and Clayton Blackmoore went statistics in football these days and a lot of effort that goes to Spurs and Manchester United respectively. Bristol into it!

Is there wrong with going to athan game if youCity fancy Roversanything produced more Welsh caps Cardiff in it and if you don’t? the football the not 80s going with players born inif South Wales.is good and the I’ve not yet seen (but I imagine there is one) a league table day out is fun then surely it makes sense to go but when its based on the expected results.

Thethen reality iswould that its all dire, andworst a waste of time you?

Theexpensive 90s is even reading.

Half ofwhy the players (16) bollocks. Mane, Firminho and Salah are slightly more likely born in Wales who won their first cap in the 90s were to score from adidn’t 12 yard shot thanwe’d you orwithin I. At the ofto a morning if weCardiff enjoy it but ourend from the catchment areabebut only 3right came season, playing the league twice, have a after bowl now andeveryone then if8itin happened in the the through their youth system. were born into thebe Swansea actual league table is going to be a better on cupboard we woke upbetter fancying bowl.reflection As aatSwans area butand the club were far thana their rivals being who the best side is rather than the statistical one. supporter is an expectation; you support the able to then keep there and nurture them; 6 of these 8 came team….

Orthe you don’tsystem. and you can protest against the through Swans Sheffield United were statistically a mid-table side last year.

They played well in some matches but every stat suggests Ryan Giggs the most high-profile loss for Cardiff but also that Leeds were a far, far better side. Every stat except the Chris Llewellyn and Craig Bellamy who both went to one thatfolk, matters that is. many normal football supporters normal there aren’t Norwich.

Cardiff missed out on 13 future Welsh butinternationals they do existand andoften they have a better attitude towards to similar sized clubs. Swansea We are getting into a stage of the season where the league football don’t they? nabbing Jason Bowen and Steve Jenkins from the Cardiff table shows some truth and Swansea remain right up Valleys. The Swans were unable to secure John Hartson there with the promotion stats still Attendances this havechallengers. dropped asThe expected, 15k though who leftseason for Luton. suggest that this is temporary. Fulham, Leeds and West The start of the new millennium was a dark age for Brom are thematch sides who battlelike outwe formight the top two Birmingham as wewill looked half Swansea City producing young talent.

Just four be players spaces, a(and sixththey placed finish for away the Swans would be an decent have more fans).

Nottingham born in the catchment area went on to win a cap over overachievement!

Forest comingdecade up andand I’d hedge a betthrough on an 18,000 plus the whole only two the Swans packing theJoe Liberty full voice.

PLASTICS!!!!!!! system.

Alleninand Richard Duffy the two. Simon The last minute winner against Wigan the latest example Davies and Marcus Margetson the two missed out on. when one of a Swanstrick sidethe coming three greatest devil away ever with played waspoints convincing the would have probably flattered us. There was only trick one side world that he didn’t exist’ .

I think the greatest that For Cardiff it was very much the same. 14 players from in the second half as is the Latics pressed and pressed. football played convincing its customers that they Cardiffhas won caps, only 5 through their system.

Gareth aren’t customers.

Bale clearly the highest profile. By now English born But there is an art to winning matches. Clubs get on a roll players made up over 40% of all new internationals. and winning becomes a habit and theaSwans to bethe in It has changed! we aren’t supporters, part ofseem the side, that place at the moment.

This isn’tand a great league, there club, we have no real importance aren’t cherished in The last decade, with Premier League football, youth are mistakes most matches is the sideawho capitalany way. Wein are a mere factorand in aitbusiness, and academies, there has been a very statistic noticeable ises and makes thethis least mistakes who find themselves at yetimprovement. we still have of ourselves Over expectation 60% of players who won and theireach first the right end of the table at the end of the season. other. cap in the last ten years were born outside of Wales. Not a great stat that but that’s the way the cookie crumbles The ‘expected in the Swansea Wigan and game Weand can look atgoals’ other sections of supporters seewould them we have all enjoyed seeing Wales in the Euros……

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I’ve done the maths on this on numerous times (as I’m getting old and it’s the kind of thing I enjoy doing of an evening these days!). Asides from the very top teams, even if we had expanded our stadium by 10,000 and

as mental. It seems almost accepted that the far East and Butthey of those Swansea are doing very how obsessborn over here, the Premier League is crazyvery, and that Nearly half (8) of the and Welshabuse born players thewell.

English clubs use thesecame fansfrom as the Swansea but region andweSEVEN cash-cows…….. not us, are realthrough fans. the Swans have been around 3-1 to the home side but you have to youth system. put the ball in the back of the net!

The club have been really generous this season in For anythe club, being able toNo spot, nurture and develop reducing price for kids…. they haven’t, they had a The stats are improving for Swansea though. The swans are quality players be thebums aim. on I’mseats, goingthere to speak to load of space and must so needed was no up to 6th in the table now for average shots per game. I those involved theseforyears initiatives while therethrough wasn’t a need them. to try and wrote in this magazine a few issues back how we were the understand where the club has gone wrong in the past top scorers in the league but were only mid-table for shots If and you why wantthings to gohave andchanged. watch the football then go and per game. watch the football. If you don’t then have a great Saturday It is important to remember that producing quality afternoon doing whatever you decide is a better way to It is still too early to get carried away and it is hard to argue players takes three things. Firstly, finding talent, that we are one of the best two sides in the league but secondly them on anda ticket finallythen keeping of and you cannurturing get your hands don’thold feel an neither were Sheffield United……. them. ounce of guilt; enjoy the day!

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THE 1960s: STRAIGHT FORWARD-ISH es. It is hard to imagine a 14 year old budding footballer being sent on his way to North Wales on their own these days. I spoke with the Welsh FA about this who confirmed that it has obviously changed considerably. There is a team dedicated solely to arranging transport for footballers representing Wales. This says something about how young footballers are ‘wrapped up in cotton wool’ these days but on this occasion, arguably no different to any other adolescent.

Although Mel was adamant that he would never have considered leaving, some did leave. John Charles among them, Mel remembers ‘he went up to Leeds, there was a scout which they had down here Jack Pickard and he would send a few boys up every year but most of them would come straight back homesick.”

Gary Sprake was another who went and survived in Leeds.

Gary sadly passed away a few years back but his daughter kindly sent me some clippings of him speaking to a local newspaper about his early career:-

Where else better to start than with Mel Nurse?

“My first school was Llansamlet Secondary Modern where Rugger was the school game. I moved to the school soccer team (at 14 years old, in goal of course) and a year later played for Swansea schoolboys against Newport. At 15 I had left school and became an apprentice fitter and turner at a local works Smith & Clark. I played for the football team among men and boys much older than I, which resulted in me being chosen for a Welsh Youth team against a Pembroke side. It was really a trial game although unknown to me, I was being watched at this time by Leeds scout Jack Pickard who eventually took me to Elland Road for a two week trial – and I signed as an Apprentice Professional.”

Mel was a kid during World War ii and is Mr Swansea. I first wanted to try and get my head around how young footballers saw the world back then. “football was just football. There was no money in it.” He says, I asked him whether you would see Manchester United scouts around “Manchester United? Who are they? No, you would just play football. Why would I want to go to Manchester United?

Leave my friends and family?”

How Jack Pickard was able to find and attract the likes of John Charles and Gary Sprake to Leeds under the noses of Football was simple back then. There were no millionaires, Swansea City F.C is difficult to comprehend. Football was no football agents and no huge money to be made from becoming a business, the country seemed smaller and players. In 1960 the maximum a footballer could earn was players were becoming assets to be poached. Leeds, with £20 a week, a fee that many clubs could afford to pay for Sprake and Charles and others from across the country, their top earners and so there wasn’t the allure of leaving dominated English football at this time. They were the for greater and better things. first to fully invest in scouting and attracting the best young talent and they benefitted from it.

At a young age, the ‘Schoolboys’ was a big thing.

Representing Swansea or Wales but these were not kids being spoon-fed. “it is crazy when I come to think about it. I’d have to get a train from the station which has gone now, but was where the LC2 is now, get a train from there over to Blackpill and then one which went up to North Wales. As a kid, I’d do that and meet up with the rest of the Welsh schoolboys”.

Mel couldn’t remember whether he would have paid for this or not but assumed that he must have had expens-

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1970s: TIDES ARE A CHANGING Other clubs followed, in 1970, Brian Flynn joined Burnley, signing a professional contract two years later. Port Talbot boy, he trained with Cardiff City after representing Neath and Welsh Schoolboys. But it was Burnley, not Cardiff nor Swansea who benefitted from him.

“I signed in a back street in the back of Burnley chief scouts’ Dave Blackey’s car in Edinburgh.” Flynn remembers. “I was playing for Wales against Scotland schoolboys and in those days you could leave school at 15. My last official day in school was the Scotland game.” After three years, the Clarets sold him to Leeds for £175,000.

Leighton James also went to Burnley from Loughor. The Clarets sold him to Derby for £310,000. Burnley had made half a million pound in the early 70s from two players born within ten miles of Swansea. How and why did this happen? there were today “I think without a doubt. I am sure that the thought process would have been a lot different. I just wanted In 1970, Burnley were in the topflight (although got relegat- to play football, I loved football.” ed that season) whilst Swansea had just been promoted to the third tier. Cardiff were in the second tier. We are before Terry is now coaching in the academy at Hull where he tells the days of youth agents but football was becoming big me there is a good link between the Swans and them. I ask business. how the kids are different today as they were in the early 80s The problem was that some clubs were in a financial position where they could invest into the shirt term future whilst others simply could only live for the now. Signing the next big thing was a race for scouts across the country. The late 70’s and early 80s saw new caps for local boys Donarto Nadiello, Ian Walsh, Steve Lovell and Terry Boyle but they had already left for English clubs.

I wanted to try and understand why these young players were leaving Swansea. Was it that Swansea were unaware of them and there is a scouting flaw or that players simply preferred to go elsewhere. I caught up with Ex-Welsh international, Spurs and Swansea player Terry Boyle.

“When I was 13 or 14, (Swansea manager) Harry Gregg came to my house wanting to sign me. At that time, you have that idea of chasing something. I was just loving my football. I was in Llanelli Gramma school and had a teacher there whose father was head of the selectors for Welsh Schoolboys and from Ebbw Vale where there was a scout from Spurs called Harold Joy. That was the link I had to Spurs and Spurs took my fancy; I was a young 14-year-old boy and obviously very impressionable.

Spurs were in the top division, the Swans were in the lower leagues. I wanted to achieve something and the rest is history.”

So at 15, Terry left his friends and family and moved to London. “It was a wrench, it wouldn’t happen today with welfare issues. I travelled on my own on train and was in a boarding school for 18 months”.

I’m curious whether Terry feels that he would have stayed in Swansea if there were the same facilities available then than

“It’s totally different now, obviously social media and everything. Kids nowadays maybe aren’t in love with football but the rewards from football. Back in my day, you were allocated jobs, discipline was street wise, now the environment is very sterile, you have to deal with kids totally differently.”

We can’t criticise the Swans for not finding and attempting to bring Terry into the Swansea system. Harry Gregg went to his house but Terry and his family must have felt that Swansea were unable to offer him the chances to fulfil their dream and he felt the need to go through the ‘wrench’ of leaving everyone he had ever known rather than signing for Swansea. That’s a real eye opener there!

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the few success stories over this period was Andrew Mumford but the Swans could take little credit. “I joined SPECIALIST IN DROP ENTRANCE the Swans straight in as a pro” he tells me KERBING “I had a few clubs in for me and the Swans offered me a good contract, I think they were a bit embarrassed about the prospect of a local boy going somewhere else. The chance to play for your local club, I couldn’t turn down.”

But a few years earlier, like Terry Boyle, Mumford was unimpressed with his chances of succeeding at Swansea “I remember being invited to some centre of excellence at the Swans when I was a kid, there was about 40 boys there. But me and my Dad left afterwards and thought it was a joke to be honest with you. It was run by the kitman.”

Instead, at 13/14 Mumf would travel once a week to Chepstow where Norwich ran an academy, meeting up with the likes of Chris Llewellyn and Craig Bellamy. “Every Wednesday we’d head up there, but it was tiring to be honest with you with school the next day and everything.”.

Mumf had caught the eye of Manchester United, Newcastle, Cardiff, Grimsby, Norwich and others but Swansea were barely doing anything. “I spent a week with Man Utd, obviously at that time they were one of the biggest teams in the world. Trained with Nicky Butt and the Neville’s and all them with Sir Alex. If I had been offered a contract, then obviously you never know but it would have been hard to turn it down. I got offered a six-month deal at Newcastle but I just wanted to play football to be honest with you” “At 16 I was offered a contract from Cardiff, offered a two year deal but by then I had broken into the Llanelli first team.

Carmarthen. I said to him that I reckon his career wil mine did. You see these players still in the academy at and then when they are released, they aren’t good e for the League of Wales. I played from a young ag kicked, learned how to deal with it and then when I sign first professional contract it was a good contract. The level I played the easier I found it, my game was better The Championship and League One I found easier t League Two. Playing passing football on perfect pitc the academy until you are 23 doesn’t set you up for an night match in the rain at Newport.”

1980s TOSHACK INFLUENCE? In 1978 Swansea City appointed John Toshack as manager. We all know the story of the rise (and fall) but what we overlook is what happened with young footballers at this time. Suddenly, Swansea City had ambition, young footballers could see top quality players in their own city.

In the 1982/83 season, all of these local players played in the top flight for Swansea City: Dudley Lewis (21), Chris Marustik, (22) Jeremy Charles, (24) Gary Richards (20), Huw Lake (19), James Loveridge (20), Chris Marustik (22), Colin Pascoe (18) Darran Gale (20) and Dean Saunders (19).

During the 1980s, the Swansea area produced more Welsh internationals than any other decade. Despite the mighty Welsh rugby team, 20,000 fans would cram into the Vetch on a Saturday and youngsters wanted to get on that pitch.

DARK, DARK AGES

The 90’s and 00’s were terrible times for Swansea. One of the few success stories over this period was Andrew Mumford but the Swans could take little credit. “I joined the Swans straight in as a pro” he tells me “I had a few clubs in for me and the Swans offered me a good contract, I think they were a bit embarrassed about the prospect of a local boy going somewhere else. The chance to play for your local club, I couldn’t turn down.”

But a few years earlier, like Terry Boyle, Mumford was unimpressed with his chances of succeeding at Swansea “I remember being invited to some centre of excellence at the Swans when I was a kid, there was about 40 boys there. But me and my Dad left afterwards and thought it was a joke to be honest with you. It was run by the kitman.”

Instead, at 13/14 Mumf would travel once a week to Chepstow where Norwich ran an academy, meeting up with the likes of Chris Llewellyn and Craig Bellamy. “Every Wednesday we’d head up there, but it was tiring to be honest with you with school the next day and everything.”.

Mumf had caught the eye of Manchester United, Newcastle, Cardiff, Grimsby, Norwich and others but Swansea were barely doing anything. “I spent a week with Man Utd, obviously at that time they were one of the biggest teams in the world. Trained with Nicky Butt and the Neville’s and all them with Sir Alex. If I had been offered a contract, then obviously you never know but it would have been hard to turn it down. I got offered a six-month deal at Newcastle but I just wanted to play football to be honest with you” “At 16 I was offered a contract from Cardiff, offered a two year deal but by then I had broken into the Llanelli first team.

Playing football and learning more from playing against adults than what I would have at an academy. We had a youngster at Afan Lido, Noah Daley and he’s just signed for Carmarthen. I said to him that I reckon his career will go as mine did. You see these players still in the academy at 22/23 and then when they are released, they aren’t good enough for the League of Wales. I played from a young age, got kicked, learned how to deal with it and then when I signed my first professional contract it was a good contract. The higher level I played the easier I found it, my game was better suited.

The Championship and League One I found easier than in League Two. Playing passing football on perfect pitches in the academy until you are 23 doesn’t set you up for an away night match in the rain at Newport.”

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Although I see Mumfs point, I wonder whether he and other players could have benefitted from top quality coaches and facilities, like the Swans have now from an early age. “You’d be fitter. Pick up more special awareness, but we still always hear about ‘natural players’, whether a coach can make someone into a natural footballer, have a football brain, I don’t know. Nobody taught me how to strike the ball from 30 yards. It’s not going to do any harm, better sessions but you can get overcoached as well and when you get into the big bad world of league one then it is more about battling and strength.”

One thing is clear, the Swans were absolutely atrocious at local scouting “I don’t know whether they had anyone who went around the local leagues. It seemed like they would just get the schools to send a couple of their best players into this centre of excellence and pick a few from that.”

This would go a way to explain how the Swans managed to miss out on Karl Ready who joined QPR, Matt Jones (Leeds), John Hartson joining Luton and Haverfordwest Boy Mark Delaney went under the Swans youth radar plus three full seasons at Carmarthen Town seniors before joining Cardiff for free. He was sold for half a million pound a year later. The Swans missed out on another Pembrokshire boy in Simon Davies. Not to a huge club but Peterborough.

As with Leeds having a scout in Swansea in the 60s, when Norwich City felt a benefit to having weekly training sessions for youngsters at Chepstow, it should have sent alarm bells ringing to both Swansea and Cardiff. Mumf clearly felt at 13 it was more beneficial to travel to Chepstow once a week to meet up with Norwich as against being trained by a ‘kit man’ at Swansea.

What is difficult to understand is how nobody at either Swansea or Cardiff could realise that they were missing out on these players that would eventually be worth money. Again though, both clubs were living day-to-day financially, unable to look at three, four, ten years’ time.

At 15 Craig Bellamy moved away from his family to Norwich and placed with a local family with another apprentice. Previously, he had travelled by train on Saturday afternoons to play a youth match Sunday morning before travelling back to Cardiff. He described his first year away from home as ‘the hardest year of my life” and cried himself to sleep at night suffering home sickness.

In fairness, this may explain why he’s grown up into such a twat but it is insane. Mel Nurse was right. Kids don’t want to leave their homes, their families, their friends. These kids do it because they feel that they need to in order to fulfil their dream. Whether, as Mumf suggests that the likes of Craig Bellamy could have been as good by being more patient for a professional contract, I’m not so sure.

I hadn’t appreciated just how much of an ordeal it is for

these young players. Bellamy, Boyle and Chris Coleman leaving their homes and family before 16, plus the travel involved for others. All because they felt that they couldn’t reach their potential at Swansea.

It wasn’t all bad, Swansea did manage to get Andy Legg from Neath, Christian Edwards from Caephilly, Jason Bowen and Steve Jenkins from Merthyr, Chris Coelman left for Man City but returned sighting homesickness but the whole Swansea catchment area produced little in these years where the club had drifted. Crowds at a regular low and lower league football had become the norm. Swansea felt a million miles away from the Premier League.

Between 1990 and 2010 the area of Swansea produced the same number of Internationals combined as just the 1980s. This must be linked with what Mumf says. If you feel that you cannot become an International footballer being trained by a ‘kitman’ in Swansea then you have to either make huge sacrifices like Mumf and Bellamy and travel (if you are in a position where your parents etc.. can) or you simply accept it isn’t to be. I personally feel that there would have been at least the same number of internationals again coming from Swansea over these years if we had of had a properly funded youth academy, which in turn would have produced better players, performances, crowds and could be sold on for profit…

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In the last ten years, Swansea City have invested in their youth team. The academy cost millions and requires investment every year for the huge running costs. Over the last ten years though the club have sold local talent coming through the youth system for over £25 million.

Players like Jazz Richards, Ben Davies, Joe Allen and Shaun McDonald. This sum increases to over £60 million when we add the likes of Oliver McBurnie and Dan James who came through the academy but were brought in.

The past decade is the first one where the Swansea catchment area produced more internationals than Cardiff and the rest of Wales. This starts young, very young. It is no coincidence to me that this has coincided with investment.

Investment which creates belief. When young players are able to feel that they can stay in Swansea and become an international footballer then they would far prefer this than moving away from their family or travelling hundreds of miles every weekend.

When Trevor Francis returned as manager, he insisted on there being a ‘centre of excellence’ which sounds very much like as Mumf described at the Swans. A half assed attempt to produce players. In the last decade, Birmingham have only really sold Demarai Gray for £4.5 million and Jack Butland for £3.4 million who have come through their system. On that basis, David Sullivan may have had a point.

I wonder whether the Aston Villa competition could be the issue. In the same way as Southampton pinched Lallana from Bournmouth, could the same be the case here?

No, is the short answer. Aston villa have faired marginally better over this period, Ciaran Clark and Nathan Baker leaving for a combined £9 million or so but this is still likely to be running at a loss.

The population of Greater Birmingham is over 4 million.

With clubs like Wolves, Birmingham, Derby, Aston Villa, By investing, Swansea are increasing the numbers of West Brom and Coventry all fighting for talent. Joleon quality players (the stats show it) and can keep those Lescott, Wayne Hennessey, Danny Batth have come quality players. through Wolves system in the last decade but nothing to create a profit.

Southampton are a great model to follow. They recently invested a further £30 million to develop their training Jack Grealish could be sold in the summer for a sum ground. In the 2018 Premier League season, 16 players capable of covering the costs of all Midland academies for came through the Southampton youth system, only the next decade but David Sullivan is no mug. Not every Manchester United (29) produced more. club can have an academy which is destined to run a profit.

Location is key.

Lallana was brought into the Southampton academy from Bournemouth when he was 12. Gareth Bale attended Daniel Sturridge, born in Birmingham left the city’s Southampton’s satellite academy in Bath. Oxlade academies to join Manchester City, as did Micah Richards.

Chamberlain joined at 7 years old. Walcott and Luke Shaw Quality rail networks there means kids don’t need to leave were both rejected by Chelsea but Southampton chipped home or lose an entire weekend. in. All of these players have been worth (and some sold) for over £30 million. On the Continent, Anderlecht and Location is key. Southampton and Swansea are blessed Feyernoord have invested in youth and sold players for geographically with being the main club for miles behind millions in profit. Surely it makes sense? them. A sizable population within an hour drive/train with little to no competition in most directions. The potential But not everyone thinks so. West Ham co-owner David for the Swans academy seems very clear.

Sullivan after buying Birmingham decided to review the business model of a youth system. He decided to Emyr Hughes in 2009 appears to be the last highly rated dismantle it. They were spending £1 million a year in 1993 young Swansea player to leave at a young age for a ‘bigger propping up a junior team that he felt wasn’t contributing club’. Since then young talent in Swansea have trusted that to the first team (Graham Potter being one of the few that they can stay with their friends and family and achieve came through that season). their potential and not needed to chose between the two.

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FUTURE AT SWANSEA CITY However, there seems a genuine fear that our Golden era of football development could be ending abruptly.

Chairman Trevor Birch recently said "We are in a small handful of clubs outside the Premier League that run a category one because it is very, very expensive to run,".

"You have to balance putting your money into that as opposed to putting into the first team in terms of player wages.

to appeal to many).

Ben Cabango, born in Cardiff, opted for the Swans academy to further his career. Before kicking a first team ball he was linked with a £2.5 million move to Germany.

There is very little doubt that if Swans had been a Cat3 then he would have moved elsewhere. Dan James likewise.

Terry Boyle would have stayed in Swansea in the late 70s and Craig Bellamy could have avoided crying himself to sleep every night in the early 90s if Swansea had already had a top academy. Simon Davies could have travelled from Haverffordwest to Swansea by train. Young kids don’t want to leave home any more today than Mel Nurse in the 60s. The potential has been shown, the failure proven for the fifty years previously.

Whilst the Swans appear to be considering downgrading from a Cat1 to a Cat3, Cardiff are looking at the prospect of improving their academy from Cat 2 to Cat 1. Cardiff manager Neil Harris said "It's a huge investment. Ultimately what's best for our club to get players in the academy in the first team? But you have to balance off the investment, have you got the right structure within the club? The right amount Swansea haven’t ‘lost’ anyone of any note in recent years. of coaches? The right facilities to train to have bigger groups All local players born in and around Swansea who have and more staff? gone on to become Internationals or top flight players have come through the Swansea system. Whether still "It's not just a simple decision. It does take time. We are in the playing for Swansea or sold for a profit. process with the board and the academy to make decisions like that. But getting the coaching set-up correct, as we have, As well as this, Swansea have been able to attract the likes is a huge step forward for us." of Dan James and Ben Cabango from outside of the Swansea area. If players are sold to ‘balance the books’ then The Elite Player Performance Programme (EPPP) was fans understand but to knowingly deprive the club of introduced in 2011 to replace the previous youth future talent in the long term should not be forgiven and development system, where there were just two levels of makes no sense! youth development centres across all clubs. These were Academies and Centres of Excellence, and the difference between them was the minimum level of facilities required at each.

But instead of these two levels, there is now four levels of youth development centre under EPPP. At the top is Category One academies, which Swansea have enjoyed since 2016; the so-called “Super Academy.” Category One academies which set-up accommodation and educational facilities or partnerships, like the Swans have are exempt from the 90 minute rule (the restriction on the recruitment radius) making it easier for elite clubs (like Swansea) to pool talent from across the country.

At the next level, Category Two academies are roughly equivalent to academies under the old system, with Category Three academies similar to existing Centres of Excellence. Below these will be a new level, Category Four, limited only to registering young players between the ages 16–18. They will pick up released players.

Supposedly, the Swans spend around £5 million a year on the academy which could drop to under £1 million if we dropped to a Cat3 (there would be little saving in Cat2).

This is effectively returning, willingly and knowingly to the 90s and 00s where player development in Swansea was basically a kitman working with what the PE teachers would recommend (probably slightly better but not likely

could be but there are only two players that I would swap Bony for in the Premier League.

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quite how brilliant he is until we see him scoring a Champions league winning goal or something but he is very, very special.

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David Sullivan looked at the figures within Birmingham in the early 90s and decided that a youth system was bad for business. I want to do the same for Swansea to try and work out what would be the ‘break even’ figure for the next decade.

First we need some simple:

Maths and numbers

Average Premier League signing 2019 Summer Transfer window £16 million Current Premier League Forign Players

511 Players

331

Total Value

British Players

8.75 Billion

220

66.4 Million Population per Premier League Footballer 301,818 Average current value per player £17.1 Million Cost of Academy for ten years £50 Million British Population

2.92 881,308

Number of Premier League Players required at current market Average population required to create 2.92 players

*We need to note at this stage that this is JUST Premier League players. The Championship spent £206 million on players in 19/20 transfer windows. On average £8.6 million per club. The average value of the 320 British players in the Championship is £1.875 million. Based on UK population, a championship player is produced for every population of 207,500.

Gareth Bale plays his trade in La Liga, Sancho in Germany, fees are paid from clubs in League One and Two.

So if a Premier League players is worth about £17 million and it costs the academy £50 million to run for the next ten years then we need to sell 3 Premier League players over the next decade to make a profit.

On average, a population of 881,000 will produce the Premier League players required to pay the magical £50 million to keep the academy running over the next decade.

Immediate Surroundings and West.

County of Swansea 246,000 County of Carmarthenshire 187,000 County of Neath Port Talbot 142,000 County of Pembrokeshire 125,000 Total 700,000 Players from here want to come to Swansea. If there is a Cat1 system, like we currently have then these players are ours! End of. No need for kids to leave home.

FINDING 881,308 Bridgend 144,000 : Swansea 38 minutes. Nearest next Cat1 club: WBA Over 2 hours Rhondda 240,000: Swansea under 1 hour. Nearest next Cat1 club: WBA Over 2 hours Cardiff 364,000; Swansea under 1 hour. Nearest next Cat1 club. WBA Over 2 hours Newport 153,000: Swansea 1 hour. Nearest next Cat 1 club WBA 1 hour 57 minutes Vale of Glamorgan 132,000.

Swansea 50 minutes. Nearest Next Cat 1 Club WBA. Over 2 hours There are over 2.2 million people in South Wales as a whole.

Bristol has a population of over half a million and Swansea is its nearest Cat1 club. Swansea are in pole position to make five, six, seven, eight or even more Premier League players over the next decade.

Plus MORE Championship players to ‘top up’.

It has worked, it previously failed, even contemplating returning to the dark ages is mental!

s

s

e. s x, t

g

CURRENT CATAGORY 1 CLUBS ON A MAP Newcastle

Population North West 7.3 Millon

Sunderland

North East 2.7 Million

Middlesboro

Yorkshire & Humber 5.5 Million

Blackburn Man Utd

Mid/North Wales 1 Millon

Man City

Liverpool

Population East Midlands 4.8 Million

Everton Stoke Derby Wolves WBA

West Midlands 5.9 Million

South Wales 2.2 Million

Leicester

Norwich

A Villa

Fulham Swansea

Arsenal

Reading Southampton

Population South West England 5.6 Million You can see quite clearly from this map why the midland clubs struggle with their academies. The competition is tough with those clubs around them but then the power of Manchester United, Man City and Liverpool is close.

The very best players can and have moved from these clubs to the more established ones without needing to leave home.

Spurs

East England 6.2 Million

W Ham

Chelsea

Greater London 8.9 Million

Brighton

Population South East England 9.2 Million

Players are choosing Swansea because they see Ben Davies, Dan James, Ollie McBurnie playing top flight football and Swansea have shown that they are dedicated to producing young talent.

Leeds still makes the top ten for producing Premier League players despite not being in the topflight and not having a Cat1 academy. Their reputation is there for over You can also see quite clearly why Southampton are so 60 years, ours is merely a few years. successful. No competition West of them at all. A huge We have to ensure that this stays here and at Cat1. Any downgrade will be a signal to future talent to look population within an hour or so drive. elsewhere.

The reputation is vital in attracting and keeping these players. Youngsters know that they can go to We will be able to save money short term by scrapping it Southampton and have a great chance of reaching their but financially, long-term it will be a bad business call as potential. It is trialled and tested, players playing in the well as a bad call for the football club and young footballers and their families in Swansea. topflight right now because of it., Swansea are developing that relationship. It has begun. We need to remember that AMBITION IS CRITICAL!

£250 Million

The next fifty years of the academy would cost this sum at todays money.

At todays money, it would take 18 top flight players to fund this. Were there 18 top flight footbalers that came from here in the previous 50?

Simon Davies, Mark Delaney, Joe Allen, Dai Davies, John Hartson, Robbie James, Dean Saunders, Leighton James, Ben Davies, Brian Flynn, Clayton Blackmoore, Mark Bowen, Chris Coleman, Andy Melville and Ian Walsh.

All of these players (plus others) played over 100 games in the top flight. Market value around the £17.1 million Premier League average.

All of these players are from the ‘safe zone’, the 700,000 population which Swansea could easily have a monopoly of players who don’t want to leave their friends and family at 14.

And remember that there almost certainly would have been even more top quality players in the 90s and 00s if there had of been the type of coaches we now have. Would Ben Davies of been a Premiership footballer if he’d have been born ten years earlier? Either being trained by a ‘kitman’ at Swansea or having to travel to Chepstow to meet Norwich. He may well have not.

If we were to increase this into the whole South Wales zone where we are now taking the likes of Cabango then we enter a crazy reality of being able to add Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale to this list alongside many others.

This has to be the Swans long-term plan.

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When everyone received the test it was a blank sheet of paper with a solitary question on it: "What is risk?"

Most students were able to pass, but only one student received 100% for the class! Even stranger was that he only wrote down one word!

What did he write?

2) Question of the YEAR this one!!

What do the following words have in common?

Assess, Banana, Dresser, Grammar, Potato, Revive, Uneven, Voodoo 3) Many call me The Man with the Axe, But I'm not a violent man I am the ruler (though some challenge the facts), of a minor, yet important, clan.

I am not a sailor at sea on a ship, yet a deck is where I can be found.

People say I am a girl's best friend, but not when my Queen is around!

I am usually seen on a Bicycle's front, but I can neither peddle nor steer.

I become even stronger if I am named Trump. Have I made my identity clear?

4) I love this one too!!

You are on your way to visit your Grandma, who lives at the end of the valley. It's her birthday, and you want to give her the cakes you've made.

Between your house and her house, you have to cross 7 bridges, and as it goes in the land of make believe, there is a troll under every bridge! Each troll, quite rightly, insists that you pay a troll toll. Before you can cross their bridge, you have to give them half of the cakes you are carrying, but as they are kind trolls, they each give you back a single cake.

How many cakes do you have to leave home with to make sure that you arrive at Grandma's with exactly 2 cakes?

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B Y J O K E S S P E N S E 8

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My wife has been getting all mad at me for messaging an old girlfriend on Facebook.

I've told her it was completely harmless and she's said if she catches me on Facebook again she's gonna swipe my whole head across the keyboard. As you can probably tell I couldn't give a fuggucjdkrkhd Dhdhdhdhekskskdj sks83737&:£,&@,@&4ndndggs djdkkdeducndbbdjxldjddb. E jdbdvdk gdhbshhdirurbrv M K djddhdhghshu Making the wrong choices!!

A husband and wife are trying to set up a new password, for their computer, that they could always remember.

The husband decided the password should be, "mypenis" and entered it into the box.

The husband looked on, bemused, as the wife collapsed on the floor laughing and said, “What are you laughing at?”

The wife, pointed at the computer screen and roared, “ It says, Error! Not long enough."

My mate just rang me in tears.

His wife has left him, taken his Bob Marley collection and the satellite dish!

Poor fool!...

No woman, no sky!

I've heard that supermarkets secretly waft the smell of their bakery around the store to encourage you to buy bread.

I can only come to the conclusion that my local shop is trying to sell more toilet rolls.

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By the 1920s, there was a huge global demand for soda ash, especially from Japan and the price was increasing.

Magadi in Kenya became a rival to Bruner Mond & Company. An initial attempt to purchase Magadi was refused by the Secretary of State for the Colonies but it was later granted. This gave BM&C a basic monopoly of the Soda ash business.

Just to give an idea of the scale of the business, in 2010 it bought British Salt for £93 million. By then ‘Brunner Mond & Company’ had been bought out itself in 2006, by TATA Chemicals, a sister company of TATA steel. We are talking big, BIG business!

Heading back to the late 1800s, the ambition of Ludwig Mond was merely just beginning. He discovered Nickel Carbonyl which was useful as it was simple to get nickel from its ores in a process named, you guessed it ‘the Mond process’. The Mond Nickel Company followed and the Mond Works at Clydach.

QUITE INTERESTING - LUDWIG MOND Ludwick Mond will be a name which is immensely familiar to those in and around Clydach but also in various places across the globe (something which you may not have known).

Born in 1839 into a wealthy family in Kassel, Germany, he studied Chemistry in university but left without a degree.

He moved on to work in factories (I assume not sweeping the floor though!) in Germany and Netherlands before heading to England in 1862. Mond worked at John Hutchinsons & Co in the Windies where he met and befriended John Brunner.

Mond formed a partnership with John Brunner and developed a method to produce soda ash at an industrial level, something previously difficult to achieve.

It is almost impossible to comprehend the potential for an ambitious chemist with resources and contacts throughout the globe in the 19th century. In 1874, Brunner Mond & Company launched its first factory in Winnington, Cheshire.

Such was the success, it became the largest and most successful soda company in the world. Expanding into cosmetics, soaps, plastic bags even. Acquiring other companies along the way from all over the globe.

While the works at Clydach were being constructed.

Ludwig Mond purchased mines in Ontario Canada to acquire the Nickel. One in 1899 in Denison, renamed Victoria Mine (keep the Monarchs happy). A second mine in Garson. In 1911 The Mond company constructed a new smelter in Coniston and purchased mining rights at Frood Extension.

It is difficult to fully understand this. Here you have a German, acquiring land in Clydach to build a factory which will import ore from Ontario in Canada. In 2020, with the internet and flights across the world then this would be difficult. In 1899, this is insane. Sudbury (closest Town to mines in Canada) didn’t even have a railway until 16 years earlier.

No mining took place at Frood until the 1920s. When mining began, the scale of the Nickel at Frood became apparent. In 1928, a rival company ‘INCO’ had purchased rights to mine a part of Frood and began to mine. But it was clear that they were part of the same ore body. Alfred Mond (Ludwigs son) negotiated an agreement in 1929 where the interests of the Mond Nickel Company were merged into the International Nickel Company through the issue of the latter's stock in exchange for the outstanding stock of Mond. Basically the Mond became INCO but those who owned the Mond took a share of INCO. It is impossible to know exactly what the deal was. But on August 14th 2006, Brazilian mining company CVRD extended an all-cash offer to buy Inco for $17 billion. You wouldn’t need to own too high a percentage of that to be feeling OK……

They say War is good for the economy. During WWII 40% of the Nickel used for artillery by the allies was mined at Frood. A process of extracting Nickel discovered by Ludwick Mond and taken globally.

The wealth and power of Ludwig Mond must have been absolutely beyond our comprehension. But you can’t help but admire what he achieved with that.

a committee to plan the nationalisation of the industry, effectively British Steel (just in his spare tim you know… we all get those calls from time to time…

The name ‘Mond’ employed huge numbers of people in various settlements, all across the globe. His name and legacy is plastered across Clydach but Winnington boasts a Mond House, a statute of Ludwig himself and is very similar in keeping to the Clydach Mond. No doubt there will be similar ‘Mond Houses’ in Kenya, The Netherlands and Canada where settlements grew almost entirely because of his industry.

At this stage, I’m getting quite annoyed with how world works. It is, I suppose possible to have a bloo where the gene pool is so immensely superior to you I that every offspring becomes the greatest in the wor whatever they decide to do…

I must confess to getting quite freaked out at the scale of this family once I divulged myself into it. Feelings of admiration but also anger. You cannot help but admire the achievements but I also fury at the inequality which exists amongst ‘them and us’.

Ludwig was clearly a clever man and Clydach continues to benefit to this day from his vision. But I don’t genuinely believe that he was any more of a genius than the brightest talents within Clydach now, or then. He simply had the financial resources, access to the education, contacts and backing to achieve what very, very, very few have.

Ludwicks eldest son ‘Sir Robert Mond’ followed his fathers footsteps in Chemistry but also Archelogy. Educated at Cambridge, Zurich, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Honours (as well as a knighthood) from Paris, Toronto, Liverpool and pretty much anywhere he visited (which was pretty much everywhere). He had two daughters and his family line is difficult to track down after that.

But if I’m going to accept that then that opens up a h can of worms. Are all Ethiopians biologically st because they have a history of starving to death?

I like to think that we are all now of an understanding this isn’t the case. That if a starving Ethiopian somehow swapped places with Ludwig Mond at then all of these ‘Baron Melchetts’ would have starve death before their 18th birthday and quite possibly be talking about Adebayo Works in Clydach.

So as much as I admire Ludwick Mond, I can’t help bu angry about the privilege which drives the world thankfully Peter Mond (4th Baron Melchett) seeme agree.

An Etonian (of course, just like the rest in the family) a politician. But Peter hated the class and hereditary system which he had benefited from and is making angry. Peter refused to marry, deliberately denying eldest son from becoming ‘5th Baron Melchett’. An MP for Labour and not the conservatives as with his fa tradition. A campaigner for Environmental rights, arre for protesting against GM crops, fought for protec bats. A progressive humanist, who fought for a 16 yea girl to be freed from prison for killing her father becau his sexual abuse towards her.

The Famous Serg’ from the Barrow Boys,

His other son Alfred Mond is easier to track to modern day though. He married Violet Gotze who was also a very Bobby & Oliver, Fringe and The Gwynets important person. Her influence with David Lloyd George Peter died in 2018 aged 70. His two children (born o secured Monds appointment to ministerial office. Alfred wedlock) are a farmer and a Barrister. was created a Baronet in 1910 and known as Baron Melchett. Their child Henry Mond (2nd Baron Melchett) Wherever you go in our industrial heartland, there also became a member of Parliament. His son Julian (3rd wealthy, ambitious, important person who made mil Baron Melchett) opted for the banking industry (among from the mine or the factory where the town, villag other things) helping to set up Hill Samuel. This bank was city grew. bought by TSB (later Lloyds) in 1987 for $1.3 billion (back then!). In 1966 Harold Wilson asked him to be chairman of Today, we have Amazon.

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The wealth and power of Ludwig Mond must have been absolutely beyond our comprehension. But you can’t help but admire what he achieved with that.

a committee to plan the nationalisation of the steel industry, effectively British Steel (just in his spare time… you know… we all get those calls from time to time….).

The name ‘Mond’ employed huge numbers of people in various settlements, all across the globe. His name and legacy is plastered across Clydach but Winnington boasts a Mond House, a statute of Ludwig himself and is very similar in keeping to the Clydach Mond. No doubt there will be similar ‘Mond Houses’ in Kenya, The Netherlands and Canada where settlements grew almost entirely because of his industry.

At this stage, I’m getting quite annoyed with how our world works. It is, I suppose possible to have a bloodline where the gene pool is so immensely superior to you and I that every offspring becomes the greatest in the world at whatever they decide to do…

I must confess to getting quite freaked out at the scale of this family once I divulged myself into it. Feelings of admiration but also anger. You cannot help but admire the achievements but I also fury at the inequality which exists amongst ‘them and us’.

Ludwig was clearly a clever man and Clydach continues to benefit to this day from his vision. But I don’t genuinely believe that he was any more of a genius than the brightest talents within Clydach now, or then. He simply had the financial resources, access to the education, contacts and backing to achieve what very, very, very few have.

Ludwicks eldest son ‘Sir Robert Mond’ followed his fathers footsteps in Chemistry but also Archelogy. Educated at Cambridge, Zurich, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Honours (as well as a knighthood) from Paris, Toronto, Liverpool and pretty much anywhere he visited (which was pretty much everywhere). He had two daughters and his family line is difficult to track down after that.

His other son Alfred Mond is easier to track to modern day though. He married Violet Gotze who was also a very important person. Her influence with David Lloyd George secured Monds appointment to ministerial office. Alfred was created a Baronet in 1910 and known as Baron Melchett. Their child Henry Mond (2nd Baron Melchett) also became a member of Parliament. His son Julian (3rd Baron Melchett) opted for the banking industry (among other things) helping to set up Hill Samuel. This bank was bought by TSB (later Lloyds) in 1987 for $1.3 billion (back then!). In 1966 Harold Wilson asked him to be chairman of

But if I’m going to accept that then that opens up a huge can of worms. Are all Ethiopians biologically stupid because they have a history of starving to death?

I like to think that we are all now of an understanding that this isn’t the case. That if a starving Ethiopian had somehow swapped places with Ludwig Mond at birth then all of these ‘Baron Melchetts’ would have starved to death before their 18th birthday and quite possibly we’d be talking about Adebayo Works in Clydach.

So as much as I admire Ludwick Mond, I can’t help but get angry about the privilege which drives the world. But thankfully Peter Mond (4th Baron Melchett) seemed to agree.

An Etonian (of course, just like the rest in the family) and a politician. But Peter hated the class and hereditary pier system which he had benefited from and is making me angry. Peter refused to marry, deliberately denying his eldest son from becoming ‘5th Baron Melchett’. An MP but for Labour and not the conservatives as with his family tradition. A campaigner for Environmental rights, arrested for protesting against GM crops, fought for protecting bats. A progressive humanist, who fought for a 16 year old girl to be freed from prison for killing her father because of his sexual abuse towards her.

Peter died in 2018 aged 70. His two children (born out of wedlock) are a farmer and a Barrister.

Wherever you go in our industrial heartland, there is a wealthy, ambitious, important person who made millions from the mine or the factory where the town, village or city grew.

Today, we have Amazon.

Left to right. Robert, Alfred, Henry, Julian & Peter

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SUPER-HEROES IN TIES SAVE SWANSEA HOMES!!!!

You may have noticed but we have had a shedload of rain, floods across the country, turmoil everywhere and with the climate changing, it is something which we are likely to see more frequently.

There are always heroes in every disaster. There will no-doubt be local firefighters, military and paramedics who saved stranded families in recent weeks, but I’d like to honour the office staff. Yes, some boring people with computers!

You see, this could have been a lot worst!

Natural Resources Wales is the largest Welsh Government Sponsored Body - employing 1,900 staff across Wales with a budget of £180 million. Formed in April 2013, it took over the functions of the Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission Wales and the Environment Agency in Wales, as well as certain Welsh Government functions.

I drive down the A4067 from Ynysfforgan to Swansea fairly often. Just before Llansamlet, on your left hand side, if there has been any rain then it seems to flood on that site quite a lot. I’ve always just assumed that it is a spot that floods a lot, another council disaster.

What I only recently found out was that it is designed to do exactly that. A 7 Million pound project by these heroes in suits. These clever buggers foresaw this.

We all know Llansamlet and that it is flat. It is pretty close to the river and not that much higher. It doesn’t take too much of a genius to imagine that there is a potential for the river to get too high and that the water will surge through shops/offices and houses.

But this isn’t something we generally think about. In the words from NRW: “The existing defences were constructed in the 1970s and were then raised in 1998. NRW carried out an assessment of the existing defences and recom-

mend that major improvements were needed in order for the defences to withstand water overtopping during extreme flood events. The challenge was exacerbated by the difficulty of warning the largely transient commercial and retail visitor population of an approaching flood.

The new £6.9million scheme at Lower Swansea Vale protects this flood risk area, which consists of the several important industrial units and business mentioned earlier as well as housing. In total the scheme provides protection for 6 houses and 284 businesses. More than 10,000 workers and shoppers are estimated to be within the at-risk area during a typical weekday.”

Enough soil to fill 52 Olympic swimming pools was taken from the former Llansamlet Park and Ride site to form new embankments. As well as raised embankments the scheme creates more space for water by setting back the flood defences at the top end of the river and taking out three redundant bridges to allow more water to pass. The project also addresses measures such as flood warning and emergency planning.

The scheme has provided wider benefits such as the creation of a natural wetland area which has enhanced 6ha of brownfield industrial land as new green space for local people to enjoy and new habitat to support wildlife.

Work also included upgrading 3km of National Cycle Network along the River Tawe including provision of a new footbridge.

The construction period spanned 15 months from February 2013 through to May 2014, with some minor additional landscaping work carried out in the following years.

I love this. I obviously love the fact that it clearly works to a considerable extent but I feel kind of safe that there is this unknown body which we don’t really know exists that are constantly finding ways to keep us and our homes safe.

Hats off!!!!

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My ancestors have all had a genetic propensity for diarrhoea.

Runs in the family.

When i was a kid they would smother me in chocolate and cream and then put a cherry on top...life was tough in the gateaux!!!

Getting older is a bit like living in a haunted house. There are sounds and smells that cannot be explained.....

A friend at work spent all his money on a full sex change.

Now he hasn't got a sausage...

I'm fat but I identify as slim. I'm translender.

Terrible weather conditions today, I've just visited my 80 year old neighbour to ask if she needed anything from the shop.

Turns out she did, so I've given her my list too, no point in both of us going out in this weather.

An elderly, but hardy cattle farmer from Devon once told a young female neighbour that if she wanted to live a long life the secret was to sprinkle a pinch of gunpowder on her breakfast each morning.

She did this religiously; and lived to the ripe old age of 103.

She left behind 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and a 40 foot crater where the crematorium used to be.

Struggling to find local tradesmen? Simply walk into any pub at some point in the afternoon.

Started a new job at the Samaritans last week.

Tried to ring in sick this morning & they talked me out of it!

FOOD REVIEW: BUTCHERS ARMS ALLTWEN In the middle of January, Leon and I took advantage of a childfree night and booked a table at The Butchers Arms. When we arrived we were pleasantly surprised to see how busy it was considering it was just a couple of weeks into the new year. I hadn’t ever been to The Butchers Arms before but had heard good things from other people. The staff were friendly and welcoming when we arrived, and we were seated in the busy bar area next to a family with a couple of very friendly dogs.

Having a Springer Spaniel ourselves we are always happy to find places that allow dogs, so this was a positive straight away.

The atmosphere in the bar was very homely and relaxed, the décor and open fire gives the place a proper country pub feel.

There was a good selection of beer on tap, so we decided on an ale before taking a look at the menu. There was a good mix of meat, fish and vegetarian options on the menu, as well as a selection of specials for us to choose from. When the waiter took our order he explained that there would be a little wait for food, but this didn’t bother us as we were enjoying an evening out of the house and we weren’t in any rush. I ordered The creamy mushrooms on toast to start and Leon ordered the warm goats cheese and walnut tart. We had noticed the waiting staff apologising to the table next to us for their wait, so we assumed our food would be a little while. But we were pleasantly surprised to be served our started fairly quickly. The mushrooms were a little too large for my liking, but they were cooked perfectly and the creamy sauce was delicious. Leon’s tart looked very pretty on the plate and he was pleased with his choice. There was just the right amount of goats cheese so it wasn’t too over powering, as it can sometimes be.

For our main courses I ordered the mushroom wellington with pureed root veg and chips. Leon ordered Glamorgan sausages with mashed potato and gravy (a firm favourite of his, so he was keen to see how they measured up). Neither of us were disappointed. The wellington was very tasty with nice crisp pastry and the chips were both crunchy and fluffy. Leon’s Glamorgan sausages were good and he really enjoyed the creamy mash. After finishing our mains we decided against desert, opting instead to leave feeling satisfied and not having overdone it. Throughout the evening the staff were attentive and helpful. There was a really friendly feeling to the place and we enjoyed the company of the other diners around us.

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LOCAL FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

NEATH PREMIER: Pick your Winner!

This time last season the Neath Premier League was a tight at the top with four clubs fighting it out for the title. This season, any one of six teams will still have Championship dreams heading into March.

Last seasons winners Bryncoch sit at the top currently just 2 points ahead of Llandarcy. Bryn Rovers had an incredible SWANSEA DIVISION ONE There is still all to play for in the top flight of the Swansea start to the season and can go back to the top if they win their game in hand. Cambrian currently lie in forth spot league as few sides have played equal games. but Giants Grave and Seven sisters have games in hand Penlan have found their mojo and are beginning to put which could see either side top of the table. the kind of pressure on the top that we expected from day one. The Champions are 17 points from the top but are on All sides will still be fighting it out with one another and a winning streak and have seven games in hand on anyone could take the title. Entertaining stuff! leaders Rockspurs Fords. Ynystawe sit in second spot, 12 points off the lead but with four games in hand. A lot to It has been an absolutely torrid season for Ystradgynlais. fight for between those three. Nobody would bet against This time last year, they sat top of the table but are pointless this campaign and struggling for a side some the Champions narrowing that gap though. weeks. Shame to see but I’m sure that we will see them At the bottom Mumbles Rangers continue their poor back in due course! season and sit with just eleven points from sixteen matches. Morriston Town will be hoping that they can leapfrog NEATH DIVISION ONE Penclawss and Port Tennant Colts with their games in All looks good tight at the top in the chase for promotion in division One. Cilfrew Rovers sit in second spot either hand but it is tight down there with plenty to play for. side of Welsh League sides Cwmamman United and Ynysygerwyn. As neither Welsh League side has the SWANSEA DIVISION TWO In Division Two there are four sides fighting for those top prospect of promotion it means that Rovers have a great two spaces. Baenymaes two points ahead of Murton but chance of returning to the top flight. having played a game more. Plouigh Colts are just three points further back, last years West Wales Cup Quarter-Fi- There are a number of sides behind with games in hand nalists will be itching to get into that top flight. CRC looking to leap frog the Neath team though. Clydach Olymic are just a point further back with a further game in Cricket sit five points behind but three games in hand and hand on the leaders and could go level with top if they lead the way but they are followed by local rivals Pontardawe United. win their matches.

At the bottom, North End and Gors look like they have a Ponty merged with Alltwen at the start of this season and all seems to be going well. Glynneath are another side mountain to climb… with promotion hopes and have been on fire in recent weeks. Will go down to the wire this one!

SWANSEA DIVISION THREE Clase have dominated division Three since day one and are almost certain to get promotion as champions. The At the other end of the table. Resolven beat Harp 5-1 in race for second spot is tight between Bonymaen Colts and early February to move away from the bottom two. Harp Birchgrove Colts. The latter with games in hand to look desitined to join Tonna in the bottom two but with just 6 sides surviving in the league below. It is more than leapfrog but a likely busy fixture schedule. possible that there could be just two leagues next year.

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RUGBY ROUND-UP West Central Division One On the up Glynneath are flying at the moment. 7 wins on the bounce since a disappointing home draw with Waunarlwydd and they have put themselves in with a real chance of topping the league. They visit the Waun whilst this magazine is in the printers but if they can come away with a victory there then Birchgrove. 3 from 3 in the new year for the newly promoted side.

They have looked comfortable at this level and more in danger of going up than back down since the first few games of the season.

Still not out of the question…….

Skewen looked in real trouble at the start of December. Bottom of the table and a gap beginning to emerge but three wins from four have brought them back to life. An away victory at Kenfig this weekend would see them leapfrog them into mid-table.

Strugglers Waunarlwydd. 8 defeats on the bounce for the Waun leaves them in a similarly precarious situation to last season. They left it late to drift out of the relegation zone then with a fine end to the campaign but they will be hoping to get some points on the board ASAP or they will need to produce another ‘Great Escape’.

Brynamman were tipped for greatness this season but with just one win in seven matches they seem in genuine danger of going down. A crunch home game to Waunarlwydd in early March already looks a key fixture for both sides.

West Central Division Two On the up Three wins from four matches have eased relegation fears for the Morriston Monkeys. It was a slow start to the season with just 2 wins from their opening 7 matches but recent form looks far more comfortable.

Back to back away victories for Ystradgynlais has made the league look far better for the Swansea Valley side after losing the previous 4. Although it is still tight at the foot of the league and they will be keen to make the gap between them and the bottom two a lot wider.

Strugglers Builth Wells dominated the early parts of this league and looked as though they were destined to run away with it but they’ve lost two of their last six and had to battle for the wins that they have managed. It has opened the door at the top for any side who can get on a run.

Resolven had real ambition this season and things just haven’t gone their way. Three defeats in the last four have really put an end to any promotion dream for this campaign but they have some real young talent and will be hoping for a strong end to the season.

WEST CENTRAL DIVISION ONE Team Bonymaen RFC Dunvant RFC Glynneath RFC Bridgend Athletic RFC Birchgrove RFC Ammanford RFC Nantyffyllon RFC Kenfig Hill RFC Skewen RFC Brynamman RFC Waunarlwydd RFC Tondu RFC

Pl 13 15 12 12 12 15 14 12 14 13 15 15

W 11 10 10 9 9 5 6 5 5 4 2 2

D 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

L 2 3 1 2 3 10 7 7 9 9 12 13

Pts 50 50 46 42 39 29 28 25 24 18 15 15

WEST CENTRAL DIVISION TWO Team Abera von Qui ns RFC Ma es teg Cel � c RFC Porthca wl RFC Bui l th Wel l s RFC Pencoed RFC Res ol ven RFC Morri s ton RFC Ys tra dgynl a i s RFC Seven Si s ters RFC Heol y Cyw RFC Bri dgend Sports Cl ub RFC Pyl e RFC

Pl 14 14 14 12 15 15 14 14 15 14 13 14

W 12 12 11 10 7 7 6 4 4 4 3 3

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

L 2 2 3 2 8 8 8 9 11 10 10 10

Pts 56 54 51 46 35 33 30 24 21 20 18 17

WEST CENTRAL DIVISION THREE A Team Abera von Green Sta rs RFC Va rdre RFC Abercra ve RFC Ba gl a n RFC Ta i ba ch RFC Cwml l ynfel l RFC Na ntymoel RFC Swa ns ea Upl a nds RFC Cwmgors RFC Bryncoch RFC Tonma wr RFC Cwma von RFC

Pl 11 11 14 11 12 12 10 15 14 12 12 14

W 10 10 8 8 8 6 6 5 4 4 2 2

D 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

L 1 1 6 2 4 5 4 10 10 8 10 12

Pts 50 49 41 39 35 30 28 26 18 12 12 11

WEST CENTRAL DIVISION THREE B

Team Gl yncorrwg RFC Bryncethi n RFC Cefn Cri bbwr RFC Ba nwen RFC Gl a i s RFC Bri ton Ferry RFC Cryna nt (Creuna nt) RFC Nea th Athl e� c RFC Pontrhydyfen RFC Penl a n RFC Ma es teg RFC Al l twen RFC

Pl 12 11 10 10 14 14 10 11 10 13 13 6

W 12 9 7 7 6 6 5 4 3 2 3 2

D 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

L 0 2 3 3 7 8 5 7 7 10 10 4

WEST CENTRAL DIVISION THREE C

Team South Gower RFC Cwmgwra ch RFC Tonna RFC Penyba nc RFC Ponta rda we RFC Fa l l Ba y RFC Pontya tes RFC Cwmtwrch RFC Ogmore Va l e RFC Pontycymmer RFC Rhi gos RFC Pa ntyffynon RFC

Pl 13 13 15 14 10 15 13 15 12 12 13 13

W 13 12 10 8 7 7 6 4 4 3 3 0

D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1

L 0 1 5 6 3 8 7 10 8 7 10 12

Pts 57 44 35 35 29 29 24 21 18 16 13 8

Pts 60 55 45 40 36 34 29 23 20 20 19 2

Three A

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It is 8 wins on the bounce for Vardre as they join Aberavon Green Stars as joint top of the league. They had the games All All in hand for quite some time but have managed to play them and win them. both sides are in a great position to go one step further this campaign having missed out on promotion at the final hurdle last season.

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Three wins from three for Abercrave will begin to improve the mood of the club after their derby loss to Cwmllynfell.

Both sides look like fighting it out for a top 4 finish.

Battling on Three wins from six matches gives Bryncoch a real chance of survival after a torrid start to the campaign. A home win against Cwmgors this weekend will bring them within touching distance and go a long way to safety.

Strugglers Alltwen are in real trouble right now which is a real sh to see. Glais had problems last season and it seems their neighbours are going through a similar issue. I’m that, like Glais, they will bounce back but difficult time the club.

Three C Cwmgwrach are having a fantastic season, player c Daniel Morgan is working wonders as the club forward to two semi-finals and a great chance of pro tion. 6 wins on the bounce in the league since their defeat of the season against South Gower back in Oc Coming Soon Coming Soon

South Gower just keep winning. 13 from 13 and scori will at times. An away game to Pontardawe this wee in inevitably difficult conditions will be a test. Pontard with games in hand finished last season incredibly and they will be hoping that this could spring-boa challenge.

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Three B Glyncorrwg show no sign of letting it slip this season with 12 wins from 12 matches. Bryncethin’s away win at Banwen has put them in with a great chance at joining their rivals next season in 3A. Although you can guarantee that they won’t be taking anything for granted after their agonising last day third placed finish last season.

New MotorcycleSales Sales New & & Used Used Motorcycle Five wins from Six for Tonna who only lost against S Tyres, &R R epairs Tyres, Servicing Servicing & epairs Gower and nearly got the spoils in that one. A m Parts Accessories Parts & Accessories improved spell which puts a bit of pressure on the top but also gives them real hope for next season.

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Three A It is 8 wins on the bounce for Vardre as they join Aberavon Green Stars as joint top of the league. They had the games in hand for quite some time but have managed to play them and win them. both sides are in a great position to go one step further this campaign having missed out on promotion at the final hurdle last season.

Three wins from three for Abercrave will begin to improve the mood of the club after their derby loss to Cwmllynfell.

Both sides look like fighting it out for a top 4 finish.

Battling on Three wins from six matches gives Bryncoch a real chance of survival after a torrid start to the campaign. A home win against Cwmgors this weekend will bring them within touching distance and go a long way to safety.

Three B Glyncorrwg show no sign of letting it slip this season with 12 wins from 12 matches. Bryncethin’s away win at Banwen has put them in with a great chance at joining their rivals next season in 3A. Although you can guarantee that they won’t be taking anything for granted after their agonising last day third placed finish last season.

Strugglers Alltwen are in real trouble right now which is a real shame to see. Glais had problems last season and it seems that their neighbours are going through a similar issue. I’m sure that, like Glais, they will bounce back but difficult times for the club.

Three C Cwmgwrach are having a fantastic season, player coach Daniel Morgan is working wonders as the club look forward to two semi-finals and a great chance of promotion. 6 wins on the bounce in the league since their only defeat of the season against South Gower back in October.

South Gower just keep winning. 13 from 13 and scoring at will at times. An away game to Pontardawe this weekend in inevitably difficult conditions will be a test. Pontardawe, with games in hand finished last season incredibly well and they will be hoping that this could spring-board a challenge.

Five wins from Six for Tonna who only lost against South Gower and nearly got the spoils in that one. A much improved spell which puts a bit of pressure on the top two but also gives them real hope for next season.

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WRU CHAMPIONSHIP ‘FERA & ’BANOS STRUGGLE BUT NEATH CONTINUE TO CEMENT THEMSELVES Come the end of the season, tables don’t lie. That is the general rule in sport. You have some bad luck but the good luck over the course of a season will even that out. Generally, I agree with that but by that motion, Ystalyfera will be due a very fortunate few months ahead!

Just the two wins from their opening 16 matches with life in the Championship leaves them at the foot of the table but things could have been so much better with a little bit of fortune. Apart from games against the top three sides in the league, (and one disappointing away game at Narberth) ‘Fera have competed and could have taken points in every single game.

Like ‘Fera, Trebanos have only won 2 matches this campaign but have also found themselves at the wrong end of many narrow matches. You feel they need to find 6 wins from their last eleven if they are to avoid relegation.

Trebanos host Ystalyfera on May 2nd and I really hope that both sides are able to narrow the gap between then and safety before that match because that could become an absolute belter!

The win at Bedwas propelled the Welsh All Blacks up into fifth in the table although a crunching loss to Pontypool shows the huge gulf between ‘Pool and the rest of this league. They must be Premiership title contenders next There are countless, late refereeing decisions which has season. been the difference between narrow wins and narrow losses and this has left the club a daunting 17 points from It has been a consolidating season for Neath. I think most safety. people withing the club will see it as a decent campaign this far. No doubt that they will be looking to get back to Knowing the coaching staff though, there will be no towel where they belong in the top flight of Welsh rugby but thrown in until the very end and if luck evens itself out there has been such a mess at the club for a number of then they have a genuine chance. years there was a fear that we could see a slide occurring.

‘Fer have to be as near to perfection as they possibly.

Glamorgan Wanderers away next and this wouldn’t have been a game they would have necessarily pointed at the start of the season but these are the matches they need to get points from now.

Home and away games against Cross Keys could be make or break. Two wins and the club will believe that the escape is possible. You fear anything less could leave the club with too much to do although the fixture list at the end of the campaign is decent.

Six wins from their last ten games will give them a fighting chance. A big ask but this club have been written off many times before.

As things stand, Trebanod fair only slightly better than their Swansea Valley rivals. It is such a tough league and ‘Banos have third placed Bedwas home and away next up.

The standard of the division is immense. Trebanos will be hoping they can emulate Neath who impressively beat Bedwas 33-26 away last weekend but in reality they will be eyeing other matches to get some results.

It hasn’t, the club have regrouped, players want to play for the club and performances are starting to improve. A top four finish isn’t out of the question and they may even be eyeing up third spot, a win against Cardiff Met on March 12th could make that a real possibility.

Team Pontypool RFC Ba rgoed RFC Bedwa s Ca rdi ff Met RFC Nea th Na rberth RFC The Wa nderers Ma es teg Ha rl equi ns RFC Cros s Keys Ys tra d Rhondda RFC Bedda u RFC Treba nos RFC Ta ta Steel RFC Ys ta l yfera RFC

Pl 16 15 15 16 15 15 16 16 16 15 16 15 16 16

W 16 13 11 11 8 8 8 8 7 6 4 2 2 2

D 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0

L 0 1 4 4 7 6 8 8 9 9 12 11 13 14

Pts 78 68 57 53 41 39 35 34 34 30 19 17 15 13

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The King of Diamonds holds a large axe over his shoulder.

Some may argue that an Ace is the top rank of a suit.

In bridge, clubs and diamonds are minor suits.

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