Cadwch yn ddiogel Jacks
Issue 16 - Digital Copy
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Swansea City v Manchester City Wednesday, February 10 - Kick-off 5.30pm
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CONTENTS Page 15 - Naughton reaches milestone
Page 16 - Meet the Opposition
Page 20 - Match Report
Page 28 - Q&A with Matt Grimes
Page 32 - Classic FA Cup Encounters
Polite Warning: The British courts have now imposed a standard minimum three-year ban from all football grounds for football-related arrests – both inside and outside the ground. CCTV is currently in operation inside and outside the stadium, while police are also using handheld video cameras. Offences include: obscene or racist chanting or gesturing; consuming alcohol in seated areas; continual standing in seated areas; aggressive behaviour; going onto the pitch; throwing of items; drunk and disorderly behaviour or under the influence of drugs. Please note there is also a no-smoking policy within the stadium. If broken, you could be ejected. Sales of goods inside and outside the stadium is prohibited unless via official registered sellers. The club badge is a registered trademark and unauthorised use of it will not be permitted. High-quality cameras are not permitted inside the stadium.
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CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES VISIT SWANSEACITY.COM
Chief Executive Julian Winter Board Of Directors Directors: Romie Chaudhari, Bobby Hernreich, Huw Jenkins, Jason Levien, Stuart McDonald, Martin Morgan, Gareth Davies, Julian Winter, Jake Silverstein, Sam Porter Honorary Club President: Alan Curtis; Associate Directors: David Morgan, Cath Dyer Team Management Head Coach: Steve Cooper Assistant Coach: Mike Marsh Behind the Team Goalkeeping Coach: Martyn Margetson Head of Medicine: Dr Jez McCluskey Head of Performance Analysis: Steve Rands Head of Recruitment: Andy Scott Academy Director: Mark Allen Staff: David Tivey, Ritson Lloyd, Ailsa Jones, Matthew Murray, Adele Callaghan, Daniel Morris, Lee Watkins, Chris Watkins, Tom Jenkinson, Daniel Nisbett, Michael Eames, Shaun Baggridge, Huw Lake, Ashley Gill, Steffan Popham
Senior Management Group Andrew Davies (Head of Operations, Facilities & Development); Gareth Davies (CFO); Rebecca Edwards-Symmons (Head of Commercial) Club Staff Club Secretary: Ben Greenwood Assistant Football Secretary: Rebecca Gigg Head of Retail: Andrea Morris Head of Hospitality & Customer Services: Catherine Thomas Legal Counsel, Head of Safeguarding: Rebeca Storer HR Manager: Nicola Butt Senior Commercial Sponsorship Manager: Lee Merrells Commercial Marketing Manager: Katie Hughes Head of Media & Communications: Ben Donovan Media Manager: Chris Wilson-Barney Ticket Office Manager: Luke Hughes Operations & Events Manager: Matthew Daniel Facilities Manager: Gordon David Grounds Manager: Anthony Harry Disability Access Officer: Mark Phillips Community Trust Manager: Helen Elton Club Ambassador: Lee Trundle
Programme Production Contributors: Alex Bennett, Julie Kissick, Owain Llyr, Ben Donovan, Chris Wilson-Barney, Andrew Gwilym, Sophie Davis, Jonathan Davies, Adam Evans, Gwyn Rees, Ben Jones, Dylan James, Luke Evans, Rachael Tucker Designers: Callum Rothwell, Jordan Morcom Photography: Athena Picture Agency, Natalie Davis, PA, REX Print: DWJ Group Ltd Swansea City AFC Liberty Stadium, Landore, Swansea, SA10 2FA CP-D Dinas Abertawe Stadiwm Liberty, Landore, Abertawe, SA1 2FA Telephone/FfĂ´n: 01792 616400 Web/Gwe: swanseacity.com Email/E-bost: info@swanseacity.com
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Chief Executive’s Notes
JULIAN WINTER G
ood evening and welcome back to the Liberty Stadium for tonight’s FA C u p f i ft h r o u n d t i e a g a i n s t Manchester City. T his is our sec ond game on home soil in five days following on from the excellent victory over Norwich last Friday night. That win saw us temporarily move up to second in the table – albeit for just less than 24 hours – in what is already a gruelling schedule this month. In the build-up to the Norwich game we were saddened to learn of the passing of Mitchell Powell. Mitchell was a huge Swansea City fan, a hugely popular member of the Jack Army and many people connected to the club knew him well. My condolences go to his family and friends at this sad time.
In what is a very tough time for all of us right now, we are reminded each game we play here at the L iberty of those supporters we have sadly lost. The club will continue to pay tributes with shirts being placed over their respective seats as a mark of respect. L ast Friday ’s game also saw Kyle Naughton make his 200th appearance for the football club. Kyle has been a key player for Swansea since he arrived at the L iber ty in 2015 and I’m delighted that his consistent performances and loyalty to the club have been rewarded with this milestone. I’d like to extend a warm welcome to the management, player s, st aff and direc tor s from Manchester City who have made the trip to Wales for tonight’s game.
When the draw was made a n d t h e p r o s p e c t o f fa c i n g City here in SA1 became a p o s s i b i l i t y, I ’ m s u re a l l o u r supporters were very excited. It wasn’t so long ago that Man City were regular visitors to the Liberty in the Premier L eague and tonight ’s game has the makings of a really good encounter. Pep Guardiola’s side are currently top of the Premier League table and are a wonderful team, but I know Steve, his staff and players will be right up for the challenge in front of the BT Sport cameras this evening. Enjoy the game.
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Head Coach’s Notes
STEVE COOPER G
ood evening everyone as we look forward to our FA Cup fixture with Manchester City at the Liberty.
We come into this game on the back of an excellent 2-0 win over Norwich last Friday. I thought we were tactically brilliant in the first half, and whenever we put together a few passes looked dangerous and looked as though we could create and score. We looked a good threat, we got the breakthrough with Andre, and then started the second half brilliantly with a great goal from Conor. To a man, the players defended superbly to keep another clean sheet and epitomised the desire that we have within the group. It meant that we extended our unbeaten run at home to 12 games and it is just a shame that the fans weren’t there to enjoy that because I’m sure the Liberty would have been bouncing. It was also a sad end to the week after we found out that we had lost a much loved member of the Jack Army.
M i t c h e l l P owe l l – a h u g e l y popular guy in the community and amongst Swans supporters – tragically passed away and all our thoughts are with Mitchell’s family and friends at this time. The club has been paying tribute to those who are no longer with us by laying shirts over their seats at the stadium, and I hope that we are giving all those watching at home something to smile about in these difficult circumstances. The win over Norwich also saw Kyle Naughton make his 200th appearance for Swansea City. Naughts is a player that eve r y b o d y l ove s - b ot h t h e footballer that he is and the lad that he is. He’s a wonderful professional, a great guy and a really good player.
Tonight we welcome Manchester City to SA1 for what will no doubt be a really stern test. They are top of the Premier League for a reason, they have a hugely talented squad and a manager who has continually set the standards for many coaches to follow. The term I’ve been using to the players is to play with ambition and, when we can, play our way. When we get opportunities to play we have to commit to it. We’ve got to be perfect with our game and hope they’re not but we won’t be doing anything too different. These are the games that everyone wants to be involved in and to test yourself against the very best. Enjoy the game.
I couldn’t be happier for him to make 200 appearances - he deserves a lot of credit for it. This week has also seen Joel Asoro leave the Liberty Stadium for Djurgardens IF in Sweden, and I’d like to wish Joel all the best for the future.
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MATT GRIMES Captain’s Notes
H
ello and welcome to everyone joining us from around the world for this e v e n i n g ’ s E m i r a t e s FA C u p t i e w i t h M a n c h e st e r C i t y at the Liberty. We go into the game off the back of a superb 2-0 home victory over Norwich on Friday. I think we’re in a really good place at the moment , these are exciting times ahead. We just focus on one game at a time and see where it takes us. We’re in a great spot and it was a fantastic win against Norwich. We scored two goals a n d ke pt a c l e a n s h e e t , s o happy days. Obviously, the gaffer’s now had 18 months or so to implement the way he wants us to work, and you’re seeing it every day on the pitch. We’re a solid team and tough to break down. When we were two goals up, they were having a little bit m o r e of t h e b a l l t h a n w h at we’d like, but it’s natural and we defended well to see out the clean sheet.
Andre opened the scoring for us. He’s a top-class player, he knows that a goal is just around the corner if he hasn’t scored for a couple of games. I was pleased for him to get a goal and pleased for the team getting the three points.
game that he plays, he should e n j o y - h e’ s d e f i n i t e l y o n e of the best players that I’ ve played with. What he’s done fo r t h e c l u b i s o u t s t a n d i n g and, hopefully, he c an play many more games for us.
It was a sensational goal from C onor too, and we c ome to expect it despite him being only three games in! He’s obviously got a fantastic left foot and if you give him space and time that far out, he can hurt you.
Our focus is now firmly set on this evening’s cup tie at the Liberty. Manchester City are a fantastic team with fantastic players, but we’re full of confidence. We’ll just prepare how we do for every game, take them on and see what happens.
The win also marked Kyle Naughton’s 200th appearance in a Swans shirt . He’s a fantastic player and a fantastic lad as well. I can’t speak highly enough of Naughts. Every day in training, he’s brilliant and a great guy to have around.
Obviously, we know how good of a team they are, so we just need to make sure that we’re bang at it. If we’re going to get any form of result, we need to play at 100 per cent because we know anything less will not be good enough.
It ’s a great achievement for him and I know how much he loves it here, so we’re very lucky to have him.
Enjoy the game this evening!
I t c a n ’ t g o u n n o t i c e d , h e’ s been such a top player for the club, so I don’t think we can t ake him for granted. Every
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C
eri Stone meets the Stateside Jacks…It was another productive transfer window as we continue to plot our journey back to the Premier League. Two promising additions who have caused quite the positive stir have come from the US in the form of Jordan Morris and Paul Arriola. To give them a warm welcome to the Jack Army we thought now would be a great time to meet Marc, the founder of Stateside Jacks, to discuss all things Swansea City from across the pond.
How can we increase Trust membership with our American fans?
Who are the Stateside Jacks?
Jordan and Paul are spoken of highly by fans of both of their previous teams. They work hard, always aim to get the job done and both have tasted success, which should translate into strong performances on the field.
Stateside Jacks (SSJ) is an American based supporter group for Swansea City AFC, created by Marc P and Jonathan N in 2017. We decided to create the group after we recognised the need for a space where American fans can coordinate meetups, have discussions and share their stories. We have 500 registered members, however there are tons more throughout the country. What do you do as an association? In a pre-Covid world we arrange meetups across the country; match day threads; send newsletters; podcasts and spread the word about Swansea City in the US. Have you visited the Liberty often? I was fortunate enough to visit the Liberty for the first time back in 2019 alongside 20 other members of SSJ. We beat Stoke and Daniel James scored an awesome goal. We hope to plan bi-annual trips for members in the future. What engagement do the Stateside Jacks have with the club and the Supporters’ Trust? At the moment I can’t say the two groups do a ton of work together but there are members who are a part of the Trust, myself included.
I am not sure how many are truly aware of the Trust or if they are, what the Trust does. I think raising awareness and perhaps hosting an event where SSJ members can ask questions to the Trust would help. What can you tell us about our two new signings, Jordan Morris and Paul Arriola?
What is your favourite Swans memory? I have been fortunate to have many experiences with the club despite only traveling to Wales once. I will say that meeting Alan Curtis in a bar in Milwaukee was a great experience. We play Man City today, who beat us in the FA Cup two years ago. What is your prediction? I will abstain from making a prediction. Anything else you would like to add? Please feel free to reach out to us any time. We are always excited to share our stories as fans and look forward to educating new Swansea City fans here in the states. We have a ton of information located on our website: www.statesidejacks.com Here’s hoping Jordan and Paul bring as much luck to us as Marc did against Stoke in 2019. Keep up the great work YJB.
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COOPER SALUTES NAUGHTON MILESTONE S
teve Cooper has hailed the professionalism and quality of Kyle Naughton after the defender brought up 200 appearances for Swansea City.
Naughton, 32, brought up the milestone in last Friday’s 2-0 win over Norwich, having first joined the club from Tottenham in January 2015. Since then he has seen the highs of the club’s best Premier League finish – and second highest league placing in Swansea’s history – and the pain of relegation from the top-flight. But he has also been a key part of the club’s recovery in the three years since, and has played at right-back, wing-back, centre-half and in central midfield during that time. He has been part of a defence that has conceded just 15 league goals this season, keeping 15 clean sheets in the process. And head coach Cooper was full of praise for the experienced defender. “Naughts is a player that everybody loves - both the footballer that he is and the lad that he is,” said Cooper. “He’s a wonderful professional, a great guy and a really good player. He can play right-back, right centre-back, can build from the back with the ball, he is a real clever defender and sniffs out danger.
“He never looks flustered and we’re really lucky to have him. For an experienced player, he’s shown me and the staff a lot of respect in what we’re asking him to do, and I couldn’t be happier for him to make 200 appearances - he deserves a lot of credit for it.
“HE’S A REAL ROLE MODEL FOR THE YOUNGER BOYS, PARTICULARLY IN DIFFICULT MOMENTS. I CAN’T SPEAK HIGHLY ENOUGH OF NAUGHTS BECAUSE HE’S JUST A REALLY GOOD GUY AND A REALLY GOOD PLAYER, IT’S AS SIMPLE AS THAT REALLY. “And you could get anybody here - another player in the dressing room or member of staff - and they would say exactly the same about him. I haven’t heard anybody say a bad word about him. “Credit to the club and credit to him for that because he’s had some good times. I think there’s more to come. “I’m proud of him for reaching 200 games - it shouldn’t go unrecognised - and long may it continue.”
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MANCHESTER CITY
FACT FILE OWNER
NICKNAME
City Football Group City
TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK @ManCity @mancity @mancity
STADIUM OPENED CAPACITY Etihad Stadium
2003
THE GAFFER From his beginning with Barcelona B to his current success with Manchester City, the Catalan is considered one of the greatest coaches in the game’s history. After a distinguished playing career, Guardiola’s Barcelona side proved one of the defining teams of a generation as they won three league titles and two Champions Leagues. More success followed with Bayern Munich, and he has eight pieces of silverware to his name in Manchester.
CLUB CAPTAIN The 35-year-old Brazilian succeeded David Silva as captain at the start of the season, having long been a key figure in this squad whether playing in defence or midfield. Started his career in his homeland with Atletico Paranense before moving to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in 2005. After a trophy-laden eight seasons he made the move to the Etihad in the summer of 2013.
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FOUNDED
1880
55,017
FERNANDINHO PEP GUARDIOLA
CLUB DETAILS SOCIAL MEDIA FACILITIES
STADIUM MEET THE OPPOSITION The Premier League leaders have been the dominant force in English football over much of the last decade. The club have won several major honours, having won the first division and Premier League on six occasions, they have also won the FA Cup six times with seven League Cup trophies to their name. They also won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1970. Their resurgence this century followed on from a period where they dropped down to the third tier in the mid-1990s, with a dramatic play-off win over Gillingham marking a turning point.
MANCHESTER CITY’S FORM Manchester City come into this fixture with impressive form. Following their 2-0 defeat to Spurs in November, City are currently 21 games unbeaten in all competitions, winning the last 14 of those fixtures, including their weekend victory over Liverpool at Anfield. They remain in the hunt for a quadruple of trophies this term.
THE KEY MEN Long identified as a bright young talent, Phil Foden has truly blossomed this season and is very much a key figure with 10 goals and six assists to his name this term. City also boast the devastating attacking talents of Raheem Sterling, Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, although the latter pair have been long-term injury absentees this season. Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is in a rich vein of form – with nine goals in his last 11 Premier League appearances – while Ferran Torres has also impressed since joining from Valencia.
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ONES TO WATCH
PHIL FODEN
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The creative midfielder has been with City since the age of eight and has blossomed into an outstanding talent. An Under-17 World Cup and Golden B all winner under Swans boss Steve Cooper, Foden has grown in influence with the Citizens and is enjoying a magnificent campaign. Foden – who is the youngest player to receive a Premier League winners’ medal - has 10 goals and six assists to his name this term, and netted a stunning goal at Anfield on Sunday.
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The Benfica product joined City for £62million prior to the start of the 2020-21 season and has quickly become a reliable and impressive performer. The Portugal international has kept 17 clean sheets in 26 appearances this season, with he and John Stones dovetailing well in the absence of Aymeric Laporte. A title winner in his homeland, Dias also featured for his country at the 2018 World Cup, and was man of the match as they beat Holland to win the Nations League in 2019.
RUBEN DIAS
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RAHEEM STERLING Having started his career at QPR’s academy – being on the Loftus Road books at the same time as Jamal Lowe – Sterling exploded to prominence at Liverpool and was one of the driving forces behind their Premier League near miss during the 2013-14 season. He joined City in 2015 and has continued to grow into one of the game’s most dangerous attackers, with his pace, trickery and movement confounding defences. He has netted 111 goals for the Citizens and scooped up seven trophies, with more on the horizon.
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The Algeria captain was already a Premier League title winner with Leicester when he made the move to Manchester for a £60million fee in 2018. French-born Mahrez is a potent attacking weapon, proving particularly dangerous when able to drive infield from a wide starting position. He has scored 31 goals in 121 appearances for the Citizens, and once scored a hat-trick at the Liberty in his Leicester days.
RIYAD MAHREZ
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Since arriving at the Etihad as a 19-year-old in 2017, the former Palmeiras s t r i ke r h a s h e l p e d C i t y s e c u r e s eve n t r o p h i e s , including a domestic treble. Renowned for his finishing and pace, he was included in the 2016 Olympicwinning Brazilian squad. A month later, he made his senior international debut at just 18 years old against Ecuador, going on to score 18 goals in 41 games for his country.
GABRIEL JESUS 19
SWANSEA CITY 2 NORWICH CITY 0
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MATCH DETAILS DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 VENUE: LIBERTY STADIUM REFEREE: SIMON HOOPER
MATCH REPORT G
oals from Andre Ayew and Conor Hourihane saw Swansea City return to second in the Championship and close to within two points of leaders Norwich by beating the Canaries at the Liberty Stadium. At the end of an even first-half Ayew netted his ninth goal of the season as he turned and coolly finished from close range after Norwich had failed to deal with a set-piece. Hourihane then scored for the third game in a row with a superb strike early in the second half, with the Swans then defending resolutely to collect a 15th clean sheet of the Championship season. The first half saw the game live up to its billing as an intriguing battle ensued, but the Swans came on strong before the break as Hourihane saw a volley well-blocked by Max Aarons. And the Swans took the lead when Tim Krul spilled a corner from Connor Roberts. Marc Guehi and Jake Bidwell combined to find Ayew, and he calmly turned on the edge of the six-yard box and found the bottom corner. And they extended their advantage barely two minutes into the second half. A loose pass fell to Jay Fulton, who laid it off to Hourihane. The Irishman took a couple of touches to steady himself and fired a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner beyond a helpless Krul. It made the on-loan midfielder the first Swansea player since Michu to score in each of his first three league appearances for the club, as the hosts marked Kyle Naughton’s 200th outing in Swansea colours in fine style.
LINEUPS Swans: Freddie Woodman; Kyle Naughton, Ryan Bennett, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain), Conor Hourihane, Jake Bidwell; Jamal Lowe (Jordan Morris 75), Andre Ayew. Subs not used: Ben Hamer, Ryan Manning, Morgan Whittaker, Yan Dhanda, Joel Latibeaudiere, Ollie Cooper, Kieron Freeman, Ben Cabango. Norwich City: Tim Krul, Max Aarons, Grant Hanley (captain), Lukas Rupp (Mario Vrancic 57), Przemyslaw Placheta (Onel Hernandez 57), Todd Cantwell (Kieran Dowell 85), Jacob Sorensen, Oliver Skipp (Adam Idah 57), Teemu Pukki, Kenny McLean, Ben Gibson. Subs not used: Daniel Barden, Christoph Zimmermann, Bali Mumba, Alex Tettey, Dimitris Giannoulis.
QUOTE OF THE GAME “WHENEVER WE PUT TOGETHER A FEW PASSES WE LOOKED DANGEROUS AND LOOKED AS THOUGH WE COULD CREATE AND SCORE. “WE LOOKED A GOOD THREAT, WE GOT THE BREAKTHROUGH WITH ANDRE, AND THEN STARTED THE SECOND HALF BRILLIANTLY WITH A GREAT GOAL FROM CONOR.” STEVE COOPER 21
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STILETTOS & STUDS BY JULIE KISSICK
I
’m writing this on Saturday morning (February 6), the day after the 2-0 win over Norwich City. I don’t know about you, fellow Jacks, but I feel as though I can walk on water today! What a result. What an emphatic, no nonsense display and what an incredible way to prepare for hosting the big guns of Manchester City this evening. Every single player on the pitch was superb and, to a man, shone. That was football played the way Swansea City should play football. I LOVED IT! My dad, who has followed the Swans all his life, was disappointed after the Brentford game and our conversations in the lead up to facing the league leaders were, with hindsight, lacking a bit of belief. We’d got ourselves in the rabbit hole of writing the game off and consoling ourselves with talk of: ‘it’s only one game’, ‘the result doesn’t really matter at this stage of the season’, ‘if we get a point it’ll be better than nothing’. But, really, what were we thinking?! I phoned my dad at the final whistle and he joked: “Fancy you thinking we wouldn’t get three points tonight. Call yourself a fan?!” We then proceeded to dissect the game for the next 40 minutes, picking over the best bits, of which there were many, and daring to entertain the possibility of that game being the defining moment in our season We even said the ‘p’ word – more than once. At this point in the season, my dad doesn’t usually say the ‘p’ word!
If you weren’t lucky enough to see the game, you probably have seen two of the most iconic images I have seen in a long time, both featuring Andre Ayew. The first, which was of him on his knees, right hand on his chest as the players rush to celebrate with him. It captured a facial expression which said so much more than I have the words to do justice to. The goal meant everything, particularly after not scoring for a few games. The second, at the end of the match, pictured him standing, fists clenched and arms aloft, head tilted to the sky and letting out the kind of roar that would have made Bafetimbi Gomis shrink back. It said everything about his contribution on the night and to our cause this season. Since his return to the Liberty Stadium he has been a beast on the pitch and you can see his desire to win, week in week out. We are so lucky to have him and to have kept him through the transfer windows. What a player he’s been for us and what a contribution he made on Friday night. One player can’t carry a team of course and the collective work ethic of our side was evident against the best side in the league. They’re growing, together, and even the new boys seem to be fitting seamlessly amongst them. What an exciting time to be a Jack. Bring on the blue side of Manchester!
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Offer valid from February 5, 2021 to February 19, 2021. Available online at www.store.swanseacity.com
ERTHYGLAU CYMRAEG BY OWAIN LLYR, BBC WALES
M
ae hi’n gyfnod cyffrous dros ben i gefnogwyr Abertawe. Tydi’r Elyrch ddim wedi colli yn eu 8 gêm diwethaf yn y Bencampwriaeth, ac maen nhw yn y ras am ddyrchafiad awtomatig. A heno mae’r tîm gorau yn Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr ar y funud yn ymweld â Stadiwm Liberty. Mae’n rhaid i mi gyfaddef nad o’n i ddim yn disgwyl gweld Abertawe yn brwydro am le yn y 2 safle uchaf yn y Bencampwriaeth ar ddechrau’r tymor. Roeddwn i’n meddwl y byddai gorffen yn y 6 safle uchaf yn dipyn o gamp. Ond y gwir amdani ydi bod Steve Cooper a’i chwaraewyr wedi gwneud cystal job o bethau na fuasai neb bellach yn synnu petaen nhw’n gorffen y tymor yn un o’r ddau safle uchaf. Roedd y perfformiad yn erbyn Norwich nos Wener diwethaf yr un arbennig, gyda Conor Hourihane yn rhedeg y sioe yng nghanol y cae. Mi faswn i’n ei ddisgrifio fo fel ‘trosglwyddiad y tymor’ yn y Bencampwriaeth. Dwi ddim yn siwr iawn sut y llwyddodd Abertawe i’w arwyddo achos fe ddylse
chwaraewr o’i safon fod yn chwarae yn Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr. Mae presenoldeb Hourihane hefyd wedi codi safon perfformiadau’r chwaraewyr o’i gwmpas, fel Matt Grimes a Jay Fulton. Bydd yn ddiddorol gweld be fydd Steve Cooper yn ei wneud o ran dewis tîm ar gyfer y gêm yma yn erbyn Man City heno. Yn amlwg ennill dyrchafiad ydi’r flaenoriaeth, felly dwi’n siwr y bydd o’n cael ei demtio i roi gorffwys i’w chwaraewyr mwyaf allweddol. Er hynny dwi’n siwr y bydd pob un ohonyn nhw’n awyddus i chwarae, ac i brofi eu hunain yn erbyn Pep Guardiola a’i dîm. Ddwy flynedd yn ôl fe ddaeth Abertawe, o dan arweiniad Graham Potter, o fewn trwch blewyn i guro City yn y cwpan. Gyda’r Elyrch ar y blaen o 2-0 ar yr egwyl, fe sgoriodd City dair gôl yn yr ail hanner gyda Sergio Aguero yn sgorio’r gôl fuddugol yn y munudau olaf. Tybed a welwn ni Abertawe yn talu’r pwyth yn ôl heno? Mae unrhyw beth yn bosibl yn y gystadleuaeth hon.
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Q&A WITH MATT GRIMES Age: 25 Position: Midfielder Nationality: English Former Clubs: Exeter City, 58 Apps, 5 Goals Blackburn Rovers (Loan), 13 Apps Leeds United (Loan), 12 Apps Northampton Town (Loan), 44 Apps, 4 Goals
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STARTING AS A CENTRE-BACK TO FINDING THE NET, MATT GRIMES’ PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER WITH MANCHESTER CITY WAS CERTAINLY A BUSY AFFAIR. HERE, THE SWANS SKIPPER TALKS ABOUT THE SHOCK DECISION TO START HIM IN DEFENCE, KEEPING HIS NERVE FROM THE PENALTY SPOT, AND THE BIG REASON BEHIND HIS STUNNING STRIKES IN RECENT WEEKS. Matt, the manager has spoken about you having a bit more freedom out on the pitch recently, possibly since Conor (Hourihane) came in? I just think the whole team and the whole club is in such a good place at the moment. It’s a really positive place to be, and I think my own performances – as well as that of the whole team – is reflective of that. Has there been any tweaks in your role in the past few weeks? Maybe one or two, but nothing drastic. I think we’ve been building for the past 18 months or so to get to a point where everyone knows everyone’s jobs inside out. We are just in a really positive place, we are winning games well and playing some really good football. We are also winning games ugly when we need to as well, so it has just snowballed into a really good moment for us. The team have always showed another side to their game recently?
you at a disadvantage so if you can win ugly like we have done this year, then it’s great. And in the Championship you have to do that. In the Premier League, every pitch is nice, but when you go to some of the grounds that we have done this year then you don’t have a choice. You scored a great goal against Nottingham Forest in the last round – are you hoping to chip in with a few more? I just want to keep helping the team out. There’s no secret to it, there’s no special formula, I’m just confident and like I said to you earlier, the whole place is a great place to be at the moment. Confidence is oozing throughout the whole team and I think you can see that in both individual performances and the team as a whole. You followed that up with another brilliant strike against Rotherham away as well? I think the goal against Forest helped with the one I scored at Rotherham. When the Forest one went in it kind of relaxed me a bit. I think with the Rotherham one, maybe in the past I would have seen the lights and snatched at it a little bit, but I just focused on contact and now I’ve scored a couple I hope I can chip in with a few more. It was a funny angle but as it dropped I thought I had to hit it. Maybe if I hadn’t scored the one against Forest I might not have take the other one on. The other goal I scored against Rotherham at home where it was deflected wasn’t the cleanest of strikes, but the Forest strike gave me the confidence to take on the other. Scoring goals was probably the one glaringly obvious thing that I had to add to my game. Hopefully the fact I’ve now chipped in with a couple will pave the way for a few more.
You need to learn how to win games both ways. If teams come and play against us with a passing game then we will always back ourselves but we can also go away to teams like Rotherham and Barnsley, and on other pitches, and win ugly. Swansea are known for a very attractive, passing style of football, but if you turn up to an away game and its wet and windy, the pitch is awful, then you can’t always play your style. That would then automatically put
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You have been captain now for around 18 months – how have you found it so far? There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes and a lot of responsibility, but I’m learning so much day by day I don’t think I realised when I took it on just how much of a responsibility it was, but I’ve been learning day by day and game by game and now I feel like I’m in a good position and I feel as though I’m leading the team well. Not that I think I wasn’t doing that before, but there is a lot to take on board and I’ve learnt a lot. The gaffer has been brilliant with me too and I have a long way to go but it is a challenge I relish. What are those extra responsibilities that you mention? It’s just little things around the training ground. I probably do a little bit more media than normal, as well as any collections that need to be sorted the lads come to me to sort out, any charity work that needs doing and whether I need to allocate people to do different jobs. I guess I’m just the first port of call for anyone who needs anything. I knew that would be the case when I took on the captaincy but actually doing it is another thing. But the lads have all played their part too, the likes of Naughts (Kyle Naughton), Wayne (Routledge), Andre (Ayew), Nath (Dyer) when he was here, they have all chipped in and that’s why the squad is so together. We’ve got great senior players and great young players and that’s why it’s a really positive place to be. You were also captain of the club when Covid-19 hit so that was probably a really difficult moment? That was probably the toughest moment I think, organising Zoom meetings and training sessions. It was hard work but I learnt a lot from that and it has helped get me to where I am today. We are in a good position in the league right now following on from the disappointment of losing in the play-offs last season? We’ve really pushed on. I think we saw it as an extra incentive really; we saw what we could have achieved last season and obviously that didn’t happen, but we’ve just kicked straight on into this season and we are taking it one game at a time but we’re in a good place.
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Tonight sees us take on Manchester City in the FA Cup with most fans thinking back to that day two years ago when we narrowly lost here at the Liberty? We gave such a good account of ourselves that day. Swansea are seen as a team that likes to play football but to play Man City and play as well as we did, was fantastic. It was one of those days where we didn’t get the rub of the green, they brought on some quality players and it was one of those things. We were beaten by team, in the end, who had more quality on the day. You started that game in central defence too, as well as opening the scoring from the penalty spot? Looking back on it now, it was an unbelievable game and one that I have fond memories of. I’ve spoken to Graham (Potter) since and he said ‘what was I thinking?’ but it was a tactical bit of genius from him and it stood us in good stead that day. Billy Reid (assistant manager) came to me before the game and asked if I wanted to take some penalties because Bersant (Celina) had missed one the game before and Oli (McBurnie) was injured that day. So I said ‘yeah’ not really thinking anything of it and then Connor (Roberts) went down and there was a bit of ‘oh my god, it’s me!’ but thankfully it went in. It was a great feeling. Last Friday saw us take on Norwich, who were top of the Championship, and now we face the team top of the Premier League… They don’t come much harder than that, but it is a game we are looking forward to and you want to play against the best players in the country, let alone the world. It’s a challenge we can thrive off. Any result for us would be massive but we’ve just go to get out there and show people what we can do.
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CLASSIC SWANS’ FA
IT’S A TOURNAMENT WHICH HAS PROVIDED THE SWANS AND T THE YEARS. HERE, WE LOOK BACK AT SOME OF SWANSEA CITY’S F
SWANS 2 - MANCHESTER CITY 3
QUARTER-FINAL - MARCH 16, 2019
Swansea City produced a performance of tremendous character, and no little quality, but were denied just a third FA Cup semi-final appearance in heartbreaking fashion by Manchester City. The Swans had stunned the Premier League champions by sweeping into a 2-0 lead inside half an hour to put themselves on course for a first appearance in the last four of the famous knockout competition since 1964. Matt Grimes converted for the spot for the first, before Bersant Celina finished a flowing Swansea attack against his old club. The score stayed that way until the 69th minute when Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back with a fine volley, before a controversial penalty allowed City to level. Cameron Carter-Vickers was harshly ruled to have fouled Raheem Sterling, and Sergio Aguero’s penalty found the net off the back of Kristoffer Nordfeldt. That left the tie heading for extra-time but, with two minutes remaining, Aguero - who looked to be offside expertly headed Bernardo Silva’s cross into the net. It was harsh on the Swans, who had shown moments of genuine quality against their much-vaunted in-form opponents, but there was no trip to Wembley for Graham Potter and his side.
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A CUP ENCOUNTERS
HEIR SUPPORTERS WITH SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS DOWN FINEST DAYS IN THE WORLD-FAMOUS KNOCK-OUT COMPETITION.
LIVERPOOL 1 - SWANS 2
QUARTER-FINAL - FEBRUARY 29, 1964 Arguably Swansea’s finest FA Cup moment came on their march to the semi-finals in 1964. The Swans had seen off Barrow, Sheffield United and Stoke City to set-up this last-eight clash in front of over 52,000 fans at Anfield. The Reds were on their way to the First Division title, while Swansea were battling to avoid relegation from the second tier and few gave them any hope of an upset. But they led 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Jimmy McLaughlin and Eddie Thomas. A backs-to-the-wall effort followed with goalkeeper Noel Dwyer turning in a famous performance between the sticks. Liverpool pulled one back and looked set to level when they were awarded a penalty in the closing stages, only for Ronnie Moran to fail to find the target. The Swans went on to lose to Preston in the last four at Villa Park.
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L
ee Trundle is a special guest at Swansea City AFC Community Trust’s ‘Virtual Cuppa’ session on Thursday morning, as part of the We Wear the Same Shirt initiative.
But due to the ongoing lockdown, the Trust has decided to take the sessions online via Zoom with the aims of supporting social interaction and positive wellbeing.
‘Magic Daps’ will be joined by Swansea City Ladies coach Ian Owen, with participants from the programme encouraged to come along and reminisce with the duo as they discuss their careers with the club over a cup of tea.
All participants require to join in is internet access and a suitable electronic device - a phone, tablet or laptop.
Launched by the FAW and supported by Time to Change Wales, the We Wear the Same Shirt project is aimed at those seeking to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, our weekly face-to-face sessions provided a great opportunity for participants of all ages and abilities to play walking football and socialise in a pressure-free, relaxed environment.
The one-hour session begins at 10.30am on Thursday, February 11. To register, visit form.jotform.com/SwansTrust/VirtualCuppa For more information, email caroline@scfccommunitytrust.co.uk Once registered, a Zoom link will be emailed to you ahead of each session.
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SWANS ACADEMY BY MARK ALLEN
G
ood evening everyone. After a few weeks of disruption, I am pleased to report that we have seen the return to training of our Under-16 groups, albeit for a short period of time, while we await a further update from Welsh Government. This period coincides with what is arguably the most difficult period in the academy calendar- informing the relative Under-16 and Under-18 groups about who we wish to offer scholarships and professional contracts to respectively. Over the coming weeks these decisions will be taken and whilst for some it won’t be the news they wanted or hoped for, the most important thing to realise is that as one door closes there are others that can open and our role is to help continue the pathway for the boys, whatever the decision. On a personal note, tonight’s fixture brings back very fond memories for me having spent nine fantastic years at Manchester City. I’m not sure what squad Pep Guardiola will name, but Phil Foden, Tommy Doyle, Cole Palmer and Felix Nmecha, who have all figured this year, were academy products who have spent their entire careers with City and who came through the ranks. In addition, our own Joel Latibeaudiere was part of that era and indeed with Phil Foden went on to win the Under-17 World Cup under the guidance of Steve Cooper.
Over the coming months I will be adding to the excellent staff at Landore and it is my intention to bring everyone up to speed as and when these additions are announced. My initial focus will be on the Professional Development Phase and these additions are likely to be in place well ahead of next season to allow us to hit the ground running with adequate familiarisation and integration time. I’d also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our Board of Directors, Julian Winter and the club’s senior management team for the support I have received in making these additions, as well as for the approval to upgrade some of the facilities at Landore. Irrespective of categorisation, my goal is to strive for excellence both on and off the pitch and it is my firm belief that it will be this pursuit rather than our category status that will deliver players for the future. Our games programme will hopefully now continue this week with both the Under-23 and Under-18 teams back in action, while it is also a great chance for me to see some of our Under-16 players in action in the Under-18 group. Pushing talent and playing them in the older age groups is essential and I am firmly in the camp of “if you are good enough, you are old enough.” Good luck tonight to all our players and staff.
Tonight is also an opportunity to say hello to a good friend and fantastic coach in Rodolfo Borrell, who has been part of the first-team coaching staff at Manchester City for the last three seasons.
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BEST OF THE LEFT Swansea City’s recent win at Rotherham was crowned by two thumping left-footed strikes by Conor Hourihane and Matt Grimes. Hourihane got the ball rolling at the New York Stadium when he drilled home from Yan Dhanda’s tee-up just before the half-hour mark. Grimes followed suit 10 minutes later; flashing a 25-yard thunderbolt past Jamal Blackman, who could only punch a corner straight into the skipper’s stride. The left-footed footballer remains something of a novelty in today’s game; just five of the Swans’ 20-man squad from the trip to Yorkshire match that criteria. But in honour of the rare few, we’ve picked out a selection of memorable goals from our history – all of which were scored with a left foot.
Max Thompson v Arsenal First Division – October 10, 1981
Gary Stanley v Manchester City First Division – April 17, 1982
John Toshack’s Swans had made a solid start to their maiden campaign in the top-flight of English football.
The Swans were well in the title mix by the time they welcomed the Citizens to the Vetch in mid-April.
After notching up notable victories over Leeds and Tottenham, they added Arsenal to their list of scalps in early October.
Toshack’s men would make it back-to-back victories in the space of four days, having overcome Kevin Keegan’s Southampton 1-0 earlier in the week.
An impressive 2-0 win at the Vetch Field was capped by a stunning volley from defender Max Thompson. With the hosts leading 1-0, Jimmy Hadziabdic’s free-kick was met by the former Liverpool man, whose sweetly-struck left-footed effort flew past Pat Jennings and into the top corner. James Thomas v Hull City Third Division – May 3, 2003 One of the most iconic goals in Swansea City’s history – and certainly the most important leftfooted effort to date. Needing victory to preserve their Football League status, Brian Flynn’s Swans had fallen 2-1 behind against Hull. However, Thomas’ brace followed by a Lenny Johnrose strike turned the match on its head early in the second half. And the most precious of wins was secured in the 57th minute, when Thomas broke through before neatly lobbing Alan Fettis to complete his hat-trick and ensure the Swans’ survival.
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The hosts break the deadlock in emphatic fashion when, around 30 yards from goal, Stanley unleashed a thumping left-footed drive that fizzed into the top corner and left City keeper Alex Williams clutching at thin air. Lee Trundle v Yeovil Town League One – November 18, 2005 After an inconsistent start to life back in League One, the Swans were going along nicely by midNovember. Kenny Jackett’s side had lost just once in 13 league games by the time they welcomed Yeovil for an eagerly anticipated Friday night showdown at the Liberty. Trundle’s first-half penalty put the hosts in front and ‘Magic Daps’ secured the victory midway through the second half. Controlling on his chest following a rushed clearance by Yeovil keeper Chris Weale, Swansea’s number 10 unleashed a dipping half-volley from 40 yards out that nestled in the back of the net.
Lee Trundle v Carlisle United Football League Trophy final – April 2, 2006
Leon Britton v Nottingham Forest Championship play-off semi-final – May 16, 2011
Trundle was at it again later in the season as Swansea met Carlisle in the Football League Trophy showpiece.
Not a player renowned for his goalscoring exploits, Britton certainly saved his best for the big occasion.
Just three minutes had passed when the Swans’ talisman took centre stage at the Millennium Stadium.
The Swans had defended admirably with 10 men to hold Forest to a goalless draw in the first leg at the City Ground four days earlier.
Controlling Leon Britton’s precise diagonal ball on his chest at a tight angle, Trundle flashed an instinctive volley across the dive of Kieren Westwood and into the far corner.
This left things finely poised and an electric atmosphere welcomed the sides for the return leg at the Liberty, which the hosts went on to win 3-1.
Jackett’s men would go on to lift the trophy in Cardiff thanks to Bayo Akinfenwa’s late strike. Michu v Queens Park Rangers Premier League – August 18, 2012 The Swans ran riot at Loftus Road on the opening day of the 201213 season in Michael Laudrup’s first game in charge. A summer arrival for just £2million, Michu needed only eight minutes to open his account for the Swans with a low shot from the edge of the area. And things got even better for the Spaniard as he doubled his tally just eight minutes into the second half. Receiving the ball on the edge of the box following a strong run from Wayne Routledge, he curled a brilliant first-time effort into the top corner to put the visitors well on the way to a thumping 5-0 victory.
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Just before the half-hour mark, Britton neatly turned away from a challenge on the edge of the area and beat Lee Camp with a fierce left-footed drive into the far corner. Wilfried Bony v Valencia Europa League – September 19, 2013 The Swans were embarking on their first-ever Europa League campaign following the Capital One Cup triumph at Wembley the previous February. They were very much in the ascendancy from the start against Spanish side Valencia, who saw Adil Rami dismissed after just 10 minutes at the Mestalla. And the visitors made their numerical advantage count just four minutes later thanks to clubrecord signing Bony. Following a quickfire counter, the Ivorian received a square pass from Michu and rifled his firsttime shot into the roof of the net – paving the way to a memorable 3-0 success for the Swans.
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Rhian Brewster v Nottingham Forest Championship – July 15, 2020 In what was his first taste of senior football, Brewster had made a big impression following his loan move from Liverpool the previous January.
Andre Ayew v Brentford Championship play-off semi-final – July 26, 2020 The first leg of the Swans’ playoff semi-final showdown with Brentford provided a night of high drama at the Liberty.
The young striker had eight goals to his name and was bang in-form as Steve Cooper’s side stepped up their play-off bid.
Aye w wa s d e n i e d f r o m t h e penalty spot in the second half, while the visitors had Rico Henry sent off just moments later.
Just eight minutes into another crucial clash with Forest, the 20-year-old broke the deadlock with a stunning left-footed effort.
However, Ayew dusted himself down to land the first blow of the tie inside the final 10 minutes.
Latching onto Jake Bidwell’s low cross to the near post, Brewster unleashed a ferocious first-time strike into the top corner as the Swans went on to claim what proved to be a precious point.
Following lovely link-up play involving Conor Gallagher and Jay Fulton to tee him up, the Ghanaian smashed an unstoppable rising volley into the top corner to give the hosts a narrow lead heading into the second leg.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
T here were a few candidates that narrowly missed the cut, but are still well worthy of an honourable mention. C olin P asc oe’s long-range strike proved a consolation in the Swans’ 4-1 defeat at Crewe in November 1995, as did Andre Ayew’s low drive in a 4-2 reverse by Sunderland 21 years later. That same year, Fernando Llorente opened his account for the club with a stunning volley against Manchester City, while Martin Olsson’s fierce drive from a tight angle later in the 2016-17 season helped the Swans to a crucial win over Burnley.
Who could forget Rory Fallon’s spectacular overhead kick in the 2006 League One playoff final against Barnsley? Or, what about Tom Carroll’s 20-yard curler in the 8-1 rout of Notts County in February 2018? More recently, there was Ayew ’s wonderful individual effort in the 2-0 win over Luton, as well as Grimes’ thumping strike that helped sweep Forest aside in the FA Cup. They may not be as common, but a stunning leftfooted goal is equally as satisfying and equally as memorable.
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I
JACK THE LAD ’m sure everyone was expecting us to be playing our old friends from Cheltenham this evening!
long in the memory of not just Swans fans, but anyone who has seen it.
But here we are facing Manchester City, who managed to squeeze through to the fifth round with three late goals at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium last month!
Hopefully there won’t be any c ontroversial decisions like there were in that 3-2 defeat. B u t i f t h e r e a r e, l et ’ s ke e p our fingers crossed they go the Swans way, unlike Sergio Aguero’s late winner last time.
In all seriousness, I have to admit I was a little disappointed we weren’t paired with Cheltenham in the cup again – and not just to avoid the Premier League leaders. Back in 2004, I experienced one of my most enjoyable ever away trips when we met Cheltenham in the first round of the FA Cup. The welcome we received from Cheltenham fans in the pubs and on the way to the ground before the game was one of the warmest I have ever experienced. Since that hugely enjoyable afternoon - probably enhanced by the 3-1 win - I’ve had a soft spot for the Whaddon Road outfit. However, true to form, it was City who won through to set up another huge occasion at the Liberty. Of course, we have a more recent FA Cup history with City, having faced them here in a thrilling quarter-final two years ago. I know goals scored in defeats aren’t remembered as fondly as those scored in victories, but Bersant Celina’s effort will live
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Having faced City several times over the past decade, everyone will be aware of the challenge the Swans face tonight. Our matches against Manchester City have generated some magnificent memories over the years. It’s fair to say that City generally enjoyed the upper hand over the Swans during their time in the Premier League, but there were some wonderful moments to enjoy during those matches. L uke Moore’s header at the South end of the Liberty S t adium may have clinched our 1-0 win over City in the league back in 2012 but it was the reaction of the home fans at the North East end of the stadium that will live long in my mind. Having just about recovered some composure after the ball had beaten Joe Hart, I glanced up at the North East corner of the Liberty Stadium.
Instead of seeing row upon r o w o f h a p p y, s m i l i n g , celebrating faces, I saw the backs of hundreds of Swans fans, arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, jumping up and down in an impromptu Poznan – the backto-front celebration adopted by Manchester City fans. Before the game many people had predicted we would see the Poznan, but not so many suspected it would appear in celebration of the Swans’ winner against the league leaders. Our first match in the Premier League of course came at the Etihad Stadium and again it is an evening I will never forget. S t anding there felt like the first day in comprehensive school, my first job interview and my first day in work all rolled into one. At one point, my legs actually started to shake – especially as the Manchester City starting XI flashed up on the Etihad’s all singing, all dancing big screens. One by one, the City players flashed up on the screen . . . Hart . . . Kompany . . . Barry . . . Silva . . . De Jong . . . Toure . . . Dzeko . . . And the bench was even worse. Zabaleta . . . Kolarov . . . Milner . . . Balotelli . . . Aguero.
Aguero! The man who had just cost them £38 million. The man who cost more than the Liberty Stadium and a fair chunk of the Swans squad. And he wasn’t even in their starting line-up! I’ve never felt so nervous at a sporting event, be it watching or taking part. As it turned out the Swans did suffer a heavy defeat, with Aguero coming off the bench to score twice and complete a 4-0 win. But I can remember walking away from the Etihad in high spirits, despite the defeat and the heavy drizzle, thinking: “We can do this”. All the pre-match nerves and fears had evaporated and were replaced by enormous pride in the club and the players despite what was, on paper, a hammering. The Swans had shown enough in the first hour of the game against one of the strongest squads in Europe, that they were good enough to hold their own in the Premier League.
And so it proved for the remainder of that season as the Swans defied all the predictions of their demise . . . even defeating their first day victors and eventual champions – sparking that unique celebration at the Liberty Stadium. Of course there was life before the Premier League and these two clubs produced some enjoyable encounters in the old First Division back in the early 1980s. Younger fans may not have heard of Gary Stanley, but he scored what can only be described as an “absolute screamer” in the fixture at the Vetch back in 1982. If you haven’t seen it then I suggest you look it up on YouTube.
The Swans didn’t have such happy memories from a match at Maine Road the following season, but it did produce a pretty innovative goal. City were awarded an indirect free kick inside the Swansea box which saw Scotland International Asa Hartford flick the ball into the air for Dennis Tueart to smash an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net. A superbly executed free-kick, just a shame it had to be against the Swans! Whatever happens on the pitch, tonight’s match is also likely to raise a few eyebrows in years to come when people look back at the record books.
T hat game also produc ed a moment which adorned the front cover of the Swans programme the following season.
An FA Cup fifth round match played at 5.30pm on a Wednesday evening in front of no fans? Who’d have thought it?
Alan Curtis appeared to have rounded Man City keeper Alex Williams with the goal at his mercy, but Williams dived full length to claw the ball away one handed from the Swansea legend’s feet.
These are indeed remarkable times, let’s hope it’s a remarkable game and a Swans win to gives us something to cheer about during these difficult days. C’mon you Swans!
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SEASON 2020-21 FIXTURE
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Match Statistics
DATE
Key
Goal =
Sub = 2 (number denotes player replaced)
Captain =
TEAM
Newport County (CC R2) A L 2-0
Sat, Sep 5, 3pm
Woodman
Routledge 3
Naughton
Rodon
Fulton
Bidwell 1
Grimes
Preston North End A W 0-1
Sat, Sep 12, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Rodon
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Birmingham City H D 0-0
Sat, Sep 19, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Rodon
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Waycombe Wanderers A W 0-2
Sat, Sep 26, 12.30pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Rodon
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Millwall H W 2-1
Sat, Oct 3, 3pm
Benda
Roberts
Cabango
Rodon
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Huddersfield Town H L 1-2
Sat, Oct 17, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Naughton 3
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Coventry City A D 1-1
Tue, Oct 20, 7.45pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Bristol City A D 1-1
Sat, Oct 24, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Stoke City H W 2-0
Tue, Oct 27, 7.45pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Bennett 3
Guehi
Manning 1
Grimes
Blackburn Rovers H W 2-0
Sat, Oct 31, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Naughton
Guehi
Bidwell
Smith
Brentford A D 1-1
Tue, Nov 3, 7pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Smith
Norwich City A L 1-0
Sat, Nov 7, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Rotherham United H W 1-0
Sat, Nov 21, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Sheffield Wednesday H D 1-1
Wed, Nov 25, 7.45pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Bennett
Naughton 2
Bidwell 4
Grimes
Nottingham Forest A W 0-1
Sun, Nov 29, 12pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Middlesbrough A L 2-1
Wed, Dec 2, 7pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango 2
Bennett
Guehi
Manning
Smith 5
Luton Town H W 2-0
Sat, Dec 5, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Cabango
Guehi 3
Bidwell
Grimes
A.F.C. Bournemouth H D 0-0
Tue, Dec 8, 7.45pm
Woodman
Roberts
Latibeaudiere
Cabango
Naughton
Bidwell
Grimes
Cardiff City A W 0-2
Sat, Dec 12, 12.30pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Derby County A L 2-0
Wed, Dec 16, 5.30pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton 2
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell 3
Grimes
Barnsley H W 2-0
Sat, Dec 19, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Queens Park Rangers A W 0-2
Sat, Dec 26, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Reading H D 0-0
Wed, Dec 30, 8pm
Woodman
Roberts
Cabango
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Watford H W 2-1
Sat, Jan 2, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Guehi
Cabango
Bidwell
Manning 1
Grimes
Stevenage A (FA R3) W 0-2
Sat, Jan 9, 3pm
Woodman
Garrick 4
Naughton
Cabango
Evans
Barnsley A W 0-2
Sat, Jan 16, 7.45pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Cabango
Nottingham Forest H (FA R4) W 5-1
Sat, Jan 23, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts 5
Latibeaudiere
Brentford H D 1-1
Weds, Jan 27, 7pm
Woodman
Roberts
Naughton
Rotherham United A W 1-3
Sat, Jan 30, 3pm
Woodman
Roberts
Norwich City H W 2-0
Fri, Feb 5, 8.15pm
Woodman
Roberts
Manchester City H (FA R5)
Wed, Feb 10, 5.30pm
Sheffield Wednesday A
Sat, Feb 13, 3pm
Nottingham Forest H
Wed, Feb 17, 7pm
Huddersfield Town A
Sat, Feb 20, 3pm
Coventry City H
Wed, Feb 24, 7pm
Bristol City H
Sat, Feb 27, 3pm
Stoke City A
Wed, Mar 3, 8.15pm
Middlesbrough H
Sat, Mar 6, 3pm
Blackburn Rovers A
Tue, March 9, 6pm
Luton Town A
Sat, Mar 13, 3pm
A.F.C. Bournemouth A
Tues, Mar 16, 7.45pm
Cardiff City H
Sat, Mar 20, 3pm
Birmingham City A
Fri, Apr 2, 3pm
Preston North End H
Mon, Apr 5, 3pm
Millwall A
Sat, Apr 10, 3pm
Wycombe Wanderers H
Sat, Apr 17, 3pm
Queens Park Rangers H
Tues, Apr 20, 7.45pm
Reading A
Sat, Apr 24, 3pm
Derby County H
Sat, May 1, 3pm
Watford A
Sat, May 8, 3pm
1
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Smith
Bennett
Naughton
Bidwell
Grimes
1
3
Manning
Byers
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Bennett
Guehi 4
Manning
Hourihane 3
Cabango
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Cabango
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Naughton
Bennett
Guehi
Bidwell
Grimes
Booked =
Sent off =
Carabao Cup = CC
FA Cup = FA
Correct as of February 8, 2021
SUBSTITUTES Smith 2
Gibbs-White
Smith
Gibbs-White
Smith
Gibbs-White
Lowe 1
Smith
Gibbs-White 1
Lowe
Smith
Gibbs-White 2
Smith Smith
1
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Rushesha, Evans, Williams, Dhanda 2, Peterson 3, Asoro 1
Lowe 2
Ayew
Benda, Naughton, Fulton 1, Dhanda, Routledge 2, Peterson, Cullen
Ayew
Benda, Naughton, Fulton, Dhanda, Routledge, Peterson, Cullen 1
Ayew
Benda, Naughton, Fulton 1, Dhanda, Routledge, Peterson, Cullen 2
Lowe 1
Ayew
Webb, Naughton, Fulton 2, Routledge, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres 1
Gyokeres 1
Lowe 2
Ayew
Benda, Evans, Fulton, Dhanda, Palmer 1, Garrick 3, Cullen 2
Gyokeres 1
Lowe 2
Ayew
Benda, Manning, Fulton 1, Dhanda, Palmer, Garrick, Cullen 2
Smith
Fulton
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Naughton, Manning, Dhanda, Routledge, Cullen, Gyokeres 1
Fulton
Dhanda 2
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Cabango 3, Bidwell 1, Smith, Palmer 2
Fulton
Dhanda
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Bennett, Manning, Grimes, Routledge, Palmer 2, Gyokeres 1
Dhanda 2
Lowe 3
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Grimes 1, Routledge, Palmer 2, Gyokeres 3
Palmer 3
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Grimes 1, Dhanda 3, Routledge, Gyokeres 2
Fulton
Dhanda 2
Lowe 3
Cullen 1
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Rushesha, Williams, Smith 3, Cooper, Routledge 1, Palmer 2
Smith
Dhanda
Lowe 3
Cullen 1
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning 4, Rushesha, Fulton, Cooper, Routledge 3, Palmer 2, Ayew 1
Smith
Fulton
Lowe 1
Ayew
Benda, Cabango, Manning, Dhanda, Routledge 1, Palmer, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres
Palmer 4
Lowe 3
Ayew
Dhanda 2
Cullen 2
Ayew
Fulton 1 Fulton
Fulton
2
1
Smith Smith
Dhanda 2
Lowe 1
Smith
Fulton
Lowe
Smith 5
Fulton 1
Fulton
Dhanda
Fulton
Dhanda
Fulton Fulton Fulton 1
Routledge
Fulton
Smith
Dhanda
Grimes
Fulton
2
1
, Cullen, Gyokeres
Benda, Naughton, Bidwell, Grimes 1 , Dhanda 4 4
Ayew
, Routledge 2, Garrick 5, Cullen, Gyokeres 3
Benda, Latibeaudiere 3, Manning, Fulton, Routledge, Palmer 2, Garrick, Lowe 1, Gyokeres 4 Benda, Evans, Manning, Fulton, Routledge, Palmer 2, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres 1
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Manning, Routledge 1, Palmer, Dhanda, Cullen, Gyokeres
Lowe 4
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Manning 3, Garrick 4, Palmer 3, Dhanda 1, Cullen 5, Gyokeres
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Smith, Routledge, Palmer, Cooper, Cullen, Gyokeres
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Smith 1, Routledge, Palmer, Garrick, Cullen, Gyokeres
Smith 2
Lowe 3
Ayew
Benda, Latibeaudiere 1, Manning, Routledge, Palmer 2, Dhanda, Cooper, Garrick, Gyokeres 3
Smith
Lowe
Ayew
Benda, Evans, Routledge, Palmer, Dhanda, Gibbs-White 1, Cooper, Garrick, Gyokeres
Dhanda
Gyokeres
Webb, Guehi, Bidwell 3, Grimes, Smith 1, Williams, Cooper 4, Cullen 2, Lowe
1
2
1
Lowe
Ayew
Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Routledge, Byers, Dhanda, Cooper, Garrick, Cullen
Routledge 1
Cullen
Webb, Cabango, Naughton, Bidwell 4, Fulton 2, Cooper 3
Hourihane
Lowe 1
Ayew
Hamer, Bennett, Latibeaudiere, Manning 1, Williams, Dhanda, Cooper, Garrick, Morris
Dhanda 1
Hourihane
Lowe 2
Ayew
Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Evans, Manning, Williams, Fulton 1
Fulton
Hourihane
Lowe 1
Ayew
Hamer, Latibeaudiere, Cabango, Manning, Freeman, Dhanda, Cooper, Morris 1, Whittaker.
2
, Garrick 5, Ayew, Lowe 1
, Cooper, Garrick, Morris 2
53
CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE 20-21 POS TEAM
P
*Sheffield Wednesday deducted 6 points.
W D L
F
A
GD PTS
1
Norwich City
28
16
7
5
35
23
12
55
2
Brentford
27
15
9
3
52
27
25
54
3
Swansea City
27
15
8
4
35
15
20
53
4
Reading
27
14
6
7
40
29
11
48
5
Watford
28
13
9
6
31
20
11
48
6
Bournemouth
28
12
9
7
43
28
15
45
7
Middlesbrough
28
11
7
10
31
28
3
40
8
Blackburn Rovers
27
11
6
10
41
29
12
39
9
Stoke City
28
9
12
7
32
29
3
39
10
Bristol City
28
12
3
13
29
33
-4
39
11
Preston North End
28
11
3
14
32
36
-4
36
12
Barnsley
27
10
6
11
29
34
-5
36
13
Millwall
28
7
14
7
26
26
0
35
14
Cardiff City
27
9
7
11
35
31
4
34
15
Luton Town
27
9
7
11
22
29
-7
34
16
Queens Park Rangers
27
8
9
10
26
32
-6
33
17
Huddersfield Town
28
9
6
13
31
39
-8
33
18
Nottingham Forest
28
8
8
12
25
30
-5
32
19
Coventry City
28
7
10
11
26
37
-11
31
20
Rotherham United
26
8
5
13
32
36
-4
29
21
Derby County
27
7
7
13
17
28
-11
28
22
Birmingham City
28
6
10
12
21
34
-13
28
23
Sheffield Wednesday*
27
8
7
12
19
30
-11
25
24
Wycombe Wanderers
26
3
7
16
18
45
-27
16
UPCOMING FIXTURES SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (A)
Saturday, Feb 13, 3pm
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (H)
Wednesday, Feb 17, 7pm
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (A)
Saturday, Feb 20, 3pm
COVENTRY CITY (H)
Wednesday, Feb 24, 7pm
BRISTOL CITY (H)
Saturday, Feb 27, 3pm
Correct as of February 8, 2021
NEXT UP AT HOME - NOTTINGHAM FOREST
N
ottingham Forest are currently contesting their 13th successive season in the Championship.
The club has a rich history, winning the First Division title in 1977-78 under manager Brian Clough, who also led Forest to memorable European Cup triumphs in successive seasons. The club has not featured in the Premier League since relegation in 1999 and have spent all bar three of the intervening seasons in the second tier. The closest they have come to a top-flight return was in 2011, falling just short as the Swans beat them in the Championship play-offs.
54
25 SWANS
26 NOTTINGHAM FOREST
16 DRAWS 67 PAST MEETINGS
55
SQUAD LIST V
HEAD COACH: STEVE COOPER Freddie Woodman Ryan Bennett Ryan Manning Marc Guéhi Jay Fulton Korey Smith Matt Grimes Jamal Lowe André Ayew Steven Benda Conor Hourihane Wayne Routledge Morgan Whittaker Ben Hamer Paul Arriola Liam Cullen Yan Dhanda Joel Latibeaudiere Connor Roberts Jake Bidwell Kyle Naughton Tivonge Rushesha Oli Cooper Kieron Freeman Daniel Williams Cameron Evans Lewis Webb Ben Cabango
1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 30 31 34 37 38 42 44
MANAGER: PEP GUARDIOLA 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 16 17 20 21 22 25 26 27 31 33 34 47 48 50 61 69
Kyle Walker Rúben Dias John Stones Nathan Aké Raheem Sterling İlkay Gündoğan Gabriel Jesus Sergio Agüero Oleksandr Zinchenko Zack Steffen Aymeric Laporte Rodri Kevin De Bruyne Bernardo Silva Ferran Torres Benjamin Mendy Fernandinho Riyad Mahrez João Cancelo Ederson Scott Carson Philippe Sandler Phil Foden Liam Delap Eric García Felix Nmecha Tommy Doyle
MATCH OFFICIALS REFEREE: PETER BANKES ASSISTANT REFEREES: ADAM NUNN AND NEIL DAVIES FOURTH OFFICIAL: ANDRE MARRINER
56