Trundling through the archives with one of Swansea's greatest

Once the hero of Swansea City, Lee Trundle continues to play the beautiful game for local side Ammanford AFC, located above the Amman Valley in the Welsh county of Carmarthenshire.

Now aged 43, the once household name of British football, Trundle is onto the 18th club of his 25-year-long career. But, Ammanford isn't exactly a football-fanatic town. In fact, deep within Carmarthen's rugby heartlands, the 800-strong crowds that the Recreation Ground boasts on most weekends is impressive. 

Ammanford AFC's Recreation Ground

Of course, Trundle's move in 2019 may well be a factor in this. This is especially true when considering the legend Trundle created just half-an-hour down the A483 and M4 with Swansea. With Ammanford being in Swansea's orbit, there is naturally the added pressure on local sides to find fans from somewhere when the English Championship is being played at the same time.

Born in Liverpool, it's often a wonder as to why a scouser finds his home four hours and nearly 200 miles away on the south coast of Wales. But, after turning out for non-league sides in Merseyside, Trundle finally turned professional midway through his twenties, joining Swansea from Wrexham in 2003.

Back then, the Swans were languishing in League Two - or what was named the Third Division - in the early noughties. That move changed the fortunes of both player and club as forward Trundle netted 86 times in 173 times with the Swans earning promotion to the second tier. From that, the Welsh side established themselves as a stable Championship club until another promotion in 2011 saw the Swans head to the promise-land of the Premier League.

Trundle set Swansea on the path to greatness

Trundle was a massive part of this golden era, becoming a firm fans favourite with close control, incredible ball skills and impressive finishing that seemed far too good for the bottom depths of the Football League.

Naturally, every footballer incurs lows as well as the memorable highs and the striker was no different, failing to recapture his Swansea form at Bristol City, Leeds and Preston. A brief return to Swansea on loan in 2009 saw him net five times in 20 appearances before spells in the Welsh first tier and non-league saw the Liverpudlian retire at the age of 36.

Football was, and is, Trundle's life however and he continued to showcase his talent with amateur side Page Celtic in the Liverpool County Premier League as well as local pub side, The Oak Tree, on Sundays.

A real comeback was made though in 2016 when Trundle was asked by friend and then manager of Llanelli Town Andy Hill to play for the Reds. 68 goals in 45 appearances is not a statistic to sniff at, particularly when considering that the striker was now a quadragenarian. In fact, the striker hit a half-century of goals for Llanelli in his first season - including a remarkable nine hat-tricks. Yes, his opponents were usually semi-professional, but that is an incredible goal-scoring return in any league in any country.

Trundle excelled at Llanelli

Consecutive promotions followed with Trundle leading the line, but the striker moved on in 2018, citing the problem of travelling to teams in north Wales the reason.

Haverfordwest County was Trundle's next destination, but the location in Pembrokeshire led to struggles between games and training and work commitments at Swansea. After a brief spell at Trefelin, the striker decided on Ammanford last year where he has 12 goals in 14 appearances. 

A recent knee operation limited his game time before the coronavirus pandemic obviously put a halt to all sporting proceedings. But there seems to be little stopping Trundle from continuing to play football well into his late forties, especially if the love of the game is still well and truly there, which it appears it is.

The conquistador that settled on the shores of Swansea

Eight years ago, a Spanish footballer by the name of Miguel Perez Cuesta - or Michu for short - arrived on the shores of south Wales. The rest, they say, is history.

Going into the 2012-13 Premier League season and Swansea City were tipped to struggle; following an impressive debut season in the top flight, head coach Brendan Rodgers had been snapped up by Liverpool along with Joe Allen, whilst loan star Gylfi Sigurdsson had left for Tottenham.




Gylfi Sigurdsson's move to Tottenham was labelled a
disaster by many Swansea fans.

The appointment of former Danish midfielder Michael Laudrup was a gamble given his lack of coaching experience in top leagues. But, nine months later and the Welsh side were League Cup champions and ninth-placed finishers in the Premier League. Whilst Laudrup deserves the majority of praise for the Swans' endeavours, one certain Spanish striker certainly made his job easier.

An unknown quantity, Michu had been the unsung hero for La Liga side Rayo Vallecano before joining Swansea. The striker - then operating as a midfielder - had netted 15 times in 37 appearances for the Spanish side, but he was to better that emphatically for the Swans. In just one season, the previously unheard of Michu, wrote his name into Welsh and Premier League football folklore.

There's debuts to remember and then there's the one enjoyed by Michu in his first appearance for Swansea in 2012. It took just eight minutes for the Spaniard to open his account for the season, placing a shot from outside the area. He went on to register an assist and a fantastic double, netting a first-time finesse in the second-half. A new four-year deal in January 2013 enabled chairman Huw Jenkins to warn off any would-be interest with a £30 million price tag slapped upon the striker's head.




Michu celebrates his first goal in Swansea colours.

22 goals in 43 appearances rounded off the season in perfect fashion as Michu took home the Swans' Player of the Year award. In recognition of his stellar season, the formidable forward earned his first cap for Spain in October 2013. It seemed as though everything was heading in the right direction. So, how come, just two years later, Michu found himself in the third Spanish division?

Well, injuries can ruin many a footballer's career, and, simply put, that is what plagued Michu's. Injury after injury made sure that he could never maintain an extended run in the Swansea side, and, April 2014 proved to be the last time the Spaniard donned the Swans' jersey. A loan move to Napoli and then a release from his contract in November 2015 saw Michu's time on British shores cut short.



Michu often cut a frustrated figure at Napoli.

The striker went home, joining Segunda B side UP Langreo before ending his career at boyhood club Real Oviedo. Forced to retire at just 31 because of the injuries he had sustained throughout his time in the sport, Michu took up the role of technical secretary at Real Oviedo where he still remains.

Of course, the way in which Michu ended his career on the south coast of Wales was inherently disappointing for all concerned, but the Spaniard helped Swansea win their first and only major trophy, something which will always make him a hero.

Injuries are part and parcel of sport and football especially, but the way in which they cut short the career of a player that had revolutionised a city of Wales was particularly cruel.

Perhaps there's never been a more befitting phrase of "one-season wonder" than that of Michu's in 2012-13, but what a season it was.


Michu was an integral part of the Swansea side
that lifted the League Cup in 2013.

Swansea's season is in danger of ending with a whimper

Five games without a win and Swansea sit 11th in the Championship table, dangerously close to being pushed out of the promotion-chasing pack. The Swans' draw to Hull City at the weekend outlined defensive frailties as Steve Cooper's men conceded four goals in a thrilling 4-4 stalemate at the KCOM Stadium.

Swansea and Hull played out an entertaining 4-4 draw.

A lot of things to work on

Swansea's league position - 11th - is hardly where Cooper and his players thought they would be five games ago. But, having failed to win in five games, the Swans have slipped down the table and almost out of sight of the promotion play-offs spots.

And, it was yet again the leaky defence which proved to be Swansea's downfall. For Swansea fans, it would have felt like a defeat, having taken the lead with just six minutes to go through Rhian Brewster's effort. But, Hull's Tom Eaves scored in the fifth minute of injury time to give both sides a point - a result which did little for both teams.

The Swans were without centre-back star Joe Rodon after he succumbed to an injury following Swansea's eventful 0-0 draw with QPR. His presence was greatly missed as the Welsh side looked like they could concede at any moment at the back. The good news is that the Welshman will be back in time for when Huddersfield Town visit the Liberty Stadium in next weekend's fixture.

Joe Rodon is Swansea's rock at the back.

Positives

Despite the dismal run of form, Swansea could take some real positives away from the Friday night debacle. Jordon Garrick appeared for the first time in four months and even netted in the 77th minute for his first-ever league goal.

On-loan Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher was also particularly impressive. With two assists to his name, Gallagher threatened all night with the 20-year-old registering six shots - more than any other player from either side.

With Gallager justifying Cooper's decision to bring him to the Liberty Stadium, the Epsom-born loanee takes risks in the final third. Such risks were on display for Swansea's first goal as Gallagher drove into the box then delivered a wonderful cross for Wayne Routledge, which highlighted just how effective the Chelsea man can be.

If the Welsh side are going to turn things around, then Gallagher is going to be imperative with Garrick's return giving Cooper a number of headaches in terms of selection. 

Conor Gallagher has impressed since his loan move from Chelsea.

Tough run of fixtures

Following the upcoming weekend's clash against Huddersfield Town, the Swans travel to Fulham then Blackburn before hosting leaders West Brom. Those three games could end Swansea's hopes of a play-off spot or could rejuvenate their charge to the top. 

The Swans' last game against Fulham ended in a 2-1 victory for the Cottagers, whilst their last two fixtures against Blackburn have ended in draws. To make matters worse, West Brom have won their last three games against the Welsh side too. Talk about season defining.

Post-Match Review: Stoke City 2-0 Swansea City

Sam Clucas celebrated in front of the Swansea fans.

Swansea City missed the opportunity to return to the play-offs with an uninspiring display as Stoke City ease their relegation fears.

Damp squib
Following two wins from their last three games the Swans headed to the Britannia Stadium in good form and in good spirits. But, goals from former Swan Sam Clucas - who made his joy known - and a 91st minute James McLean strike made this eight-hour round trip one to forget.

A Stoke hoodoo
It seems almost remarkable, but Swansea haven't won away at Stoke since March 2001 - both sides were in Division League 2 as it was called back then. That's nine games without a win at Stoke. And, remember, this was a Stoke side that had won two and drawn one in their last three games under Michael O'Neill.

What went wrong?
If you had watched the opening 20 minutes, you would have believed that the respective positions in the league table prior to the game - 7th (Swansea) and 21st (Stoke) - were indeed true. The Welsh side were unlucky not to net in the first ten minutes with Bersant Celina unlucky not to get back-to-back assists with an inviting drilled cross.

Celina was all over the place and he himself had a shot blocked on 11 minutes with on-loan Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher being denied superbly by Stoke 'keeper Jack Butland. The atmosphere was growing tense as the home fans knew they were under the cosh. But, they began turning the screw.

Clucas' goal on 55 minutes was well-taken, but Swansea almost replied instantly. A Matt Grimes free-kick hit the crossbar and Rhian Brewster went close twice in two minutes just after the hour.

The Swans tried desperately, but just couldn't find the net as a mistake by debutant Marc Guehi allowed James McLean to run through on goal and end the game just after the 90th minute.

James McLean thanks the Stoke fans after netting.

Positives
Swansea fans got to see Chelsea loanee Marc Guehi in action for the first time and he held his own, though was at fault for Stoke's second goal. But, there was a return to action for Joe Rodon, who finally took to the football field for his first Championhip game since October,

Swansea still hold the lowest amount of goals conceded from set pieces with just five - something which boss Steve Cooper can certainly take pride from.

Matt Grimes looked very impressive against a strong Stoke midfield, rattling the crossbar with a free-kick whilst Rhian Brewster looked a constant threat and Andre Ayew did some magical hold-up play.

What to work on
Surely, Cooper's men have to work on their corner-taking. The Swans earned 11 corners to Stoke's one at the weekend and rarely looked to threaten.

George Byers, Conor Gallagher and Jake Bidwell all looked as though they were struggling against a physical Stoke side. Cooper may well look to switch things up against Preston at the weekend.

Why FA attention over Oli McBurnie was wrong

Going to support your football team is one of the most joyous events for any fan. So, why should a professional footballer be treated any differently?

That's the question that has been asked consistently ever since Sheffield United's Oli McBurnie was "reminded" of his responsibilities by the FA following his appearance on camera allegedly making an obscene gesture whilst watching Swansea City. McBurnie, of course, spent four years with the Swans before moving to Premier League promoted side Sheffield United.

Oli McBurnie pictured here in the Swansea crowd against Cardiff.

Hardly an anomaly

It was derby day for the Swans against their bitterest rivals Cardiff City on January 12 and the 23-year-old striker was in the crowd following Sheffield United's 1-0 victory over West Ham the previous Friday. The Leeds-born forward had scored that game and was clearly just wanting to stand and support his team.

It's hardly an aberration for the Scottish international to be pictured amongst the Swansea crowd, having also been pictured watching the Swans against QPR earlier in the season. Plus, the gesture which McBurnie was seen to be making is commonplace around football grounds up and down the country.

So, why has the FA moved to warn him?

Well, of course, the FA needs to always appear above-board and McBurnie's responsibilities as a professional footballer means he is constantly in the public eye. That, in itself, almost forces footballers to be on their best behaviour, especially when there are cameras watching their every move.

But, critics consistently bemoan footballers as living their own lives and that they are far too detached from ordinary fans. McBurnie proved that footballers are, on the whole, just normal people wanting to support their teams. Is that such a crime?

What we like to see (minus the gesture)

Naturally, the gesture cannot be defended, but the fact that McBurnie had travelled to South Wales on his weekend off shows just how much the Swansea club means to him. If every footballer that supported a side did that then football may well be a happier place altogether.

McBurnie's gesture isn't exactly pretty.

The footballer loves it and the fans next to him love it even more. The chance to mingle with one of their former heroes cannot be underestimated and it's this kind of interaction that spectators love to see. Everyone gets carried away with gestures, but punishing players in this regard just shows how out of touch those at the top really are.

Big Match Preview: Stoke City vs Swansea City

Swansea City travel to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in this round 29 Championship clash.

Previous form and league position
Both sides go into this one in reasonable runs of form with Stoke not having lost in three games and Swansea with no loss in four. Their league positions, however, could not be more different as the Welsh side sit just one place and one point outside the top six whilst the Potters lie four points above the drop zone in 21st.

Previous head-to-head
Swansea do not have a good record against Stoke with just one win in their last five meetings. The Swans also failed to beat Stoke at home earlier on in the season, going down 2-1.

Scott Hogan was the hero for Stoke in the two sides' last meeting in October 2019.

Odds and Best Bet
Surprisingly, despite both sides' positions in the Championship table, Stoke are 11/10 favourites on Unibet with a draw at 13/5 on William Hill. A Swansea victory, meanwhile, is 14/5 on William Hill which will surely attract a number of flutters.

Joint top-scorer for Stoke with six, Sam Vokes, is 5/1 to score first on Unibet as is fellow striker Scott Hogan. Sam Clucas also has six goals for the Potters this season and is 21/2 on the same site to break the deadlock. Tyrese Campbell at 13/5 to score anytime and 13/2 to score first on Unibet looks inviting too given his five goals in nine games have helped Stoke move out of the relegation zone.

Swansea's starlet Rhian Brewster already has one goal to his name and he has odds of a remarkable 21/2 to score first and an even more impressive 19/4 to score anytime with Andre Ayew at 10/1 to net first and 7/2 to score anytime on Bet365.

Surely, a Swansea victory at 14/5 on William Hill and Rhian Brewster to score first at 21/2 on Unibet are bargains waiting to happen.

Rhian Brewster celebrates scoring on his debut for Swansea.

Where the Game Will Be Won
For Swansea, it will be whether they can repeat the free-flowing football produced against Wigan last weekend. Their two goals - scored by Brewster and Ayew - were down to extremely exciting and skilful football and boss Steve Cooper will certainly be hoping for more of the same.

Campbell is Stoke's dangerman, but also look out for midfielder and ex-Swansea man Clucas who can certainly ping a pass or two as well finish expertly.

It's remarkable really that both sides have scored the same amount of goals (34) despite their respective positions in the league, but a goal may be enough for either side - especially as Stoke hunt for their third consecutive clean sheet under Michael O'Neill.

Final Thoughts
Swansea will surely be too good for a Stoke side that is clinging on to Championship life by the skin of its teeth. Both sides have been in reasonable form, but if the Welsh side want to earn promotion, games like this need to end up in victories. Though a resurgent Stoke will have something to say about that.

How Swansea's January transfer window has been shaping up so far

Wind the clock back to this time last year and Swansea were in a pickle; the loss of Wilfried Bony, Tom Carroll and Jefferson Montero without replacements hit the club hard, and, it could have been even worse had Daniel James and Leroy Fer completed their respective would-be moves.

Yet, 2020 has seen the Swans resurge; Rhian Brewster, Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi have added some much-needed impetus to the Welsh side. Hopeful of achieving promotion in his first season with the Swans, Steve Cooper has acted rather than reacted to what could have been a problem.

Marc Guehi celebrating his loan move.

Promotion a real possibility

After losing sight of the play-offs for a spell in November, Swansea sit just one point and one place outside the top six - and they have a game in hand on sixth-placed Preston. And, with the new additions as well as the playing and coaching staff and the fans, all talking about promotion, there is a real feel-good attitude around the Liberty Stadium at present. That mid-season blip has long gone and the Welsh side look in good shape to mount another assault on the Premier League.

Though there is still time until the January transfer window ends, Cooper, chairman Trevor Birch and head of recruitment Andy Scott, must be given a pat on the back for the way they have identified the issues within the squad and rectified them in a short space of time.

It was Cooper's relationship with Brewster that influenced the latter to join and he has already scored on his Swansea debut whilst on-loan Chelsea duo Gallagher and Guehi have added some steel to the midfield and defence respectively.

Rhian Brewster celebrates his debut goal.

Are the Swans finished there for their recruitment?

It's unlikely that Cooper will add any more loan signings to his squad with six already in the Swansea ranks - one more than the limit that can be included on match days. But, that still hasn't stopped the rumour mill from ticking over.

Lorient starlet Julien Ponceau continues to be linked with the Swans with the Welsh club having held discussions with the youngster. That's as far as it has gone so far though. Meanwhile, non-league striker Ronald Sobowale - cousin of Bayern Munich's David Alaba - has been rumoured also, but the chances of Swansea doing any last-minute business seems unlikely.

What about outgoings?

Well, that seems to be where the action is likely to be in the remaining days. Kristoffer Nordfeldt (Genclerbirligi - Turkey) and Kristoffer Peterson (Utrecht - the Netherlands) have already departed the Liberty Stadium. Though Peterson's exit led to a chorus of groans, the Swede had scored just once in 11 appearances.

Kristoffer Nordfeldt has moved to Turkish side Genclerbirligi.

Bersant Celina continues to be linked to a move away with Brighton said to be on his radar as does Andre Ayew, but neither have been the subject of bids and keeping hold of the duo could well be the difference between earning promotion and enduring another year in the second tier.

Post-Match Review - Swansea City vs Blackburn Rovers

Ben Cabango made his full league debut

Swansea still haven't won in six games, but they came close against Blackburn as Danny Graham's opener was cancelled out by Andre Ayew as the two sides fought hard for a 1-1 draw.

Switching things up
Swans head coach Steve Cooper made four changes from the side that was comprehensively beaten by West Brom last weekend with Ben Cabango making his full league debut alongside Tom Carroll, Bersant Celina and Jake Bidwell.


The Welsh side, however, seemed to pick up where they left off against the Baggies, conceding in the fourth minute to a Danny Graham effort. The tension around the Liberty Stadium was palpable as Cooper's men looked to be staring defeat in the face yet again. But, an Andre Ayew header from a Matt Grimes cross in the tenth minute settled the team and the crowd.

Major improvement
In fact, Swansea showed a vast improvement from their demolition at West Brom, with Ayew in particular causing the visitors all sorts of problems. Carroll's red card 12 minutes into the second-half stemmed the Swans' momentum, but Bradley Dack soon followed Carroll for an early bath ten minutes later.

Cooper's men ended the game with 57% possession and 14 shots to Blackburn's 8. This must have given the former England youth boss confidence that his side can turn things around in the Championship.

Controversy
But, what didn't please Cooper was the performance of referee Jeremy Simpson. Incandescent, Cooper blasted Simpson, stating that he should be dropped to the conference. The Swansea boss labelled Simpson's decision not to award a second-half penalty for handball by Rovers' Dack as a "massive error."

Referee Jeremy Simpson came in for some criticism in the 1-1 draw

The list of Cooper's issues didn't stop there though as he referred to Carroll's and Dack's second yellow cards as "mistakes" and also wanted a penalty for a foul on Sam Surridge as Swansea tried to force a winner late on.

Positives
Ghanian Ayew led from the front and seemed to be on a one-man mission to help his side get the three points at the Liberty Stadium. With the worst home record in the Championship's top 17, a loss would have been catastrophic, but the Swans plugged away with Ayew - who is currently looking far too impressive for the second tier - at the helm.

Connor Roberts enjoyed some great runs forward and was a rock at the back when necessary whilst captain Matt Grimes kept the Swans ticking - even after receiving a whack that saw Dack sent off.

Striker Surridge made some superb runs in-behind, but failed to hit the net.

What to Work On
Surridge could do with adding another few goals to his name if he wants to keep his place as does Celina. Again, defensive frailties were on show though with Mike van der Hoorn enduring a nervy first-half and Jake Bidwell getting caught out for Blackburn's goal.

However, it was a much improved performance and there were plenty of positives for Cooper to take into the weekend's game against Middlesbrough. A draw might not have been enough to stop the vultures circling at SA1, but it certainly lifted spirits.

Big Match Preview - Swansea City vs Blackburn Rovers

Swansea City host Blackburn Rovers at the Liberty Stadium in this round 21 Championship clash.

Previous form and league position
With Swansea's 100% away record coming to an end in a 5-1 thrashing by West Brom, the Welsh side will be aiming to get back on the horse after just two wins in ten games. Blackburn, meanwhile, are on a four-match winning run and now sit just above (10th) the Swans (11th) on points difference in the table.

Swansea appeared hapless against promotion hopefuls West Brom.

Whilst Tony Mowbray's men will be looking to add their fifth win in succession, Swansea are in a rut - they haven't won in five games - and are looking over their shoulder, just 13 points ahead of the relegation zone.

Previous head-to-head
Surprisingly, these two sides have met just twice in the league since 2012 and only four times since 1984. The last two meetings have seen the Swans come out 3-1 winners (October 2018) with a 2-2 draw in the most recent fixture (May 2019).

Predicted line-ups
Swansea
Formation - 4-2-3-1
Team - Woodman; Roberts, Wilmot, van der Hoorn, Naughton; Fulton, Grimes; Ayew, Byers, Dier; Surridge
Out - Celina (Doubtful), Garrick (Injured), John (Injured), Mulder (Injured), Rodon (Injured), Routledge (Injured).

Blackburn
Formation - 4-2-3-1
Team - Walton; Nyambe, Lenihan, Adarabioyo, Downing; Travis, Evans; Armstrong, Dack, Rothwell; Graham
Out - Butterworth (Injured), Cunningham (Injured), Davenport (Injured), Gladwin (Injured), Grayson (Injured), Hart (Injured), Samuel (Injured), Williams (Injured).

Odds and Best Bet
Swansea are well-placed to win at 1.25/1 on Unibet, whilst a draw is 2.5/1 and a Blackburn victory 2.25/1.

Andrew Ayew, Borja Baston and Sam Surridge all have six goals for the Swans in the 2019/20 Championship season so far with the trio 8.5/1, 4.5/1 and 6.5/1 to score first on Unibet and bet365 respectively.

Bradley Dack is quite clearly the threat for Rovers, with his 10 goals in the Championship six more than nearest Blackburn contender Adam Armstrong. Despite this, Dack is priced at an inviting 8/1 to score first on sportsbet with striker Danny Graham - who has scored just once in the league - at 7/1.

A draw and Bradley Dack to score first surely look the most tantalising offers.

Bradley Dack is a tremendous threat for Rovers.

Where the Game Will Be Won
If Tony Mowbray names an unchanged side for Rovers, it will see Lewis Travis partner Corry Evans in the heart of the Blackburn midfield. When that duo have played together, Rovers have won a remarkable 10 games from a possible 13.

Swansea need to watch out for Dack too; the Welsh side have failed to record a clean sheet in the league since late October whilst Blackburn are hunting for their second in succession with Dack having scored four in his last four.

The injury to Joe Rodon at the back for Swansea has derailed Steve Cooper's great start to the season and Rovers will be licking their lips at the frailties on show in Swansea's 5-1 reversal at West Brom last weekend.

Final Thoughts
Cooper's men need to desperately find some inspiration from somewhere; a losing mentality is incredibly difficult to get out of, and, with Rovers in a rampant mood recently, the visitors could well inflict further pain on the Welsh side with Cooper limping into the January transfer window.

Blackburn to at least get a draw.

Swansea's unbeaten away record ends in dismal fashion. What next?

Before last weekend, Swansea were the only side in the Championship boasting a 100% away record. Fast forward to Sunday evening and the Swans were licking their wounds after promotion-favourites West Brom heaped more misery on the Welsh side with a 5-1 drubbing.

Swansea have won just twice in ten games, falling out of the play-off spots and down to 11th in the process.

The contrast between the two sides could not have been starker as the Baggies taught Swansea a footballing lesson.

A Sam Surridge goal six minutes before half-time made it 2-1 before a Hal Robson-Kanu goal on 44 minutes restored West Brom's two-goal lead. Two further goals from the home side in the second-half, aided with some horrendous defensive lapses from the Swans, restored the Baggies' place at the top of the Championship.

That position could have been filled by Swansea a few months ago, but, after going on an eight-match winning run at the start of the season, Steve Cooper's men have failed to win in five games and with just three wins in 15 games, the pressure is on at the Liberty Stadium to pick up performances or risk dropping further down the table.

Of course, the injury to Joe Rodon hasn't helped at the back and that frailty was all too apparent at the Hawthorns with Ben Wilmot and Mike van der Hoorn experiencing horror shows. In fact, only Sam Surridge appeared to cause West Brom any trouble - a feature which Cooper will want to address ahead of the busy Christmas schedule.

Livewire Bersant Celina hasn't played in recent weeks with George Byers preferred to support lone striker Sam Surridge, but recent results may influence Cooper to change things.

Swansea host Blackburn Rovers tonight and it will be interesting to see if Cooper changes things or sticks with the same side that was battered by West Brom. Plus, with the January transfer window just round the corner, there may well be some new blood required.

What do Swansea need in January to reignite promotion hopes?

Swansea's recent run of results of two draws and one loss have highlighted just how competitive the second tier of British football is.

And, currently in danger of dropping out of the Championship play-offs, the Swans certainly need some new impetus in the New Year. But, in which positions?

Six time-capped England Under-21s international and loanee star Freddie Woodman is excelling in goal. No wonder then that his parent club Newcastle United did not allow the youngster to permanently leave and tied him to a contract until the end of 2021.

In defence it's another story; the injury to Mike van der Hoorn in Swansea's draw at Huddersfield affected the Swans greatly. And, despite youngster Ben Cabango coming in for some high praise on his first league appearance, the injury opened up a can of worms.

Joe Rodon has already been sidelined for months with an ankle injury and van der Hoorn's sidelining has highlighted the defensive frailties within the squad. Cabango has stepped in admirably, but being thrust into the limelight in a pivotal part of the season as the Christmas period approaches, is probably not what boss Steve Cooper had in mind.

Swansea have no issues on the right or left side of defence wiith Kyle Naughton and Connor Roberts rotating marvelously on the right and Jake Bidwell and Declan John performing admirably on the left.

Last year, the absence of Leroy Fer meant that Swansea lacked that engine-type player, the one that thrives playing in the gruelling Championship. And, since his transfer to Feyenoord, the Welsh club are perhaps missing the "hard man" in midfield.

One thing is certain, though, Cooper is blessed with wingers and strikers. Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge, Kristoffer Peterson, Jordon Garrick, Bersant Celina and even Andre Ayew have all tinkered in the wide positions in 2019. Plus, Celina, Yan Dhanda, George Byers and Aldo Kalulu have excelled in the "playmaker" role.

Ayew and Borja Baston have been superb up front too; the duo have been involved in 17 goals in the Championship so far with back-up Sam Surridge scoring five himself. Whilst Swansea have been linked with other forwards, it would not be a disaster if Cooper continued with the same frontmen.

So, the goalkeeper issue seems to have been sorted and with widemen and forwards in abundance, Swansea have a tremendous basis from which to mount their Premier League charge. A defender and midfielder are perhaps, however, imperative if the Swans want to reach the top tier, two seasons after falling into the Championship.

Swansea set for six-way battle for Australian ace

With the January transfer window rapidly approaching, clubs are on the hunt for new recruits that can steer them towards promotion or survival. Luckily for Swansea, the Welsh side are in the first bracket and they have set their sights towards Livingston striker Lyndon Dykes.

Who is he? Well, Lyndon Dykes is an Australian-born forward. His footballing career has so far taken him to Scotland to Australia and back again with the powerful forward finally settling at the Scottish Championship club Queen of the South in 2016 where he netted ten times in 86 league appearances and nine times in 31 cup appearances.

His form precipitated a move to Scottish Premiership club Livingston in January 2019 - an agreement in which Dykes would be loaned back to the Dumfries club to end the 2018-19 season at Palmerston Park, scoring a further three goals in 15 appearances.

Since moving to Livingston, the striker has netted five times and registered two assists in 14 appearances, including one in the West Lothian's side's famous victory over Celtic in October. Despite the attention of many English and Welsh clubs, Dykes signed a new contract with Livingston in September until the end of the 2022 season.

But, in football, contracts can often mean little and Dykes is now subject to a huge amount of rumour surrounding his future. And, it's claimed that Livingston may choose to cash in in January when the transfer window re-opens.

South Wales seems to be on red alert as Swansea's main rivals Cardiff also appear to be monitoring the 24-year-old. But these two are not alone either as six Championship clubs are believed to be keen on making a move, with Middlesbrough, Bristol City, Derby and Blackburn among Dykes' suitors.

Though able to play in a number of positions in the final third, mainly as the main striker, he has also operated on either wing and in the no.10 role.

Dykes sporting silver hair

Yet, it's his disciplinary record that may deter some clubs. He has already accumulated five yellow cards this term, and was sent of in Livingston’s 3-1 defeat to Rangers in September.

It's not yet clear just how much cash it would take to prise the striker from Scotland to join a club in England or Wales, but for the time being, he is certainly one to look out for ahead of January with Swansea said to be keen on a player that throws up memories of an 'old school no.9'. 

Standing at 6ft 2ins and with the physique that rugby players would be proud of, the Australian powerhouse possesses fearsome aerial strength and hold up play that allows him to bully his opponents. He would surely fit in in the second tier of English football, it just remains to be seen who wants him the most.

Daniel James transfer to Leeds United "not right" according to Huw Jenkins

It was one of the biggest transfer sagas in not only Swansea's recent history, but the whole of the 2019 January transfer market.

James pictured with a Leeds United shirt before his transfer fell through at the 11th hour.

But, despite having completed a medical at Leeds United ahead of a loan move until the end of the 2018/19 campaign - which would have been made permanent had Leeds gained promotion - Daniel James and Leeds were left high and dry by Swans chairman Huw Jenkins.

Jenkins - who left his job as Swansea chairman just two days after the transfer following 17 years at the club - appeared willing to sign the deal off until the last minute, ignoring phone calls from an increasingly frustrated Elland Road office.

It was after 2pm when the call came granting James permission to start a medical at Leeds United on deadline-day and make good his transfer from Swansea City. In fact, the winger arrived in Yorkshire as early as possible, having driven all the way from Wales to sign on the dotted line.

The 22-year-old winger was identified as a winger that could help propel Leeds back into the Premier League after a 15-year absence. And, in the Leeds United documentary Take Us Home - which shows United's 2018/19 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa - James was actually pictured holding up a Leeds shirt with both the player and club believing the transfer was all-but completed.

United had attempted to get their man in the days before, but Swansea's board had remained resilient. What began as a £5m up-front offer from United became a loan to the end of this season with a commitment from Leeds to sign James for a fee in excess of £5m if they won promotion from the Championship.

In fact, a loan fee was necessary to bring negotiations to a close. Having agreed to it, Leeds finally felt their man would come through the door.

James passed a medical in good time at Thorp Arch - Leeds' training complex - and was driven to Elland Road around 6pm on deadline-day to complete the paperwork and go through the process of media interviews and photographs.

But Leeds were met with silence with two hours to go until the deadline. Complicating proceedings, Swansea's relegation had already seen the loss of players, but with the likes of Wilfried Bony, Jefferson Montero and Leroy Fer seemingly set for the exit on deadline day, Jenkins pulled the plug on James' departure, fearing mutiny from the Swansea faithful.

And, he has now explained why.

“I communicated with everybody at Leeds on the phone, back and forth, and I am sure they put Dan on to me as well.

“They were all trying to convince us to do the deal but I just felt from a club’s point of view, based on value and based on Graham’s (Potter) success, it wasn’t right.

"I thought, second half of the season, as it proved, he’d have a big impact for the club. Dan was just coming into his own.

"I did give Dan my views. He had no guarantee of going straight into the Leeds team, and the uncertainty over whether they would buy him or not is not a good thing for a young player. Take all that into account and there was only one decision to be made. Thankfully, it worked out well for the football club and for Dan.”

James returned to Swansea unhappy, but continued to ply his trade in Wales before Manchester United came in for him in the summer, paying £15m, rising to £18m with add-ons applied.

That, of course, benefitted Swansea to a much greater extent than letting James leave for one of their promotion rivals for a third of that price.

And, with pace to burn and a willingness to attack, James has already enamoured himself to the Old Trafford faithful.

The curious case of Barrie McKay

Barrie McKay - the seemingly forgotten man at Swansea.

The Scottish international was one of former boss Graham Potter's six summer signings in 2018 and went on to feature in 31 of the Swans' games last season. But, under new head coach Steve Cooper, McKay has made just three appearances and all of these have been in the Carabao Cup. Even then, the winger has appeared for only a combined 120 minutes.

So, what's happened to the former Rangers flyer?

The 24-year-old hasn't been included in a match-day squad since the 2-1 defeat to Watford in the Carabao Cup back in September while his only appearance in an 18-man Championship squad was when he was an unused substitute for the opening day win against Hull City.

Even though the Scot performed decently under Potter - including a superb goal away at Bolton as well as a number of important assists - McKay is far from a loved footballer at the Liberty Stadium with Cooper at the helm.

Though regularly played out of position at Swansea with Bersant Celina favoured in the No.10 role, McKay has come in for stick from a swathe of the Swansea faithful.

The former Nottingham Forest winger should have been well on his way to staking a claim for a wing position with the departures of Daniel James, Luciano Narsingh and Jefferson Montero in the summer, but, he has instead become even more of a peripheral figure at the Liberty Stadium as the Swans hit promotion form in the first part of the 2019/20 campaign.

McKay has seen his route to the first team blocked by the return of Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer to the side, both of whom have been impressive in recent weeks whilst the previously outcast Andre Ayew and Celina have been found operating in wide roles also.

Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge have performed well for Swansea.

In fact, McKay has found himself even further down the pecking order with the likes of Aldo Kalulu and Kristoffer Peterson getting more game time as the season progresses. And, even when Celina has played out on the left, George Byers and Yan Dhanda have been preferred to McKay in the central role behind the lone striker.

With options appearing increasingly limited at the Liberty Stadium, the Scot cuts an ever-depressing figure. Though contracted until summer 2021, McKay is surely likely to leave if he doesn't get a chance, especially when considering he has even been relegated to the Under-23s of late.

It's sad to see the decline of a talented footballer, but sometimes players just don't fit at certain clubs. McKay's quandary seems exactly that.

Former boss Paulo Sousa believes he was the one that harnessed the Premier League dream

In a bizarre turn of events, former Swansea head coach Paulo Sousa has hit out at the club's "very poor" facilities and claims he was the man that made Brendan Rodgers' Premier League achievement possible.

The Portuguese head coach - who is now in charge of French Ligue 1 side Bordeaux - guided the Swans to within a whisker of the play-offs during the 2009-10 Championship season, but the Welsh dream collapsed on the final day as a draw against Doncaster Rovers meant that Blackpool leapfrogged Swansea into the final play-off spot in sixth.

Sousa had initially travelled to UK shores in 2008 to become QPR boss after a stint as assistant coach of the Portuguese national side, but a less-than ceremonious end to his stint in White City and Roberto Martinez' departure to Wigan opened the door for Sousa to join the Welsh club.

Sousa departed Swansea in July 2010 to take up the vacant managerial position at Leicester City, but won just one game from nine in charge and was sacked nearly three months later.

Whilst Sousa's England career nosedived, Swansea reached the promised-land of the Premier League the year after under Brendan Rodgers. A seven-year stay in the top tier followed with the club currently rebuilding for another charge.

But, despite Sousa failing at the final hurdle in his only year in charge at the Liberty Stadium, the Portuguese has insisted he was the one that changed things for the better.



"Huw Jenkins realised that my type of football and my knowledge of the English league during the months I was at QPR were enough to be the right coach to continue the ideas he had in mind to reach the best results with Swansea." Sousa stated.

"And they were the best results, at the time, of the last 27 years. We were one point away from the play-offs, and then, with a little more investment and the improvement of all the game processes, it ended up happening with Brendan Rodgers."

Though Swansea's rise to the Premier League bankrolled the ability to create a new state-of-the art facility at Fairwood as well as the club's now-lauded youth system, that hasn't always been the case and Sousa was quick to point that out.

"Swansea’s facilities were very poor at the time. We had a training ground that, when it rained — and it rains almost every day there — would get flooded and we would go to an indoor of maybe 40 by 60 metres, with synthetic grass from the first generations."

Whether or not Sousa's comments are well-founded, Swansea were a fourth-tier side in danger of relegation to the Conference six years before the Portuguese took over. That kind of history must have been known before Sousa took the job. Perhaps it's just bitterness that Rodgers completed what Sousa could not.

Swansea in the race for Liverpool starlet Rhian Brewster

Reports suggest that Swansea City are among a number of clubs tracking Liverpool ace Rhian Brewster.

A possible loan signing is on the cards, but the Swans are facing competition from Crystal Palace, Bristol City and clubs in Germany.



The 19-year-old burst onto the scene at the Under-17s World Cup in 2017, scoring eight times to be crowned the competition's top-scorer as England took home the title in impressive fashion.

Though other clubs are reportedly interested in Dagenham-born Brewster, Swansea's links with Liverpool may well tip the balance in the Welsh club's favour.

Head coach Steve Cooper - a former Liverpool Academy Coach - steered England to Under-17 World Cup success with Brewster performing superbly under his guidance.



Assistant Mike Marsh also has links to Merseyside having won the FA Cup in a playing period of six years at Anfield.

Highly-rated at Anfield, Brewster signed a five-year contract with the Reds in July 2018, despite being injured with an ankle ligament injury, and made his senior debut in their 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over MK Dons in September.

A full 90 minutes in Liverpool's classic 5-5 draw and penalty success against Arsenal highlighted the faith boss Jurgen Klopp has in the youngster, despite the likes of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah in front of him.

 But, in regular league games, as Klopp attempts to steer Liverpool to their 19th English title, Brewster has found opportunities hard to come by which isn't exactly surprising considering the triumvirate mentioned above.

For boss Cooper, Brewster would add a goalscoring threat, with the club having sold Oli McBurnie to Sheffield United in the summer. Sam Surridge has come in on a season-long loan, scoring five goals in the season so far, but Brewster would add another dimension and experience of being in a Champions League-winning environment.



Cooper also has Andre Ayew and Borja Baston to call on up-front and the pair have 11 goals between them in the Championship, so Cooper is not exactly desperate for another forward. And, Liverpool would surely ensure that Brewster heads for a club that will guarantee the youngster game time, something which, with three goalscoring forwards, may not be assured at Swansea.

Whether or not Cooper can ensure this remains to be seen, but who wouldn't want a breakthrough youngster from one of the top footballing sides in the world? If it can be done, the Swans could well cement their place in the play-off places at the right-end of the Championship table.

James’s transfer to Manchester United completes remarkable rise

After a below- par season for the Red Devils, which saw manager Jose Mourinho controversially sacked after a 3-1 defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield, club legend, and scorer in that famous Champions League final in the Nou Camp in 1999, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, took the reigns as caretaker manager and form drastically improved.



After an impressive comeback at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League, his appointment was made permanent but since then United’s form has dipped drastically and they slumped to an underwhelming sixth place finish last season following some pretty uninspiring performances; condemning themselves to a place in the Europa League for the 2019/20 season.

With the rebuilding now underway at Old Trafford as Ole tries to overhaul his squad, the Norwegian has been searching for young, quick and hungry players and it seems like the Swan’s Daniel James is very close to a move to Salford in what some may see as a remarkable rise for the Welsh international.

James has gone from failing to break into the Shrewsbury town squad and having his loan terminated to being destined to play for one the most successful clubs in world football.

The 21-year-old has already suffered disappointment and heartbreak in his short career with a move to Leeds United breaking down six months ago which bought public frustration from James. The attacker has also suffered a major personal loss with the tragic sudden death of his father Kevan James at the age of 60.

Observers from inside the Liberty comment that he is very professional for such a young age and the move to Old Tafford comes after James stared for the Swans last term despite what turned out to be a pretty uninspiring season.

The wideman first garnered national attention following the Swans FA cup run last term; a run that was eventually ended in by eventual winners Manchester City in a controversial game that saw the Swans beaten late on, despite being 2-0 up.

After the game, Man City boss Pep Guardiola, who is regarded as one of greatest managers in the world, heaped praise on the welsh international’s performance after he gave Argentina centre-back Otamendi a run for his money.

James finished the season with final stats of 6 goals and 7 assists in all competitions. 

The transfer fee is rumoured to be around £15 million pounds, plus £3 million in add ons, which can only be positive for the Swans financially, although they are losing a top- quality player who provided so much last campaign.

With World Cup winner Steve Cooper coming to take the reigns at the Liberty, and with Plymouth star Ruben Lameiras rumoured to be coming through the door on a free, the money now needs to be reinvested wisely so the Swans can replace James and rebuild as they attempt to achieve promotion back to England’s top flight at the second attempt next season.

James was also rumoured to be wanted by Monaco, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham so the Swans had a near- impossible job in keeping him in the Championship.