Jack in Time: a volley, a trophy and a big Welsh flag (with videos)

In the last few weeks we've seen two former modern-day Swansea City players retire - Andy Robinson and Owain Tudur Jones.

Bustling winger Andy Robinson - who scored the last ever goal at the Vetch - was with Swansea from 2003 until 2008, making nearly 200 appearances and scoring 44 goals. Meanwhile Owain Tudur Jones joined Swansea in 2005 and stayed until 2009, playing 41 games, scoring three goals in the process.

I was looking for the most iconic game that they both featured in and the greatest has to be the Football League Trophy Final (aka the LDV Vans Trophy) against League Two leaders Carlisle United at the Millennium Stadium on 2 April 2006.

Why was it so great? Well, Swansea won of course!

The match started with an exceptional volley from Lee Trundle, who chested down a perfect cross from Leon Britton before unleashing a thunderous strike across Kieran Westwood and into the far corner with just three minutes gone. It's probably worth reminding yourself of the beauty of that goal with the video below...

After Trundle's screamer, Carlisle looked to equalise in the 23rd minute when Karl Hawley headed home, but the linesman ruled it offside to the Jack Army's delight. However the Cumbrians would get their goal with just five minutes until the interval, when Adam Murray headed a long throw in past Willy Gueret at close-range.

After the break, with the scores level, both teams came out to win it. Carlisle had chances, although Gueret made some fine saves. Andy Robinson had a couple of strikes too, but it would be Swansea's larger-than-life (literally) striker Adebayo Akinfenwa who would seal the game, hitting a low shot past Westwood in the 81st minute. Swansea held on and soon after were lifting the trophy!

And that was that.

Oh yeah, there was also the flag...

And the shirt...

And that wrapped up an incredible day for Swansea City fans.

Of course, Swansea were back at the Millennium Stadium the following month for the League One play-off final, but missed out on promotion after losing to Barnsley 4-3 on penalties. You can't win them all...

You can read about the Carlisle game - with an exclusive interview Lee Trundle interview - along with 49 other superb Swans matches in my book Swansea City's Greatest Games, available now.

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 15th March 2015)

I was away last week so we had to miss our regular Swansea City catch-up, but here's a bumper Mother's Day edition (it's not really that bumper...) to make up for it!

Swansea City vs Liverpool 

The Swans have had a nice 12 day break since their thrilling 3-2 loss against Spurs, so they should should be well rested and up for getting something out of Liverpool at the Liberty tomorrow night (8pm).

It's a really hard one to call, not helped by the fact that Swansea are so inconsistent. As we've seen this season, sometimes they'll grind out a brave win and shock everyone, and sometimes... well, sometimes they just don't look bothered. Thankfully in the last few games the effort levels from everyone seems to have increased so we can hopefully look forward to a good performance and maybe even a point.

Let's hope Swansea can make him this wound up on Monday...

Of course recent history doesn't bode well for the Swans, who have lost four of their last five meetings with Brendan Rodgers' side, losing 4-1 at Anfield in December. But, like Swansea, Liverpool are an unpredictable team when it comes to consistency, so it really could go either way.

Bafetimbi Gomis, following his collapse against Spurs, was back in training during the week and should be fit to start. With a pretty much full strength squad it'll be interesting to see if Monk goes for the relatively successful diamond formation he's tried out in the past few matches. Either way expect Jonjo Shelvey to start and score a goal for both sides.

I'm going for a 1-1 draw, a result most Swans fans would happily take it think.


Rangel forever

...well, for the next two years at least. The longstanding right back has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the Liberty until 2017. An important part of the team in the rise to the Premier League, Rangel has felt his importance slip slightly in the last year and his recent form has been shaky at best.

An extended Rangel

Still, he's a stalwart, and an important dressing room figure, so it's good news he's sticking around. Hopefully he'll be around to end his career with the Swans, going on to become a coach or even a club ambassador (although it may be tough to wrestle the job from the hands of Lee Trundle, who's embraced the roll to the highest order!).

As an added bonus, Jordi Amat has signed a one-year contract extension to keep him with Swansea until 2018. He's not the starting choice for Garry Monk at the moment, but Amat has shown time and again that he's more than capable of playing in the Premier League and he'll provide good competition and cover for Fede Fernandez.


Barrow gone (but not for good) 

Young winger Modou Barrow has temporarily left Swansea to sign for Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season.

The speedy Gambian has been brilliant when making appearances for Swansea and it's actually a shame because - although he's a little raw - he has proved he has the skill and speed to keep up with the rest of the side.

Of course I understand the decision - Swansea are safe and he'll get much more game time with Forest, but in a way he could have had a few more starts with the Swans between now and the end of the season? What have we got to lose?

Anyway he'll be back in the summer and hopefully he'll stick around for the 2015/16 season.

The Audio Jacks: Episode Five - Burnley win, intense quiz, Swans bad boys and a fantasy Dream Team game.

**LATE NOTE: There will be no Sunday morning catch-up or podcast this weekend (8th March) as I am away. I'll be back next week for more irreverent Swansea City action!**

Here we have the fifth episode of the Audio Jacks, Swansea City podcast.

In this episode Chris and Matt discuss the win against Burnley and what it means for Swansea; Matt rants about Scottish football; both discuss the bad boys of Swansea City in the past week; Chris is challenged to an intense quiz; and Matt begins a new Dream Team game.

You can download the podcast to enjoy on your own personal listening device, or just stream from the link below.

All feedback, shares and comments appreciated. Catch us on Twitter - I'm @ForzaSwansea and Matt is at @LMScreamer.

(NOTE: There will be no podcast or Sunday catch-up next weekend as I'm away, but check back again soon for more Swansea City nonsense.)

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 1st March 2015)

It's the first of March, it's a Sunday and that can only mean one thing - it's time for a cup of coffee and a look at the week gone by for Swansea City:

(P.S. Happy Saint David's Day)


Burnley 0 - 1 Swansea City

Despite it not being the most enthralling game (last on Match of the Day of course), yesterday's 1-0 victory against Burnley away from home secured Premier League safety for Swansea City... in February!

That's 40 points from 27 games, which is Swansea's best ever return in a Premier League season. And it's a great achievement considering we lost our best striker last month, we've been unable to score consistently and that there was even talk of a relegation scrap earlier in the year.

Good keeper.

So a good result, with a very scrappy own-goal being scored in the 64th minute by Kieran Trippier. Monk stuck with his diamond formation, which seems to be working quite well. Gomis missed a few good chances, Routledge had a penalty shout (but so too did Burnley), while Fabianski once again put in a solid performance and kept out a string of good attempts from the home side.

It's a shame we are out of the FA Cup as that would have been a great competition to focus on now safety is achieved, but it'll be good to see how far Swansea can go this season. Europa League position perhaps?


Bad Swans #1

Unfortunately the usually very-well behaved club have made the news for all the wrong reasons this week.

Firstly Swansea City's Dutch director John van Zweden came under fire earlier in the week for reportedly calling his fellow countryman Louis van Gaal 'an arrogant b******' (...that's 'bastard' if you can't decipher my code) following the Swans' win against Manchester United. However he has since defended himself, saying he didn't actually use the word 'bastard'.

But yesterday morning it emerged that van Zweden had posted a photo of a winning betting slip which had Swansea to beat United 2-1. The Sun reported that the director is being investigated by the Football Association, as any bet made by someone so close to the club would be a direct breach of FA rules. However van Zweden is insisting it was not his betting slip in the first place.

I can't see either of these things going much further, but it's probably wise for the charismatic director to keep his head down for the next few weeks!

Naughty keeper.

Bad Swans #2

And finally, Swans' reserve keeper Gerhard Tremmel was also in the news for some dodgy behaviour. Last week it was reported that the German shot stopper had been given a six month driving ban by Swansea magistrates after failing to reveal to police who was driving his car, after it was caught speeding along Mumbles Road twice last year.

But his ban has now been lifted, with a fine and penalty points awarded instead. Slow down Gerhard, you're not on the Autobahn any more!

The Audio Jacks: Episode Four - Man United double, Leon's future, formations and gambling (Downloadable!)

Here I am again to brighten up your miserable (if the Swansea weather is anything to go by) Monday morning with a brand new episode of the Audio Jacks!

In this episode - which is fully downloadable (sorry I forgot to make it downloadable last week...) - myself and Matt take a look at doing the double over Man United, industrious Swans players of the past, the future of Leon/Rangel's careers, Swansea's changing formation and even have a rant about gambling.

So download or stream, and enjoy - all shares are more than welcome and feedback is gratefully received!



If you want to get in touch with either of us we are both on Twitter. I'm @ForzaSwansea and Matt is at @LMScreamer.

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 22nd Feb 2015)

After a little Swans nostalgia last week, we're back with our regular round up.

So grab your double-shot skinny caramel macchiato (or just a cup of instant coffee) and let's see what's been going on in the world of Swansea City.


Swansea City 2 - 1 Manchester United: The Double

We have to start with the biggest news - Swansea have done the double over Man United for the first time!

It was by no means the best attacking performance from Swansea, nor was it 90 minutes of entertaining and attractive passing. But yesterday it was the result that mattered the most.

The Swans pretty much matched United through the first half, although the visitors looked more threatening in attack and scored the first goal after 28 minutes after some good passing in the final third allowed Ander Herrera to put a simple strike past Fabianski. 

But, for a change, heads stayed up and a great early cross from Shelvey just two minutes later gave Ki the chance to slip in a clever shot to equalise. 

United on yet another attack

Again, United were threatening on the attack in the second half, but Swansea stood firm at the back and in the 73rd minute - completely against the run of play - a cracking long strike from Shelvey (with a bit of a deflection from Gomis) put the Swans ahead.

Both Ki and Cork were very assured in the middle of the park. Gomis had a few great chances but he was unable to put any away (although he is credited with the second goal thanks to the deflection), but he did put in the effort and made some good defensive clearances. Shelvey was my man of the match - for the goal, the assist and his greatly improved work rate.

It's good to see that a tweaked formation can work as well as the standard 4-5-1 and even without the slick passing we're accustomed to you can beat the huge spending giants!


America? Not at the moment.

Last week the Swans confirmed that talks with American billionaire John Moores were off. The former San Diego Padres owner was looking to buy a 30% stake in the club, but Swansea confirmed that the deal was unlikely to go ahead.

Unable to settle on America at the moment

A club spokesman told the BBC: "Both parties felt that the time was not right to pursue any proposals. It was only at the discussion stage anyway, there was never any offer on the table"

This news will please those fans who were dead against foreign investment, but it's very unlikely that this is the end we'll hear on the matter (which is good news for those who wanted some investment).

The door has been opened on these kind of discussions and it won't be long until there's another investor keen on taking Swansea to the next level. Make sure to re-read Alec Johnson's excellent article on why investment could be a good move for the Swans.


Bonywatch

This certainly won't be a regular feature because - let's admit it, who really cares now - but Wilfried Bony made his first appearance for Manchester City in their 5-0 thumping of Newcastle.

He replaced Sergio Aguero on the hour mark and, while he didn't score on his City debut, he made a good impression. He did have one superb chance to get on the score sheet - after Tim Krul messed up a clearance Bony was fed the ball by Yaya Toure, but the striker's low shot was ushered over the bar.

That's probably the last we mention Bony for now, but it's good to see that he did make an appearance at the first opportunity - which is more than most former Swans achieve after leaving the club!

Jack in Time: A packed and snowy Vetch in 1955 (with video)

Don't worry, I'm not ditching our regular Sunday morning catch-up articles, but while the Swans have the weekend off I thought I would do something a little different this morning.

I'm a big fan of Swansea nostalgia and - after writing Swansea City's Greatest Games - I find I know a lot more about the club's colourful history than I did before.

And I've decided to share a little of that history with you this week.

Today we're looking at an excellent video of Swansea Town vs Sunderland in the FA Cup fifth round at a very snowy Vetch field on 19 February 1955.

What's instantly eye-catching is the crowd - it looks insane! 28,487 people crammed themselves into the Vetch that day (this was before all the stands had been built... and well before health and safety regulations) to watch the Swansea Babes in action.

First Division high-flyers Sunderland took the lead after 24 minutes through Chisholm. However in the second half the Swans - then managed by the shrewd Billy McCandless - equalised through Mel Charles (although there are contradicting reports suggesting it was Len Allchurch who scored... I can't seem to see from this video, so it remains disputed!).

The home side then took the lead through the head of Terry Medwin, after an excellent cross from one of Swansea's greatest ever players, Ivor Allchurch. But Sunderland forced the replay later in the game with a goal from Charlie Fleming.

Unfortunately the replay four days later saw Sunderland win 1-0, knocking Swansea out of that season's FA Cup.

I'll try to do a few more of these entertaining trips through Swansea's history if everyone enjoys them. For now you can check out the best-selling Swansea City's Greatest Games for a good dose of nostalgia.

Audio Jacks podcast - Episode Three

It's another Monday and another Audio Jacks podcast!

In this short episode we discuss the Sunderland game, a controversial post on Planet Swans and we ask why the Liberty Stadium is so quiet these days.

You can stream it by clicking on the link below, or head to the SoundCloud website to download it.

All feedback is very welcome! Catch us on Twitter @ForzaSwansea and @LMScreamer.

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 8th Feb 2015)

Whether you're hungover from the rugby or - more than likely if you're reading this - the FOOTBALL, wake-up and put the espresso machine on, it's time for our weekly catch-up.


Swansea City 1-1 Sunderland

A bit of a frustrating game, but one with plenty of positives.

Sunderland scored the first goal in the first-half, thanks to a solo effort from Jermain Defoe, who literally cut straight through Swansea's flustered defence and deservedly hammered the ball past Fabianski.

Gomis against Sunderland - he gave it a good go, but he's still not impressing.

But a wonderful diving header for the newly returned Ki Sung Yueng made it all square in the second half. Ki was a great presence on the pitch yesterday and deserved to be man of the match. However I was impressed with Kyle Naughton at times, while Jack Cork looked well at home in the centre of the pitch.

Federico Fernandez was pretty solid all game too. Nathan Dyer had spells where he looked like the Dyer of old, although he's just not as consistent as before. A mention must also go to Nelson Oliveira, who came on and looked very keen. I'd like to see him start against West Brom on Wednesday as Bafetimbi Gomis really isn't doing it for me.

But I can't be the only one to notice this? Yes he's committed his allegiance to Swansea (for now...) and he's certainly upped his work rate, but he never looks like he's going to score. He's no Bony (I'm done stating the obvious now).


We told you so!

A small news item about former Swansea City star Scott Sinclair, who said he would now 'think twice' about leaving regular football to sit on the bench for a bigger club.

I'm not sure why it's taken him that long to realise, but at least he does have some career awareness. He was a big talent for Swansea, but he's basically starting from scratch again... let's hope it works out for him at Villa (apart from his away days at the Liberty).


Boring old Swansea?

The transfer window closed on February 2nd, and - despite all the transfer rumors around - nothing really happened with Swansea on the final day. But then why would it? We had a busy enough month of ins and outs, so there was little need to panic buy in the final hours.

The biggest news for the Swans in the window was, of course, the departure of Wilfried Bony, who left for Manchester City for around £28million at the start of the month.

But the club used a little of that cash to bring in a few new faces, with the biggest signing probably being Jack Cork from Southampton for a rumoured £3million. The previous week Kyle Naughton arrived from Spurs for an eyebrow-raising £5million. He's perhaps less of a catch than Cork, but he will give Rangel some much-needed competition, as he showed yesterday.

The Swans also secured Nelson Oliveira on loan from Benfica earlier in the window, but he's not been able to make much of an impact during his limited time on the pitch. As I've already said, it would be nice to see him make a start or two.

And finally Exeter City midfielder Matt Grimes came to the club for £1.75million - the youngster is a decent prospect, but definitely one for the future.


One year on...

Last Wednesday, Garry Monk celebrated his one year anniversary as Swansea City manager. And he's done a great job. Of course he's made his fair share of mistakes, but he's also enjoyed his moments of genius and has pretty much led Swansea to Premier League safety with most of the season to go.

Doesn't it seem like yesterday that the club was wrapped up in rumours and controversy as Michael Laudrup was sacked? Hang on... that means that today - February 8th - is the one year anniversary of that glorious 3-0 win against Cardiff City!

Now, surely that's a good reason to crack open a few cans this Sunday morning!

---

Read all about that epic Cardiff City match in Swansea City's Greatest Games - the city's best-selling sports book of 2014!

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 1st Feb 2015)

Happy new month! We all survived the bleak and rainy month that is January.

So, to kick off February, get your cup of coffee ready and enjoy my weekly round-up!


Southampton vs Swansea City (4pm today)

For a change, I can't start this blog with an angry reaction about the match just gone because Swansea don't play their weekend Premier League fixture until 4pm this afternoon. Rest assured we'll probably see the Swans take an early lead, before two of them are sent off, leading to a 6-1 defeat.

In all fairness Swansea are without an array of key players at the moment including Sigurdsson, Ki and - let's admit it - a gifted striker, so it'll be tough to get much of a result at St Mary's against a team who are excelling again this season.

I'm expecting a loss for Swansea... perhaps 2-0. I'm usually wrong, so we could see a nice draw instead. And with the talent left in the team, there's no real reason why a 0-0 draw couldn't be on the cards.


Jack Cork... finally

One of Garry Monk's final January transfer window signings was Southampton midfielder Jack Cork - a player who has been linked with Swansea for a couple of years now. Cork was officially unveiled on Friday night for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the area of £3million.

Cork is a holding midfielder, who has played around 110 times for the Saints since 2011. He's not a goalscorer, but seems to have been drafted in to play in alongside Ki/Britton/Carroll in a defensive midfield role.

Of course, the name Cork may be familiar to older Swans fans who will remember his father Alan, who briefly managed the club from October 1997 until the end of the season.

He comes to Swansea looking for more games, but with an already healthy midfield, will he find them? I'm guessing that yes, he will. But that begs the question: who will make way for him?


Filthy little Swans

It seems Swansea are the naughtiest boys in the Premier League! However we all know that this truly isn't the case. Most of the red cards have been second yellows (for silly little occurrences) or pretty questionable straight reds.

Of course there's rarely smoke without fire and sometimes a red card is justified. But when it comes to Swansea - who we know are not a dirty team - something is not quite right.

Garry Monk summed it up best when he said earlier in the week:

"We make one of the least amount of fouls in the division, have one of the lowest yellow card counts and yet one of the most fouled against. It really doesn’t add up."

Ki returns to Swansea

Ki Sung Yueng is on his way back to South Wales following his Asian Cup campaign with South Korea. And what a cup he had, captaining his country through the competition right up until yesterday's final against Australia.

Unfortunately for Ki, South Korea finished runners-up as the Aussies made history by winning their first ever Asian Cup competition, in a 2-1 final.

His big midfield presence had certainly been missed over the past month or so, and he'll be a very welcome addition to the team next week, hopefully ready in time to take on his former team Sunderland at the Liberty Stadium.

---

If you're looking for a freelance writer in Swansea to help with advertising or social media, make sure to check out my website.

The new series of The Audio Jacks - Episode Two

Here's the second episode of the revived Audio Jacks!

In this episode we have a brief summary of the Blackburn match, a rant from Matt about red cards, Chris plays the bizarre transfer window game, and they both take a short look ahead at the Southampton game on Sunday.

Have a listen below. You can also download the episode, if you want to listen to the show while walking, driving or waiting on a bus!

(Note: there's a slight problem with the audio in the first minute or two but it sorts itself out soon after!)

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 25th Jan 2015)

Hungover? Good - it serves you right for drinking that final beer last night.

Anyway, it's Sunday morning so grab a cup of coffee and settle your stomach by catching-up with some of the Swansea City news from the last week.


Blackburn Rovers 3 - 1 Swansea City

As always we'll start with the most recent game, which was an FA Cup fourth round tie against Championship side Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Unfortunately after just six minutes every Swans fan was shouting 'are you f****** joking?!' as Kyle Bartley was shown an early red card - not so much for the referee's decision, which seemed correct, but because it was another red card for Swansea, leading to yet another uphill climb from the off.

Gylfi Sigurdsson uncorked a beautiful shot in the 20th minute to give Swansea the lead, but that was quickly cancelled out by an equaliser from Chris Taylor, who capitalised on poor defending in the box.

In the second half, the home side extinguished any suggestion of a Liberty Stadium replay with a second and third goal (from Rudy Gestede and Craig Conway respectively). Then Sigurdsson was sent off for a stupid foul, leaving nine man Swans side to see out the final few minutes. Makes for grim reading doesn't it?

Garry Monk had called for a reaction from the players after the Chelsea hammering, but that clearly didn't help. Everything looked sloppy and a couple of players didn't seem like they wanted to be there, which brings me on to my next section...


Bafetimbi Gomis vs Swansea

It's been a while since Swans fans have been this riled up at a player. Yes Itay Shechter was dreadful and Michu was moody, but no player has been quite as full of themselves as Mr Gomis.

Sort it out Gomis

And it seems to be unjustified arrogance from the striker who hasn't particularly shone in a Swansea shirt, scoring just four goals in 23 appearances. He's 29-years-old, an infrequent international and - although capable of being good - he's not backing up his talk with any action.

Gomis wanted to be the starting striker but, due to Bony's great form and the fact Swansea only ever play one striker, it wasn't going to happen. Of course, no-one knows what promises were made to him originally, but now - with Bony gone - the Frenchman has his chance to impress.

Regardless of his disdain for the club, it seems that Monk has seemingly warned Gomis that he won't be leaving Swansea this month anyway, so he might as well settle in, keep his head down and try to score some bloody goals!


Hello Kyle

Kyle Naughton is now officially a Swansea City player. The surprise move resulted in a £5million bill from Spurs, and a right-back who hasn't particularly wowed during his time at the Premier League top six side, leaving a few Swans fans scratching their heads.

However, he will provide a new option at the tricky right-back position. And he's competition - not just cover - for the likes of Rangel and Richards, which can only be a good thing. Naughton didn't feature in the FA Cup match at Ewood Park (lucky him), but no doubt we'll see him on Sunday against Southampton.


We're in the money!

Earlier in the week it was reported that Swansea City are now in the top 30 wealthiest football clubs in the world. The Swans ranked an impressive 29th in the list, with a revenue of £98.7m during the 2013/14 season, making them the first Welsh club to make it into the top 30. It's nice to end this article on a positive!

The triumphant return of the Audio Jacks podcast!

Happy Monday to you.

You probably weren't expecting this (and neither was I until a few days ago), but I have a new Audio Jacks podcast for you!

About three years ago myself and Matt Barroccu (an expert Swans fan and broadcaster) created the Audio Jacks - a light-hearted weekly podcast all about Swansea City. However, after a few successful episodes we went our own ways as careers and laziness took over.

But now, a few years later, we have decided to test the water with a comeback podcast. Why? I don't really know. It's a nice way to vent views on the Swans through a different medium to blogging/books, and is something fun for you guys to listen to on the way to work.

Have a listen via the SoundCloud link below and let us know what you think. I'm reachable via the contact form, the comments section, or on Twitter @ForzaSwansea, while you can also reach Matt on @LMScreamer.

Enjoy!

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 18th Jan 2015)

Wake up - it's Sunday morning and time for our new regular weekly Swansea City catch-up, featuring Bony's departure, Mario Gomez and the... *sigh*... Chelsea match.

Swansea City 0 - 5 Chelsea

Let's get this out of the way then...

A goal in the first minute really set the tone for a game that Chelsea dominated in every way. Another in the 20th gave the visitors a comfortable cushion. A third in the 34th minute killed the game off completely, and a fourth just over a minute later was just embarrassing. If you weren't watching (lucky you) it was Oscar and Costa who scored two each.

The second half wasn't particularly brilliant, but at least the gaps were filled and the Chelsea goals stopped coming... for a while. In the 78th minute, substitute Ivanovic got the fifth and final goal of the game.

Ruthless from Chelsea, who will become deserved champions of the Premier League this season. And overall very poor from Swansea. However, the Swans were without first choicers like Ki, Montero, Shelvey and Britton, while Routledge also hobbled off in the first half. It's no excuse, but it's worth pointing out.

It was only a loss at the end of the day, although the goal difference could hurt come the end of the season. It was never a game Swansea were likely to win, but no-one saw that coming! Oh well, onto Blackburn in the FA Cup - a game in which some pride can hopefully be restored.


Mario Gomez spotted in Rossi's?

BREAKING: German star striker Mario Gomez has been spotted having a rissole in Rossi's carpark!

Gomez - the one with the smaller eyes.

That's right, it seems Gomez - who plies his trade for Serie A club Fiorentina - is the latest in the series of unlikely players linked with a move to Swansea.

I mean, if he was willing to take a major pay cut then perhaps it would be a little more feasible, especially as he's clearly not loving his time in Italy. But please don't hold your breath on this one...


Bony officially gone

After perhaps a sliver of uncertainty over Wilfried Bony's exit from the club, on Wednesday Swansea City officially confirmed that he would leave for Manchester City for a fee of £17,000 (... just joking - it's an officially undisclosed fee, which is understood to mean the club will take £25million initially, with the possibility of £3million add-ons).

Stating the obvious, he's been immense over the past two years, almost single-handedly keeping the Swans from relegation last season before contributing some noteworthy goals this year too. We wish him the best of luck - he seems more likely to succeed with City than Scott Sinclair did.


Catching up with Ki

The Swans are certainly missing Ki Sung Yeung this month, who is still in Australia captaining the Korean team in the 2015 Asian Cup.

Korean Ki

And by all accounts Ki is playing very well, with Korea finishing top of Group A, having won all three of their games 1-0.

Korea are likely to play either Saudi Arabia or Uzbekistan in the competition's quarter-finals on Thursday. Let's hope the midfielder can keep injury free for the rest of the competition, then return to South Wales ready to slot in to a sloppy Swansea side!

Swansea City's Greatest Games - The Top 50

There can be few clubs with a more colourful history than the Swans and this book records some of the club's greatest moments on the pitch. This wonderful trip down Swansea City's memory lane is essential reading for the Jack Army, of all ages and generations!" - Kevin Johns, Club Chaplain

It's been over three months since Swansea City's Greatest Games was released (yes, time does fly!). And it's only now I'm realising that I've not yet put the complete contents up online.

If you've not yet bought the book, it contains 50 of Swansea's finest matches, starting with their very first one in 1912, right up until the end of last season. There's at least one game from every decade, although some eras warrant more focus, such as John Toshack's blistering rise through the leagues in the early eighties, and - of course - the Premier League era.

The book is still available on the official Swansea City website and worldwide on Amazon. If you are in Swansea it can also be found in Waterstones, WHSmiths, HMV and an array of independent book shops.

Here's the list of 50 excellent Swansea City games, spanning more than 100 years (and 200 pages):

1. v Cardiff City 1912
2. v Pontypridd 1913
3. v Exeter City 1925
4. v Arsenal 1926
5. v Bury 1932
6. v Newport County 1949
7. v Cardiff City 1949
8. v Coventry City 1951
9. v Leicester City 1956
10. v Sunderland 1958
11. v Cardiff City 1960
12. v Liverpool 1964
13. v Preston North End 1964
14. v Newport County 1970
15. v Tottenham Hotspur 1978
16. v Rotherham United 1978
17. v Chesterfield 1979
18. v Preston North End 1981
19. v Leeds United 1981
20. v Stoke City 1981
21. v Manchester United 1982
22. v Liverpool 1982
23. v Cardiff City 1982
24. v Sliema Wanderers 1982
25. v Huddersfield 1994
26. v Cardiff City 1998
27. v West Ham 1999
28. v Rotherham United 2000
29. v Hull City 2003
30. v Cheltenham Town 2003
31. v Yeovil 2003
32. v Bristol City 2005
33. v Carlisle United 2006
34. v Leeds United 2007
35. v Cardiff City 2008
36. v Cardiff City 2009
37. v Norwich City 2011
38. v Nottingham Forest 2011
39. v Reading 2011
40. v Arsenal 2012
41. v Manchester City 2012
42. v Liverpool 2012
43. v Queens Park Rangers 2012
44. v West Bromwich Albion 2012
45. v Chelsea 2013
46. v Bradford City 2013
47. v Valencia 2013
48. v Cardiff City 2014
49. v Napoli 2014
50. v Aston Villa 2014

Cup o' coffee and the Swans (Sunday Catch-up - 11th Jan 2015)

Here we go - Happy New Year!

Recently my commitments to other projects (along with a peppering of laziness) has seen output on Forza Swansea fall pretty low. So, in an attempt to ensure at least one new post a week, I have created a new Sunday catch-up post which I aim to keep up with!

So grab your Sunday morning coffee / tea / hair-of-the-dog, and let's catch-up with the goings on in the wonderful world of Swansea City over the past week!


Swansea 1 - 1 West Ham: Frustrating / Inspiring / Greasy


Sloppy defending in an overall frustrating first half saw Swansea concede to a decently struck goal from Andy Carroll. His celebration was infuriating, but Swans fans had the last laugh as his team lost two points when Bafetimbi Gomis equalised in the second half.

Carroll goading the Swans fans (Great photo - not sure who took it sorry)

As I mention, the first half was - in a word - pathetic from Swansea. Most of the passes were in the middle of the park and as soon as they had a chance to break quickly... the ball was passed back to the centre backs, rendering a surprise counter attack impossible.

The fans were screaming for subs and thankfully Garry Monk heard our cries, bringing on the inspired Modou Barrow and Marvin Emnes; injecting some much needed pace and desire to replace Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge. Some attractive passing in front of goal later and we had our deserved equaliser. Men of the match (for me): Fernandez, Britton, Fabianski.

What did we learn from yesterday? Gomis - with a little work and confidence - will be enough to carry the team through the second half of the season. Nelson Oliveira looked smooth and very handy with the ball. Angel Rangel had a terrible game - no matter how much of a club legend he is, he needs to sort it out before next time. Andy Carroll is still a greasy b*****d, capable of scoring against Swansea when he wants.


Bye bye Wilfried Bony, no more goals for Swansea

The biggest news this week has been the imminent (although not yet confirmed) departure of beloved Swans striker Wilfried Bony, who is likely to head off to big spending Manchester City for £30million (although Chelsea are also in the running to sign the striker, should the Man City move break down, or so the Daily Express report).

Goodbye, and thanks for all the goals!

The power striker is currently in Equatorial Guinea for the African Cup of Nations, but it's unlikely he'll ever put on the white shirt of Swansea again. It was always likely to happen and it will be a great shame to see him go. Not only for his goals, but his creativity and his huge presence on the pitch.

As Forza Swansea blogger Alec Johnson tweeted last week: 'Gomis was signed as a Wilf replacement last summer as offers were expected for £19m... But we've had an extra 4 months and £11m so just smile'. 

That's a sentiment I agree with, and I'm sure sensible Swans fans everywhere else do to.


Hello Troy Deeney?

With the upcoming departure of Bony, several media outlets have linked Swansea with Watford striker Troy Deeney, who has been one of the Championship's top scorers in recent seasons.

Deeney has scored 69 goals in 183 appearances for Watford since 2010, and could fit into the side pretty nicely.

However as Planet Swans pointed out earlier in the week, with Gomis and Oliveira already in place, it's unlikely that a move will be made for the 26-year-old front man. But who knows...?


Rory goes to Tranmere

Finally, young Rory Donnelly has joined League Two bottom-dwellers Tranmere Rovers until the end of the season. The 22-year-old striker has suffered his share of frustrating injuries since joining the Swans in January 2012 and as a result has made little impact.

So it's a good move for both clubs and the player in this respect - he'll definitely get some much needed game time with Tranmere, as yesterday afternoon proved. Donnelly came on for Rovers as a 67th minute sub in yesterday's flaccid 0-0 draw against Morecambe. Good luck Rory.

---

That ends the first of these regular Sunday morning catch-ups. In the meantime make sure to cheer yourself up this January and get your copy of Swansea City's Greatest Games now!

Why losing to Liverpool really wasn't that bad.

Swansea were embarrassed last night by Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool at Anfield, deservedly losing 4-1 after a scrappy first half and a lacklustre second.

A couple of defensive mix-ups, a bizarre mistake from Lukasz Fabianski and an unfortunate own-goal from Jonjo Shelvey (who had an overall dreadful evening) saw the Swans pretty much dead and buried with over 20 minutes left to play.

It's annoying, but is it that bad?

In a 'grand scheme of things' kind of way, no - it's not that bad at all. Garry Monk - still only half-way through his first full season in charge - has navigated his team through a tough few months of fixtures and injuries, and is ending the year ninth in the Premier League.

Right on cue: Shelvey played his part in an awful game.

And having already played teams like Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea, Man City and West Ham away from home, the second half of the season should be a little smoother, fixtures-wise at least.

Of course, losing Wilfried Bony and Ki Sung Yeung to their nations for respective national competitions is a big blow considering the impact both those players have had; Bony with his creativity and goals, and Ki with his strength and composure in the middle of the pitch.

But their absence will allow Bafetimbi Gomis - who looked pretty good against Liverpool - some time in the spotlight, while midfield is deep enough to cope without Ki for a month (providing Shelvey pulls his finger out a bit). And of course we'll finally be able to see Nelson Oliveira in action.

So it's been a good year; certainly ending better than it started (I need not remind any Swansea fan of the way 2014 began, with Michael Laudrup slowly guiding the team towards relegation). In reflection, losing to Liverpool - and Brendan Rodgers - was in no way desirable, but it's not the end of the world.

All that's left to do is say Happy New Year and see you all in 2015! (And don't waste those Christmas vouchers on something boring - instead, buy your copy of Swansea City's Greatest Games today!).

'Tis the (middle of the) season - a festive blogger Q&A on the season so far!

It's been a while so, with a week to go until Christmas and very close to the mid-way point in the Premier League season, let's check in with some of the Forza Swansea bloggers to catch up on their highlights of the season so far:

Definitely some positives to smile about Garry!

Q1. Sum up Swansea's season so far in one word!

Alec Johnson: Rollercoaster!

Matthew Jacob: Positive. Some excellent results, interspersed with some superb football - a real positive start to Monk's first full season in charge.

Jules Price: Pleasing.

Jacob Cristobal: Top-half!

Chris Carra: Potential.

Q2. What's been your favourite game of the season to this point?

AJ: The big kick-off in Old Trafford. That set us off with the belief that we are ready to compete at the top table again.

MJ: Arsenal at home. Dug in when we needed to, played our game and were deserved winners.

JP: It has to be the win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. We crashed the van Gaal party when there was so much expectation around his appointment and his signings. It was a historic win too which makes it even more significant.

JC: The season opener against United, spoiling van Gaal's debut.

CC: The Arsenal one has probably been my favourite to this point - I was watching in Amsterdam in a bar full of Arsenal supporters who naturally went crazy when Arsenal scored. But the two quick goals from Swansea were superb and the small table of Swans fans made more noise than the entire pub. Great!

Fabianski is proving a hit this season.

Q3. Who has been your stand-out Swans player (and why)?

AJ: Gylfi. His feet are magical but his footballing mind is breathtaking. He sees passes that can only be spotted from the sofa in your lounge.

MJ: I'm sure many will say Bony, or perhaps Montero, and both are worthy candidates. For me though Sigurdsson has given us a real attacking edge, and the spark of creativity we'd perhaps lacked in recent years. Consistently brilliant.

JP: Fabianski. Very solid and commands his defenders well. Great shot stopper who has already shown that he has more quality than Vorm. Arsenal’s loss, Swansea’s gain. I would argue he is one of the top five keepers in the Premier League although he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves in the national media.

JC: Fabianski. He is proving he can handle his own when actually given matches and I do not miss Vorm. Still miss Ben, but that's something else.

CC: I'm going to be obvious and say Bony. Not just for his goals - without which the Swans would be much further down the table - but for his overall strength and class up front.

Q4. Who would be your ideal January transfer window signing (and why)?

AJ: Full backs. Both are currently decent, but a notch beneath the rest of the team.

MJ: A right back and a left back. Both positions need addressing. I quite like Kieran Trippier at Burnley. He's done well after stepping up to this level and has more to offer I think.

JP: Raul would have been a great signing however he signed for former Swansea City player Giovanni Saverese at the New York Cosmos just a few weeks ago. Realistically I would like to see Harry Kane at the Liberty. Not a guaranteed first team starter for Tottenham and he’s a good old-fashioned striker. Just look at Sunday’s performance.

JC: Podolski. He deserves better than being a sub off the bench.

CC: A solid wing-back who would challenge for a starting spot - can't put my finger on a name though.

Q5. Where are Swansea going to finish come May?

AJ: 9th. Above Liverpool and a whole league above our red, white or occasionally blue neighbours.

MJ: Mid-table, possibly 8th.

JP: Mid-table unless they fail to replace Bony sufficiently during the African Cup of Nations which could mean they struggle to score. Then again Gomis will get his opportunity so who knows!

JC: Somewhere in between 7th and 9th.

CC: Definitely in the top ten, perhaps 8th.


Thanks for reading. Make sure you order your copy of the best-selling Swansea City's Greatest Games in time for Christmas. It's now available at the club shop as well!

"We are nobody's whipping boys" - Exclusive interview with Kevin Johns!

He's one of the city's most recognisable faces, a film/theatre/radio star, and - most importantly - a lifelong Swans supporter... it's Kevin Johns of course!

And it was my great pleasure to catch up with Kev this week to chat about his involvement with Jack to a King, the Arsenal game, Swans managers, and his passion for the club.

Kev Johns - a true Jack through and through!

Chris: It took me long enough, but I finally saw Jack to a King in October. What a brilliant film! I know you've seen it a few times, so what are your thoughts now the dust has settled?

Kevin: I've seen the film five times and every time I watch it I see something different or I see somebody different. I can honestly tell you that I've not watched the film once without having tears in my eyes. And I often see people in there who are no longer with us. I saw the minister Caradog, who married my parents and did my Christening when I was a baby – he was a Swans fan and he sadly is no longer with us and there are others [who feature in the film] that have passed away. They would have all loved to see us where we are today. But I do see something different every time I watch it.

C: It's a great advert for Swansea City isn't it? Such a gripping, almost fictional storyline!

K: I think it's great for the club and introduces us to an international audience. It tells the story that shows that we have not forgotten those who are hugely responsible for saving this club. There were some ugly, dark moments during the Tony Petty period and we fought through. I also think it's a very funny film and very emotional. But the story hasn't finished yet – there's a greater story still to be told!

C: Sticking with film, you were part of Barclay's Spirit of the Game heroes and starred in your own short video for them last month. Tell us about that?
 
K: Well it's a bit embarrassing really. I was aware something was going on since last March. I had a few phone calls from Barclay's asking for an interview and we did that, then they asked if I would take part in their podcast - again something I happily did. But then I was getting more phone calls and more interviews, asking more questions, so I said to the guys at the Liberty “do you know anything about it?” but they said no. Then, after hearing Barclay's wanted to do some filming with me for the Stoke game, I had a phone call explaining what it was all about and that they were making four short films about passion in football. It was all very humbling - there are so many people who do so many things, but I am the guy the club suggested for it.

C: And that led onto the signs flashing around the sides of the stadium on match days that say 'Thank You Kevin Johns'?

K: (Laughing) A friend of mine who I've not seen for 30 years, who works in the British Embassy in Bucharest, sent me a screen shot of the television and said “I'm just watching the match in Bucharest, and look what I see!” Those signs are quite humbling and quite nice. My mum and dad were very proud, and I'm happy for them that these nice things happen.

C: You do have a reputation for being ultra passionate about the club, so you deserve it.

K: I'm just a Swansea City fan. I'm just a supporter of the club who's been given the opportunity to serve the club and do what I do. I still have a season ticket. I was actually asked a few years ago, when we were in the Championship, if I would be interested in doing what I do for a Premier League club. An agent rang me to see if I was interested but I said no I'm not, only because I think a real supporter needs to do that job. I have no second team, I am a Swans supporter – always have been, always will.

C: Moving onto what's been happening on the pitch and the Swans seem to be doing brilliantly at the moment. Garry Monk is clearly the right man for the job. What's gone right this season?

K: I think there seems to be a great team spirit there. In the Arsenal game – in an age where we talk about the salaries the players are on and some of the negative aspects of their lives – I watched a team play for the shirt. They were playing for the badge. And Garry Monk is a Swansea City man, and there are people like him – Alan Curtis and Kristian O'Leary – all in the dressing room, motivating the players. All are passionate about the Swans. I never doubted that one day Garry would be involved with coaching and management with the club. But I didn't think it would happen so soon.

C: I guess no-one expected it to happen that quickly did they? He was just thrown into it.

K: No, it happened much quicker than we thought, but I have no doubts that he's the right man for the job. And of all the managers we've had though the era of success, it's the new, young managers that have done the best job for us. Brendan Rodgers, Roberto Martinez, and now Garry - all are guys who have punched above their weight and succeeded.

C: I couldn't have put that better myself! Now, Man City on Saturday – do you think we'll come away from the Etihad with something?

K: Well I believe anything is possible now. To be honest with you I think why I get so disappointed when we lose is because I never actually think we are going to lose! I expect us to win every game. When we looked at the fixtures at the beginning of the season we kind of thought “oh we've got a run of easy games there,” but they're actually not easy games because teams like Stoke, Newcastle and Sunderland will all be saying “Swansea is a game that is winnable for us.” They have the same mentality as we do. I also thought “Everton, Arsenal and Man City – that's a tough run,” but we've picked up four points so far and I'm thinking now that if we only get four points from these three games I'm okay with that. But I also think that Man City have had better times, it's a different Premier League this year, so anything is possible. I don't think we are anybody's whipping boys. I think we'll come away with credit and the supporters will have seen a good game of football. There's a great team spirit, so there's no reason we can't beat Man City.

---

Make sure to get to this year's panto at Swansea Grand Theatre to catch Kev in action on stage! You can follow Kev on Twitter and keep up to date with all Forza Swansea news on my Twitter page.
 

Cawl, mining and dogs... Are YOU the average Swans fan?

Do you like cawl? Follow Jim Carey on Twitter? Drive a Nissan? Then, congratulations - you are the typical Swans fan!

The South Wales Evening Post published an article earlier today outlining the results of a YouGov survey, which essentially delivers a snapshot of what the typical Swans fan is like.

Which one of these drives a Nissan...?

Apparently, among other characteristics, the typical Swans fan - let's call him Jack - will be a male who is over sixty years old, works as a miner and likes to eat cawl. Jack will also be interested in personal finance, will be a customer of Swalec and would drive a Nissan.

Of all the Swans fans I've ever met it's safe to say that - like snowflakes - no two are exactly the same, but this may shed some light on what makes us tick.

Check out the full article on the Post's website, which gives the complete results and a little more about the survey. 

Go on, find out whether you are a typical Swans fan or - like me - not. Let us know in the comments box below or via Twitter!

 

Why external investment is a positive move for Swansea City

Every Swansea City fan has their opinions when it comes to foreign investors' interest in the club - "Yes it's a brilliant opportunity" or "No, not now, not ever". We're lucky to have Forza Swansea's ALEC JOHNSON - a man always in the know - here to explain why accepting the investors is actually a great move for the Swans.

---

By Alec Johnson

Most debates surrounding Swansea City right now all hover around the subject of international investors - do we stick or twist?

I'm definitely in the twist camp. Let me sell you the benefits of not just accepting the opportunity, but also embracing it as an exciting development.

Firstly, this cannot be compared to Cardiff or Birmingham takeovers, where complete control is handed over to a foreign loony and the board had no choice but to save their club.

Also, comparisons have been made to previous American ownership in the shape of Liverpool and Man United where the club has been used to saddle the debt of purchase within the football club. This practise is illegal in mainland Europe, so by nature this attracts foreign investors to our shores. This is because leveraged debt is legal in the UK and, despite decades of profit at these clubs, they carry the debt of their owner's loans.

Our position is entirely different, and while we don’t require external investment to survive we certainly need it to grow.

Big decisions for Huw.

There are also many benefits to a wide group of shareholders with minority interest in any business, particularly when the investors span different backgrounds and geography.

Tapping into the new circles of corporate America or China elevates us to a new league and securing our financial future in the process. Also, we are not talking about bankers or miners here - the Americans can teach us a thing or two about sports marketing and monetising the asset of sport in the business community. Having run big American sports club for long periods, there is an established depth of sponsorship history that can be exploited together with the brand building exercises for deeper fan bases.

The best and most difficult thing in any company structure is to achieve external investment without relinquishing control. Selling a successful business isn’t as difficult as you would think. The board are not going to do that at Swansea City. There is almost an infinite number of private equity groups and family estates that would buy a growing and successful company. The number of groups interested in large investment without control is tiny by proportion. If our board have unlocked that door then they’ve found a golden key for our club.

The challenge will be to value the business.

Typically a multiple of the recent trading year's profit is considered, with ten being the typical multiple to determine value. Given the published profits are around £15m per season, the club is worth approximately £150m. However a premium is placed on the growth potential and balance sheet.

I would argue that Swansea has enough bling and potential to attract a multiple exceeding ten but most investors want control to pay more. They won’t get control at Swansea. What they have is a route into the glamorous showcase of the Premier League.

This is what Usmanov has at Arsenal - trophy ownership and an investment in a club that he can attach himself to. Other investors merely want a return in dividends or future share sale. I suspect this would be the motivation of any minority investor in Swansea and that’s fine by me.

On an emotional level, the chips are high for our club. Four years of Premier League, profit, stability and debt free. This results in an all-time high for their relatively modest investment of £50k each to save our beloved club just over a decade ago. Who can begrudge them of a pay day that can help secure their personal future?

Yes they have a duty to the fans and have a social responsibility that they take very seriously. Diluting their personal shareholding is totally acceptable. They will not leave us exposed in any way - while money changes things, it won’t change their love for the club.

Meanwhile the tension between investment into the squad and the stadium is a healthy one. Both need constant investment and history suggests a budget of around £15m per season into the playing staff. This is the approximate budget required for the club to accommodate the next batch of fans waiting to join the Premier League bandwagon through expansion.

Are they glory hunters? Quite possibly. But Swansea need to invest in a whole generation of future fans, converted to the club for life, like ourselves. It’s an investment into the next few decades. The seats will sell out given the relatively modest addition to the capacity. The best players also want to play in the best stadiums. Our Liberty needs that third tier.

So fast forward nine months - the cranes are up, finishing off our shiny new East Stand but the squad hasn’t changed. Cue the calls for player investment, but the £15m has gone into the stadium. A few injuries and we slide down the table. Monk is under pressure and the board start taking a few bullets.

This scenario scares me a lot more than having some American billionaire investing into our club, making us stronger in every way. Every way besides the romantic notion of complete fan ownership, which is pretty much where we are today.

It’s served us very well for the past decade but we’re in a different universe now. Stick or twist?

Visitors to Swansea are welcomed by the message ‘Ambition is critical’ and we need to remind ourselves of this message.

This is a time for us all to let the head rule the heart!

---

Christmas is coming - now is the time to buy your copy of Swansea City's Greatest Games - out now worldwide on Amazon, or in Waterstones, WHSmiths, Tesco and other good bookshops.

True Grit: The Alan Tate story

I was originally going to write a poem or something to express my admiration for one of my favourite Swansea City players, but I decided that poetry was not the right way to go about it...

However, I do feel it's time to write a little something on one man who truly embodies the spirit of Swansea City - Alan Tate.

We all dream...

That's right, it's sometimes easy to forget about Tate. And although we no longer see him on the field, on the bench or in the media, he is still a Swansea City player, on paper and in heart, as he has been for the past 12 years.

We can also forgive some of the newer Swans fans for not really knowing much about him as it's been some time since he last took to the pitch wearing the white shirt of Swansea City.

Born in County Durham in 1982, Tate joined Manchester United as a youngster, eventually finding himself on loan with Brian Flynn's struggling Swansea City in 2002. He played his part in the football league survival match against Hull City in May 2003 before rejoining the Swans permanently in February 2004 (after another successful loan spell in between).

A gritty, tough and versatile defender, Tate became a true fan favourite during his time with Swansea. From 2004 he was a staple of the first team, playing in his fair share of important games such as the Football League Trophy Final match against Carlisle in 2006. At the end of the game both him and Lee Trundle cemented their place in Swansea City folklore with the now iconic 'F**k off Cardiff' flag incident.

Forever loved in Swansea, forever hated in Cardiff

Tate also captained the team at times as the Swans made their way from League Two to the Championship and, even though he began featuring less and less under Brendan Rodgers, he was called into action for two of the Swans' most important ever games during the Championship play-off matches 2011 - solid against both Nottingham Forest in the semi and Reading in the glamorous Wembley final.

But his time in the Premier League never really came. Of course he played a handful of matches under Rodgers and was even given a brief cameo against his former side at Old Trafford in May 2012, but he was one player who - for all his grit, determination and club pride - could not make the step up.

After falling out with Michael Laudrup, Tate has since played out on loan at Leeds United, Yeovil Town, Aberdeen and Crewe Alexandra. But he remains a Swansea City player, for now at least.

So where does his future lie?

While it's a sad statement to make, it's safe to say that his playing days with Swansea are pretty much over. However, with his old mate Garry Monk currently steering the ship, Tate may find his way back to prominence with a coaching role. And I'm sure that would be a decision that 99% of Swans fans would be happy to back.

In 2013 the club planned a testimonial match against Manchester United to celebrate Tate's decade of hard work, but unfortunately this failed to materialise due to conflicting Premier League fixtures. The testimonial match is currently postponed, with no new date as yet.

Whatever happens, Tate deserves a testimonial, whether it's this year (his actual 10 year anniversary of joining Swansea permanently) or next. He definitely deserves it.

Once a Jack, always a Jack.

Battle of the centre-backs: Amat vs Fernandez

When it come to Swansea City defenders, Ashley Williams will always be the first name on the team sheet. But who should be lining up next to him in the centre? Forza Swansea's JUSTIN AGTAV shares his opinions on whether it should be Jordi Amat or Federico Fernandez.

---

By Justin Agtav

When Federico Fernandez first joined Swansea City back in August I actually didn't expect him to get a starting place immediately thanks to Jordi Amat, who had been outstanding for the Swans in the opening few matches.

However now, after his recent injury, it appears that Amat will have a big fight ahead of him to win his place back in the starting line-up.

Should it be Amat...?

After Chico Flores - someone who often went walkabout and picked up cards consistently - blocked Amat from breaking into the starting eleven last year, he will probably have to go through something similar this year.

And that’s a shame because, although many people - myself included - wanted Swansea to sign a new centre-back, Amat did nothing in the first few games to warrant losing his starting spot. And even though Fernandez hasn’t cost Swansea any games, he has made his share of mistakes. For Argentina at the World Cup he was considered one of their weaker defenders, and that led to him losing his place in their starting eleven.

...or Fernandez?

But I’m not saying Fernandez was a bad signing - far from it. I’m just saying that Amat on his form before the injury merits a starting spot.

And the stats show it as well, as Swansea have only conceded 2 goals in the 3 ½ games this season that Amat was on the pitch, while they have conceded 8 in 5 ½ games while Fernandez was on the field.

Fernandez is an excellent signing to have, but based on recent form, Amat should be starting until he no longer merits it.

---

Thanks to Justin for his opinions on Swansea's centre-back dilemma. You can follow him on Twitter and follow Forza Swansea for updates.

Here's what you may have missed on Forza Swansea last month!

With my recent book launch and everything surrounding that, the content output on ForzaSwansea over the past month or so has been a little patchy.

Therefore you may have missed some of the brilliant posts by the bloggers, on topics such as Angel Rangel, Lukasz Fabianski and an array of former players.

Alec Johnson's very popular post, 'BEWARE: Leave the Swans at your peril!', was a look at some of Swansea City's former players and where they are now after leaving the club for the allure of more money (the answer is almost always 'on the bench'!)

You may also want to check out Matthew Jacob's article called 'Rangel's last ride?'. In the article, Matt looks at Angel Rangel's role with the Swans and who can fill in for him if he's not up to the task any more.

And finally, back at the start of September, we had a short post from our newest blogger, Justin Agtav, who asked the question: 'Lukasz Fabianski - Has Swansea's gamble paid off?' (Of course, we all now know it certainly has!)

We'll be back very soon for more, stay tuned!