Swansea City away match thread

[Jerseybean]

 

Sunday at 3pm and Swansea here we come, stadium guide here: https://www.swanseacity.com/your-guide-swanseacom-stadium

It’s on Sky also on Robins TV https://robinstv.bcfc.co.uk/media/6IwdFk8YUbAif0GiVJnyM

Who remembers this from September 2005? https://youtu.be/ZbWHE275WkI

Which was followed by this statement on the club's official website, "Following a poor start to the season and yesterday's heavy defeat at Swansea City, Bristol City Football Club has decided to carry out a full review and restructure of its football organisation.”

"Chairman Steve Lansdown met with Brian Tinnion this afternoon and after long and lengthy discussions it was decided Brian should step down from the position as first-team manager.

"Applications for this position will now be sought. In the meantime assistant manager Keith Millen will assume charge of first-team duties, until an appointment is made."

Head-to-head record, we have won 32, lost 24 and drawn 23 over the years.

Match previews : https://www.bcfc.co.uk/city-men-news/preview-swansea-city-a-2/ and https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/swansea-city/preview/preview-swansea-vs-bristol-city-prediction-team-news-lineups_554032.html and https://the72.co.uk/2024/09/27/swansea-city-bristol-city-prediction/ and https://www.swanseacity.com/news/meet-opposition-bristol-city-11

Josh Tymon on the mood in their camp: https://www.swanseacity.com/news/josh-tymon-we-want-carry-our-good-start

Last Saturday they won 2-1 away against Coventry and have ten points having picked up seven Championship points out of a possible nine on home soil.

This ‘the rest is history’ podcast explores some fascinating insights into the Welsh nation and its identity:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0dlg4bx?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Andrew Kitchen will be the man in charge, he will be assisted by Andrew Fox and Hugh Gilroy. Anthony Backhouse will be the fourth official.

Last visit we returned with three points thanks to goals from Sykes and Bell, https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/extended-highlights-swansea-city-1-2-bristol-city/

LM pre-match: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/manning-previews-swansea-away/

Players who have represented both clubs include.

LEE TRUNDLE

The silky Scouser, known for his bag of tricks, began his career with Swansea City back in 2003 after signing on a free transfer from Wrexham.

Trundle instantly became a North Bank favourite due to his goalscoring ability and fancy footwork that would often bamboozle opposition defenders.

After netting on his debut against Bury, he would bag a hat-trick the following game against Cheltenham Town. During his time at the Liberty, he became the last of three Swansea City players to have bagged a hat-trick in three consecutive league matches.

Over the course of his four years in South Wales, Trundle would rack up a total of 78 goals in 146 appearances.

2007 brought about the box office forward’s move to BS3, where he would not quite hit the same heights as he did in South Wales but nonetheless he’d certainly entertain supporters at Ashton Gate.

He returned seven goals in 53 appearances for Bristol City which included a brace away to Scunthorpe in the 2007/08 campaign – one of which being an audacious chip.

Trundle’s most memorable goal in red and white undoubtedly came in April 2008 as he wrapped his left foot around the ball to score in the play-off semi-final at Ashton Gate.

KOREY SMITH

Smith landed in BS3 in the summer of 2014. He made an immediate impact, playing an instrumental role in City’s double-winning team as the Robins secured a return to the Championship and lifted the EFL trophy at Wembley. His performances on the pitch also saw him named in the League One Team of the Season by his peers.

Smith made 196 appearances in the red and white of Bristol City after signing in the summer of 2014. He would go on to don the captain’s armband and become a fan favourite in the process through his performances on the pitch, and his commitment to helping the Bristol community in any way he could.

The midfielder cemented his place in City folklore for years to come on December 20th, 2017. It was the night ‘the roof came off Ashton Gate’ as Smith struck in added-time to secure a famous victory over Manchester United in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup – without doubt one of the brightest moments in Bristol City’s recent history.

Unfortunately, game time became limited through injury in the two years that followed, and Smith would move onto Swansea City in the summer of 2020, where he would make 77 appearances in all competitions.

JAMIE PATERSON

Born in Coventry, Jamie Paterson was a product of Walsall’s youth system and joined Bristol City from Nottingham Forest in 2017.

Paterson scored his first goal against his former side, in 2-1 win against the Tricky Trees just over a month after swapping the East Midlands for the West Country.

A popular figure in the dressing room, Paterson was also popular in the stands due to his skillful nature, free-kick scoring and more.

Paterson was part of the City side which reached the Carabao Cup semi-final in 2017/18, beating four Premier League sides on the way while also being an integral part of City’s eighth-place the following season.

‘Pato’ scored 26 goals in 156 appearances for the Robins, while also providing 21 assists.

South Wales would be the next destination for Paterson, joining Russell Martin’s side in the summer of 2021, scoring on his debut in a 2-1 defeat at Ewood Park.

The midfielder would forever endear himself to the Jack Army with a goal and two assists against Cardiff City in a 3-0 win at the Swansea.com Stadium in October 2021.

On 22 August 2024, Paterson signed for Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC on an initial contract until the end of the 2024 season. His new head coach Dean Smith had previously managed Paterson for a three-season spell at Walsall.

TAMMY ABRAHAM

Abraham’s arrived in the West Country on loan from Chelsea ahead of the 2016/17 campaign and the forward hit the ground running in red and white.

Seven goals came in the month of September for Abraham – a total that would make him a double award winner as he was named Championship Player of the Month and EFL Young Player of the Month.

January brought about another milestone for the boy from South London as he surpassed Fulham’s Moussa Dembélè for the most goals (16) scored by a teenager in a Championship season.

He would finish his solo season at Ashton Gate with 23 league goals – the second highest total across the division – 26 in total. He would also scoop up the Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Top Goalscorer awards – making him the first player in the club’s history to do so.

Upon his return to Chelsea, he would sign a new five-year contract before heading back out on loan. This time to the Premier League with Swansea City where he would score eight goals for the Swans in a season where they were relegated from the Premier League.

ASHLEY WILLIAMS

Starting his career with non-league side Hednesford Town, Ashley Williams joined Shrewsbury Town in 2003, making 162 appearances for the club before joining Swansea City initially on loan in 2008. 

Following the securing of the League One title, the transfer was made permanent for a then record-fee of £400,000. 

Life in the Championship started well for both Williams and the Swans as the defender made 46 appearances for the club as they finished eighth before being named FAW Footballer of the Year in November 2009.

Following three years in the second tier, Williams was integral to the Swansea side that secured promotion to the top flight in 2010/11 being named in the Championship PFA Team of the Year in the process. 

Williams was a mainstay in the Swansea defence for six Premier League seasons while also leading the side out at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final in 2013 as the Swans defeated Bradford City 5-0 to lift the trophy.

Departing for Everton in 2016 for a £12 million fee, Williams would head to Stoke City on loan after two seasons on Merseyside before joining Bristol City on a free transfer in August 2019, making his debut in a 2-1 win against former side Stoke City in September.

Williams would go on to make 32 appearances for City forming a solid partnership with Nathan Baker at the heart of the Robins defence.

On an international stage, Williams made his Wales debut in March 2008 and would go on to earn 86 caps for his country and was part of the Cymru side that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 – heading in the equalising goal against Belgium in the 3-1 quarter-final win.

In December 2010, Williams established the charity WillsWorld with his wife Vanessa, with a view to helping under-privileged children. He is also a patron of Street Football Wales which fights social exclusion, and the Ethan Perkins Trust, which raises funds for research, support and awareness into childhood brain tumours.  https://www.thepfa.com/news/2012/7/24/ashley-williams-willsworld-charity

Williams announced his retirement from football in January 2021.

Their manager, Luke Williams, had his playing career cut short through injury, this article is interesting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn05dwzn6g2o

They have no new injury concerns ahead of the game.

Their MDT, https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/swanseacity/forum/312980/swansea-city-v-bristol-city-match-day-thread-updated-tues-pm/#10

Swansea snippets

1. The Gower Peninsula was designated the first Area of Outstanding Beauty in 1956 and is one of only five in Wales.

2. Swansea was named as the cleanest city in Wales and is the second cleanest city in the whole of the UK.

3. Swansea was once called Sweins ey, which roughly translates as Swein’s island. It is not certain who Swein was, but legend has it that he was a Norseman who built a fort in Swansea in 100AD and used it as a base to raid the rest of Wales.

4. In 2004 the MET Office named Swansea as Britain’s wettest city.

5. From the late 18th century until well into the Victorian era, Swansea was nicknamed ‘Copperopolis’ due to the huge volume of the material manufactured in the city.

6. In 1823 the first ever human fossil was discovered near Swansea in the Gower Peninsula. The Red Lady of Paviland (who is actually a man) dates back over 33,000 years and was dyed by the red ochre in the surrounding rocks.

7. The phrase ‘Swansea Jack’ comes from a dog called Jack who saved 27 people from drowning in the River Tawe during the seven years of his life (1930-1937).

8. Famous people from the city include poet Dylan Thomas, entertainer Sir Harry Secombe, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, politician Michael Heseltine, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, footballers John Charles, Ivor Allchurch and John Hartson, actress Joanna Page, 18th-century dandy Beau Nash, broadcaster Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, artist Vernon Watkins, writers Russell T Davies and Iris Gower, and rock musician Spencer Davis.

Pubs

The Harvester at Morfa Parc, Morfa Shopping Park, Brunel Way, Bon-y-maen, Swansea SA1 7BP, https://www.harvester.co.uk/restaurants/wales/themorfaparcswansea#/

The Pumphouse, Pump House Quay, Maritime Quarter, Swansea, SA1 1TT, https://www.pumphousepubswansea.co.uk

No Sign Bar, 56 Wind Street, Swansea, SA1 1EG, https://nosignwinebar.com

The Bank Statement, 57-58 Wind Street, Swansea, SA1 1EP (Spoons) https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/wales/swansea/the-bank-statement-swansea?utm_source=google&utm_medium=maps&utm_campaign=gmb

Brunswick 3 Duke Street, Swansea, SA1 4HS, www.brunswickswansea.com About a ten minute drive from the ground. Large rambling local with traditional pubby furnishings, lots of knick-knacks and local artwork, good value popular food (served daily weekdays, just lunchtimes at weekends), half a dozen well kept ales tapped from cask, friendly helpful service, regular live music; no dogs, open all day.

[Sir Geoff]

Looking forward to this one. My first 'Live' game of the season.

[MattWSM]

I am looking for one ticket please 

[weepywall]

8 minutes ago, MattWSM said:

I am looking for one ticket please 

Tickets keep cropping up on the Bristol City fans Facebook group.

[Topper 123]

Let’s make sure the England -city flags are on display 

[BigTone]

23 minutes ago, MattWSM said:

I am looking for one ticket please 

Down the back of the settee ?

[Red Army 75]

Brilliant day out last season, wishing the same for the fans travelling tomorrow. Come on City put an away performance in