Latest news with #Swansea.com
Wales Online
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's Swansea City transfer news as Naughton confirms exit and target to become available again
Tonight's Swansea City transfer news as Naughton confirms exit and target to become available again The latest news from the Stadium Kyle Naughton is to leave Swansea City this summer (Image: Getty Images ) Here's your round-up of all the latest Swansea City news for Friday, May 2. Naughton confirms Swansea exit Kyle Naughton has confirmed he's leaving Swansea City at the end of the season, and admits he's unlikely to continue his playing career. The 36-year-old is approaching the end of his current deal with the Swans, and is now set to bring the curtain down on a 10-year stint in south Wales, with Saturday's final-day clash with Oxford United likely to be his last outing. Naughton has made 329 appearances for the Swans having joined from Tottenham in January 2015, and was part of the squad that finished eighth in the Premier League under Garry Monk. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here "It's very emotional," he told the club's official website. "Time flies when you're having fun as they say, and it's gone quick. "In some ways it's been a very difficult decision. In others, not so difficult. In football, when your time's up somewhere that's just how it goes. "But it's been difficult because I've been here for 10 years and I feel like part of the family and the community. That's a feeling I'll keep forever, playing for this club." Naughton hasn't yet ruled out the possibility of carrying on his playing career, but admits his advancing years mean he's unlikely to be pulling on his boots again. "Do I plan to carry on? Probably not, no," he admitted. "I'm 36 now, I've had a good go at football. It's all I've ever known since I was a very small kid, kicking a ball up against the fence. "I'll probably say that this is it. "If my phone rang and a lot of things made sense then I'd have a look, but I'm 90-plus per cent sure that this is it." Allen happy to retire as a Jack Joe Allen is similarly set to bid an emotional farewell to the Jack Army on Saturday, having decided to call time on his playing career at the end of his current deal. The midfielder, who also won 77 caps for Wales, revealed he turned down the offer of a new contract from the Swans, and says he feels privileged to call time on his career on his own terms - and at his boyhood club. "I spoke to so many people who were not happy with how their careers ended," he told the club's official website. "Be that through injury or through being released, so I am fortunate to be in a position where I am back at the club I love, and to have had the chance to come home for the last three seasons. 'To be announcing my retirement as a Swansea City player makes it extra special, I have been very fortunate. To finish my career where it started, it feels like everything has come full circle. 'My career has surpassed everything I ever thought it could be, I am proud to have had the career and the experiences I have had, whether that has been at the clubs I played for, or representing Wales. I have been part of some incredible groups with wonderful supporters, I have been very lucky.' Clark set to be made available Former Swansea City target Bobby Clark is reportedly set to be made available again this summer. The Swans had identified the midfielder as a top transfer target in January, but saw a late loan bid fall through during what was a hugely frustrating end to a disappointing window. Clark stayed at current club Red Bull Salzburg, but has since made just five appearances, and Austrian outlet Kronen Zeitung has now claimed he could be made available for loan this summer. It remains to be seen whether Swansea will return to the table for the 20-year-old, whose move to south Wales effectively fell through on a technicality. "I think that probably we weren't quick enough [on Clark]," former Swans boss Luke Williams said at the time. "In actual fact, it's a technicality that he didn't arrive here. It's a technicality in the rules that too many players went out [from Salzburg]. "They'd loaned out too many players. There were unable to loan out another player, so then they said they could potentially do a deal for a purchase. "But then it's an incredible sum, and quite rightly because he's a brilliant player, but it's not something we could have done at that stage." Bony admits to kicking former boss in training Former Swansea City striker Wilfried Bony admits he once kicked former boss Michael Laudrup in training. The Ivorian, who made 96 appearances for the club over two separate spells, was taken aback by the enduring talents of the Dane out on the training ground, and says he couldn't resist the opportunity to try and take him down a peg. Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone "Michael Laudrup, whether he was doing it on purpose, was always showing off how good he was," Bony told Ladbrokes. "His body was still in shape because he was not too big, muscular. And technically, even when he trained with us, the skills he had were incredible. One day, I had to kick him in training because he was being so clever! "I'd said before, 'This guy! I'll kick him one day. He will see that he's driving me crazy.' He was doing some stuff to the players on the rondo drill, so I did it. I kicked him! That was crazy how good he was, but it was great to be under him." Article continues below
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Swansea city centre to get padel courts
A Swansea-based padel court venture has submitted plans for its first city centre venue with it actively looking for additional sites on the back of the racket sport's growing popularity. Pure Swansea Padel has lodged a planning application to Swansea Council for two new courts at Foresters Yard (the former Pilkington Glass site.) The business is owned by property and investment group and former Swansea City FC footballers Leon Britton, Lee Trundle and Kurtis March, who run the venture day to day. Its existing five padel courts, along with football pitches, are located at its sports complex venue in the Clase area of the city. It was acquired in 2021 when it was just offering football pitches for hire . Group managing director of Jacob Hughes, said of its latest padel court investment plans: 'This exciting location combines city centre energy with on-site parking, making it easily accessible. It will would look absolutely incredible at night and be a real landmark for Swansea. READ MORE: Bristol Airport issues stinging response to plans to give Cardiff Airport £205m READ MORE: Tata subsidiary UKSE exceeding targets on support to firms following ending of heavy steelmaking in Port Talbot With this expansion Pure Swansea Padel would grow to seven courts, something we're hugely proud of, having brought the first ever Padel courts to Swansea back in 2023.' Mr Hughes said the two new courts and facilities will require a capital investment of around £150,000. It will takes the firm's total investment since 2021 to £1m. Pure Swansea Padel is looking at a planning determination in around eight weeks. If approved the courts would open in August of this year. On growing demand for its padel courts, Mr Hughes said: 'We have seen We have seen an increase of 600% on our existing padel courts this year alone, and we aren't yet into the summer period, We currently have 500 different players playing across the courts we have per month, so we hope to reach 1,000 a month.' On further expansion, Mr Hughes said: ' We are actively looking at multiple sites with the aim of getting to five by the end of 2026.'
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's Swansea City news as Alan Sheehan makes pledge to fans and summer announcement made
Tonight's Swansea City news as Alan Sheehan makes pledge to fans and summer announcement made The latest news from the Stadium Swansea City Manager Alan Sheehan (Image: Huw Evans ) Here's your round-up of all the latest Swansea City news for Wednesday, April 30. Sheehan to 'leave no stone unturned' as Swans boss Alan Sheehan insists he will 'leave no stone unturned' in his efforts to bring success to Swansea City after sealing a long-term contract at the club. The Irishman has signed a three-year deal with the Sans having overseen an impressive spell as interim boss. Under his leadership, they've racked up 23 points from 12 games, a run that means they head into Saturday's curtain call with Oxford United with a top-half finish already sewn up. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here. The move to hand him the gig long-term follows weeks of speculation, with Sheehan consistently stressing the importance of the club aligning with his vision on the best way forward before taking the job. After lengthy discussions with the hierarchy, he believes the foundations are now in place for the club to be successful. 'I have been in talks with the ownership for a good while now and the message has always been consistent about what we need to move forward," Sheehan said. Article continues below 'Now we have the base to move forward with those plans, we have had positive discussions with Brett (Cravatt), Jason (Cohen) and Richard (Montague), they have been excellent. 'They have got a plan for the football club, they have seen the atmosphere change over this last period and it's an opportunity to build on that. 'The fans have been excellent to me, and I understand the responsibility and duty of care I now have to the football club, to the fans, the owners, the staff and the players. 'I will leave no stone unturned to make the club successful. I have said before, it's not just about surviving, or being the manager for the sake of it. I would love to bring this football club to a better place.' OTJ hopes Swansea have 'done their homework' on Sheehan Owain Tudur Jones says he hopes Swansea City have "done their homework" in appointing Alan Sheehan. The former Swans midfielder admits the work done by the Irishman since he took over on a temporary basis can't be faulted. But says he can't help but wonder how hard the Swans scoured the market for alternative options. "What cannot be questioned is the fact that he (Sheehan) has come in and done a really good job - any manager who has almost a 60% win ratio deserves a lot of credit," Jones told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. "I think he has put the club in a difficult situation in terms of [it being] very hard not to give him the job. "Only the club know how deeply they have delved into looking elsewhere and providing different options. That's the only thing I would question, have they done their homework in terms of looking? "Then if Alan Sheehan has ended up being better than all of those people, then of course he deserves the job." Sign up to the Swansea City WhatsApp service to get breaking news and top stories sent to your phone Swans confirm pre-season friendly Swansea City are set to face Exeter City in a pre-season friendly this summer. The Swans will head to St James Park to take on the Grecians on Saturday, July 26, in what will be a testimonial match for Pierce Sweeney, who is Exeter's longest-serving current player. Article continues below It is the first pre-season clash to have been confirmed by the club ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, with the Swans heading to the League One club for the first time since 2019. On that occasion, the Swans ran out 3-1 winners courtesy of a brace from Bersant Celina and a strike from Nathan Dyer.
Wales Online
30-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Swansea city centre to get rooftop padel courts
Swansea city centre to get rooftop padel courts Pure Swansea Padel's owners include former Swansea City footballers Leon Britton, Lee Trundle and Kurtis March, How the new Swansea city centre padel court venue from Pure Swansea Padel will look. A Swansea-based padel court venture has submitted plans for its first city centre venue with it actively looking for additional sites on the back of the racket sport's growing popularity. Pure Swansea Padel has lodged a planning application to Swansea Council for two new courts at Foresters Yard (the former Pilkington Glass site.) The business is owned by property and investment group and former Swansea City FC footballers Leon Britton, Lee Trundle and Kurtis March, who run the venture day to day. Its existing five padel courts, along with football pitches, are located at its sports complex venue in the Clase area of the city. It was acquired in 2021 when it was just offering football pitches for hire . Group managing director of Jacob Hughes, said of its latest padel court investment plans: 'This exciting location combines city centre energy with on-site parking, making it easily accessible. It will would look absolutely incredible at night and be a real landmark for Swansea. Tata subsidiary UKSE exceeding targets on support to firms following ending of heavy steelmaking in Port Talbot READ MORE: With this expansion Pure Swansea Padel would grow to seven courts, something we're hugely proud of, having brought the first ever Padel courts to Swansea back in 2023.' Article continues below Mr Hughes said the two new courts and facilities will require a capital investment of around £150,000. It will takes the firm's total investment since 2021 to £1m. Pure Swansea Padel is looking at a planning determination in around eight weeks. If approved the courts would open in August of this year. How Pure Swansea Padel's new Swansea city centre padel court venue will look. Article continues below On growing demand for its padel courts, Mr Hughes said: 'We have seen We have seen an increase of 600% on our existing padel courts this year alone, and we aren't yet into the summer period, We currently have 500 different players playing across the courts we have per month, so we hope to reach 1,000 a month.' On further expansion, Mr Hughes said: ' We are actively looking at multiple sites with the aim of getting to five by the end of 2026.'
