Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THRILLER WALES Swans aim to pip rivals Cardiff for play-off spot
ANDRE AYEW says Swansea can serve their fans the sweetest end to a season they have ever tasted – promotion to the Premier League at Cardiff’s expense.
The Ghana striker – the only notable relic of the Swans’ days among the big boys – admits
Cardiff have most of the bullets in the great Welsh shoot-out for sixth place.
Swansea must win at Reading on Wednesday and hope Hull
City’s survival instinct motivates an unlikely victory at the Cardiff
City Stadium.
But Ayew, who says he wants to stay for the final year of his contract, believes far stranger things have happened in the Championship on graduation day.
“For me, whether it’s Cardiff or not, I just want to be there in the play-offs,” said Ayew.
“If it’s at the expense of Cardiff and it is a sweeter taste for the fans, then so be it. I’m happy when they are happy.
“I just want to make sure we get the gods of football behind us and make the play-offs. If we get there it’s a whole different ball game. I’d prefer to be in Cardiff ’s position. In football you have three possibilities – win, lose or draw, and Cardiff can take two of those.
“But we know in football that when you are playing a team who are fighting for their lives, it’s very difficult.” Ayew has played 43 of Swansea’s 45 Championship games and is their top scorer with 15 goals.
Manager Steve Cooper is desperate to hold onto that input, whatever division the club are in, and Ayew (left) added: “I’m happy here. I love it and I have a great bond with the club and fans.
“It’s something we’ll sit down and think about when the time is right but at the moment I’m only thinking of trying to make the play-offs.”
Bristol City – who were undone by Connor Roberts’ first-half goal – have given their support to striker Famara Diedhiou, who was racially abused after missing a penalty.
The Senegalese player tweeted “Why?” along with a screen-grab of a tweet he had received that comprised of three emojis of bananas.
Diedhiou is the fourth Robins player to be subject to racist abuse this season, following hate messages sent to Korey Smith, Jojo Wollacott and Jay Dasilva.
A club statement read: “We stand with Famara Diedhiou and anybody who has to suffer racism in any shape or form. There is no excuse for this disgusting behaviour.”