Wayne’s a special Swan for Cooper

SWANSEA boss Steve Cooper insists Wayne Routledge is going nowhere after getting some personal revenge.

The veteran winger, 36, scored the opener as the Swans edged past League Two Stevenage 10 years and a day after he was part of the Newcastle side embarrassed on the same ground.

Routledge, who has been at the Liberty Stadium for almost a decade, has had limited opportunities of late but Cooper cannot imagine ever being without him.

He said: “I’ve talked about Wayne on numerous occasions, he’s a remarkable guy who is so well-liked and valued.

“Wayne is just brilliant to have around and he can still play. If we need to start him in games he will be ready.

“He has a big heart, he’s a big role model and is there when I need him and there is a bit to go with Wayne for sure.”

Routledge scored after seven minutes as he nodded in from Yan Dhanda’s cross.

The Championship high-flyers added a second as Viktor Gyokeres nabbed his first goal for the club five minutes into the second half with another header from a Jordon Garrick cross.

Stevenage looked far from a side struggling at the bottom of League Two and should have pulled one back nine minutes from time after Gyokeres handled in the area.

But keeper Freddie Woodman made a brilliant stop to foil debutant Luke Norris.

Stevenage boss Alex Revell said: “If we had scored it things might have been different.

“That would have set up a fantastic finish but it was still a good performance.” STEVENAGE: Cumming 6; JamesWildin 7, Vancooten 6, Cuthbert 6, Coker 6; Smith 6 (Vincelot 77th), Lines

6 (Oteh (63rd) 6), Read 6, Pett 6 (Norris

(46th) 5); Carter 6, Newton 6 (Aitchison

(63rd) 6)

SWANSEA: Woodman 7; Naughton 6, Cabango 6, Evans 6 (Bidwell (73rd) 6), Manning 6; Garrick 7 (Cooper 84th), Byers 7, Fulton 6 (Smith (46th) 7), Dhanda 7; Routledge 7 (Cullen (65th)

6), Gyokeres 7

Yan Dhanda

M Salisbury