Fans from far and wide unite behind Swans
WITH just over a week to go before the end of the season, the appetite for news from the Swansea.com Stadium is as strong as the Swans approach their final game as it was at the very start of the season!
Earlier this week I was pleased to host a supporters’ engagement evening with the Bridgend Jacks at Penybont Football Club.
Representing the Swans on the panel were chairman Andy Coleman, head of the club’s academy Gavin Leavy and, much to the delight of the full room at Penybont FC, Swansea City manager Luke Williams.
Following three wins and clean sheets on the bounce, it was a very positive evening with everyone looking forward to the new season rather than looking back, and there’s great logic in that.
The internet is full of quotes that encourage us to look forward and not let the past hold us back.
What did surprise me was the number of areas covered by the label of Bridgend Jacks, who organised the evening along with the Swans media department.
The group we know as the Bridgend Jacks have pulled together supporters from Maesteg, Cornelly, Porthcawl, Pencoed, Tonyrefail, Llantrisant, Barry and a few from Cardiff, plus a few of our good mates from Swansea who came to support the event as well.
They all go under the Bridgend Jacks banner and travel to away games on our coaches, not forgetting that a journey to a home game can be quite a trip as well!
Ian and Illtyd started the group about eight years ago when they numbered just four at their first gettogether. However the word spread, more joined for a few pints and to talk about all things Swans and the idea was hatched to take a bus to Villa. That bus was filled easily and now the group attend over 10 away games season by coach, some by train or minibus if it’s midweek.
It was a lovely evening as the panel freely answered questions about finance, tactics, recruitment and all things Swans.
Those who attended appreciated the honesty but it was lovely to see the spread of support for the Swans in South Wales.
In the past I’ve hosted an event for the Ceredigion Jacks in Lampeter, a group who bring together supporters from Aberystwyth and all over Penbrokeshire!
That’s quite a spread and while their accents vary as much as their postcodes, every title carries the name “Jack”.
There are now global Jacks who always have their own Zoom-style Q&A with the manager and ownership at the club.
And so today all Swans fans are hoping for a good result at Norwich and a great finish to the season at the Swansea.com Stadium – and you can be sure that when the cry of “Who are we?” goes out, everyone, wherever they hail from, will should back with one voice “Jack Army”.
Come on the Swans!