Swansea City A.F.C. Under-23s

Full name	Swansea City Association Football Club Under-23s
Nickname(s)	The Jacks The Swans
Founded	1912 (1912) (as Swansea Town Reserves)
Ground	Landore Youth Academy, Swansea
Ground Capacity	500
League	PDL 1 Division 2
2015–16	3rd
Home colours Away colours

Swansea City Association Football Club Under-23s is the most senior team of Swansea City's youth teams and are the club's former reserve team. From the 2015–16 season, they will play in Division 2 of the Professional Development League 1 and will also compete in the U21 Premier League Cup.^[1] The Under-21s and Under-18s previously played in the Professional Development League 2 South Division. The Under-21s play the majority of their home games at Swansea City's Youth Academy in Landore, Swansea with occasional matches taking place at the Liberty Stadium.^[2]

The Under-23 team is effectively Swansea City's second-string side, but is limited to three outfield players and one goalkeeper over the age of 21 per game following the introduction of new regulations from the 2012–13 season.^[3]

Gary Richards and Cameron Toshack are the lead coaches for the Under-23s.^[4]

In 2015, the Under-21s won the 2014–15 Professional U21 Development League 2. In doing so, the under-21s became the first Swansea City Academy age-group to win an English national development trophy.^[5]

Under-23s

Current squad

As of 22 May 2017.^[6] Players listed in bold have made an appearance for the first team in a competitive fixture.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 29 DF Cian Harries 30 MF Josh Sheehan 31 DF Aaron Lewis 34 MF Jack Evans 36 FW Botti Biabi 38 MF Adnan Marić 41 FW Jordan Garrick 44 DF Tom Plezier 45 GK Gregor Zabret 46 MF Kenji Gorré

No. Position Player 47 DF Tyler Reid 48 MF George Byers 53 MF Adam King 60 GK Lewis Thomas 61 DF Joe Rodon 63 MF Ryan Blair — DF Mael Davies — MF Marco Dulca — MF Kieran Evans — FW Liam Cullen

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player — MF Daniel James (on loan to Shrewsbury Town until 30 June 2018[7]) — DF Connor Roberts (on loan to Middlesbrough until 30 June 2018[8]) — DF Keston Davies (on loan to Yeovil Town until 30 June 2018[9])

Swansea City Reserve / Under-23 Team Honours

Professional U21 Development League 2

• Winners:
  • 2014–15

For a list of what the club's second string has achieved please follow the link below.

Swansea City Reserves / Under-21s - A Timeline

• 1912: A team is formed to play in the Welsh Football League.
• 1919: A second reserve team is added to the Western League First Division.
• 1921: The Western League team is elected into the Southern League Welsh Section.
• 1923: The Southern League Welsh Section is renamed the Western Section.
• 1925: The reserves leave the Southern League.
• 1926: But a second team is restored following election to the London Combination.
• 1930: The London Combination is split into two leagues; the Swans were placed in Division 1.
• 1933: A single division London Combination is restored.
• 1946: Following the War the Combination is renamed the Football Combination and split into two leagues; the Swans were placed in Section B.
• 1948: The team is moved into Section A.
• 1952: Section A & B are renamed Division 1 and 2, with the Swans placed in the former.
• 1955: A single division Football Combination is restored.
• 1958: Reverted to two divisions; the Swans were placed in Division 1.
• 1960: The Swans are relegated for the first time in the Combination to Division 2.
• 1961: Left the Combination after a Saturday and Midweek Section were introduced.
• 1964: The top-flight of the Welsh League is renamed the Premier Division.
• 1966: The two division system was restored in 1963 and the Swans were back in Division 2 three years later.
• 1968: A single division Football Combination is restored.
• 1974: The team withdrew from the Combination after the season had started.
• 1983: But they were back nine years later to play in a single division league.
• 1986: The team decided not to enter a team after the 1985/86 campaign ended.
• 1992: Returned to play in Division 2.
• 1996: A single division Football Combination is restored.
• 1997: The team decided not to enter a team after the 1996/97 campaign ended.
• 1999: Returned to play in a five-team Second Division - consisting of Cardiff, Exeter, Plymouth & Torquay.
• 2000: The first-team won promotion to Division 2 and the reserve team was withdrawn.
• 2003: The regional Wales & West Division was formed and this is where the Swans competed from 2003 up until and including the 2010-11 season.
• 2011: Club competed in the Premier Reserve League for the first time. They were placed in the Southern Section.
• 2012: Reserve team replaced by an 'Under-21 team' and competed in the inaugural season of the Professional Development League. They were placed in the Professional Development League 2 South.
• 2015: Under-21s win the Professional Development League 2 with a 3-2 victory over Huddersfield Town Under-21s.
• 2015: Announced that the club will play Professional Development League 1 fixtures at both U21 and U18 level from 2015-16.

Reserve / Under-23 Team League History

Prior to the 2012–13 season, Swansea City's second-string side were a reserve team who had mainly appeared in the Welsh Football League and the English Football Combination.^[10][11] The Reserves also had some short stints in the Western League (1919–21) and the Southern League (1921–25).^[12][13] Following Swansea City's promotion to the Premier League in 2011, Swansea's reserve team were invited to play in the 2011-12 Premier Reserve League. They finished 7th in what would turn out to be their last season as a 'reserve team'.^[14]

The historical venue for Swansea City's reserve matches was the Vetch Field. Following the Vetch Field's closure at the end of the 2004/05 season, Swansea City's second string have played at numerous temporary homes. This has included St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground (2005/06), Port Talbot Town F.C.'s Victoria Road (Port Talbot) (2006–09, 2010/11), The Gnoll in Neath (2009/10), Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli (2011–12). Swansea City's home venue for their first season as an Under-21 team was Llanelli A.F.C.'s Stebonheath Park.^[15]

Swansea City Academy

Swansea City Academy is the youth development system of Premier League team Swansea City. It fields an under-18s team in the South Division of the Professional Development League 1 and the FA Youth Cup. The academy also fields an under-19s team in the FAW Welsh Youth Cup.

The team train and play matches at the Youth Academy in Landore, Swansea and at the senior side's training base in Fairwood, Swansea. Nigel Rees is the current Head of Academy, with Chris Llewellyn in charge of the under-18s team.^[4]

The Academy is working towards securing full Category One academy status by the end of 2015.^[1]

Under-18 squad

As of 10 August 2016. Players listed in italics have signed a professional contract. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player — GK Alex Lang[17] — GK Scott Reed — GK Nathan Shepperd — DF Matt Blake[17] — DF Joe Lewis[17] — DF Ben Cabango[17] — DF Brandon Cooper[17] — DF Rhydian Williams[17] — DF Ben Erickson — DF Cameron Evans — MF Cameron Berry[17] — MF Tom Price[17] — MF Oliver Cooper[17]

No. Position Player — MF Jack Fox[17] — MF Finlay Hazel[17] — MF Kees de Boer — MF Craig Davies — MF Owen Evans — MF Mason Jones-Thomas — MF Daniel Williams — MF Arnór Guðjohnsen — FW Matt Roberts — FW Marc Walsh — FW Jayden Reid — FW Shaquille Wynter-Coles

Academy Honours

FAW Welsh Youth Cup

• Winners: 11 Times
  • 1999, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Runners-Up: 6 Times
  • 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 2004, 2009

Notable Academy Graduates

The following players have all progressed through the youth ranks at Swansea City and have either made at least one appearance for the first team in professional competition, have gone on to play professionally or have represented their national team. Players in bold are still contracted to the club.

2010s

	Player	DOB	Position	Professional Debut	Appearances	Goals	Current Club
	Alex Samuel	20 September 1995	Striker	5 September 2015 (Scottish Championship with Morton)[18]	0	0	Stevenage
	Connor Roberts	23 September 1995	Defender	8 August 2015 (League Two with Yeovil Town)[19]	Ongoing	Ongoing	Middlesbrough (loan)
	Liam Shephard	22 November 1994	Defender	20 January 2015 (League One with Yeovil Town)[20]	1	0	Peterborough United
	Scott Tancock	29 December 1993	Defender	27 September 2014 (League Two with Newport County)[21]	0	0	Merthyr Town
	Dan Hanford	6 March 1991	Goalkeeper	27 September 2014 (League Two with Carlisle United)[22]	0	0	Free Agent
	Alex Bray	25 July 1995	Winger	6 September 2014 (League Two with Plymouth Argyle)[23]	0	0	Rotherham United
	Connor Peters	21 June 1996	Defender	3 September 2014 (2014 Caribbean Cup qualification with Antigua and Barbuda)[24]	0	0	Dagenham and Redbridge and Antigua and Barbuda
	Josh Sheehan	30 March 1995	Midfielder	26 August 2014 (vs Rotherham United)[25]	Ongoing	Ongoing	Swansea City
	James Loveridge	16 May 1994	Forward	22 March 2014 (League One with MK Dons)[26]	0	0	Port Talbot Town
	Gwion Edwards	1 March 1993	Winger	2 February 2013 (Scottish Premier League with St Johnstone)[27]	0	0	Peterborough United
	Emyr Huws	30 September 1993	Midfielder	13 October 2012 (League Two with Northampton Town)[28]	0	0	Ipswich Town and Wales
	Ben Davies	24 April 1993	Defender	25 August 2012 (vs West Ham)[29]	85	3	Tottenham Hotspur and Wales
	Jack King	20 August 1985	Midfielder	18 August 2012 (League One with Preston North End)[30]	0	0	Scunthorpe United
	Lee Lucas	10 June 1992	Midfielder	7 May 2011 (vs Sheffield United)[31]	1	0	Free Agent
	Daniel Alfei	23 February 1992	Defender	8 January 2011 (vs Colchester United)[32]	3	0	Aberystwyth Town
	Joe Walsh	13 May 1992	Defender	10 August 2010 (vs Barnet)[33]	2	0	MK Dons

2000s

	Player	DOB	Position	Professional Debut	Appearances	Goals	Current Club
	David Cornell	28 March 1991	Goalkeeper	25 August 2009 (vs Scunthorpe United)[34]	1	0	Northampton Town
	Jazz Richards	12 April 1991	Defender	15 August 2009 (vs Middlesbrough)[35]	51	0	Cardiff City and Wales
	Casey Thomas	12 April 1990	Forward	15 August 2009 (vs Middlesbrough)[35]	2	0	Moreland City FC
	Kerry Morgan	31 October 1988	Winger	11 August 2009 (vs Brighton & Hove Albion)[36]	6	0	Merthyr Town
	Marley Watkins	17 October 1990	Winger	8 August 2008 (League One with Cheltenham Town)[37]	0	0	Norwich City
	Kyle Letheren	26 December 1987	Goalkeeper	5 January 2008 (FA Cup with Barnsley)[38]	0	0	Free Agent
	Joe Allen	14 March 1990	Midfielder	5 May 2007 (vs Blackpool)[39]	150	7	Stoke City and Wales
	Chris Jones	12 September 1989	Forward	17 October 2006 (vs Walsall)[40]	7	0	Port Talbot Town
	Chad Bond	20 April 1987	Forward	22 November 2005 (vs Rushden & Diamonds)[41]	3	0	Tulsa Roughnecks
	Shaun MacDonald	17 June 1988	Midfielder	23 August 2004 (vs Reading)[42]	40	2	Wigan Athletic and Wales
	Jamie Rewbury	15 February 1986	Defender	10 April 2004 (vs Lincoln City)[43]	2	0	Free Agent
	Mark Pritchard	23 November 1985	Forward	21 October 2003 (vs Cambridge United)[44]	7	1	Free Agent
	Antonio Corbisiero	17 November 1984	Midfielder	30 August 2003 (vs Mansfield Town)[45]	5	0	Aberystwyth Town
	Stuart Jones	14 March 1984	Defender	22 October 2002 (vs Stevenage Borough)[46]	38	0	Aberystwyth Town
	Craig Draper	4 December 1982	Midfielder	9 October 2001 (vs Rochdale)[47]	2	0	Retired
	Richard Duffy	30 August 1985	Defender	8 December 2001 (vs Macclesfield Town)[48]	29	1	Port Vale
	Chris Todd	22 August 1981	Defender	10 March 2001 (vs Northampton Town)[49]	46	4	Eastleigh
	Alex Davies	2 November 1982	Goalkeeper	10 March 2001 (vs Bury)[50]	1	0	Retired
	Carl Mounty	11 December 1981	Goalkeeper	14 February 2001 (vs Brentford)[51]	1	0	Retired
	Bari Morgan	13 August 1980	Midfielder	9 September 2000 (vs Brentford)[52]	5	0	Aberystwyth Town
	Michael Keegan	12 May 1981	Midfielder	22 August 2000 (vs West Bromwich Albion)[53]	11	0	Retired

References