Swansea Cuty v Oxford United Competition - Sky Bet Championship Venue - Swansea.com Stadium Date - 3 May 2025 Kick off - 12:30pm Following their hard fought and unlucky defeat away at Millwall, Alan Sheehan’s Swansea squad reach their final match of the season, a home fixture against an Oxford team that last Saturday secured their Championship status. Last Saturday, Millwall managed to hold on for victory over the Swans to give themselves hope of claiming a play-off place on the final day of the Championship season. George Saville's close-range finish proved decisive as the Swans’ run of five successive wins came to an end, with Femi Azeez hitting the woodwork for the home side before Eom Ji-Sung wasted the visitors' best chance after the break. Swansea's first defeat in seven matches – and just their third since caretaker boss Alan Sheehan took charge in February – means they stay 11th, with their very faint chance of reaching the play-offs now gone. Whilst the Swans were losing in London, Oxford Were securing their status as a Championship side for another season as they handed Sunderland a fourth consecutive league defeat. Gary Rowett's U's opened the scoring in the first half through defender Ben Nelson's header and early in the second, Michal Helik poked the ball home from close range to make it two. Oxford now have a four-point buffer to 22nd-placed Hull City and with each team having just one more regular league game this season, they are safely out of reach. The Swans have played Oxford on 29 previous occasions, winning 11, losing 12 and drawing 6. It is some 20 years since Oxford visited Swansea - the last floodlit match at The Vetch - when a Kristian O’Leary goal gave the Swans a 1-0 win: I wonder whatever became of him? Turning to tomorrow, it will be both a carnival atmosphere at the Stadium, given the demise of our noisy neighbours from the East, and also a ‘sad’ occasion when we will witness the final appearance of 2 Swansea legends: Joe Allen and Kyle Naughton. As for the score, I think that the Swans will sign off with a 2-1 win. Enjoy the close season
As Swansea City face Oxford United in their final fixture of the 2024-25 season on Saturday, the Jack Army waves goodbye to two club legends with Joe Allen and Kyle Naughton in line to make their final appearances in the famous white shirt. Swansea City midfielder Joe Allen is to retire from football following Saturday’s home fixture against Oxford United. The Swans and Wales great hangs up his boots at the end of a stellar career which has included two spells in SA1, as well as stints at Liverpool and Stoke City. At international level Allen has won 77 caps, and represented Wales at three major tournaments. He was named in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament as Chris Coleman’s Dragons embarked on an unforgettable run to the semi-finals in France, and featured at the 2022 World Cup as Wales ended a 58-year wait to appear at the global showpiece. Hailing from Narberth, Allen made his league debut for the Swans on the final day of the 2006-07 season against Blackpool, having already featured in the FAW Premier Cup while only 16 years of age. He soon matured into a key player, scoring an iconic south Wales derby goal at Ninian Park in 2009 – his first for the club – and being an integral part of the team that secured promotion to the Premier League in 2011. His mature, assured performances during the club’s maiden Premier League campaign saw manager Brendan Rodgers take him to Anfield with him in the summer of 2012, and Allen went agonisingly close to being a Premier League winner when they lost out to Manchester City in a thrilling title race two years later. He would move to Stoke in 2016 following his fantastic showings at the Euros, and went on to spend six years in the Potteries before returning to his boyhood club in 2022. please log in to view this image While he has suffered injury problems since returning to SA1, Allen has remained an important figure for the Swans, and has added 77 appearances to his tally over the last three seasons, with the possibility of one more to come against Oxford this weekend. Typically, he has been among the Swans’ stand-out performers during a strong end to the season, notably making key contributions in the draw against Leeds United and the win over Derby County. In total, to date, Allen has 230 Swansea appearances and 11 goals to his name. While the man himself has always humbly shunned the spotlight and adulation, he will unquestionably go down as one of the finest players to play for Swansea City, and his status in the pantheon of greats of the Welsh national side is in no doubt. For everyone connected with Swansea City, Joe will always be one of our own, but we know that so many of you within the Welsh football community will share our sentiment when we simply say; “Diolch Joe.” Everyone at the club thanks Joe for his years of service, and wishes him and his family well in his retirement. Once a Jack, Always a Jack.
Swansea City defender Kyle Naughton will bring down the curtain on over a decade with the club when we face Oxford United this weekend. The 36-year-old, whose contract is up this summer, will leave the Swans having been an important figure ever since first arriving from Tottenham in January of 2015. Across 329 appearances, with the prospect of one still to go against the U’s at the Swansea.com Stadium on the final day of the season, Naughton has been a club stalwart and one of its most consistent and reliable performers. In his Swans career, Naughton has featured as a full-back, centre-back, sweeper, wing-back and central midfield, and proved adept wherever he has been tasked with playing in the white shirt. It is telling that arguably one of his most memorable moments in a Swansea shirt came just last March when, having clearly suffered a hamstring injury in the south Wales derby, he battled through the pain barrier to make sure he beat a blue shirt to a ball in behind the defence and cleared. His enduring quality is underlined by the high regard he has been held in by a succession of Swansea coaches and managers. Graham Potter rated him as the most technically gifted player in his squad during the 2018-19 season, while Steve Cooper, Russell Martin, Luke Williams and Alan Sheehan have all praised his professionalism and unhurried class. please log in to view this image Following that move from Spurs, he helped the Swans secure an eighth place finish in the Premier League; the second-highest finish the club has ever achieved in the football pyramid. After relegation from the top-flight, Naughton was a prominent figure in helping secure back-to-back play-off appearances in 2019 and 2020, although in each of those years Brentford would scupper his and Swansea’s hopes of returning to the highest echelon of English football. He has continued to be an assured and calming presence in recent seasons, starting both games of the first south Wales derby double as the Swans racked up emphatic 3-0 and 4-0 victories. He will bow out against Oxford, where he will make a 300th league appearance in Swansea colours if called upon. Just like Joe Allen, who has confirmed he will retire following Saturday’s game, Naughton has always preferred to forego the spotlight, and is typically self-effacing and humble when assessing his own career. But the calibre of clubs he has represented, and the longevity of a career spelt at such high levels of the game, is a testimony to his enduring quality on and off the pitch. We know all Swans fans will join us in wishing Kyle and his family all the best for the future. Thank you, Naughts. Once a Jack, Always a Jack.
Let's hope both Joe and Kyle start and can then take a well deserved rapturous ovation when subbed* Hoping for a good team performance to end a decent run with Sheehan in charge, 2 - 0. *assuming they'd be subbed!
Many thanks Taff to your continuous pre match write ups.Long may them continue. Enjoy your summer break. Swans 3 Oxford 2.
Thanks Taff for the sites ups, I’m sure I can say for us all a big thank you for doing them. YJB Swans finishing the season with a bang 3-0
Match facts: This will be the first league meeting between the two sides at the Swansea.com Stadium. Ben Cabango will make his 200th league start for the Swans should he skipper the team again this afternoon. Kyle Naughton is in line to make his 300th league appearance for the Swans.
Team news: The Swans are waiting on the fitness of Harry Darling after the defender missed the defeat at Millwall with a knee injury. Filip Lissah played his first game for eight months as the defender had an outing with the under-21s on Monday. Kristian Pedersen has also been back in training, meaning the Swans have no other injury concerns.
From the dug outs: Alan Sheehan: "It’s the last game, we have achieved our goals but it is important we create a party atmosphere. "But anyone who knows me or has been around the training ground recently will know we want a performance, we want to give the fans something to party about. "Every game is different, it will be a test but we want to go into and hopefully have a really enjoyable day." Gary Rowett: "It's absolutely incredible to have retained our status in the league, the focus was always there from the players. "I'm really proud of everyone at the club. "For all the staff, players, fans, everyone, it's amazing. To do what we've done is a massive achievement. "We know the challenge of this division and I'm immensely proud of what they have done."
March officials: James Bell will be the referee for the Swans’ Championship finale against Oxford United today. It will be the third time the Yorkshire official has taken charge of a Swans fixture this season, overseeing the 1-1 draw against Luton at Kenilworth Road in December and the defeat at Cardiff in January. Bell, who first qualified as a referee when aged 14, was promoted to Select Group Two in the summer of 2022 following two successful seasons in League One and Two, and made his Championship debut in August 2022. He has officiated across all EFL leagues this season, handing out 130 yellow cards and eight red cards in 31 games. This afternoon, he will be assisted by George Byrne and Matthew Jones. Greg Rollason is the fourth official.
