Phil Sumbler
Jamal Lowe is likely to appear in the South Wales derby at some stage this evening almost three years after his double on the same ground secured a 2-0 win for the Swans under Steve Cooper.
The Cardiff City Stadium was a very different place then. It was back in December 2020 and football was being played behind closed doors due to the Covid pandemic. Lowe’s goals – one in either half – were met with the sound of the only noise coming from the Swans bench. Today’s game may not be a total sell out but it will certainly be a different atmosphere as the two rivals meet for the first time this season.
Lowe’s double ignited a run of form that saw him score seven times in seven games – half of his total return of fourteen goals in his first Swans spell.
His deadline day move back to SA1 was on a season long loan but with him then becoming a free agent come the end of the season he will be keen to make an appearance back at the club in the hope that we may be persuaded to extend his contract when the summer is up.
That persuasion could well start today although the expectation is that Lowe will start on the bench for a fixture that sees the Swans looking for a fifth straight victory over Cardiff after securing the first two league doubles in the fixture over the past two seasons.
“For me, in my first spell, that game at Cardiff away was a big one for me,” said Lowe.
“That came off the back of a run where I had not scored for a while, and that just ignited things for me.
“I went on a run of seven goals in seven games starting then, and I would have to say that was probably my most memorable game.
“It’s just funny that it is going to be my first game back, and it would be great to create a new memory.”
Lowe was one of four deadline day signings to arrive at the Swans with Bashir Humphries, Kristian Pedersen and Josh Tymon also all signed and all expected to play at least some part today as Michael Duff looks for a first league win in charge of the Swans.
And it was this fixture that helped Lowe make his mind up said Duff when they had the discussion about that deadline day move.
“It was quite an easy sell for Jamal on deadline day,” said Duff with a smile.
“I just told him the next game was against Cardiff and he went ‘right, I’ll jump in the car now and see you down there’.
“He is someone who knows the club well, he knows what it takes to be here, and he knows about the game.”
