Phil Sumbler
The Swans open up two eras this evening at the Swansea.com Stadium as they make their bow in the 2023-24 FA Cup competition under the steering of new manager Luke Williams who was confirmed yesterday afternoon as the new head coach at Swansea City.
Williams arrived in SA1 from Notts County after bringing the Magpies back into the football league last season in an immense battle with Wrexham that saw the Welsh club crowned National League champions and the Magpies being forced to take the play off route back into the league.
With Notts County fifth in league two and the football league’s leading goalscorers the chance to manage at Chamapionship level at a club that he previously coached at was too good and he will be in the dugout this afternoon alongside Ryan Harley and George Lawtey who followed him from the East Midlands.
The chance to watch his new team in the FA Cup is a good one for Williams before he starts the “real” stuff next weekend against Birmingham with his home league debut as manager coming in two weeks when his former boss Russell Martin arrives with his promotion chasing Southampton side.
Williams could not hide his excitement at rejoining the Swans yesterday when he said “The only thing I can promise is that I’m going to work very, very hard. There’s no way that I’m going to take for granted the position I have at a club like this.
“I’m going to work and I’m going to give all the energy I have – that’s the promise to the supporters.
“Only a club of this magnitude with this quality could pull me away from an amazing job.
“I am in a place now that is so incredible, it was irresistible.”
Onto today’s game, Morecambe arrive in SA1 in 17th place in League Two and already on the back of a 5-0 hammering to a Luke Williams side in their last away encounter. They are not expected to provide too much of a challenge for a Swansea side today although it is likely to be a Swansea side that may not bear a huge amount of likeness to the one that heads to Birmingham next weekend.
That said it is not expected to be a hugely weakened side either with most first team players expected to feature in the starting line up which could give some rare starts to players who are hoping for more permanent chances under the new manager.
Morecambe are targeting the chance though of an FA Cup upset with manager Ged Brannan saying “It’s great, Saturday is all about the FA Cup and the lads are looking forward to it. They’re really excited about it. We’re going to go there and give it our very best.
“We’re going there with no pressure on us, we’re the underdogs and we will see what we get out of it.
“The lads will go there full of confidence, we’ve had two really hard games in the FA Cup already this year. We’ve beaten Lincoln and Wycombe, so bring on Swansea, let’s see what happens there.
“They’re going to be quality, they’re going to be top notch. They’re all great on the ball, proper athletes. It’s going to be a really tough game.
“We’ll go with a gameplan, and hopefully it works.”
From our perspective there will be a different feel at the club today following the appointment of Williams and that will give a lift to fans and players alike with several in the team today playing to prove that they need to be part of Williams’ longer term plans. Put all that together against League Two opposition and it will be too much for Morecambe in our view.
Match Prediction: Swansea City 3-1 Morecambe.
