Tributes have been paid to David Hando, Newport County’s club president and one-time saviour of the club, who has died at the age of 84. Hando played a vital role in keeping the club going after it was liquidated in February 1989. As chairman of the Exiles for the first nine years of its existence, Hando was instrumental in the club’s success and was inducted into the club’s hall of fame in 2015, two years after the team’s return to the Football League.

Swansea City’s Ollie Cooper has been told he can become a regular matchwinner after his stunning strike sealed victory at Sunderland. Cooper scored the Swans’ third goal in a 3-1 victory at the Stadium of Light, where the home side were reduced to 10 men in the 18th minute after Luke O’Nien’s reckless foul on Cooper. The Welsh youngster picked himself up and went on to score the clincher as Swansea moved to within three points of the Championship play-off places.

Neil Warnock is the bookies’ favourite to return as the new manager of Cardiff City following the sacking of Mark Hudson. Warnock, 74, has been out of work since leaving Middlesbrough in November 2021 and announced his retirement from management six months later. But that has not stopped Welsh bookmakers DragonBet – and others – from making the former Bluebirds boss their favourite to return to the club he left three years ago.

Cardiff City are hoping a slimmed down version of top scorer Callum Robinson can return to action on Saturday against bottom-of-the-table Wigan to provide a first Championship goal for the club since December 17. Robinson’s four goals this season in the League make him the club’s leading striker, but he was forced to miss last weekend’s epic FA Cup third round draw with Leeds United because of sickness. “There has been quite a lot of sickness going round and Robbo lost 6kgs through his bout of flu and tonsilitis. We have to be mindful of that and we have to protect them,” explained Bluebirds boss Mark Hudson.

Swansea City have turned down bids for two of their strikers, but Russell Martin is very happy with the form of his current front runners Joel Piroe and Liam Cullen. The pair will spearhead the attack against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, hoping to add to the magnificent seven goals they have plundered between them in the last six games. While Piroe and Cullen have developed a profitable partnership, Michael Obafemi and Morgan Whittaker look to be on their way out of the club.

The FA Cup took centre stage last week, with Wrexham sensationally beating Coventry City and both Cardiff City and Swansea City being held to draws, but this weekend is all about the JD Welsh Cup. The first games in the FA Cup were in November, 1871, while the Welsh Cup started in October, 1877, with Newtown hosting the Druids in the first game in the tournament. These days the Druids are Cefn Druids, who went out in an earlier round.

It will be business as usual for Cardiff City as they look to use loans and free transfers to bolster their squad in this month’s transfer window. Manager Mark Hudson has confirmed that the lifting of the Football League’s transfer embargo is only partial and the club can only deal in loans and free transfers. As it stands, it will be another two transfer windows before Cardiff can pay fees for players, although they remain in talks over lifting that part of the restriction.

The Oli McBurnie case has shown players must be protected from pitch invaders but cannot have “carte blanche” to assault those who enter the field, the UK’s football police chief has said. The English Football League called for a police review after Sheffield United’s former Swansea City fan favourite Oli McBurnie was cleared last month of stamping on pitch-invading Nottingham Forest fan George Brinkley at the end of the sides’ Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final match last May. The EFL statement issued at the time of his acquittal expressed surprise that McBurnie had been charged, noting that it was a criminal offence to enter the field of play and that McBurnie therefore “should never have been put in this position”.

By David Williams Nathan Jones hit back at his critics after steering Southampton past Man City in the Carabao Cup, saying how baffled he was at a non-League manager criticising him. Southampton knocked out the favourites to reach the semi-finals as Jones’ side pulled off a remarkable 2-0 win to book a last-four clash with […]

Cardiff City can hit the January sales after the EFL lifted their transfer embargo The Football League acted after the club paid the first installment of the £15 million transfer fee for Emiliano Sala to Nantes. Sala, who died in a plane crash in 2019 while traveling from Nantes to Cardiff during the January transfer window, has been at the centre of a three-year dispute between the two clubs.

By Paul Jones Gareth Bale deserves a statue built in his honour, according to Wales manager Rob Page. Bale, a five-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid, announced his retirement on Monday after winning 111 caps and scoring 41 goals for his country – two Wales men’s team records. The 33-year-old’s decision came after Wales’ […]

By David Williams Gareth Bale’s decision to end his playing career – announced on Monday evening – brings to an end one of the greatest careers in Welsh sport. In recognition of his status, teammates, clubs, coaches and fans were quick to express their admiration for arguably the greatest Welsh footballer of all time. Bale […]

By Paul Jones Russell Martin has emphasised the need for Swansea City to add to their attacking options in the transfer window, given the expected departures of Jamie Paterson and Michael Obafemi. Both players are likely to be allowed to leave this month if the club receives acceptable offers and head coach Martin is keen […]

By Gareth James Cardiff City manager Mark Hudson, has expressed his pride in his team’s performance during their FA Cup third round tie against Leeds United, in which they drew 2-2. The Bluebirds had taken a 2-0 lead at half-time, but Premier League side Leeds equalized in injury time. Hudson said: “First and foremost, the […]

By David Williams Russell Martin expects yet another turbulent transfer window for Swansea City, but Joe Allen’s return provides some optimism ahead of the FA Cup. Russell Martin’s side have endured an inconsistent season so far, and while an FA Cup trip to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City awaits Swansea this weekend, the transfer […]

By Gareth James Sean Morrison -the totemic former captain of Cardiff City – has announced his departure from the club after more than eight years of service. Morrison sustained a serious knee injury in a win against Barnsley in February 2022 and has not played since. Despite the setback, he has remained with the team […]

By Gareth James Nathan Jones insisted he will remain ‘thick-skinned’ after his Southampton side were loudly booed off following a damaging 1-0 defeat to fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest. Disgruntled home fans vented their displeasure following Saints’ sixth successive Premier League defeat, with the full-time jeers followed by chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’, […]

By David Williams Kit Symons has lost his job as Wales assistant manager. Symons’ contract was up after the World Cup and will not be renewed for the forthcoming Euro 2024 campaign. Speaking about the decision, Wales manager Rob Page said: “I would like to thank Kit for his hard work and contribution to the […]

By Paul Jones Swansea City have decided to bring Morgan Whittaker back from his loan at Plymouth Argyle. The 21-year-old has been impressive for Plymouth, the leaders in League One, scoring nine goals in 25 appearances since moving there last July. He’s only made three starts for Swansea in the Championship since joining from Derby […]

Liam Cullen has a way to go before he becomes a World Cup winner, a global icon, a seven-times winner of the Ballon d’Or and scorer of 793 goals. But that has not stopped Swansea City fans from dubbing their striker, The Tenby Messi in homage to Argentina’s Lionel. Vincent Kompany had a number of battles with Messi when he was a player, but now the Burnley manager will have to plan to contain the new Welsh version.