Swansea City vs Huddersfield Town

Matchday 21 took us on a journey to the westernmost club in the UK as part of our quest to visit all 92 Football League Grounds – the Liberty Stadium, home to both the Ospreys Rugby Union side and, more importantly for us, Swansea AFC.

We kicked off the day with a hearty breakfast at Tim Hortons in Birmingham, preparing ourselves for the lengthy three-hour train journey involving two trains. The first leg, with CrossCountry Trains in the comfort of first class, was smooth, arriving virtually on time at Bristol Parkway. The subsequent Great Western service offered a relatively peaceful journey, albeit arriving in Swansea about seven minutes behind schedule, which wasn’t too bothersome.

The surprisingly limited number of barriers at Swansea station caused a substantial queue, but once through, armed with Google maps, we strolled leisurely to the stadium, beating Google’s estimated time.

Upon arrival, we circled the stadium before visiting the club store. Liam snagged a “First Time Visitor” keyring and a scarf, but the absence of printed programs was noted, a conscious environmental choice by Swansea.

Security checks were efficient, ensuring no bottles were concealed in our backpack. Arriving an hour before kickoff allowed us to explore the stadium, giving Liam the opportunity to create a VLOG and observe the players warming up.

The modern design of the stadium, reminiscent of venues like Coventry and Bristol City, appealed to us. The game itself was entertaining, concluding in a 1-1 draw as Swansea struggled to convert possession into goals.

Unfortunately, our return journey was marred by delays and cancellations, making us arrive in Birmingham over an hour late for the second consecutive Saturday. Despite the disruptions, both Liam and I enjoyed our visit to the Liberty Stadium.

Our upcoming matches will take us to Lancashire for games at Accrington Stanley and Wigan. Stay tuned for future VLOGs and BLOGs.