These are your Swansea City headlines on Monday, November 7.
Tayls retires
Swansea hero Neil Taylor has announced his retirement from football.
Thirty-three-year-old Taylor made 179 appearances for Swansea over the course of a six-year stay in south Wales where he earned international recognition.
He was last seen in a Middlesbrough shirt but he has now decided to hang up his boots, with a career in the media the next likely step for the impressive defender.
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He announced the news on social media. "My mum said to me when I was 7 years old, if you ever want to stop you can, but if you're in... you're all in, and I was!" he wrote.
"But I no longer am. I've enjoyed my career immensely, playing from the National League all the way up to the Premier League and to the dizzy heights with my beloved Wales.
"I feel like I've rinsed out every ounce of ability (or lack of) that I had through hard work, determination and sacrifice.
"Wrexham, Swansea City, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Wales and Team GB. Managers, staff, players, fans, New Era, the people who I now call friends and most importantly my whole family, without whom we all know, it isn't possible.
"Thank you, to my family and next career steps... I'm all in!"
Swansea ended their tribute piece to Taylor with the words: "Everyone at Swansea City wishes Neil every success for the future and thank him for his contribution to a memorable era in our club’s history."
Wayne Routledge and Rio Ferdinand were among those to send their best wishes to Taylor upon the news. "You survived!!! Great guy, enjoy what comes next!" said Routledge, with Ferdinand saying "congrats bro."
Manning warns team-mates
Ryan Manning has warned his team-mates they must start games better after yet another slow start in the Championship.
Since the South Wales derby win, Swansea have struggled in games against Bristol City, Preston and Wigan Athletic, giving themselves too much to do to get results from matches they have failed to start quickly in.
With tough away trips to Birmingham City on Tuesday night and Huddersfield Town at the weekend, Manning has urged his colleagues to roll up their sleeves from the off.
“We left it to the second half at Preston and the same against Wigan, where we get on top of things and end up playing the whole game in their half. It is a bit of complacency from us to expect that to happen. It’s a right that you must earn. You have to run and challenge for the ball,” said Manning.
“We have to play with intensity to get teams to sit back in and feel like they can't get out.
"We did show good character though to come back. It was similar to the Preston game in the week where we couldn’t get that break through. At least we got the penalty in the end to get back in it.
“It’s frustrating not to get three points but, after the sloppy start we had, conceding two set-piece goals, we showed good character to come back and make sure we did not lose.
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“Losing two on the bounce in this league is tough to come back from especially how tight the table is. It’s a point at home and it could be a big point come the end of the season. Overall though we’re disappointed not to take all three.
“I thought in the second half we were fantastic we moved the ball we and pinned them in. It’s a case then of the quality that we have with the boys coming off the bench to impact the game like [Kyle] Naughton and Pato [Jamie Paterson] did for the penalty.
"It’s the impact you need. Fresh ideas and a bit of intensity to get at them when they're getting a bit tired.
“It’s disappointing not to get the three points but I think the second half against Wigan and on Tuesday at Preston is the level we need to be at for 90 minutes.
“Six points from the next two games [against Birmingham and Huddersfield Town] would be nice. To compete at the top end of the table you need to look at every game as being a three-point game.
"I think if we played like we did in the second half we will definitely be in with a good chance. Hopefully we will finish strong and put ourselves in the best position before the World Cup."
Sanson returns for Villa
Forgotten Aston Villa man Morgan Sanson has thanked Villa fans for the reception he received on Sunday.
The midfielder - reported to be on Swansea's radar this January - came off the bench against Manchester United for his first appearance this season.
He had been frozen out under former boss Steven Gerrard, but new manager Unai Emery has given the Frenchman a new start.
"Finally… Thanks a lot for this great reception Villa Park. Much appreciated," he wrote on Twitter.
Last month reports in France linked Swansea and Sunderland with a loan move for the former Marseille man.
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