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Mathew Davies

Swansea City headlines as loan man's season wrecked, Wilson bowled over by 'great, great' Swans and Bony reveals racist abuse

These are your Swansea City headlines on Monday, March 7.

Cooper's season over

Swansea loan man Brandon Cooper's season looks to be over after the defender suffered an injury playing for Swindon Town.

It is a significant blow for Cooper and the League One club, who were gunning for promotion.

The injury occurred during Town's 2-1 win over Bradford City on Saturday, with Joe Tomlinson also sustaining a long-term injury.

Conversations are now ongoing as to where Cooper will undergo his rehabilitation.

Head coach Ben Garner said : "It's not good news on Joe. It's a fairly significant injury, and unfortunately it will be a period of weeks with him.

"There's also worse news with Brandon Cooper as he suffered a knee injury as well. That's a significant injury, and that's possibly this season [done] for him.

"It's disappointing on both fronts, more so for the players. They've both been fantastic since they walked in through the door, they're great characters who really contributed to the team.

"They were growing and developing; on a personal level, I'm really disappointed for them.

"They will both come back stronger, they'll both come back as better people, and I'm sure both will go on to have great careers in the game."

Garner added: "Brandon's injury was actually a result of a tackle in the first half - he got through the game, which is incredible considering the injury he sustained.

"But he's a great character, a really, really good player. And we're all really disappointed for him.

"He's naturally very disappointed himself, but as always we'll work very hard in conjunction with the parent club to help them rehab and get back as quickly as possible.

"Hopefully, by the end of the season, but if not then we'll do our absolute best by them no matter what."

Bony's racist abuse

Former Swansea striker Wilfried Bony has revealed the extent of the abuse he has received since signing for new club NEC.

The 33-year-old was a free agent and penned terms with the Dutch side earlier this year. It ruffled a few feathers, with Bony having played for NEC's fierce rivals Vitesse earlier in his career.

Bony suffered the frustration of picking up an injury on his debut appearance for NEC, and the ex-Manchester City forward has lifted the lid on the vitriol he's received online.

"This is my job and I can't be loved by everyone," he told VI.

“I've been taking in a lot of s***. Even some racist posts via Instagram. I'm not going to dwell on that too much, it's pointless. I'm way too strong for that.

"I know where I come from. If it happened on the field, it would be different. But off the field, I prefer to keep it off the field. It doesn't affect me."

Bony says he wasn't naive enough to think he wouldn't get a frosty reception at his new club; supporters erected a banner at their training ground with the words 'Bony never in our tricolor'.

"I wasn't surprised by that," Bony added. “I'm going to my old employer's rival club. What do you expect then? That they welcome me with open arms and want to hug me? Of course not. No way."

Silva, Wilson expecting 'difficult' night

Fulham boss Marco Silva says facing Swansea will be different to anything else they've faced this season - with playmaker Harry Wilson adding that the Swans are a "great, great team".

The Cottagers are normally the ones who take it to the opposition but the Portuguese boss knows that Martin's style of football will mean they won't see as much of the ball as they usually do.

“It will be different," he said.

"They have the capacity to take the ball from ourselves, they can have the capacity to move the ball. I think they were the only team to have more possession than us at the Cottage.

"They showed the way they like to play, their philosophy. We know that their possession is in certain moments is around their box, in their build up and in a good position – we have to know what they expect from that moment, to be able to punish us.

"We have to be able to press them, we should feel comfortable in that situation and know what we have to do in that moment. They know it can be difficult, it will be difficult for us as well.”

Meanwhile, Wilson, who was once a transfer target for Swansea, says they found it tough against Martin's men earlier on in the campaign at Craven Cottage.

“I think when they came here earlier in the season, they were controlling possession and we found it tough," he said.

"It was difficult at times, but we ended up winning that game 3-1 so we know if we can keep our shape, be comfortable without the ball, we know that when we do get the ball our attacking players can cause them problems and that’s what we’ll be looking to do. They are a great, great team.

"I think the manager has gone in there this season and got them playing a great style and I think the players have bought into that – speaking to a few them when we go away with Wales. We know what we’re going to face, it will be up to us to set up and cause them problems go the other way.”

Smith: We can beat anyone

Korey Smith says Swansea are capable of seeing off any side at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Tomorrow's opponents Fulham are tearing up the Championship and look set for a quick return to the Premier League.

The Cottagers are nine points clear at the top of the table, having scored an incredible 84 goals so far this term.

Smith, who impressed in an unfamiliar wingback role against Coventry City at the weekend, says the support and playing in front of the Jack Army could be a telling factor in this fixture.

“When we get a win away from home and we know we are coming back here, we feel that on our day we can beat anyone,” said Smith.

“It is great to have the fans behind us and I think they can really see what we are trying to do and hopefully they are enjoying it.

“Recently we have been on a bit of a win, lose, win, lose run, so it was massive to get back-to-back wins against a strong side.

“They (Coventry) have been doing well this season and they are on a good run of form.

“It was a really good first-half performance. We know the levels could have been better in the second half, but we got another goal and won the game.”

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