UPDATED 06:56 17th July 2012
A young professional who hails from Swansea, Ashley Jazz Richards was given a squad number during the remaining months of the 2008/09 campaign as he spent time training with the first-team, and at the end of the season signed his first contract with the club.
A pacy and energetic midfielder who has been converted into a full-back, the Brynmelyn product has won international honours with Wales at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 level - captaining the latter – while he made his senior debut in a 2-0 defeat to Mexico in New Jersey in May 2012.
Jazz made his Swans debut as a substitute in the 3-0 defeat against Middlesbrough and went on to make a total of 15 Championship appearances in 2009/10, prompting the club to offer him a new deal which took him through to 2012.
Having impressed during the club's promotion campaign, in which he made six Championship appearances, the local lad penned a new 18-month contract in October 2011.
Following an injury to Angel Rangel, Richards was given an opportunity to impress, and he gave a glowing account of himself in his eight Premier League appearances.