Marcos Painter

He was brought up in the Chelmsley Wood area of Solihull and attended the Archbishop Grimshaw secondary school.

Painter is a product of the Academy at Birmingham City F.C. and has been capped for the Republic of Ireland national football team at Under 19, 20 and Under 21 level. Painter can operate as a centre-half or left back but did play Left Midfield in his younger days.

The tough-tackling defender was handed a new one-year professional contract at the start of the 2005/06 season and got a taste of the first team action during the club's pre-season tour of Norway. During a game against Brann Bergen, he launched a two footed tackle on Slovenian international, Fabijan Cipot, causing a career threatening injury. Surprisingly Painter only received a yellow card. He made his first team debut against Scunthorpe United in the Carling Cup in September 2005.

At the beginning of the 2006-07, Painter played in 2 league and cup games to increase his total appearances to 7 games. In November 2006 he joined Swansea City A.F.C. on a month's loan to cover for the injured Tom Williams (footballer). In January, after playing 8 league games, the Swans extended his loan for a third month with a view to making the move permanent.

After Birmingham manager Steve Bruce admitted that Painter would have trouble getting back into the first team,, the player moved permanently to Swansea City on January 31, 2007 for an initial fee of £25,000 with a further £25,000 to be paid a year later. Swansea City will also pay an additional sum if promoted. He has since established himself as Swansea's first choice left back.