THE magic of the Premier League has cast its spell over Swansea Business Club.

The first manager to take a Welsh soccer club into the Premier League has made a speaking engagement with the club the hottest ticket in town.

Swansea City boss Brendan Rodgers will be guest speaker next Friday and despite the £40 price tag, 215 seats have already been snapped up.

Business club president Kath Whitrow said: "Brendan has got the X-factor — pure and simple. He's already assured of legendary status in Swansea and we're thrilled that the city's enterprise community is coming out in force to salute him.

"This is our Christmas dinner and already bookings are up an incredible 50 per cent on last year's festive event. Brendan's good nature and extraordinary pulling power mean he'll have a bumper audience."

Brendan, who guided the Swans to the top flight in May, is due to address business club members over lunch at the Marriott Hotel, Swansea.

His talk comes a day before the club faces Fulham, and in a month which also sees them play big guns such as Newcastle United and Tottenham.

Swansea Business Club secretary Bruce Roberts said: "Swansea City have become a fabulous standard bearer for the region and Brendan Rodgers is proving to be a great ambassador for the area in both personal and professional terms.

"We're thrilled to have him as guest speaker at our Christmas lunch; it's a measure of the man that tickets are selling really quickly."

Born in County Antrim, Brendan moved to England as a teenager but had his professional playing career ended by injury at 20.

He became Reading's youth coach before Jose Mourinho made him youth team manager at Chelsea in 2004. Two years later he became reserve team boss at Stamford Bridge before being appointed Watford manager, then Reading boss. He joined the Swans in July 2010.

At Swansea he has attracted players such as Scott Sinclair and masterminded a historic promotion play-off victory, winning 4-2 against his old side Reading at Wembley on May 30.

Shortly afterwards he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

He will address the business club from 12.30pm. Other special seasonal entertainment is also promised for the event.

www.swanseabusiness club.com.

nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk