Swansea City AFC
A brief history

Formed 1912

Long before Swansea Town came into being, children had played football on a piece of waste ground on which vetch - a cabbage-like plant used for cow feed - grew wild.
Vetch Field, as it became known, was leased by the Swansea Gas Light Company to the Swansea League who laid out clinker pitches.
In 1912, Swansea Town were formed as a professional club and took up residence. This was an ambitious venture given the dominance of rugby union in the area.
The new football club adopted the same all white strip as Swansea RFU and apart from a few seasons when black shorts were introduced, they have worn all-white for most of their career.
The club was known as Swansea Town but they changed their name when Swansea was granted City status in 1971.
The Swans were admitted to the Second Division of the Southern League and there they remained until they won promotion immediately before the First World War. As a result, they became founder members of Division Three when the Southern League Division was incorporated in 1920.
They were a strong side in those days, winning promotion to the Second Division in 1925 as champions of Division Three (South). The following season they finished fifth in Division Two and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
During the 1930s the club's fortunes declined, but they staved off relegation until the season immediately after the Second World War. They did not stay down for long, winning the Third Division (South) championship and promotion in 1949.
They stayed in the Second Division for another sixteen seasons, reaching the FA Cup semi-final once again in 1964.
The Swans also enjoyed the first of many European campaigns in 1961 by virtue of winning the Welsh FA Cup, a competition they have won ten times to date.
In 1965 Swansea slipped into Division Three and then Division Four in 1967. Hopes were rekindled in 1970 when promotion was won, but three years later the Swans were back in the basement and in 1975 they faced the humiliation of having to apply for re-election.
There followed a remarkable revival under player-manager John Toshack, with successive promotions in 1978 and 1979 taking the club back into Division Two. In 1981, Swansea were promoted to the First Division finishing in a remarkable sixth place in 1982.
The decline that followed was even more dramatic. Relegated in 1983 and 1984, Swansea City was formally wound up on 20 December 1985. Fortunately a group of directors put together a rescue package and permission was granted for the club to continue its fixtures.
For 12 months the future of the club hung in the balance and, unable to sign or loan new players, Swansea were relegated to Division Four in 1986.
However, the High Court finally approved the new board's rescue plan and Swansea City survived. Not only that, they won promotion to Division Three in 1988 and five years later reached the play-offs.
In 1996, Swansea were relegated to what was now Nationwide Division Three (the old Fourth Division). Promoted as champions in 2000, the Swans lasted only one season at the higher level.
During the 2001-02 season the club changed hands several times and was again on the verge of bankruptcy, narrowly avoiding relegation to the Conference in 2003.
By 2005, however, there was a new air of optimism at the club as they prepared to leave the Vetch Field after more than 90 years to move into the new purpose-built Liberty Stadium.

Swansea Jacks
People born in the town (and by extension the fans of the football club) are known as "Swansea Jacks."
There are two possible origins for this nickname. The first is a reference to the high reputation of local seamen ("Jack Tars") in the early 19^th Century.
There was also a famous black retriever called Swansea Jack who rescued no fewer than 27 people from drowning in the River Tawe and Swansea Docks during the 1930s.

Swansea Sailors
During the early 19th Century, sailors from Swansea were extremely well respected and renowned for their hard work and mariner skills.
It was for these reasons that they were seemingly allowed to join any crew based simply on the town's reputation for great seamen.
Their nickname "Swansea Jacks" was born from their apparel which was jack tarred in order to provide some protection from the harsh elements of the sea.
This is the oldest know account of the term "Swansea Jack" and therefore affords great credence as the source for the modern day reference.

Life Saving Dog
Swansea Jack was a black retriever born in 1930. He lived in the North Dock / River Tawe area of Swansea with his master, William Thomas.
Jack would always respond to cries for help from the water, diving into the water and pulling whoever was in difficulty to safety at the dockside.
His first rescue, in June 1931, when he saved a 12 year old boy, went unreported. But a few weeks later, this time in front of a crowd, Jack rescued a swimmer from the docks. His photograph appeared in the local paper and the local council awarded him a silver collar.
In 1936, he had the prestigious 'Bravest Dog of the Year' award bestowed upon him by the 'Star' newspaper. He received a silver cup from the Lord Mayor of London and he is still the only dog to have been awarded two bronze medals ('the canine V.C.') by the National Canine Defence League.
Legend has it that in his lifetime he saved 27 people from the Docks / River Tawe.
Sadly, in October 1937, Swansea Jack died after eating rat poison. His burial monument, paid for by public subscription, is located on the promenade in Swansea near St.Helen's rugby ground.
In 2000, Swansea Jack was named 'Dog of the Century' by NewFound Friends of Bristol who train domestic dogs in aquatic rescue techniques.

YEAR-BY-YEAR

1912/13--Turned Professional. First season in Southern League, Welsh Cup Winners, beating Pontypridd.

1913/14--Swans became the first Welsh Club to play in the FA Cup First Round proper.

1920/21--Elected to the Football League Division Three (South)

1924/25--Division Three(South) Champions. Jack Fowler top goalscorer with 28 league goals.

1925/26--FA Cup semi-finalists, losing to Bolton Wanderers 3-0. Jack Fowler scores 28 goals in the league for a second consecutive season. Swans record their highest average attendance during the season of 16,118 for pre-war league games.

1926/27--Beat Real Madrid in March 1927 on Tour 3-0. Swans reach the FA Cup quarter Finals before losing to Reading at the Vetch Field 1-3.

1927/28--Lost to Wrexham in FA Cup 3rd Round 2-1 away.

1930/31--Swans finish four points off the relegation places. Lost to Wrexham in semi-finals of Welsh Cup.

1931/32--Welsh Cup winners beating Wrexham 2-0 away after a replay. Cyril Pearce scored 35 league goals from 40 league appearances during the season.

1933/34--Wilf Milne scores his first goal for the Swans after 501 league appearances at Lincoln City.

1935/36--Swans set up league record for longest distance travelled between consecutive matches. Good Friday Swans played at Plymouth(2-1), and Easter Saturday Swans played at Newcastle United(1-2)

1937/38--Record league defeat by Fulham 1-8, in Division Two.

1938/39--Swans beat Shrewsbury Town in the Welsh Cup carried over from the previous season.

1946/47--Relegated from Division Two. Trevor Ford scores 9 goals from 16 league games.

1948/49--Division Three Champions. Stan Richards scores 26 league goals. Swans had 7 players capped by Wales. Swans beaten 2-0 by Merthyr in Final of the Welsh Cup at Chester. Swans record their highest average attendance of 22,535 during the season for post war league games.

1949/50--Welsh Cup winners beating Wrexham 4-1. Ivor Allchurch makes his league debut.

1950/51--Roy Paul flies off to South America and signs for Bogota.

1951/52--Ronnie Turnbull scores 21 league goals during the season.

1952/53--During the 1953 Home Internationals, all 5 Welsh forwards were born in Swansea. Medwin, Charles J, Ford, Allchurch and Griffiths.

1953/54--Three sets of brothers played for the Swans during the season. Ivor and Len Allchurch, Cyril and Gilbert Beech, Cliff and Bryn Jones.

1955/56--Lost to Cardiff City in Welsh Cup Final 2-3.

1956/57--90 league goals were scored by the Swans during the season, but 90 goals were also conceded. Legendary goalkeeper Johnny King plays in league game at Centre Forward.

1957/58--Swans concede their highest amount of goals in league matches of 99 goals during the season.

1958/59--Ivor Allchurch transferred to Newcastle United. For the match with Fulham, the Swans fielded a side of 11 Internationals, 8 Full caps, and 3 Youth caps. Swans Supporters Club hand over a cheque for £16,000 as payment for covering over the North Bank.

1959/60--Colin Webster scores 22 goals during season.

1960/61--Welsh Cup winners beating Bangor City 3-1. Official opening of floodlights by Hibernian FC. Competed in the League Cup for the first time.

1961/62--Swans became the first Welsh Club to compete in a European Competition when they played Motor Jena. The Swans played their home leg in Linz, Austria, because of visa problems for the East German side. The club announce their first apprentice professional, Dennis Lambourne.

1963/64--FA Cup semi-finalists losing to Preston North End 2-1 at Villa Park.

1964/65--Relegated to Division Three for first time. Lost 0-1 to Cardiff City in semi-final of Welsh Cup at Somerton Park, Newport. Cardiff born youngster Giorgio Chinaglia makes his debut for the Swans. Released by the Swans in 1966, he would later play for Italian side Lazio and New York Cosmos.

1965/66--Welsh Cup winners beating Chester 2-1. Ivor Allchurch returns to play for the Swans.

1966/67--Competed in European Cup Winners Cup against Slavia Sofia. Relegated to Division Four for first time in club's history. Lost to Nuneaton Borough in FA Cup 2 Round.

1967/68--Record Vetch Field attendance created against Arsenal in the FA Cup 3rd Round, 32,796. Ivor Allchurch retired from professional football at end of season.

1968/69--Lost to Cardiff City in Welsh Cup Final

1969/70--Changed name to Swansea City. Promoted from Division Four. Mel Nurse sent off against Leeds United in FA Cup 3rd Round(1-2)

1970/71--Lost at Liverpool 3-0 in FA Cup. John Toshack scoring their first goal.

1972/73--Relegated from Division Three. Lost to Margate in FA Cup 1st Round.

1973/74--Lost to Stourbridge in Welsh Cup 4th Round at the Vetch Field.

1974/75--Nigel Dalling becomes the youngest player to play for the Swans in the league. Lowest average attendance for the season of 2,052.

1975/76--Lowest ever attendance for league match at the Vetch Field for the game against Brentford. 1,311

1976/77--Most league goals scored in a season - 92. Lost to Minehead in FA Cup 1st Round(home)

1977/78John Toshack appointed player/manager March 1978. Record league win beating Hartlepool United 8-0. Promoted from Division 4, Curtis scoring 32 league goals.

1978/79--Promoted to Division Two in 3rd place. Liverpool stalwarts Tommy Smith and Ian Callaghan join the Swans.

1979/80--Crystal Palace, nicknamed the 'team of the eighties', beaten at the third attempt in FA Cup 3rd Round, second replay at Ninian Park.

1980/81--Promoted to Division 1. Welsh Cup winners beating Hereford United. Welsh Rugby International Gareth Edwards signs non-contract forms for the Swans.

1981/82-- Swans pay a record £340,000 for Liverpool defender Colin Irwin. Never out of the top 6 in First Division all season. Lost to Lokomotiv Leipzig in ECWC. Beat Cardiff City over 2 legs to win the Welsh Cup.

1982/83Relegated at end of season to Division 2 despite Bob Latchford scoring 20 league goals. Record Cup victory against Maltese club Sliema Wanderers in ECWC. Beat Wrexham over 2 legs to win the Welsh Cup.

1983/84Relegated at end of season for the second consecutive season. Ian Walsh top goalscorer in the league with 6 goals. Swans take part in International Tournament in Malaysia, losing in the final 1-0 to Hallelejuh of Seoul.

1984/85--Swans avoid 3 consecutive relegation seasons by drawing with Bristol City in last league game at the Vetch Field. Swans knocked out of FA Cup by non-league Bognor Regis Town in replay. Dean Saunders top scorer with 9 league goals.

1985/86--Swansea City Football Club wound up by the High Court. Stay of execution. Swans relegated to Division Four.

1986/87--Terry Yorath takes over the managerial hot seat. Several visits to High Court by Chairman Doug Sharpe during the season.

1987/88--Promoted to Division Three via the Play Offs, beating Torquay United over 2 Legs.

1988/89--Welsh Cup winners beating Kidderminster Harriers 5-0 at the Vetch Field.

1989/90--Record cup defeat at the hands of Liverpool 0-8 in FA Cup 3rd round replay at Anfield, after drawing 0-0 at the Vetch Field. Played Greek side Panathinaikos in ECWC.

1990/91--Welsh Cup winners against Wrexham 2-0 at the National Stadium. Tommy Hutchison becomes the Swans oldest player when he plays his last game for the Swans against Southend United at 43 years old.

1991/92--Played Monaco in ECWC, losing 0-8 in second leg in Monaco. French side managed by current Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

1992/93--Swans reach Play Offs Semi-final in Division Two, losing to WBA over 2 legs. Most league points in one season-73. Nottm. Forest pay a record £375,000 for defender Des Lyttle.

1993/94--AutoGlass Trophy Winners at Wembley, beating Huddersfield Town on penalties. Swans lose to Nuneaton Borough in FA Cup First Round replay.

1994/95--Swans beat First Division Middlesbrough in FA Cup 3rd Round, before losing at Newcastle United in 4th Round.

1995/96--Swans relegated to Division Three. Lost 0-7 at Fulham in FA Cup First Round.

1996/97--Swans second visit to Wembley resulting in heartache when beaten by last minute goal in Division Three Play Off Final against Northampton Town.

1997/98--The Silver Shield consortium take over from Doug Sharpe at the Vetch Filed. Swans finish a disappointing twentieth position in the league. Swans compete in new FAW Invitation Cup competition.

1998/99--Former Chelsea and England International midfielder John Hollins takes over as manager prior to start of the season. More Play Off misery for the Swans when they lose over 2 legs to Scunthorpe United. In the FA Cup, Swans beat Premiership club West Ham United in 3rd Round, before losing to another Premiership side, Derby County at the Vetch Field 1-0.

1999/2000--Champions of the Third Division.

2000/2001--Relegated to Division Three. Lost to Wrexham in FAW Premier Cup Final at the Vetch Field

2001/2002--Dismal season on and off the field. Ninth Floor (formerly Silver Shield) hand control of the Club pre-season to Managing Director Mike Lewis for £1. Six games into the season, after just 2 wins, John Hollins & Alan Curtis are sacked, and are replaced by Colin Addison and Peter Nicholas. In October, Lewis hands over control of Club to Australia based Londoner Tony Petty, again for £1. Club lurches from one crisis to another under Petty, and is on it's knees when a local consortium took control of the Club at end of January. With Nationwide League survival secured in mid-March, Addison and Nicholas depart. After a spell as caretaker, Nick Cusack is appointed Player-Coach, with Alan Curtis returning as his Assistant. Season ends with a 1-0 defeat against Cardiff in the FAW Premier Cup Final.

2002/03--Nick Cusack lasts just 9 games in charge at the Vetch and was removed from his position after a 1-0 defeat at Boston which left the Swans in last place of the Football League for the first time in their history. Brian Flynn replaces him and sets about improving the squad. A new record of 21 debuts in a season is set as the club's league status remains in the balance until the final day when a miracle performance by local lad James Thomas handed the Swans a 4-2 win over Hull at a packed Vetch Field, with a hat-trick of his own, securing survival.

2003/04 - The Swans got off to a great start and were flying high, this was short lived as the injury list increased. An F.A. Cup run into the 5th round gave fans a boost as the early promotion push ended on a low, missing out on the play-offs. The huge dip in form saw Flynn replaced at the helm by former Welsh International Kenny Jackett taking a step up to management, having played second fiddle for most of his coaching career.

2004/05 - An indecisive start had the critics calling for Jackett to be replaced. Results changed and a very mean defence pushed the Swans up the league, challenging for the title. Some disappointing results over February put the Jacks a little off the pace, but that wasn't enough to keep us from securing promotion on the final day of the season againt Bury. The season was capped off as the Swans said farewell to the Vetch with a 2-1 win over Wrexham in the FAW Premier Cup Final. The average attendance for that last season was 8,457.

2005/06 - The Swans got off to a flyer on their return to League One and were in the automatic promotion places going into the Christmas period. But their form dipped dramatically going in to the New Year and the main priority soon turned to securing a promotion place. This was eventually achieved on the last day of the normal season with a thumping 4-0 win at Chesterfield to secure sixth place. Victory over Brentford in a two-legged play-off semi-final secured a showdown with Barnsley at the Millennium Stadium, with the Swans taking 34,000 fans with them. But with the game all square at 2-2 at the end of extra-time, the Swans lost 4-3 on penalties to miss out on promotion to the Championship. There was some consolation as the Swans picked up two pieces of silverware. Having beaten Wrexham 2-1 at the Racecourse to retain the FAW Premier Cup, manager Kenny Jackett also saw his side lift the Football League Trophy - formerly LDV - with a 2-1 win over Carlisle at the Millennium Stadium, with 27,000 Swans fans there to see it. Average attendance for Swansea's first season at the Liberty was 14,155.

2006-07 - Expectations were high going in to the new season after the Swans just missed out on promotion at the end of the previous campaign. But it was very much a stop-start campaign that never really took off, despite the fact that the Swans went into the New Year on the fringe of the play-off zone. A giant-killing 3-0 victory at Premiership side Sheffield United in the FA Cup third round lifted spirits at the beginning of January, but by February 15 their form had slumped and the club were left searching for a new manager after Kenny Jackett resigned quoting lack of support from the fans, media and players. Assistant-manager Kevin Nugent took temporary charge, but within two weeks former club skipper Roberto Martinez was appointed the club's new boss after deciding to hang up his playing boots at Chester City. The popular Spaniard had an immediate effect as he strung together a five-game unbeaten run to spark talk of the play-offs again. But although Roberto lost just two of his 12 games in charge, a do-or-die final day defeat at home to Blackpool saw the Swans just miss out on the final play-off place. Average attendance at the Liberty for that season was 12,720.