Stories from the fans

1920 Photograph of Swansea Town fans.

4 responses to “Stories from the fans”

Steve (Gags)Garland

January 18, 2012 at 5:47 pm

Would this happen now?

When I was 13, I enrolled on a coaching course which was run by Alan Williams, Vic Gomersall and Brian Evans.Every Wednesday Alan and Vic would pick me up in Alans Avenger and take me to Sketty Lane for an hours coaching. I particularly remember Vic being a lovely bloke,Alan a bit surly and Brian was very quiet.I know the current squad carry out some community duties but I cant see the modern professional footballer picking you up in their car.
I didnt quite make it as a pro myself but I am sure Killay Rangers and Ynystawe reaped the benefits.If only…….

Huw Cooze

January 19, 2012 at 1:07 pm

Preston 1981
WHEN CHARLO SCORED IT WAS RELIEF ALL ROUND!

I’ve seen many, many games in my 40 odd years following the Swans, none more intense than Preston in 1981. We left the Millers Arms in Ynystawe early in a convoy of six cars, but by the time we reached the M4 just a mile away the convoy had split up.
Despite passing hordes of the Jack Army making their way to Deepdale, we never saw any of our lot again until we hit a pub on the outskirts of Preston. It had not been planned and without the aid of mobile phones it was quite uncanny that all six cars stopped in the same pub. Great minds think alike.
The game itself passed me by although I seem to remember a group of about 50 Blackburn Rovers supporters to our left who had come over to support their Lancashire neighbours hoping for a Preston victory in order for Blackburn to pip us at the post. Why they weren’t at Bristol Rovers supporting their own team was beyond me.
They had something to cheer when Preston pulled one back and news filtered through that Blackburn were winning at Eastville but we were still 2-1 up at this stage as I took leave and went to the toilet.
From my position behind the goal it took quite a while to push through the crowd. The toilets were located to the rear of the stand. There were many grown men there pacing nervously like expectant dads in a maternity ward. They were unable to watch the end of the game. Everyone knew that if Preston scored Blackburn would be promoted and not us.
I got back to my place just in time to see Jeremy Charles score our third goal and seal our place in history. That was the signal for all those ‘expectant dads’ to rush back to the stands to join in the celebrations. Happy days…

- Steve M
  
  May 18, 2012 at 9:03 am
  
  Great memories Huw, well put – Interesting to hear about the Blackburn fans at Deepdale too…I remember the ball falling to Charlo and thinking this is going over the stand !…the rest is history
  
huwswans100

January 19, 2012 at 9:06 pm

The lowest of the (many) lows

Huw Cooze talks about happy days in the post above but because I am a miserable sod I want to reflect on unhappy days. Fans often talk about the highs and lows of following the Swans but I must admit that I have to stifle a yawn when I read about rollercoaster rides, ups and downs, blah, blah. What do these people expect: thrilling victories over the mighty Arsenal every week? Well yes, probably so in the case with the so-called ‘plastics’. It will be interesting to see how the many new fans and recently returned stay-aways react when at some point the team loses three home games on the bounce, or (please God no) gets relegetaed.

Anyway, I was thinking about this today when someone told me that although he had been to many games home and away between 1977 and 1985 he hadn’t seen the Swans play since. The reason was that he couldn’t take the disappointment any more. So what makes some fans stop going to games while others keep going, despite humiliation and disappointment? Why did some keep on going back for more punishment after failure after failure during the dismal decades of the 80s and 90s? Masochism? Who knows? And probably best not to ask.

There are many candidates for my own personal low point during my time following the Swans. Still etched in my soul is the night that we lost 1-0 at Boston to go to the bottom of the League for the first time in our history. Nick Cusack’s brother told me in the car park after the game that Nick had been sacked as manager, and then I was done for speeding on the way home (escaping the scene of a crime?).

But in some ways far worse was the occasion in November 1985 when we lost 6-0 at Darlington. 5-0 down at half time Colin Pascoe then missed a first-minute penalty in the second half. To complete the humiliation a police horse stepped on my foot (what on earth was a police horse doing at game with a crowd of 2,600?). It was the first time I had heard Swans fans shouting that the players were not trying and were not fit to wear the shirt. So, for the record, the team that day was: Rimmer, Hough, Sullivan, Price, Harrison, Emmanuel, Williams (Phil), French, Gibbons, Waddle, Pascoe. Sub: K. Budd (who he? Anyone remember?). They were RUBBISH and not surprisingly the team was relagated back into the basement at the end of the season.

As for me? First game of the next season (Stockport at home, won 3-0) = reasons to be cheerful and Darlo consigned to the dustbin of history until today.

What are your personal lowest of the low points following the Swans?