The Denmark Tour.
Directors and Players Who Are Going.
Hole and his benefit.
The “Daily Post” is officially informed that the following will compose the club party for the Swans’ tour in Denmark: –
Directors: Mr. J.W. Thorpe (chairman) and Mr. Trevor Evans.
Players: Denoon, Bennett, Milne, Roulson, Harwood, Williams, Deacon, Smith, Whitehead, Thompson, Davies, Collins, Spottiswood.
The party will be completed by Mr. Joe Bradshaw (manager) and Ernie Edwards (trainer).
Harwood, it may be mentioned, signed forms for next season after the match with Bristol rovers on Saturday, and it may therefore be taken for granted that his requirements to meet his domestic circumstances have been satisfactorily met.
Hole, it is stated, has point blank refused to sign, his action in this respect arising from the fact that the club are so far disinclined to meet his stipulation as to the amount of his benefit.
Morley is the only player among the actually-signed who will not be going to Copenhagen. It may be that before departure of the party from Swansea on Monday a new player will have signed, in which event he will accompany them.
South Wales Daily Post, May 1923
The Swans in Denmark
Preliminary stages of the Trip to Europe
The Swans’ party who are bound for Denmark foregathered on Monday in readiness for the trip across the North Sea. Those still in Swansea left by the 8.30 a.m. train, and the others, who had gone to their respective homes, made for London in order to get together at Paddington.
The only lady of the party is Mrs. Thorpe, wife of the chairman of the club, who also has Mr. Trevor Evans with him as co-director. Fourteen players are making the trip, the only absentee being Morley, who is staying behind because he is not fit.
The tour will be described in a series of articles which will be specially written for the “Daily Post” by Mr. Joe Bradshaw, the Swans’ popular manager.
South Wales Daily Post, May 1923
Swans’ Big Success.
Copenhagen Beaten by Eight Goals to Two.
The Swans played the first of the three matches of their Denmark tour on Friday, when they experienced no difficulty in defeating the Copenhagen team by eight goals to two – a testimony to the fact that, poorly as the team finished the season in a scoring sense, they have not lost their craft in beating the opposing defence. This success is infinitely superior to anything achieved by the Arsenal, who have just concluded a sojourn in the land of the Vikings.
South Wales Daily Post, May 1923
DANISH TOUR.
The Swans’ Trip to Copenhagen
SOME OF THE INCIDENTS
(by Joe Bradshaw)
Copenhagen, May 16, 1923.
Our tour commenced at 8.35 on Monday last, the remainder of our party meeting us at Liverpool-street, W.Y. Brown and Joe Ward coming along to give us a send-off.
On the journey down to Harwich there was much speculation amongst the party as to how Father Neptune would treat us on the voyage over.
Our good ship turned out to be the “Dronning Maud”. Someone suggested it meant “Drowning Maud” as she looked such a dirty little tub, whereat there was more breeze amongst the party, and many were the sighs of relief when, on enquiry the dread word “Dronning” proved to be nothing more fanciful than “Queen”.
MR. SCHMIDT
On presenting his ticket to the chief steward, Smith was greeted with “You are Mr. Schmidt.” “Yes, I’m Mr. Schmidt, fudderaballer,” was Billie’s reply, amidst much laughter. Dinner passed off all right, although – for them – certain members of the party were strangely quiet. The next day proved bright and sunny, and the seas beautifully calm.
I was awakened at 6.30 by a voice chanting “A Life on the Ocean Wave,” which proved to be Harwood’s. Breakfast time, and the casualty list disclosed Thompson and Williams amongst the missing; but they had recovered by lunchtime. Someone had “kidded” Jock Denoon that the team would be presented to the King of Denmark, and to see Ernie Edwards, the trainer, rehearsing the part of King Haakon, with Jock bending over and kissing his outstretched hand – in all seriousness – was a laughable sight.
THE TRAINER LOST
We reached Esberjg at 5.30 p.m. and got safely through the Customs. Edwards waited behind to register the skip for the journey, whilst the remainder of the party went to deposit their personal luggage in the sleeper. Owing to some misunderstanding we lost Edwards, who, seeing the remainder of the party disappear, thought he was being left behind and set off on a tour of the town to locate us. After we had searched round the station precincts for twenty minutes or so, we set off for the Hotel Spansberg – where we were dining – and greatly to our relief found Edwards awaiting us on our arrival. The four hours’ wait in Esberjg – a very spik and span little town – was whiled away visiting various concerts, and the party took their sleeping berths at quite an early hour; but one could not help but notice that the quietest ones on the boat had now regained normal, and were making up for lost time.
THE EQUIVALENT OF “SWAN”.
The sleeping car was run straight on to the ferry boat, both at the Little Belt and the Great Belt, so no inconvenience was caused our party, and the journey to Copenhagen passed without incident, and we reached our destination at 8.15 a.m. on Wednesday. We were met at the station by members of the Danish F.A., the treasurer (Mr. Svane) proclaiming that the English translation of his name was “Swan”, and that her was happy and proud to meet his namesakes.
Taxis were provided, and we were duly installed at the Hotel Cosmopolite, where more introductions were made and breakfast taken. The table was decorated with Danish and British flags, and on our arrival the Union Jack was hoisted over our hotel. Smith, on going to his room, found the following written on hotel paper and pinned to the wall: – “To the members of the Swansea Town F.C. Wishing you the best of luck. – A. Turnbull, Arsenal F.C.” The arsenal had travelled on to Gothenberg the previous morning.
A SPLENDID PITCH
We visited the Sports Club and Ground where our three matches are being played during our stay here, and found it a compact enclosure, capable of holding 25,000, with covered accommodation at a premium.
The playing pitch was in splendid condition – refreshingly green – and as level as a tennis court. Smith had his photo taken with a statue of a footballer – on the ground – arm around his shoulder, and for all the world as though he was holding conversation with it. When asked for a title for the picture, he suggested “Age and Youth”, whereat there was a deal of good-natured leg-pulling.
Our three games here are with:-
Thursday, the 18th: Akademisk Boldklub, at 6.30 p.m. (corresponding in a way to our Corinthian side, as every player of this club must have passed through a Danish University).
Monday, the 21st: Kobenhavns Boldklub (Copenhagen Ball Club), at 1.30 p.m.
Wednesday, the 23rd: Our stiffest game of the tour, against a combined team of the five leading clubs of Copenhagen.
COPENHAGEN AND WALES
The local press, in dealing with our visit, under the headlines of “Who Are Swansea Town?” stated: – “Swansea are the second leading team in Wales – the land of coal and Mr. Lloyd George,” and give some items about our players, which is news to those intimately concerned. Thus L. Thompson is described as our leading goal-scorer, although pressed hard by Will Smith, who has scored 25 goals this season, and much more of a like nature.
The Arsenal won their three games here by 4-2, 1-0 and 2-1, and left a very good impression behind them for their clever and clean play. The Danish football season commences in April and continues to the end of June. July and August are portions of the close season, owing to the heat. September to the end of December closes the season, as matches cannot be played during January and February and March owing to the snow.
South Wales Daily Post, May 1923
Swans Just Lose
Fail in Stiffest Match of Danish Tour
In his first message to the “Daily Post”, Mr. Joe Bradshaw stated that the Swans’ last match of the series, played on Wednesday, would be the stiffest, as their opponents would be composed of the pick of the five leading clubs of Copenhagen.
And so it proved for, after winning their first two matches in decisive fashion, the Swans were beaten by the odd goal in five. It is a pity the hat trick could not have been brought off, but the fact was that this was the third game in five days, coupled with the probability that the players have been well and truly feasted, may have something to do with the defeat. The games of the tour have thus resulted:-
F. A.
May 18. – Akademisk Boldklub 8 2
May 21. – Kobenhavon’s Boldklub 4 0
May 23. – Pick of Copenhagen 2 3
____
14 5
South Wales Daily Post, May 1923
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