Overview

This book tells the story of the Swans from their low point in 2002, when they avoided relegation to the Football Conference on the last day of the season and follows the progress of the Swansea club up the divisions, the success under Roberto Martinez but mostly concentrates on the promotion season.

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9781847714046

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I will never forget the thrill of reaching the top steps of the old double-decker West Stand at the Vetch Field and looking down at the bare bones of the pitch below, which sported only a little grass on its outer edges. The date was 20 December 1958, and my uncle had taken me, for the first of many times, to see his beloved Swans. The Division II opponents were league leaders Sheffield Wednesday, and the match ended in a convincing 4-0 win for Swansea. From that date, I was a committed Jack and, over fifty years later, I was privileged to be at Wembley Stadium on that unforgettable day in May 2011 when the Swans defeated Reading 4-2 to reach the incredibly dizzy heights of the Barclays Premier League. The year 2012 will mark the centenary of the founding of a professional football team in Swansea. The author of this booklet, Professor Geraint H. Jenkins, has also been commissioned to write the official centenary volume. No one is better qualified he is one of our leading historians and was, in his own right, a very talented footballer. In this booklet we are provided with a foretaste of what we can expect from Jenkins in his centenary volume. The author provides a synopsis of the history of the Swans from their crucial Football League survival match on 3 May 2003, dramatically won 4-2 against Hull City, and traces the steady rise of the team since that traumatic day, culminating in the historic win at Wembley and as fate would have it, by the same margin of 4-2. Rightful recognition is given to all the managers of the club over the last eight years, with Brian Flynn, Kenny Jacket, Roberto Martinez, Paulo Sousa and Brendan Rodgers all, in their own unique way, building on the success of their predecessors. Not forgotten are the crucial roles played by the board members, led by the indefatigable Huw Jenkins, and all the backroom staff, together with the supporting cast of an incredibly loyal fan base. Jenkins writes with authority and understanding in assessing the strengths of the squad, and his account of the roller-coaster ride that was the 2010-11 season is nothing short of riveting. All the ups and downs of the season are recalled: the opening defeat at Hull City, the October away win at Cardiff, the pre-Christmas loss at lowly Sheffield United and the Boxing Day thrashing at QPR. The new year followed a similar pattern: an away win at Bristol City, avenging a home defeat, with the match against Cardiff a few days later resulting in a home defeat! Crucial home wins against Forest, Ipswich and Norwich steadied the ship, after a surprise defeat at lowly Preston. It all goes down to prove what a difficult and unpredictable league the Championship is, and Swansea were probably relieved at the end of it all to settle for the lottery of the play-offs. If you are to gain promotion, the play-offs is arguably the most satisfying way to do it. But the tension is incredible and unbearable, and if you really want to relive all that tension once again, this book will certainly provide it. It reads like a thriller but, unlike most thrillers, it has a happy ending (unless, of course, you are a Cardiff City or Reading fan!). Richard E. Huws It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. -- Welsh Books Council

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