Swansea City A.F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Swansea City

Full name	Swansea City Association Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Swans The Jacks
Founded	1912; 113 years ago (1912), as Swansea Town
Ground	Swansea.com Stadium
Ground Capacity	21,088
Owner	Swansea Football LLC and other shareholders
Chairman	Andy Coleman
Head coach	Luke Williams
League	Championship
2018–19	Championship, 10th of 24
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Swansea City Association Football Club is a professional football team from Swansea, Wales. They play in the EFL Championship, which is the second-highest league in English football. Since 2005, Swansea has played their home games at the Swansea.com Stadium. Before that, they played at the Vetch Field from when the club started.

The club began in 1912 as Swansea Town. They joined the Southern Football League and won the Welsh Cup in their very first season. In 1920, they joined the English Football League. They won the Third Division South title in 1924–25 and again in 1948–49. The club changed its name to Swansea City in 1969. This was to show that Swansea had become a city.

Swansea City quickly moved up three leagues in four seasons, reaching the top First Division in 1981. They finished sixth the next season, which was their best-ever finish. In 2011, they were promoted to the Premier League. Two years later, they won the League Cup, beating Bradford City 5–0. This was their first major trophy and the biggest winning margin in a League Cup final. The club was relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2017–18 season.

A film called Jack to a King – The Swansea Story was made in 2014. It tells the story of the club's journey from the fourth division to the top league. The Swansea City Supporters Trust still owns parts of the club. This is a great example of fans being involved in running their team. Even though they are based in Wales, Swansea City plays in the English football league system.

Club History

Early Years (1912–1945)

The Swansea Town team during its first season, 1912–13

The Swansea area was mostly known for rugby before Swansea Town AFC was formed in 1912. The club joined the Southern League's Second Division. J. W. Thorpe was the first chairman. They rented a field called Vetch Field for their games. It was named after the plants that grew there.

Swansea's first professional match was a 1–1 draw against Cardiff City in September 1912. They won the Welsh Cup for the first time that season. In the 1914–15 FA Cup, the Swans beat the English champions Blackburn Rovers 1–0.

After the First World War, Swansea Town became a founding member of the new Third Division in 1920. In 1925, the Swans reached the Second Division for the first time. They won the division by beating Exeter City 2–1 at home. They were unbeaten at home all season. The next season, they reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time. They lost 3–0 to Bolton Wanderers. In 1926–27, they even beat Real Madrid 3–0 during a tour.

Post-War Era (1945–1965)

Ivor Allchurch scored 164 goals for the Swans between 1947–1958 and 1965–1968

After World War II, Swansea finished 21st in the Second Division. They went back to Division Three (South) in 1946. But in 1948–1949, the Swans won the division for the second time. They only dropped one point at home all season. Billy McCandless was the manager who led them to this promotion.

For the next 15 years, Swansea played in the Second Division. In the 1955–56 season, they looked like they might get promoted to the top league. Players like Ivor Allchurch and Terry Medwin helped them lead the table early on. However, injuries and selling some key players meant they finished tenth.

The 1957-58 season was tough, with the Swans often near the relegation zone. Despite a 5-1 win against Cardiff, they struggled. They avoided relegation with a strong finish, including a 7-0 win over Derby County.

In 1964, the Swans reached their second FA Cup semi-final. They beat Barrow, Sheffield United, and Stoke City. They even had a famous 2–0 lead against league leaders Liverpool at half-time in the sixth round. They eventually lost to Preston North End in the semi-final. In 1965, Swansea was relegated to the Third Division.

Tough Times (1965–1977)

After being relegated, manager Trevor Morris was sacked. Glyn Davies took over and re-signed Ivor Allchurch. Despite winning the Welsh Cup, the team had some very heavy defeats. Davies only lasted one season. Relegation to Division Four followed in 1967. The Vetch Field saw its record attendance of 32,796 in 1968 for an FA Cup match against Arsenal.

A sad event happened in 1969 when players Roy Evans and Brian Purcell died in a car crash. In 1969, the club changed its name to Swansea City. Roy Bentley's team celebrated by getting promoted back to the Third Division. They had a record 19 matches unbeaten run in 1971–72. However, a poor finish to the season meant they stayed in mid-table. By 1973–74, the club was back in the Fourth Division.

In 1975, Swansea had to ask to be re-elected to the Football League after finishing 21st. Luckily, they were successful. Former player Harry Griffiths became manager. Malcolm Struel became chairman and promised to improve the club.

Amazing Rise and Quick Fall (1977–1986)

Chart showing the progress of Swansea City A.F.C. through the English football league system

In February 1978, Harry Griffiths resigned as manager. John Toshack, a former Liverpool and Wales striker, became the new manager. At 28, Toshack was the youngest manager in the Football League. Griffiths stayed as his assistant. This started an amazing journey from the Fourth Division to the top of the league. Sadly, Harry Griffiths died of a heart attack in April 1978.

The team achieved another promotion the next season, returning to the Second Division after 14 years. Toshack himself scored the winning goal against Chesterfield to secure promotion.

After a steady season, Swansea City aimed for promotion again. On 2 May 1981, they beat Preston North End 3–1. This win meant they reached the First Division for the first time ever. This was their third promotion in four seasons. Swansea City also won the Welsh Cup, qualifying for Europe. Their four-year climb from the lowest division to the top is a record in English football.

The 1981–82 season began with a 5–1 win over Leeds United. Swansea quickly went to the top of the Football League. They beat teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal. However, injuries to key players meant they finished sixth.

Then, two relegations happened, and Toshack was sacked. By 1985, the club was in serious trouble. They were almost shut down by a court order in December 1985. Local businessman Doug Sharpe saved the club. But the team was still relegated to the Fourth Division in 1986. Eight years after their big rise, they were back where they started.

A Period of Stability (1986–1995)

Swansea won promotion from the Fourth Division in 1988 through the new play-offs. They stayed in the third tier for the next eight seasons. This was the longest period of stability for the club since the 1940s. Under managers Terry Yorath and then Frank Burrows, the club stayed in the Second Division. They reached the play-off semi-finals in 1993. A year later, they played at Wembley Stadium for the first time.

Burrows led the Swans close to Wembley in 1993. They were 2–0 up against West Bromwich Albion in the semi-final first leg. But things went wrong in the second half. The next season, Burrows guided the Swans to Wembley for the final of the Autoglass Trophy. They won 3–1 on penalties against Huddersfield Town after a 1–1 draw.

The 1995–96 season ended with relegation back to the third division. A poor second half of the season, including a 7–0 FA Cup defeat to Fulham, led to this.

Difficult Times Return (1995–2001)

Relegation in 1996 came with four different managers in one season. Kevin Cullis was appointed but sacked after just six days. The club was then taken over by Jan Mølby, a former Liverpool player. Despite relegation, the club reached the 1997 Third Division promotion play-off final. They lost to Northampton Town with a last-minute goal. Mølby was sacked early the next season.

Alan Cork became manager but was also dismissed. John Hollins then took over, and things improved. In 1999, the club reached the promotion play-offs again but lost in extra time. That season, they famously beat Premiership team West Ham United in the FA Cup. Swansea was the first bottom division team to beat a Premiership club in the FA Cup since the league changed.

The club was promoted in 2000 as Division Three champions. They won the title on the last day of the season against Rotherham United. The team only let in 32 goals that season. They also set a record of nine straight league wins and seven straight clean sheets. However, the celebration was sad because a supporter, Terry Coles, died before the Rotherham game.

The team was relegated in May 2001, just 12 months after promotion. Hollins had not made the team stronger. They won only eight games all season and finished second to last.

Last Years at Vetch Field and Return to League One (2001–2005)

Swansea fans and players celebrate the last league goal to be scored at the Vetch Field

In July 2001, the club was sold to Mike Lewis for £1. He then sold it to a group of Australian businessmen. Seven players were sacked, and eight others lost their contracts. This led to the creation of the Swansea City supporters' trust. This group wanted to save the club and give fans a say in how it was run.

The Australian group sold their share in January 2002 to the Mel Nurse consortium, supported by most fans. Colin Addison became manager, but he was dismissed in March. Under Nick Cusack, the club fell to 20th place. Cusack was sacked early the next season after Swansea was at the bottom of the Football League for the first time. Brian Flynn took over. Swansea City avoided relegation to the Football Conference on the last day of the season.

Brian Flynn's team finished 10th in 2003–04. They reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 24 years. Flynn was dismissed and Kenny Jackett took over. Jackett lost his first six games. The next season, Jackett brought in new defensive players. The Swans' last season at the Vetch Field saw them win promotion on the last day. They finished 3rd after a 1–0 win away to Bury. Their last league game at the Vetch Field was a 1–0 win over Shrewsbury Town.

Moving to Liberty Stadium and Reaching the Top (2005–2011)

De Vries

Monk

Williams

Rangel

Tate

Britton

Allen

Dyer

Sinclair

Dobbie

Borini

2011 Football League Championship play-off final starting line-up

The club moved to the new Liberty Stadium in summer 2005. The first game there was a 1–0 win against Tranmere Rovers. In their first season back in League One, Swansea lost on penalties to Barnsley in the play-off final. That same season, Swansea won the Football League Trophy and the FAW Premier Cup.

The next season, Jackett resigned and Roberto Martínez became manager. Martínez improved the team's form. The following season, an 18-game unbeaten run helped them win the League One title. They got 92 points, the most ever by a Welsh club in the Football League. Five Swansea players were in the PFA Team of the Year.

Swansea City celebrate promotion to the Premier League at Wembley Stadium

After 24 years, Swansea City returned to the second tier of English football. They finished eighth in 2008–09. Martínez left for Wigan Athletic in 2009. He was replaced by Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa. Sousa left Swansea in 2010. On 15 May 2010, Swansea player Besian Idrizaj died from a heart attack. The club retired his number 40 shirt in his memory.

Northern Irishman Brendan Rodgers took charge for the 2010–11 season. He led the club to a third-place finish and a spot in the Championship play-offs. They beat Nottingham Forest in the semi-final. Then, they defeated Reading 4–2 in the final at Wembley Stadium. Scott Sinclair scored three goals in that final.

Premier League and Europe (2011–2018)

Tremmel

Ki Sung-yueng

Williams

Rangel

Davies

Britton

De Guzmán

Dyer

Routledge

Hernández

Michu

2013 Football League Cup Final starting line-up

Swansea became the first Welsh team to play in the Premier League in the 2011–12 season. They signed Danny Graham for a record fee. They beat teams like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City at home. Swansea finished their first Premier League season in 11th place. At the end of the season, Brendan Rodgers left to manage Liverpool.

Michael Laudrup replaced Rodgers for the 2012–13 Premier League season, which was the club's 100th year. Laudrup's first league game was a 5–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. Swansea then beat West Ham United 3–0. This put Swansea at the top of the Premier League, a first since 1981.

The Swansea City A.F.C. centenary crest used during the 2012–13 season

On 24 February 2013, Swansea beat Bradford City 5–0 in the League Cup final. This was Swansea's first major trophy and the biggest win in the final of the competition. This win also meant they qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League. Swansea finished the season in ninth place in the Premier League. In July, Swansea paid a club record £12 million for striker Wilfried Bony.

Michael Laudrup led Swansea to the Europa League and a top half finish in the Premier League

Swansea had early success in Europe, beating Spanish team Valencia 3–0. In February 2014, Laudrup was dismissed. Defender Garry Monk, a Swansea player, became his replacement. In Monk's first game, Swansea beat Cardiff 3–0. Swansea exited the Europa League after losing to Napoli.

In January 2015, Wilfried Bony was sold to Manchester City for a record £25 million. Swansea City finished eighth in the Premier League in the 2014–15 season. This was their highest position and points total in the Premier League. They beat Arsenal and Manchester United twice that season.

On 9 December 2015, manager Garry Monk was sacked. Francesco Guidolin took over. In July 2016, new American owners, led by Jason Levien and Steven Kaplan, bought the club. On 3 October 2016, Guidolin was sacked and replaced by American coach Bob Bradley. Bradley was the first American manager in the Premier League. He was sacked after only 85 days.

Swansea line up against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in 2017

On 3 January 2017, Paul Clement became the new manager. Clement helped Swansea avoid relegation in the 2016–17 season. They climbed from the bottom of the table at Christmas to safety.

A poor first half of the 2017–18 season led to Clement being sacked in December 2017. He was replaced by Portuguese manager Carlos Carvalhal. Despite some good wins, Swansea were relegated on 13 May 2018. They lost 2–1 to already-relegated Stoke City. Fans and experts criticized the club's owners for poor player transfers and changing managers too often.

Return to the Championship (2018–Present)

On 11 June 2018, Graham Potter became the new manager. In February 2019, chairman Huw Jenkins resigned. He was replaced by Trevor Birch. Swansea finished 10th in the Championship in Potter's first season. Potter left to manage Brighton. Steve Cooper took over. In September 2019, Cooper was named EFL Championship Manager of the Month. Swansea had their best start to a season in 41 years. They finished sixth and reached the play-offs but lost to Brentford.

At the end of the 2020–21 season, Swansea finished 4th and reached the play-offs again. They beat Barnsley but lost to Brentford at Wembley Stadium in the final. After Steve Cooper left, Russell Martin became head coach in 2021. He led the club to mid-table finishes. In 2023, Luke Williams became manager. He guided the team to 14th place in the 2023–24 season.

Stadium History

The Vetch Field was the home of Swansea City for 93 years

Before Swansea Town was formed, children played football on a field where "vetch" plants grew. This field, owned by Swansea Gaslight Company, became the club's first home in 1912. It was called the Vetch Field. The ground could hold 12,000 people. Its highest attendance was 32,786 in 1968 for an FA Cup match against Arsenal. The last league goal at the Vetch was scored by Adrian Forbes in 2005.

The Vetch Field was getting old, so Swansea needed a new home. The Swansea City Council helped create a plan for a new stadium. This new stadium, the Liberty Stadium, officially opened on 23 July 2005. Swansea played Fulham in a friendly game.

The Liberty Stadium became Swansea City's home ground from 2005, and was renamed the Swansea.com Stadium in 2021

The Liberty Stadium can hold 21,088 people. The highest attendance there was 20,937 against Arsenal in 2015. The stadium has also hosted three Welsh international football matches.

In 2012, Swansea City announced plans to expand the Liberty Stadium by about 12,000 seats. This would make it the largest sports club-owned stadium in Wales. On 9 August 2021, the Liberty Stadium was renamed the Swansea.com Stadium. This was part of a 10-year naming rights deal.

Rivalries

Referee Mike Dean receiving treatment after being struck by a projectile in a South Wales derby

Swansea City's main rivals are Cardiff City. Their matches are called the South Wales derbies. This rivalry became strong in the late 1960s. Before that, fans often supported both Welsh teams.

Swansea City also has rivalries with Newport County and, to a lesser extent, Bristol City and Bristol Rovers. However, Swansea rarely plays Newport because they are in different leagues.

Swansea has won 42 of the 115 competitive games against Cardiff. Cardiff has won 45, and 28 games have been draws. Cardiff's biggest win was 5–0 in 1965. In the 2021–22 season, Swansea became the first team to win both league games against Cardiff in the 110-year rivalry. They won 3-0 at home and 4–0 away.

In 2008, Swansea and Cardiff met in the Football League Cup. Swansea won 1–0. The match had some trouble between fans and police. The next two league games were 2–2 draws. A game at Ninian Park was controversial when referee Mike Dean was hit by a coin.

In the 2009–10 season, Swansea beat Cardiff 3–2 at home. They lost 2–1 in Cardiff. Both teams were trying to get promoted to the Premier League. The first derby at the new Cardiff City Stadium was a big game. Neither team got promoted that season.

The South Wales derby was on hold when Swansea was promoted to the Premier League in 2011. They met again in the Premier League on 3 November 2013. Cardiff won 1–0. In the return game on 8 February 2014, Swansea won convincingly 3–0.

The teams met again in the EFL Championship in the 2019–20 season. Swansea won 1–0 at home. In the 2020–21 season, Jamal Lowe scored two goals in a 2-0 Swansea win. In October 2021, Swansea won 3–0 against Cardiff. Later that season, Swansea beat Cardiff 4–0 away. This made Swansea the first team to win both league derbies in one season.

Club Identity

Nicknames

People from Swansea are often called "Jacks." This nickname is also used for the football club. A history professor, Martin Johnes, says "Jack" was a common nickname for sailors. Sailors from Swansea would be called "Swansea Jack." A famous local lifeguard dog in the 1930s was also named Swansea Jack. This helped make the name even more popular. The nickname has been linked to Swansea's people and football club since after World War II.

Kits and Crests

Swansea's crest for the 2021–22 season, based on a design used until 1998. The background colour was altered to light blue in 2022–23 before the 1998 design was reinstated.

When Swansea Town started in 1912, they chose white shirts and shorts. This was because of the Swansea RFC rugby team. The home kit usually has black as a secondary color. In the 1960s, it was orange, and in the 1990s and 2000s, it was red. In 2012–13, the club celebrated its 100th birthday with a gold-trimmed kit and a special crest.

In 1998, new owners changed the club crest. The old bird on the crest was not clearly a swan, and the background was blue, like rivals Cardiff City. In 2021, to mark 40 years since their first promotion to the top league, Swansea City brought back an older badge design. The 1998 crest was brought back to kits in 2023.

Kit Manufacturers and Sponsors

European Matches

Swansea City's scores are given first in all scorelines.

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Aggregate	Refs
1961–62	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Preliminary round	Motor Jena	2–2	1–5	3–7
1966–67	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Slavia Sofia	1–1	0–4	1–5
1981–82	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Lokomotive Leipzig	0–1	1–2	1–3
1982–83	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Preliminary round	Braga	3–0	0–1	3–1
		First round	Sliema Wanderers	12–0	5–0	17–0
		Second round	Paris Saint-Germain	0–1	0–2	0–3
1983–84	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	Preliminary round	Magdeburg	1–1	0–1	1–2
1989–90	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Panathinaikos	2–3	3–3	5–6
1991–92	UEFA Cup Winners' Cup	First round	AS Monaco	1–2	0–8	1–10
2013–14	UEFA Europa League	Third qualifying round	Malmö FF	4–0	0–0	4–0
		Play-off round	Petrolul Ploiești	5–1	1–2	6–3
		Group stage	Kuban Krasnodar	1–1	1–1	2nd place
			St. Gallen	1–0	0–1
			Valencia	0–1	3–0
		Round of 32	Napoli	0–0	1–3	1–3

Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Andy Fisher 2 DF Joshua Key 3 DF Kristian Pedersen 4 MF Jay Fulton 5 DF Ben Cabango 6 DF Harry Darling 7 MF Joe Allen 8 MF Matt Grimes (captain) 9 FW Žan Vipotnik 10 MF Eom Ji-sung 11 MF Josh Ginnelly 14 DF Josh Tymon 17 MF Gonçalo Franco 19 FW Florian Bianchini

No. Position Player 20 FW Liam Cullen 21 DF Nathan Tjoe-A-On 22 GK Lawrence Vigouroux 23 DF Cyrus Christie 25 MF Myles Peart-Harris (on loan from Brentford) 26 DF Kyle Naughton 29 GK Nathan Broome 31 MF Ollie Cooper 32 DF Nelson Abbey (on loan from Olympiacos) 33 GK Jon McLaughlin 35 FW Ronald 37 MF Aimar Govea 41 MF Sam Parker 47 MF Azeem Abdulai

Players on Loan

No. Position Player FW Mykola Kukharevych (on loan at Hibernian until end of season) MF Cameron Congreve (on loan at Bromley until end of season) FW Jerry Yates (on loan at Derby County until end of season) FW Josh Thomas (on loan at Bromley until end of season)

No. Position Player FW Maliq Cadogan (on loan at Kidderminster Harriers until January 2025) MF Joel Cotterill (on loan at Swindon Town until end of season) FW Liam Smith (on loan at Partick Thistle until end of season)

Retired Numbers

No. Position Player 40 FW Besian Idrizaj (2009–10) – posthumous honour)

Club Staff

Club Officials

Shareholders who own 10% or more of the club include Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Jason Cohen (through Swansea Football LLC), Nigel Morris, and Swansea City Supporters Society Ltd.

First-Team Staff

Academy Staff

Managers

John Toshack managed Swansea between 1978 and 1984

Swansea City has had 44 permanent managers since 1912. Six of them were also players. The first manager was Walter Whittaker in 1912. He led Swansea to their first Welsh Cup win. Haydn Green was the longest-serving manager, holding the job for over eight years.

John Toshack is Swansea City's most successful manager. He led the club to three league promotions and three Welsh Cup wins. He also guided them to their highest league finish ever, sixth place in the top division in 1981–82. In 2011, Brendan Rodgers helped Swansea City get promoted to the Premier League. This made them the first Welsh team in that league. During Swansea City's 100th year (2012–13), Michael Laudrup led the club to win the League Cup. This was Swansea's first major trophy.

Records and Statistics

Gylfi Sigurðsson is Swansea's most expensive sale; he was the club's top scorer in the Premier League, with 34 goals

Wilfred Milne holds the record for most appearances for Swansea, playing 586 matches. Roger Freestone is close behind with 563 games. Ashley Williams has the most international caps while playing for the club, with 50 for Wales.

Ivor Allchurch holds the goalscoring record with 166 goals. Cyril Pearce scored the most goals in a single season, with 35 league goals and 40 goals overall in 1931–32.

Swansea's biggest win was 12–0 against Sliema in the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in 1982. They have lost by an eight-goal difference twice. Once, they lost 0–8 to Liverpool in the FA Cup in 1990. Another time, they lost 0–8 to AS Monaco in the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup in 1991. Swansea's 8–1 win against Notts County in the FA Cup in 2018 is their biggest FA Cup win. It is also their largest winning margin at their home ground, the Liberty Stadium.

The club broke their transfer record to re-sign André Ayew in January 2018 for £18 million. The most expensive player they have sold is Gylfi Sigurðsson. He joined Everton in August 2017 for about £45 million.

Club Achievements

Swansea won the League Cup in 2013, their first major trophy in England

Swansea City's first trophy was the Welsh Cup, won in 1913. Their first league title was the 1924–25 Football League Third Division South title. Since then, Swansea has won the League Cup once and the Football League Trophy twice. They have also won the Welsh Cup nine more times. They have played in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup seven times and the UEFA Europa League once.

Here are some of Swansea City's main achievements:

League Titles

• Second Division / Championship (Level 2)
  • Promoted: 1980–81
  • Play-off Winners: 2011
• Third Division South / Third Division / League One (Level 3)
  • Champions: 1924–25, 1948–49, 2007–08
  • Promoted: 1978–79
• Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (Level 4)
  • Champions: 1999–2000
  • Promoted: 1969–70, 1977–78, 2004–05
  • Play-off Winners: 1988

Cup Wins

• Football League Cup
  • Winners: 2012–13
• Football League Trophy
  • Winners: 1993–94, 2005–06
• Welsh Cup
  • Winners (10): 1912–13, 1931–32, 1949–50, 1960–61, 1965–66, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1990–91
• FAW Premier Cup
  • Winners: 2004–05, 2005–06

See also

In Spanish: Swansea City Association Football Club para niños