The Hollins Years

Wednesday, 12 September 2001, 0:00
3 mins read
Here are some of the high (and low) lights of the three years.
1998/99
The team start the John Hollins reign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Exeter City at the Vetch. Martin Thomas, on his Swansea league debut and Steve Watkin score the goals. However, four league defeats in the next five see the side heading the wrong way down the table. Several wins and draws see them moving back up towards mid-table and higher. A cup run that begins with a comprehensive destruction of Millwall and then a win against Stoke sees Swansea pitted with West Ham. A late error from Roger Freestone salvages a draw for the Premiership side at Upton Park before Martin Thomas sends a packed Vetch wild as Swansea win the replay 1-0. Derby narrowly scrape through against us in the 4th round.

Happier Times For John

As the league campaign goes on, Hollins is criticised for not getting in loan signings as the club scrape into the play-offs. Injuries to people like Roger Freestone and Steve Jones cost what many see as a potential automatic promotion spot. In the play-offs, Swansea are beaten over two legs by Scunthorpe.
Hollins says the experience will do the players a world of good and that they will bounce back next season.
1999/2000
The summer passes with no new additions to the team with Hollins claiming that ‘the squad is good enough’ John Cornforth had been on trial with the Swans pre-season but was released by Hollins amid rumours that the manager was worried about his popularity with the crowd.

Championship at Rotherham

The season starts with a 1-0 defeat at York and after 18 games, Swansea find themselves with just 26 points. Mike Lewis issues rumours that one more defeat, at Chester, will see Hollins shown the door and replaced in all likelihood by Leighton James. A Nick Cusack goal saves Hollins’ bacon and the team break the club record by winning nine games in a row, 6 of them by a 1-0 margin. This is to become the trademark of the season as Swansea win the third division championship at Rotherham on the final day of the season with the tightest defence in the football league.

The championship success is marred by the news that Swansea fan, Terry Coles, was trampled by a police horse and later died in hospital.

Hollins is rewarded for the championship with a new three-year contract.
2000/2001
This season was to prove to be the biggest test of Hollins’ ability. Many fans had called for his head in the previous two seasons and Hollins had effectively proved them wrong at the time. Again, no new signings of note during the summer months but a reasonable start to the season saw Swansea in mid-table come October.
The arrival of Giovanni Savarese and David Romo sparked new life into the team and after a superb defeat of Stoke City at the Vetch on October 14, things looked rosy for John.
However, the Swans were to win just once in the next 22 league games and pressure mounted on Hollins but the club were cash strapped and unable to rid themselves, victims of their own decision in awarding the contract.

As relegation loomed nearer and nearer, fans started to get more frustrated with Hollins’ apparent inability to turn things wrong and his after match interviews sparked more ridicule. Swansea are relegated with time to spare with one of the worst records in the club’s history. To rub salt into the wounds, Rotherham, the side we pipped for the third division championship, are promoted to the First Division as we head backwards.

Pondering where it went wrong

2001/2002
Hollins admits that he feared for his job during a summer in which Mike Lewis took charge. However, he is still there on opening day as the Swans win 3-1 at Macclesfield to briefly top the table.
A 0-0 draw at Oxford and two defeats, against Peterborough and Lincoln see Lewis making moves to replace Hollins and a defeat against Cheltenham will be the end. Swansea throw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 but then beat Exeter 4-2 at the Vetch in his last home game in charge.
Finally, the speculation increases that Peter Nicholas will be put in charge of the team, and Lewis misses the trip to Plymouth to sign off the deal with Nicholas.

After 1,169 days and 192 games in charge, John Hollins tenure as Manager of Swansea City has come to an end.

Glad or sad? Tell us your thoughts on the Message Board

Message Board Latest Postings
Subject Author Date

Question Of The Week

The 2001/2002 Season on JackArmy.net

RogerFreestone.com New Jack City Message Board

Division Three Table

Submit An Article

Going Away?

JACKARMY.NET – SWANSEA CITY FOR THE FANS BY THE FANS

Message Board and Poll scripts are provided courtesy of John Wards at gableendies.co.uk

Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.

League Table

Next Up

Forum Latest

Threads: 18,410

Messages: 260,486

Members: 4,697

Latest member: capitagains99

Next Up

League Table

Last 6 Results

Latest from Blog

Swans TV: Swansea City Women v Cardiff City Women | An Alternative View

. . .Watch the best of our behind-the-scenes and pitchside footage as we wrap up the Swans Women's victory over Cardiff in An Alternative View seconds. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube:…

Swans TV: Swansea City v Cardiff City | Women | Highlights

. . .watch some of the key moments from the Swans Women's South Wales Derby clash against Cardiff at the Swansea.com Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on…

Swans TV: Jamie Sherwood on Cardiff City Women | Reaction

. . . Jamie Sherwood talks to SwansTV following his side's 1-0 win against Cardiff City Women at the Swansea.com Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on Facebook:…

Swans TV: Stacey John-Davis on Cardiff City Women | Reaction

. . . Stacey John-Davis reflects on her sides 1-0 win over Cardiff City Women at the Swansea.com Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SwanseaCityFC Follow…

Swans TV: Joe Allen ahead of international break | Interview

. . .Joe Allen spoke to SwansTV ahead of the international break as he returns to the Cymru squad since retiring from international football. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like…

The Hollins Years

Wednesday, 12 September 2001, 0:00
1 min read

JOHN HOLLINS RECORD AS SWANSEA MANAGER

P W D L F A Pts GD
League 144 53 42 49 164 161 201 3
FA Cup 8 4 1 3 8 6
Worthy Cup 9 1 4 4 6 10
Auto Windscreens 7 4 0 3 11 8
FAW Premier Cup 24 14 4 6 46 22
All Competitions 192 76 51 65 235 207

STATS

Biggest Win

7-0 v Cwmbran, October 26 1999

Biggest League Win 6-0 v Brentford May 01 2001
Biggest Defeat 1-5 v Walsall, Jan 20 2001, v Reading Sep 23 2000
Biggest League Defeat As Above
Hollins At Swansea – In Words
Message Board Latest Postings
Subject Author Date

Question Of The Week

The 2001/2002 Season on JackArmy.net

RogerFreestone.com New Jack City Message Board

Division Three Table

Submit An Article

Going Away?

JACKARMY.NET – SWANSEA CITY FOR THE FANS BY THE FANS

Message Board and Poll scripts are provided courtesy of John Wards at gableendies.co.uk

Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.

League Table

Next Up

Forum Latest

Threads: 18,410

Messages: 260,486

Members: 4,697

Latest member: capitagains99

Next Up

League Table

Last 6 Results

Latest from Blog

Swans TV: Swansea City Women v Cardiff City Women | An Alternative View

. . .Watch the best of our behind-the-scenes and pitchside footage as we wrap up the Swans Women's victory over Cardiff in An Alternative View seconds. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube:…

Swans TV: Swansea City v Cardiff City | Women | Highlights

. . .watch some of the key moments from the Swans Women's South Wales Derby clash against Cardiff at the Swansea.com Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on…

Swans TV: Jamie Sherwood on Cardiff City Women | Reaction

. . . Jamie Sherwood talks to SwansTV following his side's 1-0 win against Cardiff City Women at the Swansea.com Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on Facebook:…

Swans TV: Stacey John-Davis on Cardiff City Women | Reaction

. . . Stacey John-Davis reflects on her sides 1-0 win over Cardiff City Women at the Swansea.com Stadium. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SwanseaCityFC Follow…

Swans TV: Joe Allen ahead of international break | Interview

. . .Joe Allen spoke to SwansTV ahead of the international break as he returns to the Cymru squad since retiring from international football. For more information, as well as all the latest Swansea City AFC news, log onto the club's official website at http://www.swanseacity.com Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/SWANSPLAYER Like…