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Blast From The Past – Leon Hylton |
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Injury prevented Leon Hylton to making just 21 appearances in 18 months for the Swans but like Sizzles Cafe on High St, the former England under 21 international was all about quality not quantity. Arriving from Aston Villa in 2003 like a pop idol version of 50 cent all bandana’d up, Leon was and still is, touted on the official website of the England team as being ‘one of the most promising young English players from across the country.’ Whether or not the FA had forgotten to add ‘boom box’ before ‘players’ has been the subject or conversation for Swans fans from East Fishguard to North Hobart ever since. Replacing scouse sensation Michael Howard in the left back spot, Leon’s initial contribution to the team was very positive. His runs forward on the left flank were very entertaining to watch and his poor defensive positional play was put down to ‘needing time to gel with the team.’ Hopes that Leon would prove to be the answer to our left back crisis were high but unfortunately these hopes were soon dashed as Leon picked up the first of 63,004 injuries he had during his spell at the vetch and began dedicating his time in Swansea to having his legs rubbed and getting Richie Evans into hardcore gangster rap and r n’ b. Fortunately, the long wait for Leon’s return to first team action provided the entertainment we all craved in what turned out to be a pretty dismal 2003/04 season. Leon’s first display of magic came against Orient in the league where he followed a series of needless clear outs into the stand with possibly the best free kick I have ever seen! A Swans player had been fouled on the half way line near to the left hand touchline. Sensing that this could be a good attacking opportunity, all the Swans players piled into the opposition penalty box with their markers following suit. Then, up steps Leon to take the kick and with everyone expecting him to curl the ball in towards Nugent and the other Swans players, Leon calmly chipped the ball directly in a straight line and out for a goal kick. Superbly, the ball didn’t get withing 20 yards of any other player on the pitch. After his Roberto Carlos esq attacking free kick display against Orient, it was then onto North Wales for the FAW Cup Semi-final. A lot of Swans fans will remember the game for our 2-0 defeat to the non league giants of Rhyl but for me, once again, I remember it for the genius of Leon Hylton. Playing in some sort of position out on the left, Leon somehow found himself in a defensive position running for the ball. Probably believing to himself that after the prowess he showed in attack against Orient that it was about time he showed a similar level of class in defence, Leon, under no pressure at all and to the bemusement of all watching, blasted the ball straight over the stand and into the trees of the ajoining garden centre! Unbelievably, Leon actually went one better later in the game with one of his clearances hitting the greenhouse of the garden centre! Sadly, his epic display in the FAW Cup proved to be Leon’s last appearance in a Swans shirt as he got injured soon after (rumours that the manager of Rhyl Garden Centre gave him a hiding are unconfirmed) and never recovered before he was released in January this year. I’ve got no idea what Leon is up to post ‘football’ but I’d be interested to know and wish him the best in whatever it is he’s doing and thank him profoundly for the entertainment! Submitted By Bob Slipon (!)
Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.
 
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