Planet Swans ArchivesCardiff are due at the Liberty Stadium for the first time on November 29 with the return match schedule for April 4 at Ninian Park although both are likely to be changed on police advice with the day after with a lunchtime kick off already being favourite for the two games.
It will be the first time the two sides have met in the league since 98/99 when the Swans won 2-1 at the Vetch thanks to a last minute Matthew Bound goal and the return match ended goalless at Ninian Park.
Both games will certainly be bubble trips for opposing fans with around 2,000 expected to make the journey either way along the M4 for the game, one of which seems almost certain to be featured on Sky TV.
And the two dates were ones that were eagerly awaited in South Wales yesterday when the fixtures were announced – both by fans and players alike.
“It’s probably the game every fan looked for first when the fixtures came out because it’s been a long time coming,” said Swans midfielder Leon Britton. “I’ve been here five-and-a-half-years now and I’ve never been involved in one so it shows how long fans have had to wait for the chance of a derby.
“I might not have played in one but all the players know about the games and how fierce the rivalry is and everyone knows you can go down in history if you get the winner in one of those matches.
“But as much as everyone will start looking forward to them now they’re written in the diaries, there’s a lot of football before then that we can have every right to look forward to first.
“Everyone knows about the bragging rights derby games can get you, but the biggest bragging rights are the ones at the end of the season when you see where you are in the league and that’s the priority for us at the moment.”
