Planet Swans ArchivesIt’s difficult to look back on that day without a shake of the head at the realisation of just how far that we have come and had you said to any one of those fans leaving the Vetch that day that within ten years we would have had two seasons in the Premier League and a major trophy in the cabinet you would have been laughed at all the way to the pub.
Everyone remembers their own emotions of the Great Escape. I hated every minute of the game bar about the last thirty seconds which was roughly when I realised that even the Swans couldn’t go wrong from there. I remember feeling sick to the pit of my stomach (and beyond) when Hull were 2-1 up and I remember the nerves leading up to kick off on the day and I know that I couldn’t concentrate on anything leading up to the game.
The relief at the final whistle overtook me and like everyone else in the Vetch that day I celebrated long and hard into the night. The game itself was a strange one to me as I had been on holiday for the two weeks leading up to the game (oh how I never realised the significance of those holiday dates when I booked them the previous July!) although I suspect that was probably a blessing as it kept me away from the media frenzy that was building and at least I think kept me sane for the last few days at least.
I’m sure that I was in the majority in the Vetch when James Thomas decided he was going to try and chip the keeper from such a distance who thought that he was making a mistake and then naturally acclaimed such a touch of genius in amongst a game where tension was the overriding factor.
I guess it was at that moment that I dared to dream of safety but you also knew that this was the Swans and even with a 4-2 lead nothing was ever going to be guaranteed.
I was in the centre stand and the sight of the North Bank advancing towards us was something to behold and the look of joy on people’s faces has not been repeated too often in my 35 years as a Swans fan although recent events have come close.
Never will I underplay the significance of that Hull game. It was the season that the fans flocked back to watch the Swans and it was just the next step in what almost now seems a natural journey from the bottom to the top. There are times when I have to almost pinch myself and remember that it was only 10 years ago even though at times it feels like a lifetime.
To all of the players that played that day we remember and thank you for your input into a vital part of our history and for giving us the initial platform for what we have today. You Jack B*******!!
