Planet Swans ArchivesIt’s been a strange few years as a Swansea City fan. It seems odd when you think back that as we prepared to celebrate the turn of the millennium we were in the basement division just five months away from lifting one of only three league titles in our history. John Hollins was creating debate as to whether he actually did know what he was doing and Walter Boyd was claiming that he would challenge Cyril Pearce’s record of 35 goals in a season. It never happened.
Maybe it was appropriate to pick up the paper this week and see Lee Trundle setting his sights on the same goal record. And maybe it was plausible after all there is more chance of Trundle breaking the record than Boyd. In fairness there was more chance of me breaking the record than Walter Boyd. Especially as we didn’t surpass it by much as a team that season let alone as one individual.
But I think if you look back on that scenario and realise that was just six years ago you remember just how much has happened in that time. And of course at this time of year whilst you anticipate a glut of football over a very short space of time you also have the classic films all repeated on television. And within that you have endless versions of Charles Dickens classic tale “Scrooge” And so if it was to be repeated again this time but with a Swansea edge to it just how would it go if it was Huw Jenkins on the ride to see the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future? Well, lets think about it
The Ghost Of Christmas Past – It’s Christmas Eve 2001. The news that we didn’t want to hear is that the players have not been paid. Unpopular cockney Tony Petty is in charge and has told the players the joyous news on Christmas Eve. Just two months after he told most of them that they were out of a job before rapidly backtracking when he realised how secure their contracts were. Crowds at the Vetch Field are dwindling as the supporters wrestle to gain control of the club – a battle that at Christmas had not been won.
The club’s future is in the balance and just like it had back in 1985 it will not be a Happy Christmas for Swansea fans. Petty promised investment from the likes of Mr Duck it never happened. This is a Christmas that Swansea fans didn’t want and one that they never want repeated.
The Ghost Of Christmas Present – Christmas 2005. A much happier Swansea. Four years on from the above and the club sit proudly on top of the League One table smelling a second successive promotion. In excess of 15,000 fans are expected to watch their next league encounter at their brand new all seater stadium. They are the leading goalscorers in the division, second in the football league and have the country’s leading marksman wears the number 10 shirt. They have money in the bank and plenty of it with this position being obtained with a couple of bargain buys and the development of existing talent within the club. A young, ambitious manager eyes up greater things for the club and the building of a dynasty. Things couldn’t be much better.
Commercial sales are at record levels, as are season ticket sales and people want to be Swans fans. Less than two month previous almost 19,500 people watched a home league game, in a week’s time the side will be backed by 3,000 travelling fans at Swindon. Was the Ghost of Christmas Past really just four years ago?
The Ghost Of Christmas Future – Christmas 2009. Chairman Huw is taken forward four years to see what life could be like. Swansea are Premiership. Correction, Swansea are top half Premiership. Their first season at this level last year resulted in them just avoiding relegation and now they look to build. Sell outs at White Rock happen every week with demand for the real big sides being able to sell the stadium twice over. Plans are afoot to move the Swans into another new home on the outskirts of the city housing 40,000. The club is moving.
33 year old Lee Trundle has just netted his 250th goal for the club but is still yet to play for Everton and awaits with eager anticipation their visit on Boxing Day following their promotion last season. Being interviewed on Sky Sports, Chairman Huw reveals that the catalyst for being here was “Spending what we had in the January 2006 transfer window. Had we not done that I think we may have blown promotion. We had a good team but we needed to strengthen it and look at where we are now”
Eight years previous the club was close to folding and now there are dreams of a top half Premiership finish and if they can get within 50 points of runaway leaders Chelsea then it will surely mean a top 4 finish!
OK, so maybe some of the Future is fantasy but it’s Christmas and we can dream. Promotion is a long way off this season but clubs will look at us with envy in that we are top and we haven’t spent anywhere near our budget. Ask Peter Jackson or Martin Allen if they would love to be in that position and wait their answers. You know what it will be.
Chairman Huw’s visions of Christmas future are not necessarily within touching distance but could become closer if we spend in the window and that is what needs to be done. Time for Kenny to say who he wants and Chairman Huw to make it happen.
A very Merry Christmas to Jacks everywhere and here’s to plenty of points in the Swansea stocking.
