Michael Reeves
A group of Swans fans have called for the club to take their honouring of Mel Nurse to the next level with calls for a statue of the Swans legend to be placed at the Swansea.com Stadium.
A group of fans say that they have discussed the proposal with the Supporters Trust and, whilst they welcome this week’s news to rename the Riverside bar after Nurse, they feel that a statue should be the next step in respect of a man who twice played a leading role in the saving of the club.
A statement, released this evening reads “Every Swans fan will know that the name Mel Nurse is synonymous with our club, firstly as a player and then serving on the Board of Directors.
“It’s no exaggeration to state that, without him, our club would not exist.
“In December 1985, when our club was at the High Court fighting for its very existence, the club’s board of directors (including Mel Nurse) alongside fan fundraising groups, were able to put together a package to ensure the club could continue.
“In 2001, when our club was sold to Tony Petty and the fans took the fight to him in the stands, Mel was the one who took the fight to Petty in the courts. By purchasing the club’s debt from its biggest creditors, he was able to bring the legal pressure that played a big part in getting rid of Petty. When the club went into administration and sought an agreement with its creditors, Mel (by far the club’s biggest creditor) accepted the deal despite it meaning he lost tens of thousands of pounds of his own money.
“As part of the new ownership structure, he remained a director of the club through our rise, before selling his shares back to the club in 2012 for a small fraction of their market value. It’s worth remembering that when, in 2016, the club was sold from behind the backs of the fans and the Supporters’ Trust, Mel was not part of that agreement.
“Last autumn, a group of Swansea City fans first met to achieve with a common purpose, ensuring Mel’s achievements are properly recognised. We concluded that there is no-one more worthy of being immortalised in a statue outside our stadium than Mel. To achieve that goal, we have met with other parties and groups to understand the costs involved and identify who can help us make this a reality.
“With that aim, we approached the Club’s management team, as well as the leadership of the Supporters’ Trust, with our idea. Despite frequent requests for information and engagement, we were consistently told that this was being reviewed between the relevant parties. It is only now we have had any visibility of the outcome of that.
“We are pleased to see the recent announcement (Swansea City to honour Mel Nurse with lounge re-furbishment | Swansea) that the Riverside Bar has, at least for next season, been renamed the Mel Nurse Bar. This is a start, but we urge the club to go further.
“Our ask to the Club and the Trust is twofold. Firstly, we ask you to commit to allowing a statue of Mel Nurse to be located outside our stadium. Secondly, if you are unwilling or unable to make this a reality, we are happy to take the lead in undertaking the necessary efforts to make it happen. However, that can only happen with the club’s blessing.
“Mel has done so much for our club and its fans. It’s time this was properly and permanently recognised. We urge you to reconsider and work with us to ensure Mel is immortalised outside our stadium as he deserves.
“For any fans who are interested in getting involved, please look out for future communications. This can only happen if fans feel it is the right thing to do and are willing to help make this a reality.”
