Just a gentle reminder lads...

[TimBowen]

37 years ago today...10.45hrs, 20th December 1985, it was announced on Swansea Sound that Swansea City Football Club had gone bust.

 

[3swan]

Then the Walsall game postponed but we got a reprieve and away at Cardiff.
It can’t be said supporting the Swans has been dull

 

[TimBowen]

I remember that time all too well 3swan.

I was just telling my 27 year old (Swans fan) son, that when Swansea Sound made the announcement I just wept. It seemed to be the end of the world, my world anyway.

The build up to the High Court ruling, being so close to Christmas, meant no decorations were put up, Christmas 1985 was cancelled in our house. I was in a state of shock, I couldn't take it in, that I wouldn't get to see and shout for the Swans ever again! It was truly devastating!

I wandered about in a daze for the next few days. Until my (Swans fan) father hammered on my door waving the Evening Post, with the picture of Swansea City Directors (Sir) Mel Nurse and Peter Howard outside the High Court, having obtained a 'stay of execution' for the club!

This was on Christmas Eve 1985...and it's still and, always will be, the greatest Christmas present I will ever receive! Thank you Mel and Peter! Without your intervention, all the ups and yes, several downs, would never have been experienced. Without those boys, May 2003 and our 7 Premier League years would never have happened! What we've all shared over those 37 years would never have happened.

It was like an alternative, but very much better, 'Christmas Carol' type scenario. From darkness into light!

After the Walsall postponement, Football League rules were, that if a club postponed two consecutive matches due to financial circumstances they would be expelled from the league! We simply had to play the next match! Where was that due to be played? Yeah, 'Piggery Park' on Boxing Day 1985!

Seeing the boys run out that day from the open Canton(?) End generated another emotional outburst from me. But there were many supporting the Swans that day experiencing similar reactions. We lost the match 1-0, but honestly, the scoreline was irrelevant, all that mattered, was the Swans were back alive again!

Then the successful '1986 Campaign' was born and being on that Committee, I met Lorraine (and Gareth) Corbett. Lorraine who posts on here, is still a massive Swans fan and we remain close friends, seeing the Swans officially alive again together in the July 1986 High Court ruling.

So yeah, every year on 20th December, I say a massive thanks (as should you all) to Mel and Peter for their wonderful Christmas present to us Swans fans and the city of Swansea as a whole.

 

[3swan]

I remember that time all too well 3swan.

I was just telling my 27 year old (Swans fan) son, that when Swansea Sound made the announcement I just wept. It seemed to be the end of the world, my world anyway.

The build up to the High Court ruling, being so close to Christmas, meant no decorations were put up, Christmas 1985 was cancelled in our house. I was in a state of shock, I couldn't take it in, that I wouldn't get to see and shout for the Swans ever again! It was truly devastating!

I wandered about in a daze for the next few days. Until my (Swans fan) father hammered on my door waving the Evening Post, with the picture of Swansea City Directors (Sir) Mel Nurse and Peter Howard outside the High Court, having obtained a 'stay of execution' for the club!

This was on Christmas Eve 1985...and it's still and, always will be, the greatest Christmas present I will ever receive! Thank you Mel and Peter! Without your intervention, all the ups and yes, several downs, would never have been experienced. Without those boys, May 2003 and our 7 Premier League years would never have happened! What we've all shared over those 37 years would never have happened.

It was like an alternative, but very much better, 'Christmas Carol' type scenario. From darkness into light!

After the Walsall postponement, Football League rules were, that if a club postponed two consecutive matches due to financial circumstances they would be expelled from the league! We simply had to play the next match! Where was that due to be played? Yeah, 'Piggery Park' on Boxing Day 1985!

Seeing the boys run out that day from the open Canton(?) End generated another emotional outburst from me. But there were many supporting the Swans that day experiencing similar reactions. We lost the match 1-0, but honestly, the scoreline was irrelevant, all that mattered, was the Swans were back alive again!

Then the successful '1986 Campaign' was born and being on that Committee, I met Lorraine (and Gareth) Corbett. Lorraine who posts on here, is still a massive Swans fan and we remain close friends, seeing the Swans officially alive again together in the July 1986 High Court ruling.

So yeah, every year on 20th December, I say a massive thanks (as should you all) to Mel and Peter for their wonderful Christmas present to us Swans fans and the city of Swansea as a whole.

Beautifully written.

As you say that's one result against Cardiff that didn't really matter.

In work still in the run up to Christmas, but on the hour sitting in the car for any crackly news on Radio Wales.

Shame that Lorraine doesn't post much on here anymore. Next time you have contact please say Hello and hope she's well.

 

[monmouth]

I still have the evening post somewhere (‘The End’?) along with the ‘First Division’ one.

 

[3swan]

A bit more reading,

https://swans100.com/from-the-archive-2/scrapbooks/lest-we-forget-scfc-on-the-brink-27-years-ago/

And


https://planetswans.co.uk/2020/12/20/the-legends-of-1985/

 

[3swan]

I still have the evening post somewhere (‘The End’?) along with the ‘First Division’ one.

Just for you


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56901010

 

[TimBowen]

A long shot maybe...

But has anyone got (or knows how to access), the front page of the Evening Post on 24.12.1985?

I'd just love to see/read that again.

 

[JackSomething]

A long shot maybe...

But has anyone got (or knows how to access), the front page of the Evening Post on 24.12.1985?

I'd just love to see/read that again.

It's been a few years since I worked for the library service, but Swansea Central library has physical copies of every Evening Post printed in the basement of the Civic. They also have them on microfiche, but that's not as nostalgic as the real thing. If you go to the desk on the first floor, they can arrange to bring them up for you.

Hopefully someone has access to a digital copy for you to make it easier!

 

[monmouth]

A bit more reading,

https://swans100.com/from-the-archive-2/scrapbooks/lest-we-forget-scfc-on-the-brink-27-years-ago/

And


https://planetswans.co.uk/2020/12/20/the-legends-of-1985/

Trivia fact. Bobby Jones, a director at the time, is Catherine Zeta’s Uncle.

 

[BarryTownSwan]

Did we lose 0-1 or 2-3 at c****ff on Boxing Day? Is my memory letting me down? I remember Toshack scoring in front of the Swans end but am I getting my Boxing Days mixed up?

 

[3swan]

Did we lose 0-1 or 2-3 at c****ff on Boxing Day? Is my memory letting me down? I remember Toshack scoring in front of the Swans end but am I getting my Boxing Days mixed up?

Lost 1-0

Games do tend to merge together over time



https://mauveandyellowarmy.net/boxing-day-1985-and-two-woeful-teams-battle-out-a-grim-south-wales-derby/

 

[Vetchonian]

Mel Nurse was the driving force on two occasions in saving the club....without him we would he long gone....he bought the debt last time enabling the sellouts to launch the rescue but without Mel it wouldn't have happened he then gifted his shares to the club.....some of which went to the sellouts from which they made their dirty money....

The stadium should he renamed the Mel Nurse stadium in his honour

 

[Pentyrchjack]

I was 17 at the time and I had £100 in the Bradford & Bingley Building Society in Union Street. I remember taking £50 out and buying what appeared to be “shares” in the phoenix company that was rescuing the Swans. I recall going to the club shop in William Street and handing the cash over in return for a carbon copy receipt. Last I ever saw or heard about it.

 

[J_B]

And lasses.