On this day 15 years ago, Swansea City gained automatic promotion to League One with a nervy win at Bury on the last day of the season. Adrian Forbes gave Swansea the lead after just 25 seconds, the midfielder sliding in to score from close range. Bury's attacks kept Swansea nerves on a knife edge, with over-excited fans spilling onto the pitch at moments. But after Southend were held to a 1-1 draw at Grimsby, Swansea leap-frogged them into third place and League One.
On this day 4 years ago, West Ham's hopes of Champions League football took a severe knock as Swansea put four past them in Upton Park's final Saturday game. Wayne Routledge poked home Kyle Naughton's low cross against the run of play to give the visitors the lead. Andre Ayew doubled the lead from Stephen Kingsley's cross, and Ki Sung-yueng put the result beyond doubt. Diafra Sakho netted a consolation before substitute Bafetimbi Gomis added Swansea's fourth.
On this day 41 years ago, 22,838 people were at The Vetch to see the Swans beat Chesterfield 2-1 and gain promotion to Division Two. The visitors took a surprise lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, but Alan Waddle replied within just three minutes to send the sides in level at half-time. Chesterfield were camped inside their own half after the break as the Swans pushed for the decisive second goal. Tosh brought himself on to the field as the final throw of the dice with 20 minutes remaining, and it paid off as he met Danny Bartley’s cross to head home and send the Vetch into ecstasy, while also sealing the Swans’ return to the Second Division after 14 years away.
I was on the North Bank - I can still visualise Bartley’s left footed cross, and Tosh’s fantastic header. What a night!
On this day 15 years ago, the Swans played their last ever game at The Vetch when they beat Wrexham 2-1 to add their first FAW Premier Cup trophy to promotion to League One. Striker Juan Ugarte gave Wrexham the lead, firing home after Dennis Lawrence freed him with a run to the by-line. But ex-Wrexham man Lee Trundle inspired a comeback, his attempted cross headed in by Shaun Pejic for a cruel own goal. Trundle then controlled a long ball and freed substitute Andy Robinson, whose powerful left-foot volley won the game and sparked wild celebrations. Teams: Swansea: Gueret, Austin, O'Leary, Tate, Martinez, Britton, Anderson, Iriekpen, Connor, Forbes, Trundle. Subs: Murphy, Robinson, Gurney, Thorpe, Bond. Wrexham: Foster, Pejic, Morgan, Lawrence, Edwards, Holt, Mark Jones, Williams, Crowell, Llewellyn, Ugarte. Subs: Michael Jones, Smith, Bennett, Green, Sam. Referee: B Lawlor (Wales) Att: 9,000
Yes what a game a real heart in the mouth job. I was on the North Bank too by the tunnel at the end Tosh scored. We went mental
On this day 9 years ago, 10-man Swansea City bravely held dominant Nottingham Forest to a goalless draw in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final. The visitors Swansea made the worst start possible when left-back Neil Taylor was sent off by referee Mike Dean for a high challenge on Lewis McGugan on the half-way line. Forest had a penalty appeal rejected after Chris Cohen's shot was blocked by Alan Tate's arm and Rob Earnshaw had an effort ruled out for offside. Swans striker Fabio Borini tested home keeper Lee Camp with two superb shots. Camp's opposite number Dorus de Vries made some superb saves to keep his 22nd clean sheet of the season but some heroic defending by the Welsh side restricted their opponents to long-range strikes.
God that was a game and a half. Twat head getting sent off, what was he thinking off, and Mike Dean took great pleasure in showing him a red card. I was convinced we would lose by a couple of goals and end our hopes of getting a result back at the Liberty. It was a backs to the wall game and if my memory is correct Nath played a blinder covering loads of ground.
Spent most of the game checking my watch from about 5 minutes in ......the boys I was with relied on me to keep our nerve with regular time shouts. When the final whistle went you would have thought that we had actually won promotion already....and the cheering* continued 30 minutes later behind the away end where all the coaches were...
