| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Thomas Curtis[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1954-04-16)16 April 1954 (age 71) | ||
| Place of birth | Pentre,Rhondda, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Swansea City (Honorary President) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1979 | Swansea City | 248 | (71) |
| 1979–1980 | Leeds United | 28 | (5) |
| 1980–1983 | Swansea City | 90 | (21) |
| 1983–1986 | Southampton | 50 | (5) |
| 1986 | →Stoke City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1986–1989 | Cardiff City | 125 | (10) |
| 1989–1990 | Swansea City | 26 | (3) |
| 1990–1991 | Barry Town | 50 | (5) |
| 1994 | Barry Town | 13 | (1) |
| Haverfordwest County[2] | |||
| Total | 633 | (121) | |
| International career | |||
| 1972 | Wales U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 1976 | Wales U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 1976 | Wales U23 | 1 | (0) |
| 1976–1987 | Wales | 35 | (6) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2004 | Swansea City (caretaker) | ||
| 2015–2016 | Swansea City (caretaker) | ||
| 2016–2017 | Swansea City (caretaker) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alan Thomas CurtisMBE (born 16 April 1954) is a formerWales internationalfootballer, who played as aforward; he is currently the honorary club president ofSwansea City.[3]
He began his career withSwansea City in 1972, and spent the next seven years with the "Swans", winning promotion out of theFourth Division in 1977–78 and out of theThird Division in 1978–79. He was then sold on toLeeds United, but struggled in theFirst Division and was sold back to Swansea in 1980. He helped Swansea to win promotion out of theSecond Division in 1980–81, but a period of decline for the club followed and he moved on toSouthampton in November 1983. He played on loan atStoke City towards the end of the 1985–86 season, before he joinedCardiff City in the summer. He helped the "Bluebirds" to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1987–88 and to also win the1987–88 Welsh Cup. He made another return to Swansea during the 1989–90 campaign, and later ended his career withBarry Town, winning theWelsh Cup in 1994.
During his career he also represented Wales, scoring six goals in 35 international games. After retiring as a player he spent many years on the backroom staff at Swansea City, and has had several spells as a caretaker-manager.
He was born inPentre,Rhondda on 16 April 1954 to Tydfil and Albert Curtis, a factory worker and coal miner respectively.[4] His uncle,Roy Paul, was aWales international footballer.[5] He had an unsuccessful trial atManchester United as a 13-year-old.[6] He represented Rhondda Schools, where he was spotted bySwansea City and offered a trial.[7] He chose to remain at his localGrammar school and pass hisA-levels before going toVetch Field for a trial in 1972, by which time he had already won aWales under-18 cap.[8]
ManagerRoy Bentley handed him his debut inthe Football League in a 3–1 defeat toSouthend United atRoots Hall in August 1972.[6] Though he did not have an extended run in the first team he did end the1972–73 campaign with 14 appearances to his name. The team performed poorly, and a change of manager from Bentley toHarry Gregg could not prevent City being relegated out of theThird Division.[9]
Despite being retained by Gregg, Curtis had to work as a builder's apprentice during the summer of 1973 to supplement his low income.[10] Despite the arrival ofJohn Charles as a coach andHerbie Way's promotion to player-coach, Gregg continued the physical style of football favoured by Bentley that did not suit Curtis well.[11] Regardless of being ill-suited to this approach Curtis established himself as a first-team regular and made 40 appearances in the1973–74 season.[12] Gregg left Swansea midway through the1974–75 campaign, and new managerHarry Griffiths insisted on playing a pass-and-move style of football.[12] Initial results were poor, and the club had to apply for re-election after finishing 22nd at the end of the campaign.
Griffiths switched Curtis from his usual outside-left to a centre-forward position during the1975–76 campaign, and the move worked out so well that he remained a striker for the remainder of his career.[13] He claimed nine goals in 43 games, as Swansea improved to an 11th-place finish. He scored 17 goals in 53 appearances during the1976–77 campaign, but Swansea missed out on promotion after finishing one point behindBradford City despite boasting the highest goals tally in the Football League.[14]
A disappointing start to the1977–78 season cost Griffiths his job, and new appointmentJohn Toshack managed to take the club to promotion, with Curtis claiming 34 goals in 46 games to become the division's top-scorer that season. On 12 November, Curtis scored a hat-trick during a home win overCrewe Alexandra.[15] He also claimed a hat-trick in an 8–0 victory overHartlepool United.[16]
After scoring just six goals in 35 matches for Leeds he was released in 1980. While he showed promise when he played, injuries kept him sidelined too often and he was let go by Allan Clarke.
He moved back to Swansea City and helped them gain promotion to the First Division in1980–81. He scored in theSouth Wales derby on 27 December 1980, in a 3–3 draw withCardiff City atNinian Park.
He scored on the opening day of the1981–82 season, as Swansea beat his former club Leeds 5–1.[17] The season was a highly successful one for both player and club, as he scored ten goals in 45 appearances to help Swansea to a sixth place league finish.
Swansea had a fine first season in the top-flight finishing in 6th position but back to back relegations saw the club slide back down into the Third Division.
Curtis joinedSouthampton in November 1983 and he spent three seasons atThe Dell scoring seven goals in 67 appearances. Towards the end of the1985–86 season Curtis joinedStoke City on loan playing in three Second Division matches for the Potters.[18]
He then joinedCardiff City where he spent four seasons helping the club gain promotion in1987–88. He scored a goal in the 2–0 win overWrexham in the1987–88 Welsh Cup final atVetch Field.[19]
He ended his Football League career with a return to Swansea.
However, he would experience further playing success in 1994, winning theWelsh Cup withBarry Town at the oldNational Stadium, aged 40.
Curtis won one cap for theWales under-18,under-21 andunder-23 teams. He went on to score six goals in 35 international matches for theWales senior team from 1976 to 1987.
Curtis worked in most backroom staff roles atSwansea City, as well as being a part ofBrian Flynn'sWales under-21 coaching set up.[20]
He was appointed Swansea's first-team coach by new managerMichael Laudrup in July 2012.[21]
Curtis continued his role as first-team coach under managerGarry Monk. On 9 December 2015, following the dismissal of Monk, he became caretaker manager on a game-by-game basis as the club searched for a new manager. However, on 7 January 2016, it was confirmed that Curtis would continue as manager until the end of the season.[22][23] Despite this, on 18 January,Francesco Guidolin was brought in as head coach, with Curtis returning to a coaching role at the club.[24][25]
Guidolin was sacked on 3 October 2016 and, after a short period withBob Bradley in charge, Curtis again served as caretaker-manager before the arrival ofPaul Clement in January 2017.[26]
Curtis became Swansea's first Loan Player Manager in January 2017; he monitored the progress of players out on loan.[27][28]
Curtis was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2021 New Year Honours for services to Welsh football.[29]
He married Clare in 2008 in a ceremony in Swansea. Alan has 2 sons, 2 stepsons and 8 grandchildren.[30]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[a] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Swansea City | 1972–73 | Third Division | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 1973–74 | Fourth Division | 38 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 4 | |
| 1974–75 | Fourth Division | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | |
| 1975–76 | Fourth Division | 41 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 9 | |
| 1976–77 | Fourth Division | 46 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 17 | |
| 1977–78 | Fourth Division | 39 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 34 | |
| 1978–79 | Third Division | 34 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 20 | |
| Total | 248 | 71 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 276 | 84 | ||
| Leeds United | 1979–80 | First Division | 22 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 5 |
| 1980–81 | First Division | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | |
| Total | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 35 | 6 | ||
| Swansea City | 1980–81 | Second Division | 20 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 6 |
| 1981–82 | First Division | 40 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 10 | |
| 1982–83 | First Division | 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 6 | |
| 1983–84 | Second Division | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 90 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 105 | 23 | ||
| Southampton | 1983–84 | First Division | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 1984–85 | First Division | 30 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 6 | |
| 1985–86 | First Division | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 50 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 67 | 7 | ||
| Stoke City (loan) | 1985–86 | Second Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Cardiff City | 1986–87 | Fourth Division | 42 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 4 |
| 1987–88 | Fourth Division | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 3 | |
| 1988–89 | Third Division | 35 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 48 | 6 | |
| 1989–90 | Third Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 125 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 153 | 13 | ||
| Swansea City | 1989–90 | Third Division | 26 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 3 |
| Barry Town | 1990–91 | Southern League Midland Division | 31 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 50 | 5 |
| 1993–94 | League of Wales | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| Total | 41 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 63 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 611 | 119 | 37 | 8 | 43 | 9 | 42 | 6 | 733 | 143 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 1976 | 8 | 1 |
| 1977 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1979 | 8 | 2 | |
| 1981 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1982 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1983 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 35 | 6 | |
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Swansea City | 18 March 2004 | 5 April 2004 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 025.0 |
| Swansea City | 9 December 2015 | 18 January 2016 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 025.0 |
| Swansea City | 27 December 2016 | 3 January 2017 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 050.0 |
| Total | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 028.6 | ||
Swansea City
Cardiff City
Barry Town
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
