Swansea City Association Football Club (/ˈswɒnzi/SWON-zee;Welsh:Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Abertawe[4]) is a Welsh professionalfootball club based inSwansea,Wales. They compete in theEFL Championship, the second tier ofEnglish football. The club was founded in 1912 asSwansea Town but changed their name in 1970 to reflect Swansea's new status as acity.[5] They have played their home matches at theSwansea.com Stadium (formerly known as the Liberty Stadium) since 2005, having previously played at theVetch Field since their founding.
Swansea entered theSouthern League in 1912 before joining theFootball League in 1920. They won theThird Division South title in 1925 and 1949, but fell into theFourth Division after relegations in 1965 and 1967. Swansea won three promotions in four seasons to reach theFirst Division in 1981, finishing sixth in the top flight (a club record), but were back in the Fourth Division by 1986. The club won theThird Division title in 2000 but narrowly avoided relegation to theConference in2003. They won their fourth league title in 2008 after winningLeague One.
Swansea's climb from the fourth division of English football to the Premier League is chronicled in the 2014 film,Jack to a King – The Swansea Story. Several players have woncaps for their country while playing for the club, including for theWales national football team.[6] The Swansea City Supporters' Trust owns shares in the club;[3] their involvement was hailed bySupporters Direct in 2012 as "the most high profile example of a supporters' trust in the direct running of a club".[7]
The Swansea Town team during its first season, 1912–13
Following an increasing interest in football in theSwansea area, the town's first professional football club, Swansea Town, was established in 1912.[8][9] John William Thorpe, a local solicitor, was elected the club’s first chairman.[9] Players were recruited from around the United Kingdom and the team joined theSouthern League Second Division under the club's first player-manager, Walter Whittaker.[8][9] Swansea joined several other clubs in the division, includingCardiff City, who were Swansea's first professional league opponents.[8] The match, played on 7 September 1912 at Swansea'sVetch Field, ended in a 1–1 draw with Billy Ball scoring Swansea's first goal.[8]
During their first season, Swansea won theWelsh Cup, the Welsh league and came third in the Southern League Second Division.[5] The following season, the club reached the first round proper of theFA Cup and finished fourth in the league.[5] John William Bartlett took over from Whittaker in 1914.[5] Under his leadership, the club beat reigning English championsBlackburn Rovers 1–0 in the first round of the 1914–15 FA Cup, with Swansea's goal coming fromBen Beynon.[10]
After theFirst World War, the football leagues were restructured and the club began to compete in the newThird Division of theFootball League in 1920.[8] Swansea won their first championship in 1925 under manager Joe Bradshaw after winning the Third Division (South).[5] The following season, they reached the semi-final of the FA Cup and finished fifth in the league.[5][8] After Bradshaw left the club, Swansea were without a manager until 1927, when James Thompson was appointed.[5] The club experienced financial strain over the next few years, with players being sold for cheaper alternatives; Thompson resigned in 1931.[5] Despite this, Swansea won the Welsh Cup again in the 1931–32 season.[8] The club had further financial difficulties in the 1930s but avoided relegation under manager Neil Harris before theSecond World War began.[5]
Ivor Allchurch scored 164 goals in 445 appearances for the Swans between 1947–1958 and 1965–1968
When football resumed after the war, Swansea were relegated to the Third Division in 1947 but were promoted back to the Second Division as champions in 1949.[8] During the following seasons, Swansea saw several young players break through to the senior team, including the club's eventual captainIvor Allchurch.[5][8] The club cultivated strong local support during this period, with high attendances at league games, such as a record home league attendance againstLeeds United in 1955.[8] The club continued to struggle financially, however, but they again avoided relegation on the last day of the 1957–58 season.[8]
In 1960, Swansea played their first match in theLeague Cup and won the Welsh Cup the following year, qualifying for theCup Winners' Cup. This made Swansea the first Welsh club to enter a European competition.[8] ManagerTrevor Morris also led the club to the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1964, following a run which included a 2–1 away win againstLiverpool in the quarter-final.[8][5] Swansea were relegated back to the Third Division the following season and the financial situation at the club became critical.[5]
Despite finishing seventeenth in the league underGlyn Davies, the club won the Welsh Cup again and qualified for their second European adventure.[5] In 1967, however, the club were relegated to the Fourth Division, the first time in the club's history.[5] Despite this, Swansea saw the highest attendance at the Vetch Field (32,796) for their game againstArsenal in the FA Cup in 1968, which Swansea lost.[8][5] Tragedy struck the club in January 1969 when players Roy Evans and Brian Purcell were killed in a car crash on the way to a game.[11]
After Swansea became a city in 1969, the club changed their name to Swansea City in early 1970.[5]Roy Bentley's side celebrated by securing promotion back to the Third Division.[5] After mid-table finishes at the end of the following two seasons, the club made a poor start to the 1972–73 season, which saw Bentley being replaced byHarry Gregg. Gregg failed to stop the team's decline and the club was back in the Fourth Division for the 1973–74 season.[5] He was replaced by Harry Griffiths, the club's physiotherapist who had also played for Swansea.[5] Financial issues continued to plague the club and Swansea were forced to apply for re-election to the Football League.[5][8]
Swansea failed to win promotion in 1977, and Griffiths resigned the following year despite a positive start to the season.[5] He was replaced byJohn Toshack.[5] Swansea were promoted in 1978, and Toshack led the club to the Second Division the following season and theFirst Division in 1981.[8] They beatPreston North End 3–1 to guarantee their promotion, with goals fromTommy Craig,Leighton James andJeremy Charles.[12][13] Swansea's four-year rise to the top division became a record in English football, held jointly withWimbledon.[14] Swansea also won the Welsh Cup that season, qualifying for Europe for the first time since the 1965–66 season.[15]
The club's first match in the top flight was a 5–1 win against Leeds United, and they also defeatedTottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Liverpool andManchester United during the season.[16][5] Swansea were top of the league with twelve games to play, but finished sixth.[16] They won the Welsh Cup again to qualify for Europe.[17] Despite being relegated to the Second Division the following season, Swansea enjoyed success in Europe after defeatingBraga and winning 12–0 againstSliema Wanderers, a club record result.[8] Swansea were subsequently defeated byParis-Saint Germain.[8] Amid financial pressures, Toshack left the club in October 1983, returned eight weeks later, but left Swansea again in 1984 with the team back in the Third Division.[5]
By 1985, the club was battling for its survival and was issued awinding-up order.[16] Local people raised money for the club, and Manchester United played a friendly match which raised £45,000.[8] The club was saved by Peter Howard, Harry Hyde, Bobby Jones, Mel Nurse and Dave Savage (who came to be known as the "Famous Five"),[16] along with local businessman Doug Sharpe, although the change of ownership was not enough to prevent relegation to the Fourth Division in 1986.[18][16]
Promotions, relegations and last years at the Vetch Field (1986–2005)
Swansea were promoted from the Fourth Division in 1988 after winning the play-offs.[5] The club won the Welsh Cup again in 1989 and 1991 to qualify for Europe.[8] After a period of relative stability, Swansea reached the play-off semi-finals of the newSecond Division in 1993 before making their first appearance atWembley Stadium a year later, when they defeatedHuddersfield Town to win theFootball League Trophy.[5][8]
AfterJan Mølby became player-manager, the club was relegated to the lowest division, although they made it to another Wembley play-off final in 1997, which they lost.[5] Chairman Sharpe sold the club, and Swansea saw several managers during this period. Following another unsuccessful play-off semi-final in 1999, Swansea won the Third Division in 2000.[8] However, the 1–1 draw atRotherham United, which confirmed Swansea as Third Division champions, was overshadowed by the death of supporter Terry Coles, who was trampled to death by apolice horse before the game.[19]
In July 2001, following relegation back to the Third Division, the club was sold to managing director Mike Lewis for £1.[8] One month later, the Swansea City Supporters' Trust was formed.[20] Lewis subsequently sold his stake to a consortium of Australian businessmen behind theBrisbane Lions football team, fronted by Tony Petty, again for £1.[20] After supporter demonstrations against Petty's management, during which he attempted to sack seven players to cut costs, the club was sold to a local consortium led by Mel Nurse.[21]Huw Jenkins was named chairman in January 2002.[22]
Swansea fans and players celebrate the last league goal to be scored at theVetch Field
Swansea were also struggling on the pitch. The new ownership sought to keep the team in the Football League, andBrian Flynn was named manager in late 2002.[21][5] With the signings of new players includingRoberto Martínez andLeon Britton, Flynn kept Swansea in the Football League following their victory againstHull City on the last day of the 2002–03 season.[22][5] Despite a positive start to the following season,Kenny Jackett replaced Flynn in 2004.[5] Jackett led Swansea toLeague One promotion in the club's final season at the Vetch Field.[5] They also won theFAW Premier Cup on the last day at the Vetch.[5]
Move to the Liberty Stadium and return to the top flight (2005–2016)
The club moved to the newLiberty Stadium in July 2005,[20] with the first league game being a 1–0 win againstTranmere Rovers.[8] In the first season at the stadium, Swansea won the Football League Trophy for the first time since 1994 and the FAW Premier Cup for a second successive year.[8][5] The club also reached the League One play-off final, but lost toBarnsley.[5]
Roberto Martínez, Swansea's former captain, replaced Jackett as manager in 2007 mid-season.[5] He led Swansea toChampionship promotion as League One champions in 2008 while implementing apossession-based style of play at the club.[5][23] When Martínez left Swansea in 2009,Paulo Sousa replaced him before leaving himself in 2010.[5] Before Sousa's departure, Swansea playerBesian Idrizaj suffered a heart attack while on international duty; the club retired the number 40 shirt in his memory.[24]
Swansea City celebrate promotion to the Premier League at Wembley Stadium
Brendan Rodgers replaced Sousa and led the club to thePremier League in 2011 after defeatingReading 4–2 in theplay-off final, withScott Sinclair scoring a hat-trick.[25] Swansea became the first Welsh team to play in the Premier League since its formation in 1992.[26] Ahead of theirdebut season, the club signedDanny Graham fromWatford for a then-record fee of £3.5 million.[27] They defeated Arsenal, Liverpool andManchester City, the eventual champions, at home during the season.[28] Swansea finished eleventh in the league, but Rodgers left to manage Liverpool at the end of the season.[29]
The Swansea City A.F.C. centenary crest used during the2012–13 season
Rodgers was replaced byMichael Laudrup for the2012–13 season, which was the club's centenary season.[29] Laudrup's first league game ended in a 5–0 victory overQueens Park Rangers away atLoftus Road.[30] Swansea then beatWest Ham United 3–0 at the Liberty Stadium, withMichu scoring his third goal in two games.[31] This saw Swansea top of the Premier League; it was the first time since March 1982 the team had been at the summit of the top tier.[31][13] After cup victories against Liverpool andChelsea,[32] Swansea beatBradford City 5–0 in the2013 Football League Cup final, which was the biggest win in the final of the competition.[33][34] It was Swansea's first major piece of silverware in England and qualified them for the2013–14 UEFA Europa League. Swansea finished the Premier League season in ninth place,[35] and Michu was the club's top scorer in all competitions with 22 goals.[36] That summer, they paid a club record transfer fee of £12 million for strikerWilfried Bony fromVitesse Arnhem.[37]
Michael Laudrup led Swansea to the Europa League and a top half finish in the Premier League
Swansea enjoyed initial success in Europe, beating Spanish sideValencia 3–0 at theMestalla Stadium in September 2013.[38] Two months later, they lost the firstWelsh derby in the Premier League to Cardiff City following a 1–0 defeat.[39] In February 2014, Laudrup was dismissed after poor form and accusations of financial impropriety involving his agent Bayram Tutumlu.[40] DefenderGarry Monk, a Swansea player since 2004, was named as his replacement.[41] In Monk's first game, Swansea beat Cardiff 3–0 at the Liberty Stadium.[42] Despite holdingRafael Benítez'sNapoli to a 0–0 draw in the first leg of theEuropa League Round of 32, Swansea exited the competition after losing 3–1 in the second leg at theStadio San Paolo on 27 February 2014.[43]
Bony was sold to Manchester City for a record sale of £25 million in January 2015, with add-ons reportedly leading to £28 million.[44] This deal eclipsed the record fee Swansea received from Liverpool forJoe Allen at £15 million.[44] At the time of the sale, Bony was the club's top scorer with 34 goals in all competitions, and the league's top scorer for the 2014 calendar year, with 20 goals.[44][45] Swansea finished eighth in the league at the end of the2014–15 season with 56 points, their highest position and points haul for a Premier League season, and second highest finish in the top flight of all time.[46] During the season, they produced league doubles over Arsenal and Manchester United, becoming only the third team in Premier League history to do so.[47] Monk was sacked the following season after poor form and replaced byFrancesco Guidolin.[5][48]
American ownership and return to the Championship (2016–present)
In July 2016, an American consortium led byJason Levien andSteven Kaplan bought a controlling interest in the club,[49] but chairman Huw Jenkins remained.[49] Three months later, Guidolin was sacked and replaced byBob Bradley, which was the first time a Premier League club had hired an American manager.[50] Bradley was sacked after 85 days; he won only two of his eleven games.[51] He was replaced byPaul Clement,[52] who secured Swansea's Premier League status in May 2017.[53] A poor first half of the2017–18 season saw Clement sacked and replaced byCarlos Carvalhal.[54][55][56] Despite consecutive league home wins against Liverpool (1–0),[57] Arsenal (3–1),[58]Burnley (1–0),[59] and West Ham (4–1),[60] Swansea were winless in their last nine league games (losing five) under Carvalhal, leaving them in eighteenth place on the final day of the season.[61] They were relegated on 13 May 2018, following a 2–1 defeat to already-relegatedStoke City.[61]
The first season back in the Championship produced a tenth place finish under new managerGraham Potter,[62] including a quarter-final appearance in the FA Cup.[63] Jenkins resigned as chairman amid criticism over the club's sale to the American consortium in 2016 and relegation from the Premier League.[64] After Potter left to manageBrighton,[65] formerEngland U17 managerSteve Cooper replaced him.[66] In September 2019, Swansea sat at the top of the table after an unbeaten first month; this was the club's best start to a season in 41 years.[67] On the final day of the season, Swansea beat Reading 4–1 to finish sixth, moving into the play-offs ahead ofNottingham Forest ongoal difference,[68] but were later defeated byBrentford in the semi-final second leg.[69]
At the end of the 2020–21 season, Swansea finished fourth in the league and secured a play-off place for a second consecutive season.[70] They progressed to theplay-off final after defeating Barnsley 2–1 on aggregate, but lost to Brentford at Wembley Stadium.[71] After Cooper left the club,Russell Martin became head coach in 2021, leading the team to mid-table finishes before moving toSouthampton in 2023.[72] The following seasons saw several managers hired and dismissed, with the team struggling in the league.[73][74][75] Swansea also saw changes in ownership when Levien and Kaplan sold their majority shareholding in November 2024.[76] In the following months,Real Madrid footballerLuka Modrić and American rapperSnoop Dogg joined the club's new ownership group.[77]
TheVetch Field (left) was the home of Swansea City for 93 years, while theLiberty Stadium opened in 2005 and was renamed the Swansea.com Stadium in 2021
TheVetch Field was Swansea's home ground between 1912, the year the club was founded, and 2005. The ground saw a record attendance of 32,796 in a1968 FA Cup fourth round game againstArsenal.[8] The final game at the Vetch was Swansea's win againstWrexham in the2004–05 FAW Premier Cup.[5]
On 10 July 2005, Swansea's new home ground, theLiberty Stadium, was officially opened.[78] The first game to be played at the stadium was Swansea'sfriendly game againstFulham.[78] The Liberty became the firstPremier League stadium in Wales when Swansea were promoted to the Premier League.[78] Aside from being the home of Swansea City, the stadium has hostedWelsh international football matches and has also been the home of theOspreys rugby team.[79][80] It was renamed the Swansea.com Stadium on 9 August 2021, following a 10-year naming rights agreement.[81] As of September 2025, the stadium's capacity is 21,000.[2]
Swansea City's main rivals areCardiff City. Matches between the two clubs are known as theSouth Wales derbies. The rivalry has been described as among the most hostile in British football,[82] particularly after the 1960s.[83] In a 2009 match, refereeMike Dean was struck on the head by a coin thrown from the crowd in the 2–2 draw between the clubs.[84][85]
While Cardiff have won more derby matches, neither team had completed the league double until the 2021–22 season. During the season, Swansea won 3–0 and 4–0 to become the first side to complete the double in the derby's 110-year history.[86][87] The following season, Swansea beat Cardiff 2–0 at home and 3–2 in the away game, which marked a fourth consecutive derby win and a second consecutive league double.[88]
People from Swansea are nicknamed Jacks, a nickname also associated with the football club. According toSwansea University history professor Martin Johnes, Jack was a nickname for sailors, who would be described in other cities by their hometown, hence "Swansea Jack". A famed local canine lifeguard in the 1930s was coincidentally namedSwansea Jack, helping popularise the name further. Johnes said that the association of the Jack nickname with Swansea's people and football club is evident from after World War II.[91]
Swansea's crest for the 2021–22 season, based on a design used until 1998. The background colour was altered to light blue in 2022–23 before the 1998 design was reinstated.
Upon foundation in 1912, Swansea Town adopted white shirts and shorts due toSwansea RFC, arugby union team.[92] Secondary colours on the home kit have predominantly been black, with orange in the 1960s and red in the 1990s and 2000s.[93] In 2012–13, the club celebrated their centenary with a copper-trimmed kit and a commemorative crest.[94]
When new owners Silver Shield took over in 1998, they changed the club crest as the bird on it was not universally recognisable as a swan, and the background was blue, the colour of rivals Cardiff City.[95] In 2021, to mark the 40th anniversary of the club's first promotion to the top flight in 1981, Swansea City reintroduced the badge that had preceded the 1998 design. Though it was not used on kits until the 1990s, it was used on stationery and merchandise in the 1980s.[96] The 1998 crest was reintroduced to kits in 2023.[97]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Shareholders who own 10% or more of the issued share capital include Swansea Football LLC (controlled by Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen) andNigel Morris, while Swansea City Supporters Society Ltd is also a shareholder.[3]Luka Modrić andSnoop Dogg are co-owners and investors.[115][116]
Andy Coleman Brett Cravatt Jason Cohen George Popstefanov Chris Sznewajs Tyler Morse Nigel Morris Todd Marcelle Keith English Martin Morgan Paul Meller (Supporter Director) Diane Hughes
John Toshack managed Swansea between 1978 and 1984
Swansea City's first professional manager wasWalter Whittaker, who was appointed in 1912.[5][119] In the club's first season, Whittaker led Swansea to their firstWelsh Cup win.[5] The club's longest-serving manager, in terms of tenure, wasHaydn Green, who held the position for eight years, four months and 14 days, spanning the entirety ofWorld War II.[120]Trevor Morris, who oversaw the most games at Swansea, was also the first manager to lead a Welsh club in Europe, qualifying for the1961–62 Cup Winners' Cup.[5][121]
John Toshack, Swansea City's most successful manager with three league promotions and threeWelsh Cup wins, led the club to their highest league finish, sixth place in the1981–82First Division.[5] Appointed in February 1996, the DaneJan Mølby became Swansea's first foreign manager and took them to the 1996–97Division Three play-off final, which they lost.[5][122] In 2011, Swansea achieved promotion to thePremier League underBrendan Rodgers, becoming the first Welsh team to play in the division since its formation in 1992.[123] During the club's centenary year (2012–13), they won theLeague Cup for the first time underMichael Laudrup, the first major trophy in Swansea's 100-year history.[124]
Gylfi Sigurðsson is Swansea's most expensive sale; he was the club's top scorer in the Premier League, with 34 goals[36]
Wilfred Milne holds the record for Swansea appearances, having played 586 matches between 1920 and 1937, closely followed byRoger Freestone with 563 between 1991 and 2004.[125] The player who has won the most international caps while at the club isAshley Williams with 50 forWales.
The goalscoring record is held byIvor Allchurch, with 166 goals, scored between 1947 and 1958 and between 1965 and 1968.[126]Cyril Pearce holds the record for the most league goals scored in a season, in1931–32, with 35 league goals in theSecond Division.[127][128]
The club's widest victory margin was 12–0, a scoreline which they achieved once in theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup, againstSliema in 1982.[128][129] They have lost by an eight-goal margin on two occasions, once in theFA Cup, beaten 0–8 byLiverpool in 1990 and once in theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup, beaten 0–8 byAS Monaco in 1991.[130] Swansea's 8–1 win againstNotts County in the FA Cup in 2018 is their largest winning margin of the competition, and the largest winning margin at their home ground, theLiberty Stadium.[131]
Swansea's home attendance record was set at the fourth round FA Cup tie againstArsenal on 17 February 1968, with 32,796 fans attending theVetch Field.[132] The club broke their transfer record to re-signAndré Ayew fromWest Ham United in January 2018 for a fee of £18 million.[133] The most expensive sale isGylfi Sigurðsson who joinedEverton in August 2017 for a fee believed to be £45 million.[134][135]
^Jones, Colin (2012).Swansea Town & City Football Club: The Complete Record, 1912–2012. From Southern League to Premier League (1st ed.). Dinefwr Press Ltd. pp. 1–8.ISBN978-1904323-26-6.
^Jones, Colin (2012).Swansea Town & City Football Club: The Complete Record, 1912–2012. From Southern League to Premier League (1st ed.). Dinefwr Press Ltd. pp. 109–137.ISBN978-1904323-26-6.
^Jones, Colin (2012).Swansea Town & City Football Club: The Complete Record, 1912–2012. From Southern League to Premier League (1st ed.). Dinefwr Press Ltd. p. 245.ISBN978-1904323-26-6.
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