| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. 12:57 - Dec 20 with 1771 views | TimBowen |
37 years ago today...10.45hrs, 20th December 1985, it was announced on Swansea Sound that Swansea City Football Club had gone bust.
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 Corbett. Lorraine of course is still a massive Swans fan, and we remain close friends, being in the court room when the Swans were 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. |  | | |  |
| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 15:00 - Dec 20 with 1667 views | KeithHaynes |
Great post Tim, you should do so more often, I remember the news that night, stunned. |  |
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| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 15:42 - Dec 20 with 1641 views | Boundy |
Moments like that put everything else into perspective and should be a reminder to all ( me included) to where we are now. All we have now and will ever have could have gone then by a stroke of a pen |  |
| "In a free society, the State is the servant of the people—not the master." |
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| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 18:11 - Dec 20 with 1579 views | Fireboy2 |
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I remember it well Tim, I too was in tears, couldn't believe it when the knights in shining armour came to our rescue. |  | | |
| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 18:27 - Dec 20 with 1561 views | onehunglow |
A day that stands out in my life for utter devastation ,outside the family unit.
I know where I was when heard the news | |
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| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 18:49 - Dec 20 with 1547 views | KeithHaynes |
| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 18:27 - Dec 20 by onehunglow |
A day that stands out in my life for utter devastation ,outside the family unit.
I know where I was when heard the news |
I can even remember the urn on the mantle piece.
The ashes from an old woman I didn’t know that my mate kept there ( funeral director )
I pleaded ignorance and told him I found it a week later 😉 | |
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| 2 'Swansea Heroes,' that requires us to remember. on 19:54 - Dec 22 with 1309 views | Kilkennyjack |
Thanks for posting.
Bucket collections in the middle of town to raise some money.
It was heart breaking.
Thanks to Mel and Peter - their actions mattered. |  |
| Beware of the Risen People
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