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1981–82 Swansea City A.F.C. season

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Swansea City
1981–82 season
ChairmanMalcolm Struel
ManagerJohn Toshack
(player-manager)
StadiumVetch Field
First Division6th
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Welsh CupWinners
Cup Winners' CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Robbie James(15)
All:
Robbie James(20)
Highest home attendance24,115 vs Manchester United
(30 January 1982)
Lowest home attendance11,811 vs Stoke City
(6 March 1982)
Average home league attendance18,194

During the 1981–82 English football season, Swansea City A.F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, following promotion from the Second Division. It was their debut season in the English top flight and the first season in which a Welsh club was part of the top English league since arch-rivals Cardiff City were relegated at the end of 1961–62.

Background

[edit]

Swansea's rise to the top flight of English football had come only four seasons after competing in the Fourth Division and thus few tipped Swansea to survive in the First Division. Swansea soon proved the naysayers wrong by crushing Leeds United 5–1 in their first match ever in the top flight, with debutant Bob Latchford scoring a hat-trick. The win saw Swansea rise from the basement division to the top of the entire Football League in barely three years. Victories over footballing royalty such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur followed as the club topped the league on several further occasions. However, injuries to key players took their toll, and the lack of depth in the squad meant that the season ended in sixth-place finish.

Transfers

[edit]

[1]

In

[edit]

Out

[edit]

Football League First Division

[edit]
Main article: 1981–82 Football League § First Division

Results

[edit]
29 August 1981 1 Swansea City 5–1 Leeds United Swansea
Charles 5'
Latchford 46', 50', 55'
Curtis 70'		 Parlane 26' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 23,500
Referee: S Bates
1 September 1981 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–2 Swansea City Hove
Ritchie 33' L.James 10'
Latchford 14'		 Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 19,885
Referee: D Vickers
5 September 1981 3 West Bromwich Albion 4–1 Swansea City West Bromwich
Regis 17', 67', 73'
MacKenzie 69'		 Robinson 76' Stadium: The Hawthorns
Attendance: 18,063
Referee: R Bridges
12 September 1981 4 Swansea City 3–2 Notts. County Swansea
Curtis 23'
L.James 37'
Latchford 52'		 O'Brien 65' (pen.)
McCulloch 85'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 14,391
Referee: T Spencer
19 September 1981 5 Manchester United 1–0 Swansea City Manchester
Birtles 37' Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 47,309
Referee: GJ Napthine
22 September 1981 6 Swansea City 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur Swansea
R.James 62', 74' Hoddle 65' (pen.) Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 22,206
Referee: DW Civil
26 September 1981 7 Swansea City 2–0 Sunderland Swansea
Curtis 56'
L.James 82' (pen.)		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 17,826
Referee: R Baker
3 October 1981 8 Liverpool 2–2 Swansea City Liverpool
McDermott 59' (pen.), 63' (pen.) L.James 15' (pen.)
Latchford 57'		 Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 48,645
Referee: A Challinor
10 October 1981 9 Swansea City 2–0 Arsenal Swansea
L.James 38'
Thompson 83'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 20,600
Referee: LM Robinson
17 October 1981 10 Stoke City 1–2 Swansea City Stoke-on-Trent
Griffiths 35' Stanley 65'
Latchford 79'		 Stadium: Victoria Ground
Attendance: 14,665
Referee: D Scott
24 October 1981 11 Coventry City 3–1 Swansea City Coventry
Hateley 37', 53'
Kaiser 39'		 Curtis 74' Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 14,050
Referee: M Lowe
31 October 1981 12 Swansea City 0–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Swansea
Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 17,750
Referee: E Read
7 November 1981 13 Ipswich Town 2–3 Swansea City Ipswich
Mariner 53'
Muhren 81'		 Curtis 7'
Latchford 63'
Stanley 83'		 Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 24,190
Referee: K Salmon
21 November 1981 14 Manchester City 4–0 Swansea City Manchester
Tueart 41' (pen.), 86'
Reeves 63', 84'		 Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 34,744
Referee: G Courtney
24 November 1981 15 Swansea City 0–0 Brighton & Hove Albion Swansea
Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 14,459
Referee: K Baker
28 November 1981 16 Swansea City 1–0 Birmingham City Swansea
R.James 66' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 15,097
Referee: D Hutchinson
5 December 1981 17 Everton 3–1 Swansea City Liverpool
Sharp 49'
O'Keefe 62', 67'		 Latchford 79' Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 23,860
Referee: KA Redfern
12 December 1981 18 Swansea City 1–2 Nottingham Forest Swansea
R.James 34' Young 77'
Robertson 89' (pen.)		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 17,550
Referee: D Lloyd
15 December 1981 19 Swansea City 2–1 Aston Villa Swansea
R.James 12', 40' Thompson 14'(o.g.) Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 15,191
Referee: AR Glasson
28 December 1981 20 Southampton 3–1 Swansea City Southampton
Armstrong 3'
Keegan 50', 67'		 Rajković 14' Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 22,703
Referee: LC Shapter
16 January 1982 21 Leeds United 2–0 Swansea City Leeds
Stevenson 17'
Butterworth 48'		 Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 18,709
Referee: NL Wilson
30 January 1982 22 Swansea City 2–0 Manchester United Swansea
Curtis 54'
R.James 56'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 24,115
Referee: JE Martin
6 February 1982 23 Notts. County 0–1 Swansea City Nottingham
L.James 12' (pen.) Stadium: Meadow Lane
Attendance: 10,070
Referee: N Midgley
13 February 1982 24 Middlesbrough 1–1 Swansea City Middlesbrough
McAndrew 67' (pen.) Kennedy 38' Stadium: Ayresome Park
Attendance: 11,209
Referee: D Webb
16 February 1982 25 Swansea City 2–0 Liverpool Swansea
L.James 74'
Curtis 89'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 22,604
Referee: VG Callow
20 February 1982 26 Sunderland 0–1 Swansea City Sunderland
L.James 23' Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 13,163
Referee: RF Nixon
27 February 1982 27 Arsenal 0–2 Swansea City London
Kennedy 17'
R.James 65' (pen.)		 Stadium: Highbury Stadium
Attendance: 29,724
Referee: H Taylor
6 March 1982 28 Swansea City 3–0 Stoke City Swansea
R.James 34', 87'
Charles 72'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 11,811
Referee: LF Burden
13 March 1982 29 Swansea City 0–0 Coventry City Swansea
Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 16,425
Referee: LF Burden
20 March 1982 30 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Swansea City Wolverhampton
Walsh 35' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 14,158
Referee: T Fitzharris
27 March 1982 31 Swansea City 1–2 Ipswich Town Swansea
R.James 31' (pen.) Brazil 20'
Gates 88'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 20,750
Referee: BL Newsome
30 March 1982 32 Swansea City 0–1 West Ham United Swansea
Van Der Elst 9' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 20,272
Referee: BT Stevens
6 April 1982 33 Swansea City 3–1 West Bromwich Albion Swansea
Marustik 59'
Curtis 80'
Latchford 89'		 MacKenzie 45' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 15,744
Referee: RG Milford
10 April 1982 34 West Ham United 1–1 Swansea City London
Goddard 89' R.James 34' Stadium: Boleyn Ground
Attendance: 26,566
Referee: A Robinson
13 April 1982 35 Swansea City 1–0 Southampton Swansea
Curtis 27' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 23,771
Referee: AJ Hamil
17 April 1982 36 Swansea City 2–0 Manchester City Swansea
Stanley 11'
Latchford 36'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 19,212
Referee: KW Baker
24 April 1982 37 Birmingham City 2–1 Swansea City Birmingham
Broadhurst 32'
Harford 78'		 Walsh 54' Stadium: St Andrew's (stadium)
Attendance: 14,973
Referee: CB White
1 May 1982 38 Swansea City 1–3 Everton Swansea
R.James 76' Heath 26'
Sharp 50' (pen.), 60'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 16,243
Referee: DA Hedges
5 May 1982 39 Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 Swansea City London
Brooke 23', 55' (pen.) L.James 70' Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 26,358
Referee: LC Shapter
8 May 1982 40 Nottingham Forest 0–2 Swansea City Nottingham
R.James 2', 83' Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 15,037
Referee: KP Barratt
15 May 1982 41 Swansea City 1–2 Middlesbrough Swansea
Latchford 77' Otto 84'
Stanley 89' (o.g.)		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 12,961
Referee: D Letts
21 May 1982 42 Aston Villa 3–0 Swansea City Birmingham
Morley 36'
Bremner 44'
Withe 65'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 18,294
Referee: M Dimblebee

Last updated: 4 September 2013
Source:[2]

Classification

[edit]
Main article: 1981–82 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Tottenham Hotspur 42 20 11 11 67 48 +19 71 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round[a]
5 Arsenal 42 20 11 11 48 37 +11 71 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
6 Swansea City 42 21 6 15 58 51 +7 69 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round[b]
7 Southampton 42 19 9 14 72 67 +5 66 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
8 Everton 42 17 13 12 56 50 +6 64
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1981–82 FA Cup winners.
  2. ^ Swansea City qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round as the 1982 Welsh Cup winners.

Results summary

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Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
42 21 6 15 58 51  +7 69 13 3 5 34 16  +18 8 3 10 24 35  −11

Source: statto.com

Results by round

[edit]
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundHAAHAHHAHAAHAAHHAHHAAHAAHAAHHAHHHAHHAHAAHA
ResultWWLWLWWDWWLDWLDWLLWLLWWDWWWWDWLLWDWWLLLWLL
Position116243332134343244135655432221244333345566
Source: statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

FA Cup

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Main article: 1981–82 FA Cup
2 January 1982 Third round Swansea City 0–4 Liverpool Swansea
Hansen 35'
Rush 45', 88'
Lawrenson 73'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 24,179
Referee: CB White

Last updated: 4 September 2013
Source:[3]

Football League Cup

[edit]
Main article: 1981–82 Football League Cup
6 October 1981 Second round, first leg Barnsley 2–0 Swansea City Barnsley
Riley 47'
Evans 73'		 Stadium: Oakwell
Attendance: 12,793
Referee: RA Banks
27 October 1981 Second round, second leg Swansea City 3–2 (a.e.t.)
(3–4 agg.)		 Barnsley Swansea
L.James 18' (pen.)
Irwin 66'
Curtis 73'		 Glavin 46'
Cooper 114'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 9,897
Referee: A Seville

Last updated: 4 September 2013
Source:[3]

Welsh Cup

[edit]
2 December 1981 Third round Stafford Rangers 0–4 Swansea City Stafford
Curtis 23'
Thompson 30'
Harris 49' (o.g.)
Latchford 90'		 Stadium: Marston Road
Attendance: 3,077
Referee: EG Morgan
22 December 1981 Fourth Round Swansea City 6–0 Worcester City Swansea
R.James 2', 21', 84'
L.James 29'
Stanley 34'
Attley 55'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 4,838
Referee: C Thomas
9 February 1982 Fifth Round Swansea City 2–2 Colwyn Bay Swansea
Stanley 25'
Irwin 62'		 Phillips 9', 52' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 3,385
Referee: EG Morgan
2 March 1982 Fifth Round Replay Swansea City 3–0 Colwyn Bay Swansea
Curtis 2'
R.James 4', 58'		 Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 4,922
Referee: EG Morgan
16 March 1982 Semi-final first leg Bangor City 1–2 Swansea City Bangor, Gwynedd
Urquhart 27' L.James 57'
Curtis 78'		 Stadium: Farrar Road Stadium
Attendance: 7,500
Referee: R Bridges
20 April 1982 Semi-final second leg Swansea City 0–0
(2–1 agg.)		 Bangor City Swansea
Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 5,700
Referee: R Bridges
11 May 1982 Final first leg Cardiff City 0–0 Swansea City Cardiff
Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 11,960
Referee: GP Owen
19 May 1982 Final second leg Swansea City 2–1
(2–1 agg.)		 Cardiff City Swansea
Latchford 7', 18' Bennett 3' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 15,828
Referee: GP Owen

Last updated: 19 January 2014
Sources:,[3] Welsh Football Data Archive[4]

European Cup Winners' Cup

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Main article: 1981–82 European Cup Winners' Cup
16 September 1981 First round, first leg Swansea City Wales 0–1 East Germany Lokomotive Leipzig Swansea
Kinne 70' Stadium: Vetch Field
Attendance: 10,295
Referee: J Quinou
30 September 1981 First round, second leg Lokomotive Leipzig East Germany 2–1
(3–1 agg.)		 Wales Swansea City Leipzig
Kinne 13'
Moldt 22'		 Charles 78' Stadium: Bruno-Plache-Stadion
Attendance: 22,500
Referee: M Ciulli (Italy)

Last updated: 4 September 2013
Source:[5]

Kit

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Swansea's kit was manufactured by Belgian company Patrick. The kit bore no sponsorship.

Squad

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Squad at end of season[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Wales WAL Dai Davies
— DF England ENG Colin Irwin (captain)
— DF Wales WAL Wyndham Evans
— DF Wales WAL Dudley Lewis
— DF Wales WAL Nigel Stephenson
— DF Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia YUG Džemal Hadžiabdić
— DF Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia YUG Ante Rajković
— MF England ENG Ray Kennedy
— MF Wales WAL David Giles
— MF Wales WAL Leighton James
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Wales WAL Robbie James
— MF Wales WAL John Mahoney
— MF Wales WAL Chris Marustik
— MF Wales WAL Neil Robinson
— FW Wales WAL Jeremy Charles
— FW Wales WAL Alan Curtis
— FW Wales WAL Dean Saunders
— FW Wales WAL John Toshack (player-manager)
— FW Wales WAL Ian Walsh

Left club during season

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Wales WAL David Giles (on loan to Leyton Orient)

Squad statistics

[edit]
Last updated on 4 September 2013[7]

Appearances and goals

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No. Pos Player League FA Cup League Cup Welsh Cup Cup Winners' Cup Total
App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals App. Goals
- GK Wales Dai Davies 41 0 1 0 2 0 7 0 2 0 53 0
- GK Wales Chris Sander 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
- GK Scotland David Stewart 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- DF Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ante Rajković 40 1 1 0 1 0 7 0 2 0 51 1
- DF England Colin Irwin 37 0 1 0 2 1 4 1 0 0 44 2
- DF Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Džemal Hadžiabdić 25(+1) 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 0 33(+1) 0
- DF England Max Thompson 22(+1) 1 0(+1) 0 1 0 4 1 0 0 27(+2) 2
- DF Wales Nigel Stevenson 20 0 1 0 0(+1) 0 5 0 2 0 28(+1) 0
- DF Wales Dudley Lewis 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
- DF Wales Wyndham Evans 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(+2) 0 1(+2) 0
- DF Wales Gary Richards 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
- DF Wales Dave Rushbury 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- MF Wales Robbie James 42 15 1 0 1 0 8 5 1 0 53 20
- MF Wales Leighton James 34(+4) 9 1 0 2 1 7 2 2 0 46(+4) 12
- MF Wales Neil Robinson 27(+2) 1 0 0 2 0 5 0 2 0 37(+2) 1
- MF Wales John Mahoney 25 0 1 0 1 0 3(+2) 0 2 0 32(+2) 0
- MF England Gary Stanley 22(+7) 3 1 0 2 0 6 2 0 0 31(+7) 5
- MF Wales Chris Marustik 19(+3) 1 1 0 2 0 5 0 0 0 27(+3) 1
- MF England Ray Kennedy 18 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 22 2
- MF Wales Brian Attley 2(+2) 0 0 0 0(+1) 0 0(+1) 1 1 0 3(+4) 1
- MF Wales Jimmy Loveridge 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
- MF Wales David Giles 0(+2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0(+2) 0 0(+4) 0
- MF Scotland Tommy Craig 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
- FW Wales Alan Curtis 40 9 1 0 2 1 7 3 2 0 52 13
- FW England Bob Latchford 31 12 1 0 2 0 5(+1) 3 2 0 41(+1) 15
- FW Wales Jeremy Charles 9(+4) 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 14(+4) 3
- FW Wales Ian Walsh 3(+2) 2 0 0 0 0 0(+1) 0 0 0 3(+3) 2
- FW Wales Darren Gale 0(+1) 0 0 0 0 0 0(+1) 0 0 0 0(+2) 0

Top scorers

[edit]
Place Position Nationality Number Name League FA Cup League Cup Welsh Cup Cup Winners' Cup Total
1 MF Wales - Robbie James 15 0 0 5 0 20
2 FW England - Bob Latchford 12 0 0 3 0 15
3 FW Wales - Alan Curtis 9 0 1 3 0 13
4 MF Wales - Leighton James 9 0 1 2 0 12
5 MF England - Gary Stanley 3 0 0 2 0 5
6 FW Wales - Jeremy Charles 2 0 0 0 1 3
7 FW Wales - Ian Walsh 2 0 0 0 0 2
8 MF England - Ray Kennedy 2 0 0 0 0 2
9 MF Wales - Chris Marustik 1 0 0 0 0 1
10 DF Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - Ante Rajković 1 0 0 0 0 1
11 DF England - Neil Robinson 1 0 0 0 0 1
12 DF England - Max Thompson 1 0 0 1 0 2
13 DF England - Colin Irwin 0 0 1 1 0 2
14 DF Wales - Brian Attley 0 0 0 1 0 1
15 - - - Own goal 0 0 0 1 0 1
TOTALS 58 0 3 19 1 81

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
General
  • Rundle, Richard. "Swansea City". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
Bibliography
  • Jones, Colin (2012). Swansea Town & City Football Club: The Complete Record, 1912-2012. From Southern League to Premier League. Dinefwr Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1904323-26-6.
  • Jenkins, Geraint H. (2012). Proud to be a Swan, The History of Swansea City AFC. Ceredigion: Y Lolfa Cyf. ISBN 978-184771-481-7.
Specific
  1. ^ "Swansea City - Transfers 1981/1982".
  2. ^ Jones (2012), p. 325-328.
  3. ^ a b c Jones (2012), p. 329.
  4. ^ Thomas, Mel; Garland, Ian (19 January 2014). "Welsh Cup 1981/82". wfda.co.uk. WFDA. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  5. ^ Jones (2012), p. 328.
  6. ^ "Swansea City - Squad 1981/1982".
  7. ^ Jones (2012), p. 330.
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