This week, we continue with our Jack Outpost series a little closer to home than normal with a contribution from Shane Sinclair.
JACK OUTPOST - London
Like a lot of Jacks I was forced to leave Swansea through lack of employment opportunities in the area (Are you reading Tony Blair?). Apart from missing all my mates and favourite drinking holes the biggest wrench is missing the Swans games. Gone are the days of noon meetings in the Garibaldi, quickly popping into the bookies and Macari's and then off to the Vetch.
I was gutted reading the little snippets about the Swans in the Sunday papers, not knowing anything about the new Board, new signings and all the gossip. It's hard to think that you get to miss Messrs Burgum and Wilsher's reports in the Post but you do.
I got on the net through work about 12 months ago and was well chuffed to find Gary Martin's very informative site, Tom's satirical but side-splitting Mouthful of Lead and Anthill's Jackflash site not to mention the very controversial but entertaining Mailing List. ( - this bit was censored and did not appear!)
I now live in London and there's nothing worse than all these glory-hunting Fulham fans and butch Englishman supporting that Foreign Legion at Stamford Bridge, it gets rammed down your throat. So it is a relief to be able to talk to Jacks on the net about 'our team'.
We have not had much to cheer or brag about for a while, but thank god I can now start defending Swansea's honour thanks to the great unbeaten run, stuffing Cardiff and of course that little game at Upton Park. Thanks Hollins!!
I am starting up a London Jacks Supporters Club so if you know anyone up this way then give me a call on 07788 608046. I mean the Cardiff equivalent, the 1927 club, have 170 members so I am sure we can give them a run for their money!
Finally I just wish to add that you may read these notes and think Internet - what a bunch of 'geeks'. Well go to the Cyber Cafe in Portland St and find out for yourself about the net Jacks. We are ordinary but fanatical Jacks and certainly not geeks!
Shane Sinclair
Links to all Official and Unofficial sites are available at my Swansea Internet Web site. The address is http://www2.prestel.co.uk/gmartin or use the easy-to-remember version http://come.to/swanseacity