This week we continue our Jack Outpost series with Peter Charles from Peterborough.
Jack Outpost - Peterborough
"Next year marks a real milestone. Millennium? So what...next year is my 25th anniversary as an active Swans fan! OK, so most people will be more interested in the year 2000, but I don't care. For me it will bring back 25 years of great memories.
I was 9 when my big brother took me to my first game at the Vetch. We stood underneath the old double-decker and watched Rotherham take a two goal lead in the first ten minutes. We thought about going home, but we decided to stay, and we were rewarded with a storming comeback and a 4 - 2 home win. Hooked for life!!! I'm not sure I've seen us beat Rotherham since!
I was born and bred in Mayhill, and through my years at Mayhill Junior and Dynevor schools, I don't think I missed a home game - any competition, including the reserves and youth team. I recall watching Dean Saunders play for our youth team and I was devastated when we let him go for nothing! 25 years on I work for an insurance company in Peterborough (I won't bore you with how that happened) and I am a proud member of PUSS (Peterborough Unified Swans Supporters). The other member is my wife Bethan, brought up a Hammer, but half Welsh, and now a true honorary Jack (as anyone who has met her will testify). And we spread the word of the Swans here in East Anglia. 2,500 people work at my office, and on the day after we beat West Ham, I think half of them phoned me to congratulate me!
So home games now involve a 500 mile round trip, so we only get to a few. Most of our Swans games are away from home, as we fly the Jack flag in England. And boy have we been to some outposts over the years. The trashiest? Doncaster. The coldest? Exeter in December (but we won that one). The most desolate? Hull. The least successful? Scunthorpe. Best fish and chips? Orient. And on it goes, but it's a great feeling watching the Swans play away - there's a real camaraderie and you meet up with friends at every game. Those of you who haven't tried it yet, really should.
These days we keep up with news from the Vetch via Gary Martin's Internet site and the Internet mailing list. We've made many friends through this, and we meet up with them at games. On the "net" we have an expression for those golden moments that stay in the memory; we call them "jumparounds". These are a few of mine: - Toshack's promotion header against Chesterfield - Jeremy Charles' opening goal vs Leeds in our Division 1 debut (I watched this one with my Dad from the old double-decker) - Alan Curtis' unbelievable goal in the same game - Going top of the league by beating Stoke - Twelve nil vs Sliema Wanderers - Beating Crystal Palace at Ninian - Roger's save to win us the Autoglass - Jan Molby's debut at York - Keith Walker's volley at Ninian last year -Jason Smith's bullet header at Upton Park Of course there are the bad ones too, and none more so than the cruel and undeserved defeat at Wembley in 97, when many a tear was shed. But that's football, and we wouldn't be without it! And what of the Swans today? Well I think we are turning the corner again, with Jeremy and Alan on the team, and John Hollins at the helm. Earlier this season Bethan and I were standing on the platform of Darlington station (after the game) when we saw John Hollins, Steve Hamer and Neil McClure. They made a point of coming over, shaking hands, and thanking us for our support. There aren't many managers and directors who would do that.
So what is my wish for the new millennium? Easy to guess...a gleaming new stadium, a quality team surging back up the league, a strong ambitious club once again. Just a pipe-dream? Maybe. But we really think we can do it, and so does Cyril! As for this year, roll on March 13th!
Peter Charles
If you have any suggestions on improving the site or the content of this regular column, why not drop me an email at gary@gmartin.prestel.co.uk
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