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Press cuttings |
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Saturday, November 30, 2002 50 NOT OUT! |
| Evening Post
Brian Flynn has set Swansea City a 50-point target to secure Nationwide League survival. |
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Saturday, November 30, 2002 Flynn has `one of the hardest jobs in league' |
| Western Mail KEVIN RATCLIFFE believes his friend and former Wales team-mate Brian Flynn has "one of the hardest jobs in the Football League" at Swansea City. Ratcliffe will set aside his friend-ship with Flynn for 90 minutes this afternoon when he takes his Shrewsbury Town team to the Vetch in what is another must-win encounter for struggling Swansea. The contrast in form between the two sides could scarcely be more stark. While Town are eyeing a play-off place after going eight games unbeaten, the Swans are rooted to the bottom of the league with only three wins all season. Ratcliffe can sympathise with the Swans' struggle given his team were involved in a relegation battle of their own two years ago, only avoiding the drop to the Conference on the final day of the season. "Brian has got a very hard job on his hands - one of the hardest in the Football League - because once you're down at the bottom it's very hard to get out," said the former Wales captain. "It's a shame what's happening at Swansea because potentially it's a big club. "But there is a big difference between having potential and actually fulfilling it, and that's what they're finding. "Swansea is a club you'd like to see turn round - they have the support to make things happen - but when a club is in a downward spiral, it's sometimes a lot harder to get out of it." The Swans are desperate for three points to boost confidence after last Saturday's dismal 2-0 defeat at Scunthorpe and the midweek FA Cup exit at York. But former Cardiff City star Ratcliffe is in no mood to do his friend Flynn any favours as he seeks to extend Shrewsbury's unbeaten run to nine games and move closer to a play-off place. "I know Brian from playing with him for Wales and we became friendly when he was manager at Wrexham," said Ratcliffe, who expects to receive the usual reception reserved for former Cardiff players at the Vetch. "My thoughts will be with him and (first-team coach) Kevin Reeves, but only after the final whistle. "My priority on Saturday is to stay unbeaten and get three points for Shrewsbury." So determined are Shrewsbury to return to Gay Meadow with a victory, they travelled down yesterday morning and trained in Swansea in the afternoon. "People will say Swansea are due a win, but we are on a good run and feel we can get something out of the game," said Ratcliffe, who made his Wales debut against Czechoslovakia in 1981 when Flynn was in the side. Flynn knows that his Swans must be at their best against Ratcliffe's men if they are to start a "very important period" with a win. "Kevin's a highly respected manager who has instilled in his side the same will-to-win that characterised his own game," said the Swans director of football. "His side has a `never-say-die' attitude about it and we know that it is going to be a tough game. "But this game marks a very important period for the club with Christmas coming up, so we're looking to get off to a good start." Swansea's chances of doing so will be considerably reduced if leading scorer James Thomas is ruled out. The striker picked up a calf strain at Bootham Crescent and faces a late fitness test to determine whether he is fit enough to face the Shrews. Loan signings Marc Richards and Alan Tate will be restored to the side after sitting out the York match. Shrewsbury are missing winger Ryan Lowe through suspension, while veteran Ian Woan and former Cardiff defender Andy Thompson are injury concerns.
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Friday, November 29, 2002 Early FA Cup exit costs Swans £40,000 |
| Western Mail IMPOVERISHED Swansea City's early FA Cup exit has cost them a possible £40,000 windfall. The Swans' first-round defeat against York City on Tuesday has deprived them of a £20,000 payment from the Football Association for reaching the next stage. Swansea estimate they would have doubled that figure through gate receipts and sponsorship had they progressed to a second-round clash against Brentford at the Vetch on Saturday week. And The Western Mail can reveal that Swansea's preparation for the rearranged first-round tie two days ago has also left them more than £5,000 out of pocket. Instead of returning to South Wales after their league game at Scunthorpe last Saturday, the Swans stayed in North Yorkshire for three days to prepare for the cup match at Bootham Crescent. "The decision was made to put the team up in Yorkshire at (director of football) Brian Flynn's request to offer them the best opportunity to prepare for the game," said club spokesman Peter Owen. "It was felt that by keeping them together and saving them extensive travelling time, it would enhance the club's chances of progressing to the second round." The gamble would have paid off in part had Swansea, who equalised through Matt Murphy in the 80th minute, hung on to claim a lucrative replay at the Vetch. But York's late winner deprived the cash-starved Swans of the chance to recoup the expenses run up over their four-day stay in York-shire. The FA will cover Swansea's travelling expenses under the rules of the competition, but the Third Division club must fork out around £5,000 for their hotel bill. And Swansea, who fear they could lose around £250,000 this season because of falling gate receipts, admitted the first-round exit was another major blow to the club's finances. Defeat at York was yet another low point in Swansea's miserable season. The club have already plummeted to the bottom of the Third Division for the first time ever and were dumped out of the LDV Vans Trophy by non-league Steven-age. But Flynn will need to lift his players ahead of two crucial Nationwide League matches - a home encounter with Shrewsbury Town on Saturday and a trip to Exeter seven days later. Meanwhile, the booking Swans defender Jason Smith received at York on Tuesday has been over-turned. Smith was shown the yellow card after referee Ray Olivier ruled he had deliberately impeded goalkeeper Alan Fettis. But Olivier rescinded the booking after the fourth official said Smith had made no contact with Fettis. |
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Thursday, November 28, 2002 CARRY ON, KRIS |
| Evening Post
Kristian O'Leary will stay on as Swansea City skipper despite losing his place in Brian Flynn's starting line-up at York. |
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Wednesday, November 27, 2002 TAME THE SHREWS |
| Evening Post Brian Flynn urged Swansea City to take out their frustrations on Shrewsbury Town on Saturday after they crashed out of the FA Cup in the dying moments at York last night. Matt Murphy's towering 80th-minute header looked to have guaranteed a replay at Vetch Field next week when Swansea would have fancied their chances of clinching a second-round tie at home to Brentford. But having put York ahead in the first-half, top-scorer Peter Duffield popped up two minutes from time to save Terry Dolan's men the trouble of a trip to South Wales. Obviously downhearted after so many famous cup moments with Wrexham, director of football Flynn told his players to make up for defeat in the league. ''It's very frustrating to lose in that manner,'' he said. ''The lads have worked hard this week, they've trained in Premiership surroundings and I thought just a little bit of it had rubbed off on them. ''We were composed, mobile and inventive. We passed the ball well, broke forward well and looked solid at the back against three strikers who are a handful at this level. ''But the FA Cup is tough sometimes and now we have to take the positives out of it. We have to remember how much this hurt and take it out on other teams in the league.'' Not for the first time since he took over in September, Flynn sprung a few surprises in his team selection at Bootham Crescent. Stuart Jones, Alan Tate and Marc Richards, who all started at Scunthorpe last weekend, were all enforced absentees, but club captain Kristian O'Leary was the one glaring omission. Having been switched to midfield at Glanford Park, central defender O'Leary was an unused substitute last night with David Theobald playing alongside Jason Smith at the back. ''We tried Kris in midfield on Saturday. He was willing but it did not turn out as we hoped it would,'' explained Flynn. ''It was tough to leave him out, but it's up to him now to win his back like everyone else. We will need everybody between now and the end of the season. They all have a role to play and they must take their chances when they come.'' Flynn is sweating over the fitness of James Thomas ahead of the Shrewsbury game after Swansea's top scorer hobbled off clutching his calf last night. It is hoped the former Blackburn man will be okay, though teenage full-back Jones again looks doubtful with a hamstring problem.
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Wednesday, November 27, 2002 WILL SWANS MAKE IT TO FIRST ROUND NEXT YEAR? |
| Evening Post Swansea City exited the FA Cup in the first round last night - now the question is whether they will enter the competition at the same stage next season. Non-league clubs face a battle just to be in the FA Cup when Divisions Two and Three join the fun in November, for those in the Conference and below must fight it out in the barren land of preliminary qualifying rounds. And save the sideshow that is the FAW Premier Cup, Brian Flynn's men can now focus entirely on ensuring that the only knockout stuff they play before the clocks go back next autumn comes in the Worthington and the LDV. Their chances? A little slimmer with each week that goes by as points are dropped at an all-too-alarming rate. Especially on their travels, Swansea have looked prime relegation candidates of late - not scoring enough and conceding too many. But at Bootham Crescent, against a York City side who had won their last two and already succeeded at the Vetch this season, there were at least some signs that they will not still be the Nationwide League's bottom club come next May. Clutching at draws it may be, but they just about deserved to bring the Minstermen back to South Wales next week for a replay. That looked the most likely outcome when makeshift striker Matt Murphy, preferred up front to Steve Watkin and John Williams, rose highest to meet Andrew Mumford's precise corner and head powerfully into the net with just 10 minutes to go. Having played some brighter football and given a York a decent contest, they had got their reward and the relief on the bench was obvious. But just minutes after coach Kevin Reeves had danced a little jig in the visitors' technical area, Terry Dolan was doing his David-Pleat-after-Luton-stayed-up impression. The York manager belied his ageing appearance with an ever so spritely charge onto the field when Swansea's cup hopes were ended just 90 seconds before the 90 minutes were up. Recalled right-back Terry Evans was dragged out of position, allowing Graham Potter time to measure his cross. Peter Duffield, all 5ft 6in of him, was given almost as much time and space just six yards from goal to head past the helpless Roger Freestone. No blame had been attached to the former Welsh international keeper in the first half when Duffield had put the home side ahead. Then, after colossal striker Jon Parkin had controlled the ball with a hint of a hand, Darren Edmondson sent in a low centre from the right and former Sheffield United frontman Duffield was once again allowed the yard required to sweep home on the half-volley. Going a goal down was harsh on the visitors, who had matched their hosts through the first quarter. Lee Bullock had already wasted a chance to break the deadlock, but James Thomas was unlucky in the first eight minutes when his neat shot on the turn arrowed narrowly wide. Soon after falling behind, Murphy might have squared things but saw his header saved by goalkeeper Alan Fettis, then opposite number Freestone did well to deny Parkin. A wide-open cup-tie had kept the crowd entertained, and there was no let up when the sides turned around. First Thomas hit a sweet volley too close to Fettis, then Freestone leapt to deny Duffield. Swansea's No. 1 watched in despair as Parkin's marvellous chip from wide out on the right sailed over his head just before the hour, then breathed a sigh of relief as the ball smacked into the crossbar and cannoned to safety. It was Fettis's turn to puff out his cheeks when Mumford's trademark long shot spun past the post via centre-back Gary Hobson's backside. Then the equaliser York feared having failed to double their advantage arrived. But which league team do you want to be playing when you've got 10 minutes to get a goal? The one that's bottom of the pile. Swansea duly caved in. ''We deservedly got ourselves back in the game and we were that close,'' lamented Flynn. ''That's how frustrating it is. Their first goal came from a half-hit cross and Duffield pulled off and finished well, but it was a mistake on our part. ''But we came back and had a go. We looked dangerous at set-pieces all night and when it mattered Matt got in for a goal we deserved.??''We wanted to go on and win the game from there, but it wasn't to be because we made another mistake at the back.'' So another setback for Swansea's travelling fans - 56 had trekked north for this rearanged tie - and not much magic in the FA Cup for them this time round. Now they must hope that in 12 months' time they are once again dreaming of dumping a big club out in third round - and not just of getting there in the first place.
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Wednesday, November 27, 2002 'Cruel luck' for Swansea |
| Western Mail BRIAN FLYNN lamented his side's "cruel" luck after York City claimed a late winner to send the Swans crashing out of the FA Cup last night. The Swans were trailing for most of the game but looked to have earned a re-match at the Vetch when Matt Murphy headed in an 80th-minute equaliser in the rearranged first-round clash at Bootham Crescent. But a replay was cruelly snatched from their grasp when York's Peter Duffield - unmarked on the edge of the area - grabbed an 88th-minute winner to hand the Minstermen a 2-1 victory and a second-round home tie with Brentford on Saturday week. The result was harsh given the Swans had dominated for large periods of the game and produced a much-improved performance on the miserable 2-0 league defeat at Scun-thorpe last Saturday. And director of football Flynn said Swansea's late cup exit was indicative of their whole season. "That's how frustrating it can be in the FA Cup and how frustrating it is in general for us at the moment," he said. "We were so close to a replay, but the cup can be cruel and that's how it proved to be. "After going behind, I was pleased with how the lads kept going - we created chances, caused York all sorts of problems and had a lot of possession. We deservedly got back into it when Matt scored and, with only 10 minutes remaining, I felt certain we would take them back to the Vetch for a replay, if not go on to win the game. "It is disappointing because the lads trained well for the game in Premiership surroundings (Leeds United's training ground) and I thought it rubbed off in the way we looked more composed and passed the ball. "Plus we wanted a good run in the competition because, like most lower league clubs, we need the financial boost it brings. But it just wasn't to be and, though it is an old cliche, we can concentrate on the league and we must aim to take that performance into our home game against Shrewsbury on Saturday." York manager Terry Dolan was relieved to sneek through to the next round after Swansea had staged a second-half fightback. "It was a result for patience and perserverance," said Dolan. "We weren't at our best, but we got the result. "You have to give credit to Swansea. They came with a formation that made it very difficult for us." |
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Tuesday, November 26, 2002 O'Leary hopes for FA Cup relief |
| Western Mail CAPTAIN Kris O'Leary has spoken from the heart about Swansea City's desperate fight to avoid relegation from the Football League. O'Leary - hoping for some escapism in tonight's rearranged FA Cup clash at York City - said he felt under more pressure than at any other time in his six-year Swans career. The 25-year-old defender has tasted other lows at the Vetch in that time but none to match the club plummeting to the bottom of the league for the first time ever. And O'Leary - aware of the repercussions should the Swans lose their relegation battle next May - said he was finding it hard to escape from the club's plight. "Being captain, it's not nice at all," he said. "It's so hard to get away from it that I go home, lock the doors and stay in. "I grew up watching the Swans on the North Bank so it's a dream to play for them, but you feel the failure more as a fan. "The pressure I feel now is greater than anything I've ever felt as a professional footballer. "Every player feels it, but we all know that we are the only ones who can get the results we need to get out of trouble." Port Talbot-born O'Leary, who has made more than 130 appearances for the club, was part of the Swans team that won the Division Three championship in 2000. Swansea went straight back down and last season was one of the most turbulent in the club's history thanks largely to controversial former chairman Tony Petty's attempt to off-load several players. But the Swans hit a new low this season when they fell to the bottom of the Football League for the first time in their 90-year history after winning only one of their first 10 games. And O'Leary knows the tumultuous events of last season will be surpassed if Swansea fail to avoid relegation to the Nationwide Conference next April. For one, the future of O'Leary and all other members of the squad apart from Andrew Mumford (the only player on a two-year contract) are at stake if the Swans go down. "I'm aware that this is a cut-throat business we're in," said the defender, a product of the Vetch Field youth system. "I've got a lot of friends who have only just found clubs after being released in the summer and you know it could be you in that position. "Having said that, it's the manager's decision what happens at the end of the season - you just can't think about it now. We're all weary of it, but we've got to get on with the business of getting results and moving Swansea up the table." O'Leary believes a victory at Bootham Crescent tonight could act as a catalyst to spark Swansea's wretched league campaign. But the Swans will have to end a sequence of 16 away games without a win to progress to a second-round home encounter with Brentford on Saturday week. "If we don't believe we can get an away win, we never will," said O'Leary, who is expected to return to defence after playing in midfield in Saturday's defeat at Scunthorpe. "The fact that there's no pressure to pick up league points means the lads can perhaps relax a bit more and that could help us. "I'm looking forward to it and a good result will give us a bit of confidence before the Shrewsbury game at the weekend." On-loan pair Alan Tate and Marc Richards are not eligible to play, meaning Steve Watkin and Lee Jenkins are likely to come into the starting line-up. |
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Monday, November 25, 2002 IRONS COME CRASHING DOWN ON SWANS |
| sportinglife.com Brian Laws was pleased with his side as the Irons picked up three points at home to rock bottom Swansea. Scunthrope never looked back once Martin Carruthers opened the scoring from the spot and added a second in first-half stoppage time through Matthew Sparrow to kill off the Swans. Speaking after the game on the club's official website Laws beamed: "It was a terrific three points, we said before the game that the law of averages suggest that they are going to win an away game sooner rather than later so we had to be at our best. "In the first half we were by far the better side and took the bull by the horns and played some forceful football. "I didn't think it was a penalty, the referee did, and I'll take that. The second goal on its own was worthy of winning the game. "There were seven or eight players involved in the move and Sparrow has finished it into the top corner." Laws was full of praise for Ian Kilford, who was making a rare start for the Irons. "Ian Kilford has come in because I have decided to give Alex a rest. Alex is his own worst critic, he knows he hasn't played as well as he can over the last month, so we have decided to leave him out. "Ian has come in and done very well, he was instrumental in our moves and probably touched the ball more than anyone on the pitch." |
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Monday, November 25, 2002 Sad Swans inspire little confidence |
| Western Mail WHEN Brian Flynn grasped the Swansea City nettle back in September he stressed it could be a case of taking one step back before taking two steps forward. Two months on and the stagnating Swans - still at the bottom of the Football League, where Flynn found them - are doing the opposite. For the reason look no further than a detrimental sequence of results away from home that is undoing all of the recent good work (the 4-0 defeat against Kidderminster aside) being put on at the Vetch. The Third Division strugglers - soon to be stragglers? - have not won on their travels since the 1-0 victory at Conference-bound Halifax on February 23. It is a record that inspires little confidence as Swansea approach a Christmas period that traditionally dictates where teams end up in the final shake-up. And the Swans' failure to build on their 1-0 home win against Macclesfield on November 9 at the weekend makes forthcoming encounters with Shrewsbury (home) and Exeter (away) more crucial. Flynn is acutely aware that his team must find a cure for their travel sickness - and fast - if they are to pull themselves our of the relegation quicksand. "To survive we are going have to get something away from home," said Flynn after goals from Martin Carruthers and Matthew Sparrow had consigned his team to their 10th defeat of the season. "If we don't pick up points on the road, we're going to be under far too much pressure at the Vetch. "We simply must be better for longer periods when we are not at home. "We haven't won away from home all season and, apart from a good point at Carlisle and when we came close at Oxford, we haven't looked likely to." Swansea will aim to extract at least four points from the matches against Shrews-bury and Exeter before contemplating a holiday period that includes daunting trips to Lincoln and Bournemouth. Christmas and New Year will doubtless have a major bearing on Swansea's destiny, though Flynn maintains the final run-in will be just as crucial. "We've got some big games coming up over the next couple of months and I don't want to take any importance away from them," said the former Wrexham boss. "But the last 10 games is always the most crucial period of the season. They will dictate what happens." Without wishing to accentuate the negative, it is hard to see where Swansea are going to find the goals from. James Thomas is always capable of hitting the target but the service he and new loan signing Marc Richards received at Scun-thorpe bordered on the non-existent. While the home side moved forward at will, exploiting gaping holes in the Swans midfield, Flynn's men mustered only two real efforts all afternoon. The one positive was the performance of on-loan Manchester United defender Alan Tait, pitched straight into the heat of a Third Division relegation battle from the relative comfort of United's reserves. But Tait could only look on aghast as Scunthorpe claimed a dubious 23rd-minute penalty when Jason Smith was judged to have halted Carruthers' progress into the six-yard box and a spot-kick was awarded. The former Stoke striker sent Roger Freestone the wrong way to hand the Iron a 1-0 lead that was extended seconds before the break when Swansea really did hit the snooze button. Sparrow, the final link in a string of 15 Scunthorpe passes, was afforded the twin luxuries of time and space to cut inside from the right before producing a 25-yard effort that speared into the top left-hand corner of Free-stone's goal. The Swans were marginally more adventurous after the re-start, though Scunthorpe wrestled control again and almost went 3-0 up when former Vetch Field striker Steve Torpey flashed a 62nd-minute header just wide of an upright. The small group of Swansea supporters who travelled up held their breath when twice it seemed their team might leave North Lincolnshire with a consolation goal. But first Richards - clean through with space available - contrived to blast well over the crossbar from 18 yards. And four minutes from time substitute Lee Jenkins met a magnificent Stuart Jones cross with a diving far-post header that went a whisker wide of the other upright. Their sixth away defeat of the season confirmed, Swansea retreated to their North Yorkshire base to prepare for tomorrow's rearranged first-round FA Cup-tie against York City. A second-round home game against Brentford awaits the winners and Flynn is confident the Swans can address their dismal away record at Bootham Crescent. "In my early days at Wrexham we had not won away from home in 18 months, but then we won at West Ham in the cup," said Flynn. "League form goes out of the window. "It's a competition in which anything can happen." |
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Sunday, November 24, 2002 STUTTERING STARLETS |
| Mirror EVEN having two Premiership teenagers in the starting line-up couldn't bring Swansea their first away win of the season. Defender Alan Tate, from Manchester United, was always under pressure; Blackburn's Marc Richards couldn't find the finishing touch when needed up front. The Swans were a goal down after 23 minutes when Jason Smith brought down Martin Carruthers to concede a penalty which referee Steve Baines, a former Scunthorpe player, awarded without hesitation. The second came seconds before half-time, scored by man- of-the-match Matt Sparrow. Swansea were trailing in all departments in the first-half, failing to win either a free kick or a corner until more than half an hour had been played. Michael Howard's 31st-minute corner found Smith, but he headed wide. Four minutes into the second half a header by Kris O'Leary was tipped over by Tom Evans in the Scunthorpe goal. Scunthorpe might have gone further ahead but for the goalkeeping of Roger Freestone, who prevented certain goals on several occasions. Richards almost got his rewards after a midfield mix-up let him through - he galloped half the length of the pitch only to fire a fierce shot just over the bar. |
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