SWANSEA V CARDIFF: WHEN SAUNDERS DESTROYED CARDIFF

1982/83 saw Swansea relegated from the top-flight back into the old Division Two in the same season that saw Cardiff promoted from the third tier to join the Swans in the same league.

The Boxing day fixture at Ninium Park saw a 3-2 win for the home side and so there was real pride to play for in the return fixture at the Vetch in April 1984.

The day was marred by clashes before, during and after the game as fans played the ‘big-I-am’ by comparing their little winkies in discreet places. A theme which would continue in encounters for the next two decades. On the field it will be remembered as one of the best ever games seen at the Vetch in what was otherwise a miserable season for the Swans who were nearing back-to-back relegations.  

The game started as the season had with Cardiff heading 2-0 up. Swans fan Phil Gates was at the game ‘I was 17 and went to all games at that time, home and away. I lived in Cwmbran and so surrounded by Cardiff fans. I lived right next to Andy Dibble who played in goal for them. When we were 2-0 down, he came to get the ball which was right by us, he looked up and could see me. I could tell that he knew what was coming.’

And what was coming was one of the greatest comebacks in any derby anywhere. Dean Saunders who Phil said was simply ‘unplayable’ on the day scoring a brace as Swans turned the game on its head to win 3-2. ‘The Swans fans kept singing throughout the game. Even when we were 2-0 down. When it went 2-1, you could tell that the Cardiff fans were worried, at 2-2 they were silent and when we went 3-2 up it was chaotic with the home fans but they were still. After the game, I knew what Andy Dibbles car looked like and so wrote ‘3-2, what a some back’ on a piece of paper and stuck it on his windscreen’.

Phil still remembers the game fondly to this day, ‘for me, living in Cwmbran, I’d have to put it right up there with the best days. If we were to lose then I’d have never heard the end of it, to win, I’d put it up there with the play-off final and everything.’.It isn’t just Phil who remembers that day well. Mike Phillips got married that day but had set the date before the fixture was published. ‘when the game was announced my original best man and ushers refused to attend the wedding.’

He told me. ‘I got kidnapped during the evening festivities by the guests who came straight from the game so that I could watch the highlights on TV’. ‘There was a guest who was covertly listening to the game on the radio. It was agreed beforehand that if Cardiff scored he would tap his knife… Swansea the fork… if memory serves me right, we went 2 down, the excitement got the better of him when the third went in… he had a serve slapping from his other half ‘.

If anyone is due to get married when Swans and Cardiff meet Sunday then get in touch with how you’ve managed to fix your blinding error!!!!!

OTHER GREAT SOUTH WALES DERBY MATCHES
LAST DERBY GAME AT THE VETCH
LAST DERBY AT NINIUM PARK
WHEN JAY BOTHROYD CRIED