Swansea City A.F.C.

Early years (1912–1945)

Following an increasing interest in football in the Swansea area, the town's first professional football club, Swansea Town, was established in 1912. John William Thorpe, a local solicitor, was elected the club's first chairman. Players were recruited from around the United Kingdom and the team joined the Southern League Second Division under the club's first player-manager, Walter Whittaker. Swansea joined several other clubs in the division, including Cardiff City, who were Swansea's first professional league opponents. The match, played on 7 September 1912 at Swansea's Vetch Field, ended in a 1–1 draw with Billy Ball scoring Swansea's first goal. During their first season, Swansea won the Welsh Cup, the Welsh league and came third in the Southern League Second Division. The following season, the club reached the first round proper of the FA Cup and finished fourth in the league. John William Bartlett took over from Whittaker in 1914. Under his leadership, the club beat reigning English champions Blackburn Rovers 1–0 in the first round of the 1914–15 FA Cup, with Swansea's goal coming from Ben Beynon. After the First World War, the football leagues were restructured and the club began to compete in the new Third Division of the Football League in 1920. Swansea won their first championship in 1925 under manager Joe Bradshaw after winning the Third Division (South). The following season, they reached the semi-final of the FA Cup and finished…

Swansea City's first trophy was the Welsh Cup, which they won as Swansea Town in 1913. Their first league honour came in 1925, when they won the 1924–25 Football League Third Division South title. Since then, Swansea have gone on to win the League Cup once, the Football League Trophy twice and the Welsh Cup a further nine times. They have also qualified for UEFA Cup Winners' Cup seven times and the UEFA Europa League once. Swansea City's honours include the following: League

Second Division / Championship (level 2) Promoted: 1980–81 Play-off winners: 2011 Third Division South / Third Division / League One (level 3) Champions: 1924–25, 1948–49, 2007–08 Promoted: 1978–79 Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4) Champions: 1999–2000 Promoted: 1969–70, 1977–78, 2004–05 Play-off winners: 1988 Cup

Football League Cup Winners: 2012–13 Football League Trophy Winners: 1993–94, 2005–06 Welsh Cup Winners (10): 1912–13, 1931–32, 1949–50, 1960–61, 1965–66, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1990–91 FAW Premier Cup Winners: 2004–05, 2005–06