{"id":2219,"date":"2022-12-21T14:56:48","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T14:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/?p=2219"},"modified":"2023-09-25T19:15:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T18:15:51","slug":"vetch-field-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/2022\/12\/vetch-field-memories\/","title":{"rendered":"Vetch Field Memories"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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vetch field memories <\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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by nigel davies <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In Association With Retro Football Bespokie<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Once more we step aboard the ATFV<\/strong><\/span> time machine and scoot back to a significant occasion at our spiritual home. Now a lot of fans have not taken to Michael Duff because they feel he just ‘doesn’t get us’ as a club. Well one manager that most certainly did ‘get us’ was the wonderful John Hollins who sadly passed away a few months ago. So in this issue we’re paying tribute John, one of the jolliest men in football, with one of his biggest wins as Swans manager…<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The world hadn’t ended as the 1990’s gave away to the year 2000, the Millennium Bug an anti-climax of ‘Steve Cooper’s Swans in a Play Off Final’ proportions. The new millennium had started pretty well for John Hollins’s Swans and by the time March had settled itself in the Swans were flying high in second place in the Division Three table.<\/p>

Standing above them were Rotherham, who held a three point advantage but having played a game more than the South Wales side doggedly pursuing them.\u00a0<\/p>

Come the 10th of March and excitement levels were hitting fever pitch in the city with the prospect of a Friday night game under the Vetch Field lights against play off chasing Northampton Town elevated by the presence of the Sky TV cameras – a real novelty in these long ago times.<\/p>

Indeed, this would be only the fourth time in front of the Sky cameras, a win and a draw at Cardiff and a heavy Vetch Field defeat to Peterborough in the FA Cup the only other occasions.<\/p>

The Swans were confident of putting on a good show, going into the game on the back of two crucial 1-0 away wins in the space of four days, Steve Watkin scoring the killer goals against Barnet and then Halifax.<\/p>

Hollins was able to name an unchanged squad for the match and his biggest decision was whether to continue with the giant Julian Alsop alongside Watkin, recall wildcard striker Walter Boyd or throw A Bird into the mix. In the end, it was Tony who won out as Hollins gave in to fears about Alsop’s fitness thanks to a slight hamstring problem.<\/p>

The visitors boasted a former Swansea hero in their ranks but were without their Swansea villain; winger John Hodge, fondly remembered on the Vetch terraces for his three year spell with the club, had signed from Gillingham a few days previously.<\/p>

John Frain though – Swansea’s play off tormentor and all round bad egg – would miss out due to injury.\u00a0<\/p>

The visitors themselves were in great form coming into the game with 10 points from the last 12\u00a0 launching them right into the promotion mix in the 5th in the table.<\/p>

It promised to be an exciting contest and as such a healthy seven and a half thousand fans braved the torrential rain to watch the action live rather than sitting back in their armchairs to watch it all on their television.<\/p>

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With referee David Crick waiting for his signal from the TV studio and commentators Rob McCaffrey and Alan Brazil ready to go, the match kicked off in the driving rain.<\/p>

The visitors seemed to deal with the elements far better than their hosts as they made a strong start to the game.<\/p>

The Swans, in comparison, seemed to be affected by both the rain and a case of stage fright as their normally smooth passing game mis-fired under the Vetch Field floodlights.<\/p>

And so it came as a surprise when the home side snatched the lead after 18 minutes with their first real chance.<\/p>

Cobblers keeper Welch carelessly kicked the ball out for a throw in near the North Bank corner flag and from the resulting throw Jason Price played in Tony Bird.<\/p>

The front man, back in the starting line up for the first time in 5 months, saw his initial attempt at a cross blocked but his more dangerous second attempt reached his strike partner at the far post and Steve Watkin\u00a0<\/strong>made no mistake from six yards for his third goal in seven days!<\/p>

The home side had snatched the lead entirely against the run of play and their opponents should have been level just two minutes later.\u00a0<\/p>

John Hodge swung in a quality corner which Freestone fumbled. However, the big Swans keeper immediately atoned for his error, denying Ian Sampson with his legs from close range.<\/p>

Northampton continued to dominate possession without further testing Freestone on too many occasions – after all they were facing a Swans defence which was the best in Britain, statistically speaking.<\/p>

Attempting to take dominant centre halves Jason Smith and Matt Bound out of the equation Hodge tried his luck from distance, but though he went close there was no cigar.<\/p>

Swansea hit back with a rare chance of their own, Jason Price bursting on to a lobbed pass from Steve Jones only to slash his drive wastefully wide.<\/p>

The home side suffered a blow in the 38th minute as the bang in form Watkin suffered an ankle injury forcing him off to be replaced by Alsop.<\/p>

And it could have been even worse for the Swans a minute later as Canadian striker Carlo Corazzin, the division’s leading scorer with 15, looped a header towards goal from close range only to see it bulge the side netting.<\/p>

Corazzin really should have done better with just 5 minutes remaining in the first half. Another wicked John Hodge corner found the prolific striker totally unmarked at the far post but to everyone’s surprise is header crashed against the post rather than bulging the net.<\/p>

The Sky stats painted their own picture, one that would have had former Swans manager Russell Martin tearing his hair out of his scalp with the Swans having just\u00a017 percent\u00a0<\/strong>of the possession.<\/p>

But as will always be the case, the most important stat was the number of goals scored, and the home side had one more than their visitors at the break.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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There was no sign of the rain abating as the players came out of the tunnel for the second half. And there was no sign of Northampton giving up their stranglehold on possession either.<\/p>

Again though, to illustrate the importance of the number of goals over everything else the Swans clinically made the most of their infrequent chances and doubled their lead just before the hour mark. And what a superb goal it was too from\u00a0Jonathon Coates!<\/strong><\/p>

Picking off a loose pass just inside enemy territory, Coates drove forward decisively and, with the Cobblers defenders backing off, the Swans winger unleashed a drive from 20 yards that beat Welch in the Northampton goal all ends up, nestling just inside the left hand post.<\/p>

It was a bitter blow for the away side who found themselves 2-0 behind despite dominating the ball and dictating play.\u00a0<\/p>

And when they hauled themselves back into the contest on the scoreline with 14 minutes remaining they would have fancied grabbing at least a point.\u00a0<\/p>

Corazzin\u00a0<\/strong>got it, stabbing a left footed shot past the helpless Freestone to ruin the chances of a fourth clean sheet in a row.<\/p>

Game on again!\u00a0<\/p>

Well it was for all of two minutes but when Jason Price stretched those long legs of his to break clear, Ian Hendon was forced to bring him crashing to the turf and the red card was referee Crick’s easiest decision all night.<\/p>

Two goals up and now with a man advantage the Swans turned the screw and really made Northampton pay.<\/p>

Bird and Coates both came close to adding the third, but it midfield warhorse\u00a0Martin Thomas\u00a0<\/strong>who bagged the killer goal five minutes from time with another superb strike that flew in off a post.<\/p>

And there was still time for Alsop to scream for a penalty in the final minute as Roy Hunter crashed through him in the box.\u00a0<\/p>

Crick said no but Alsop picked himself up and made Northampton pay seconds later when he flicked on Mickey Howard’s cross for Bird<\/strong> to apply the finishing touch for the fourth.\u00a0<\/p>

Northampton were glad to hear the final whistle and get off the pitch and off camera – they’d dominated proceedings but were left stunned by a side that had relied on no less than\u00a0eleven\u00a0<\/strong>1-0 victories to underpin their promotion push.<\/p>

Nobody in the Swans camp would boast they had played well but they had shown their defensive resilience in front of the cameras – hence Jason Smith taking the MoM champagne – and treated viewers to some clinical finishing when it counted.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This was John Hollins’ biggest League win as Swans manager, and it is a real stand out Vetch Field Memory for many fans on the way to a memorable promotion and Division Three Championship win.<\/p>

And it is a fitting tribute to a memorable man, a legend as a player with Arsenal and Chelsea and as a manager with the latter too. And a true gentleman to boot.<\/p>

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RIP John - Gone but never forgotten by the jack army<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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on this day<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Friday 10th March, 2000<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNaturally everybody spent the evening watching the Swans on Sky Sports but for those that wanted the thrills to continue there was plenty of excitement on the terrestrial channels. Jean Claude van Damme was high kicking his way all over late night BBC1 in violent thriller Hard Target, whilst over on ITV Wesley Snipes was heroically high kicking in the high skies in equally violent thriller Passenger 57.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAll Saints had been knocked off number one by Madonna, the bad girl of pop securing the top single for just one week with American Pie. Meanwhile Oasis were standing at the top of the album charts with Standing on the Shoulder of Giants.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tin the news\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMarch 10th 2000 is the day the Dot Com bubble burst! Based on the massive growth of internet adoption, venture capitalists had been splashing insane amounts of money buying into Dot Com companies for a frenzied five year period. Riding the crest of the NASDAQ (American stock market) wave, companies like Pets.com, Webvan and Boo.com suddenly disintegrated on March 10th as the Dot.Com bubble suddenly burst in spectacular fashion. Let's hope the only bubbles bursting at the Swansea.Com Stadium this season are champagne bubbles accompanying a successful promotion push! \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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vetch field memories by nigel davies In Association With Retro Football Bespokie Once more we step aboard the ATFV time machine and scoot back to a significant occasion at our spiritual home. Now a lot of fans have not taken to Michael Duff because they feel he just ‘doesn’t get us’ as a club. Well […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2219"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2219"}],"version-history":[{"count":49,"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3167,"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2219\/revisions\/3167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atfv.co.uk\/fanzine1-7\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}