In The Programme - Darlington

Twice in four days and match number 8 of the final 23 league games at the Vetch Field. Can you believe that the season is already a third of the way done? Where does that time go and by the end of today's game it will be just 27 weeks until we say goodbye to the Vetch Field for the last time.

On Tuesday, I wrote in the programme that it was three years since Leyton Orient helped us protest against Tony Petty. Now I find it strange that the fixtures computer seems to make history repeat itself. Three days after that fixture at the Vetch we faced, you guessed it, Darlington here as well. Scarily though just 2926 people watched that fixture on October 23 2001 and that wasn't even the lowest crowd of that season for a league game at the Vetch.

This season we face the scenario that we should never drop below 6,000 for a league fixture and will average nearer 8,000. Now that is good news for the club's backers as well as the bank balance. And of course it is also the reason why we see the likes of Lee Trundle, Roberto Martinez and Garry Monk here today. For nostalgia's sake, the line up three years ago today read

Freestone

Phillips O'Leary Bound Todd Howard

Coates Cusack Casey

Williams Tyson

Well done to Kris O'Leary for being here throughout that period but ask yourself the other question. Outside of Kris and Nathan Tyson (who was here on loan) how many others are playing league football today? We know the answer to that and it does show how far this club has progressed in that period of time.

For the last couple of weeks, I have been collating via the web-site people's views of the Vetch Field as I put together an online 'memory street' section about the ground. Questions have been asked about favourite memories, players, managers and other things like "What would you take home at the last game". Answers to that particular question have been wide and varied but by far the most popular thing that Swans fans want to take home is the clock that sits above the centre stand. Reasons for this have been wide and varied but generally involve the fact that it never seems to be right and when we are winning 1-0 with a minute to go it seems to run backwards. It is the little things like that that have made this ground so special. I know I have spent many an hour looking at that clock trying to work out how long is left and from reading all the responses I know I am not the only one. If anyone has any memories they would like to add to this section of jackarmy.net then please do e-mail me at phil@sumbler.freeserve.co.uk

Of course, anyone who wants to treasure Vetch memories for their lifetime should be considering the purchase of one of the box sets that you will find advertised elsewhere in the programme. I am led to believe that almost a third of these have already been sold so make sure you don't miss out. There have been comments on the price of these box sets but having been told exactly what is in them then I can assure everyone that they will be good value for money and certainly a momento to keep and pass down through the generations of Swans fans that we will all produce!

That's about it from me for another week, here's to hopefully three more points this afternoon in what promises to be another tough encounter and from our point of view we want it to be one more step nearer promotion.

Kenny Jackett's Barmy Army

Phil Sumbler

You can keep updated on the views of the fans by visiting www.jackarmy.net - Supporting the Swans, All Day, Every Day.

Photo: Action Images

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