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Swans v Villa 02/02/24
Swans v Villa 02/02/24
Tuesday, 20th Jun 2006 00:00

PROGRAMME - Swansea Town v Aston Villa Feb 1924

Swansea City v Aston Villa - 2nd Feb 1924

SWANS v ASTON VILLA

FA CUP 2nd ROUND 2nd FEBRUARY 1924

In only Swansea Town's fourth season in the Football League proper (following the introduction of an additional division in 1920) the team was sitting proudly at the top of Division 3 South and anticipating promotion for the first time.

The "icing on the cake" was a home draw in the Second round of the FA Cup against glamorous Aston Villa, one of the League's twelve founder members in 1888, and already FA Cup winners on six occasions and league champions on five occasions.

The build up to the game saw the Swans spend the week in Llandrindod Wells, looking to the soothing spa waters to boost their preparations, and they travelled to Swansea by train on the morning of the match.

Villa, meanwhile, were greeted by a large crowd on their arrival at High Street station on Friday evening, and ensconced themselves in the Osborne Hotel, Rotherslade overnight.

The game itself, before a crowd of 19035, was played at a furious pace, and press reports of the time referred to the Swans having the greater territorial advantage, but going down to a 2-0 defeat to an experienced Villa side containing five English internationals, courtesy of a brace of Capewell goals.

Interesting other FA Cup result on this same day saw Cardiff beat Arsenal 1-0, a result to be famously mirrored three years later in the Final at Wembley.

Unfortunately, the Swans exit from the cup also saw them fall from grace in the promotion stakes, with subsequent results seeing them fade to eventually finish fourth. The experience proved invaluable though, as the following season they were promoted as champions.

Two of the main news items in the days leading up to the Villa match concerned the British government's recognition of the constitution of the USSR, and the increase in price of a gallon of petrol to 1s 11d (10p in new money!)

The match programme is an impressive 12 page production, with the outer 4 page cover produced on pink paper. As with most programmes of the era it is heavy on advertising, but with a reasonable amount of reading content.

There are adverts for no fewer than five sports outfitters, together with famous Swansea names Down & Son Furnishers and the Ben Evans department store.

Estimated value of a reasonable condition copy of this programme - £650

Photo: Action Images



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