WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
We catch up with Swansea’s Division Four play-off winners from 1987-88
SEAN McCarthy ad- mits Swansea were lucky to book their berth in only the second season of the play-offs – but they then made the most of their opportunity.
McCarthy scored in both legs of the semi-final victory over Rotherham and then in the two-legged final against Torquay United.
It could have been a totally different story after they appeared to have blown their chance after two defeats and a draw saw them drop out of the play-off places.
But after beating Carlisle United, Terry Yorath’s side needed a win over Darlington in their final game of the season and then rely on other results.
Leyton Orient were at home to champions Wolves only needing a point to pip Swansea, but a 2-0 defeat allowed the South Wales club to claim the last place.
“We sneaked into the playoffs when Wolves won, we had dropped to about 10th but then had to beat Darlington which we did.
“We still needed Leyton Orient to lose and were getting updates by the cheering from the North Bank. When that happened, we knew they were losing.
“There was nothing we could have done, I think at the time we thought we had blown it. All we could do was win our last fixture and hope results went for us,” he said.
The Swans, who had fallen back through the Football League almost as quickly as they had risen under John Toshack, had to play Rotherham, who had finished fourth bottom of Division Three.
McCarthy’s 85th-minute winner at the Vetch Field put them in command for the second leg and they were all but through when he scored again early at Millmoor. The game finished 1-1, giving the Swans a 2-1 aggregate win.
Occasion
It booked Yorath’s team a play-off final appearance against Torquay.
“We had to play home and away whereas now they play the final at Wembley. It would have been a great occasion to play at Wembley,” he said.
“But having the ties over two legs did bring in good revenue for the club. They said there was just under 11,000 at the Vetch, but it looked more like 20,000!
“We won the first leg 2-1 at home and I remember the second leg at Torquay very well. We drew 3-3 in the pouring rain, which is why it sticks in the mind.
“Then after we were promoted I went over to the Swansea fans to celebrate.
“By the time I’d turned around to go back to the dressing rooms, the pitch was full of about 3,000 unhappy Torquay fans.
“The rest of my team had gone into the changing rooms and I had to leg it through thousands of Torquay fans who were trying to kick out at me and jump me!” 1. Joe Allon: The striker won promotions at Hartlepool United and Port Vale. Is now back living in his native North-East. Has worked in local radio and ran an entertainment company, Players INC. 2. Phil Williams: Winger who was twice relegated with the Swans. Has been working for a car components factory in Llanelli for a number of years. 3. Chris Harrison: Central defender played for Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup semi-final. Ran his own driving school before returning to Home Park as head of academy recruitment. 4. Gary Emmanuel: Midfielder whose father Len and uncle Tom were professional footballers. Went into the insurance business but then became a postman in the Mumbles area of Swansea. 5. Keri Andrews: Welsh youth international winger went to work for the energy advice centre in Swansea and is now managing director of Premier Energy Solutions. 6. Alan Davies: Winger who was an FA Cup winner with Manchester United. Was tragically found dead in his car on the Gower Coast in February 1992, aged only 30. 7. Paul Raynor: Midfielder who won his only promotion with Swansea. Has worked as Steve Evans’ assistant at a number of clubs and is now at Peterborough United. 8. David Hough: Central defender who walked away from football following a contract dispute to join South Wales Police, where he is a detective chief inspector. 9. Alan Knill: Wales international central defender won his only promotion at Swansea. Has managed Rotherham, Bury, Scunthorpe and Torquay. Is currently assistant manager at Sheffield United. 10. Mike Hughes: The goalkeeper retired because of concussion. Worked in financial services, then joined the HM Prison Service as a physical training instructor and is now a violence reduction manager. 11. Andy Melville: Defender and midfielder played for Wales. Went into coaching and scouting and is currently Northampton Town’s head of recruitment. 12. Jason Ball: Centre-back who won Wales under-18 honours. Didn’t make any first-team appearance and is now living and working in the Neath area. 13. Ian Love: Striker, also had a spell with his home-town club Cardiff, where he worked in the insurance industry. 14. Ron Walton: Spent 18 years on the Swans’ coaching staff. Has also worked for Hoover in Merthyr and been groundsman at Penydarren Park, Merthyr. 15. Sean McCarthy: Striker who played in the Premier League with Oldham. Has managed Truro City and coached at Ipswich, Newport and Plymouth. He now scouts for Brighton. 16. Terry Yorath: The father of TV presenter Gabby Logan, he twice managed Swansea and was also in charge of Wales. Also bossed Bradford, Cardiff, Lebanon and Sheffield Wednesday. Is now living in Leeds. 17. Dudley Lewis: Wales international defender won the Welsh Cup three times and works as a postman, covering the Sketty area over many years. 18. Tommy Hutchinson: Scottish international midfielder scored for both teams in the 1987 FA Cup Final. Has managed Swansea and was community officer for Bristol City. Is now retired in Scotland. 19. Colin Pascoe: The Welsh international went into coaching and has worked for a number of clubs, including Swansea, Liverpool and Barrow.