Survival, brilliant signings – Flynn added great value
FORMER Wales International Brian Flynn accepted the challenge to take the reins as manager of Swansea City in September 2002.
He replaced the popular but inexperienced Nick Cusack, who had seen the team win only two of his 17 league games in charge.
These were turbulent times at Swansea. Less than 12 months previously Tony Petty had bought the debt-ridden club for £1. His short reign saw fans march, demonstrate and demand their club back. Eventually Petty sold up. New owners, with Huw Jenkins installed as chairman, were hoping to oversee a period of stability and then improvement. Flynn and his assistant Kevin Reeves were immediately aware of the magnitude of the task facing them.
Results did not improve, and were illustrated by one of the worst performances in the history of the club just a few weeks later when the abject Swans were thrashed 4-0 at the Vetch by Kidderminster Harriers.
This was a dire performance which offered no real hope or prospect of improvement as Swansea were now well and truly entrenched at the bottom of Division Three.
I can recall leaving the Vetch that night with the belief that our time in the Football League looked to be coming to a sad end.
Fortunately, Flynn and Reeves were already in the process of enlisting new signings. Persuading new players to join a club rooted to the bottom of the league proved to be a difficult task.
In January 2003, Roberto Martinez took up the gauntlet, signing from Walsall until the end of the season. He was made captain and helped to rally the troops. Alan Tate signed a loan deal from Manchester United, Leon Britton was persuaded to drop down from the Premier League at West Ham.
Lenny Johnrose from Bury, together with targetman Kevin Nugent from Leyton Orient, came on board. The excellent Neil Cutler signing on loan from Stoke City to replace injured goalkeeper Roger Freestone proved to be another excellent signing, as was striker Marc Richards.
These were inspirational signings by Flynn, some going on to help shape the future of the club.
Worryingly, despite the perceived vast improvement in the quality of the squad and a better team spirit as the season progressed, relegation to the Conference remained a strong possibility.
Entering the final furlong, it became a straight shootout between the Swans and Exeter City to see who be relegated alongside Shrewsbury. And a 1-0 defeat at home to Exeter with just two games left to play against Rochdale and Hull added to the gloom.
The 2-1 win at Rochdale, with Richards and Nugent getting the goals, set up Swansea nicely for a home game against Hull. That famous 4-2 win via a James Thomas hat-trick and a Johnrose strike ensured survival by the narrowest of margins.
Flynn then used his considerable influence to sign the likes of Lee Trundle and Andy Robinson as well as securing the services of the hugely influential Martinez, Britton and Tate on permanent deals. Suddenly, the Swans were progressing.
Despite being relieved of his duties towards the end of the following season, Flynn’s contribution in setting the Swansea ball rolling again should never be underestimated.