1981–82 Swansea City A.F.C. season


During the 1981–82 English football season, Swansea City A.F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, following promotion from the Second Division. It was their debut season in the English top flight and the first season in which a Welsh club was part of the top English league since arch-rivals Cardiff City were relegated at the end of 1961-62.

Background

Swansea's rise to the top flight of English football had come only four seasons after competing in the Fourth Division and thus few tipped Swansea to survive in the First Division. Swansea soon proved the naysayers wrong by crushing Leeds United 5-1 in their first match ever in the top flight, with debutant Bob Latchford scoring a hat-trick. The win saw Swansea rise from the basement division to the top of the entire Football League in barely three years. Victories over footballing royalty such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur followed as the club topped the league on several further occasions. However, injuries to key players took their toll, and the lack of depth in the squad meant that the season ended in sixth-place finish.

Transfers

In

Results

Last updated: 4 September 2013
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Classification

Results summary

Results by round

FA Cup

Last updated: 4 September 2013
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Football League Cup

Last updated: 4 September 2013
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Welsh Cup

Last updated: 19 January 2014
Sources:,

European Cup Winners' Cup

Last updated: 4 September 2013
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Kit

Swansea's kit was manufactured by Belgian company Patrick. The kit bore no sponsorship.

Squad

Left club during season

Squad statistics

Appearances and goals

Top scorers