 The Vetch Field in 2006 | |
 | |
| Location | Glamorgan Street, Swansea, Wales |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°36′59″N 3°57′0″W / 51.61639°N 3.95000°W |
| Owner | Swansea City A.F.C. |
| Capacity | 11,475 (at closure) |
| Record attendance | 32,796 (Swansea vs Arsenal, 17 February 1968)[1] |
| Field size | 101 by 64 metres (110 by 70 yards)[4] |
| Acreage | 5.3 acres[5] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1912[1] |
| Renovated | Numerous Times |
| Closed | 11 May 2005[2] |
| Demolished | 2011[3] |
| Tenants | |
| Swansea City A.F.C. (1912–2005) | |
The Vetch Field was a football stadium in Swansea, Wales. It was used for football matches and was the home ground of Swansea City until the club moved to the newly built Liberty Stadium in 2005. Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak.
As well as being home to the Swans, the Vetch also hosted games for the Wales national football team, with 18 internationals played at the Vetch between 1921 and 1988.[6] Other sports also found a home at the Vetch, with 8 rugby league matches played there between 1990 and 1999.[7][8] In 1960, local boy Brian Curvis beat the Australian boxer George Barnes at the Vetch to win the Commonwealth (British Empire) Welterweight title.[9]
The stadium also operated as a music venue, hosting The Who in 1976[10] and Stevie Wonder in 1984.[11]
The Vetch's final Football League fixture was a 1–0 win for Swansea over Shrewsbury Town on 30 April 2005. The last game of football to be held at the Vetch was the 2005 FAW Premier Cup final, which saw Swansea beat Wrexham 2–1.
The Vetch continues to be the subject of much nostalgia amongst some Swansea fans, who often feel that it had a more vibrant and authentic atmosphere than the Liberty Stadium.[12]
- ^ a b "The full history of Swansea City Football Club". Swansea City A.F.C. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ^ "Swansea 2–1 Wrexham". BBC News. 11 May 2005.
- ^ "Preparations for Vetch demolition to start next week". The City and County of Swansea. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ^ Inglis, Simon (1983). The Football Grounds of England and Wales. London: Willow Books. p. 163. ISBN 0-00-218024-3.
- ^ "Swansea's Vetch plans fail to find builder". BBC News. 16 November 2010.
- ^ "Wales International Results". Football Association of Wales. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Wales International Rugby League Results at the Vetch". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Rugby League Results at the Vetch". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Brian Curvis Fight Record". boxrec.com. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "The Who Put the Boot In". ukrockfestivals.com. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Our own field of dreams". South Wales Evening Post. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
- ^ Martin Johnes (26 May 2020). "'Swansea 'til I die': Nostalgia, identity and family in modern football". 100 Years of Swansea City FC.