Fixture Release Day 2024-25 | Opening Day Memories
Ahead of the release of the 2024-25 Championship fixtures on Wednesday (9am), we look back at some memorable Swansea City opening-day games.
Swansea City 5 Leeds United 1
First Division – August 29, 1981
The Swans chalked up one of their most memorable victories of all in what was their first game as a top-division club.
Jeremy Charles’ early opener was cancelled out by Derek Parlane, but Bob Latchford’s debut hat-trick – which came inside nine second-half minutes – blew Leeds away, before Alan Curtis’s superb goal rounded off a thrilling and unforgettable afternoon at the Vetch.
Oldham 2 Swansea City 1
League One – August 11, 2007
Roberto Martinez’s Swans began the League One season with defeat at Boundary Park, but the scoreline did not tell the whole story.
Michael Ricketts netted an early penalty for the hosts which was cancelled out by new Swans signing Jason Scotland, only for Craig Davies to win it at the end for the Latics.
But though Martinez’s team were beaten, the tone had been set for the season after they dominated the game thanks to their possession game. It was a sign of things to come in a campaign that would end with them winning the League One title.
Queens Park Rangers 0 Swansea City 5
Premier League – August 18, 2012
Michael Laudrup’s first competitive game as Swans boss was a memorable romp in the Loftus Road sunshine.
Michu’s early goal gave the Swans a 1-0 half-time lead. The debutant netted again early in the second half - sweeping home a Wayne Routledge pass - before Nathan Dyer scored twice in eight minutes and Scott Sinclair netted his final Swans goal late on.
Manchester United 1 Swansea City 2
Premier League – August 16, 2014
Arguably the Swans’ finest opening day of all came in 2014, when Garry Monk’s team delivered the club’s first-ever league victory at Old Trafford.
Manchester United had enjoyed a fine pre-season under new boss Louis van Gaal, but the Dutchman’s competitive debut ended in a shock home defeat.
Ki Sung-Yueng put the Swans in front, then Gylfi Sigurdsson – making his second debut after rejoining the club – netted the winner 18 minutes from time after Wayne Rooney’s leveller.
Chelsea 2 Swansea City 2
Premier League – August 8, 2015
The Swans were not expected to trouble Jose Mourinho’s star-studded Chelsea side, but Garry Monk’s men came away from Stamford Bridge feeling they could have claimed all three points.
Oscar had put the Blues in front, only for a goal from debutant Andre Ayew to make it 1-1.
Chelsea were soon 2-1 up thanks to Fede Fernandez’s unfortunate own goal, but the Swans levelled from the spot through Bafetimbi Gomis after Thibaut Courtois saw red for bringing down the Frenchman.
Sheffield United 1 Swansea City 2
Championship - August 4, 2018
Yan Dhanda scored with his first touch in senior football as the Swans came from behind to give boss Graham Potter a winning start.
The Swans had to come from behind at Bramall Lane after George Baldock’s 62nd-minute goal gave Sheffield United the lead.
Oli McBurnie ensured the Swans were back level within nine minutes as he fired home his first league goal for the club.
Then, after only being on the pitch for 29 seconds, Dhanda popped up with a thrilling late winner as he netted from close range.
Swansea City 2 Hull City 1
Championship - August 3, 2019
Steve Cooper got off to a winning start as Swansea City head coach as two second-half goals in the space of two minutes secured three points against Hull.
The Swans had trailed at the interval as Kamil Grosicki’s deflected strike gave the Tigers an early lead they retained with relative comfort.
But it all changed in the first four minutes of the second period as Borja Baston’s first Swansea goal in 1,022 days levelled matters, before Mike van der Hoorn nodded in what proved to be the winner.
Preston North End 0 Swansea City 1
Championship - September 12, 2020
Morgan Gibbs-White marked his league debut for Swansea City with the winner as Steve Cooper’s side kicked off the new Championship campaign with victory at Preston.
The on-loan Wolves midfielder was on hand to turn in Jake Bidwell’s cross eight minutes into the second half, and give the visitors all three points; as well as a first win at Deepdale since 2008.