Swansea City’s historic upset of Premier League high-flyers West Ham United during the 1999 FA Cup third round is still talked about today. Despite being in the fourth tier, Swansea’s team bonding, a muddy pitch, and a spectacular volley by an injured player led to their victory. Martin Thomas, who suffered a serious injury shortly into the match, played on for another 80-plus minutes and scored the winning goal. The replay at the Vetch Field saw a packed crowd of nearly 11,000 in torrential rain. Swansea’s goalkeeper, Roger Freestone, nicknamed “33 Stone” by some, made three brilliant saves within the first 15 minutes.
The first game at Upton Park saw the Swans come within three minutes of beating West Ham, but they conceded an 87th-minute equalizer from Julian Dicks. The victory in the replay came with the added bonus of team cohesion. Many of the players signed for the club at about the same time and boarded in the same hotel, which created a tight-knit unit. Swansea’s assistant manager, Alan Curtis, said Harry Redknapp, West Ham’s manager, complained about the state of the pitch, but Swansea’s team had already won before the game started.
The Swans’ victory was a classic underdog story. The Hammers were loaded with English stars like Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, and Swansea-born John Hartson. But Swansea’s players had a belief in themselves that night that was unstoppable. Thomas’s 29th-minute volley was an unforgettable moment that will be talked about for years to come. Despite a late onslaught from West Ham, a last-minute save from Freestone saw the Swans home.
This win has become one of Swansea City’s most celebrated and unforgettable moments. Although it was almost twenty years ago, the match remains one of their most significant victories and continues to inspire the club and their fans. Today’s side has a lot of ability, but if they could replicate the ’99 team’s belief and team spirit, they could avoid relegation and push for the playoffs
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