blog

by Danielle Jenkinson

Swansea Museum Documentation Officer

Cymraeg

In celebration of Wales competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we are going to look back at the only other time Wales has qualified, and talk about some of the Welsh players from Swansea who represented their country, or very nearly did.

In 1958, Wales were surprise participants in the World Cup held in Sweden. Having failed to qualify through the European section of the games, Wales were awarded a second chance to compete, this time as representatives of Asia-Africa. Due to political tensions surrounding Palestine and the Gaza Strip, Arab teams refused to play Israel for a place in the tournament. FIFA decided to organise a draw for the runners-up from other regions to advance through the Asia-Africa qualifiers. Wales were the team picked out of the hat; they won both their matches against Israel, and so headed for Sweden.

On April 18, 1958, the Welsh FA selectors met in Shrewsbury to decide on the World Cup squad. Seven players were clear choices: Jack Kelsey in goal, Mel Hopkins at left-back, the captain Dave Bowen at left-half, Ivor Allchurch at inside-left, Cliff Jones at outside-left, Terry Medwin, who could play at outside-right, inside-left and centre-forward if needed, and John Charles, the centre-forward who played for Juventus. Kesley, Allchurch, Jones, Medwin and Charles, were from Swansea.

Jack Kelsey was born in Llansamlet and played for Arsenal. He was not only one of the best goalkeepers in Britain, but also the world.

Ivor Allchurch, nicknamed the ‘Golden Boy’ in part due to his wavy blonde hair, was considered one of Wales’ few world-class players. Allchurch joined the Swans in 1947 after he was spotted playing youth football while a pupil at Plasmarl School. He made his league debut in 1949 and the following year he was playing for his country. Due to his decision to stay in Division 2 with the Swans he gained another nickname, ‘The Star Who Wasn’t Quite’, as it was felt by many that he was wasting his talents at The Vetch.

Cliff Jones was born into a famous football family, as his father and uncle both played for Wales. Brought up in the Sandfields area, ‘Cliffie’ made his league debut for Swansea Town in 1952 at the age of 17. However, Jones arrived in Sweden the most expensive winger in the Britain, as Tottenham had signed him that year for a record £35,000.

Terry Medwin was the son of a prison officer, and was born opposite The Vetch. When signed by his local club, they described him as “the lad from the prison next door”. Good-looking, he became popular with supporters and soon became the Swansea Town pin-up boy. When asked why he thought so many of the Welsh squad were from Swansea, Medwin replied:

“I think it had a lot to do with having a beach … Growing up in Swansea after the war there wasn’t much to do if you were young, so most of us played football all day long on the beaches. In a way, we had our own Copacabana.” (Risoli, 1998, p.27)

John Charles was the most famous and highly regarded player in the squad, and he remains one of the greatest footballers Wales has ever produced. After leaving school in 1946, he joined Swansea Town. However, before he could make his first senior appearance at The Vetch, he was sold to Leeds United in 1949. In 1957, believing he was the best centre-forward and centre-half in the world, Juventus signed him for a record breaking £67,000. During his first season in Italy, Charles had proved to be a sensation. Nicknamed ‘il Buono Gigante’ (the Gentle Giant), the six foot tall player finished the Serie A as the league’s top scorer, with 28 goals. This helped Juventus to win the championship for the first time in six years, and they re-signed him for £150,000. This placed him in the history books as the world’s most valuable footballer.

Although it was an obvious choice to place John Charles in the squad for Sweden, it was also a gamble. His participation in the World Cup was down to Juventus, and when the team was chosen, the club had not yet given its consent. This led to many negotiations with the club for the release of Charles to play for Wales, something Juventus was reluctant to do. It put their most valuable player at risk of injury in games that did not benefit them, and for a country that was not expected to do well in the tournament.

On that day in Shrewsbury, the selectors decided on 17 of the 18 players. The rest of the Sweden party would be Mel Charles, Stuart Williams, Derrick Sullivan, Trevor Edwards, Colin Webster, Vic Crowe, Roy Vernon, Ken Jones, Ken Leek and Colin Baker. Unfortunately, Ivor Allchurch’s brother, Len Allchurch, was not chosen. Although in the shadow of his older brother, the Swansea Town player was a good footballer in his own right. Mel actually played with John at Leeds in 1952, but he failed to feel comfortable in Yorkshire and returned to Swansea Town to play in their first-team.

The deliberation over the eighteenth man was a heart breaking one. It was between Manchester United winger Ken Morgans, a survivor of the Munich Air Disaster, and Cardiff City’s Ron Hewitt; the selectors eventually chose Hewitt. They had planned to watch Morgans in the FA Cup final, but when it was announced that the 18-year-old was not physically or mentally fit enough to play; he missed his opportunity to represent Wales.

Swansea-born Morgans had been the youngest of the ‘Busby Babes’, a group of young footballers who had all progressed together from Manchester United’s youth team into the first team under the management of Matt Busby. Many of the young players died in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958; Morgans was the last person to be found alive amongst the wreckage. Doctors recommended he should take a year off football, but because of the shortage of first-team players, he was back playing for United seven weeks later. In an interview he shared his experience of that time:

“I felt dreadful. I’d lost a lot of weight. I’d gone from 11 stone to 9 stone. I wasn’t fit, but because there weren’t enough players I had to play … I lost that couple of yards pace. I just lost it. I was very quick. A full-back could have five yards on me and I’d still beat him. But after Munich I couldn’t do that anymore. In a way, I wasn’t surprised to be left out of the World Cup squad … I’m sure the crash took it out of me. I had headaches for a couple of years. I used to have nightmares about the crash and the players who were killed.” (Risoli, 1998, p.32)

Notable mentions should also go to Swansea born players Ray Daniel and Trevor Ford who were considered two of Wales’s finest post-war footballers. However, for very different reasons, the Welsh FA discounted them from representing their country.

Daniel was a respected defender, yet he was banished from playing in the World Cup because he was heard regaling the team with songs from the musical Guys and Dolls. He sang from the track list while travelling on the team coach after they had played one of their qualifiers for the tournament. This incurred the wrath of Herbert Powell, the Welsh FA’s religious secretary, who thought that only hymns should be sang by team members.

In 1956, Trevor Ford published his autobiography, I Lead The Attack. It was an exposé on the illegal payments by his former club, Sunderland, to their players, including Ford himself. The striker admitted to accepting £100 ‘under the counter’ to join Sunderland from Aston Villa. The FA banned Ford was from league football for three seasons. He went into exile in the Netherlands, where he played for PSV Eindhoven.

Technically, Ford could have still played for Wales, but the selectors would not tolerate someone who admitted to accepting illegal payments. Yet, by ignoring him, the selectors made a mistake. Without him, the Welsh squad was short of centre-forwards, and it would cost Wales dear. Wales surprised the world by advancing from Group 3 after drawing with Hungary 1-1, Mexico 1-1, and Sweden 0-0, and then beating Hungary 2-1 in the deciding play-off. In doing so, they made it to the quarter-final where they faced Brazil and a 17-year-old footballer named Pelé.

They would have to face the Brazilians without their talisman John Charles. He had suffered very strong challenges made by a physical Hungarian side in the first-round play-off, and was now lost to injury. With few choices to replace Charles, it fell to Colin Webster to take the position, who in that crucial game, rarely troubled the Brazilian defence. However, it took almost three-quarters of the match for Brazil to break through the Welsh defence, as Pelé’s flick took him past Mel Charles, and he scored the only goal of the game, ending Wales’ dream of going any further in the competition.

If you would like to read more about the experiences of the Welsh team during the 1958 World Cup, please read Mario Risoli’s When Pelé Broke Our Hearts Wales & the 1958 World Cup (1998. Cardiff: Ashley Drake Publishing), some of which has been referenced here. There are a lot more interesting facts that could not be covered in this blog, and it is a great book.

Swansea YMCA newsletters early 20th Century

One of the drawbacks with visiting archives is you find a lot more information than you expected.  It can result in extra research or a new line of enquiry or both.

The YMCA archive has no newsletters from the 1^st WW period but West Glamorgan Archive Service do. There are one hundred names on the YMCA Swansea Roll of Honour (those members who served) and I was hoping I may find some extra bits of information and hopefully identify some of the many Evans, Jones and Thomas etc. Instead I ended up with another seventy individuals to research. Former members that were mentioned but not listed on the Roll of Honour and a whole load of names on the list of junior section members and scouts serving. This no doubt will result in another week or two of research.  Further information in future blogs when I look at the WW1 period in more detail.

The bundle of newsletters in archives also had some which overlap with YMCA archives for 1911/12 period. Looking through them again, I made a note of the name Arnt J Morland, who wrote a few letters back to his friends at YMCA Swansea and who was now back residing in Arundel, Norway.  The letters themselves were of no significant interest, a little update on how he was getting on, at this point undertaking his national service. The fact that he was involved in a much smaller YMCA association in Arundel and words of encouragement to keep up the good Christian work in Swansea. However, a quick google of his name and the town and this resulted in yet another story of interest to record.

Arnt Jacobson Morland was born on the 23^rd June 1888, son of a merchant.

In 1907 he secured some form of Norwegian state sponsored trade placement in Britain and obviously ended up in Swansea. The placement was shipping related but as yet I have been unable to identify with whom exactly.

Judging by the date of the letters he would have been in Swansea for maybe two or three years and being very religious I would guess a member of the Norwegian Church. By 1911 he was definitely back in Norway.  The last mention of him is news of his engagement to Miss Thomsen of Arundel.

In 1916 he started his own shipping company, named Agdesidens Rederi, followed by two more companies, Morland Rederi in 1927 and Morland Tankederi in 1930. 

Morland became a very prominent citizen of Norway, he chaired the Regional Ship Owners Association and for a number of years was a member of the Executive Committee for Arundel City Council. In 1953 he was elected to the Norwegian Parliament but died in 1957 before the end of his term.  Morland was also prominent in the church becoming Vice Chair of the Diocesan Council for Agder.

In 1940 Norway was occupied by the Nazis. A puppet government was installed led by the collaborator Vidkun Quisling, whose name would become a byword for collaborator or traitor. Following the war Quisling was found guilty of murder and high treason and was executed by firing squad on the 24^th October 1945.

The resistance in Norway like most countries included both passive and aggressive resistance.  One of the passive resistance measures was led by the church. Local church leaders in Norway were employed and paid for by the state.  Church leaders therefore refused to take the salaries in protest at the occupation and the collaboration of the Quisling government.

Morland in partnership with Hans Sande, the General Secretary of the Joint YMCA and YWCA in Norway organised the network for raising money for what was effectively a strike fund.  Money would be raised and collected to support the local church leaders to enable them to continue to work but refuse their salaries from the Norwegian state.

Morland was arrested on the 24^th February 1944 for resistance activities and initially held at the Arkivet building in Kristianstand.  Arkivet is Norwegian for archive.  Built in 1935 for the local archive service, the building was taken over as Gestapo Headquarters for Southern Norway.  It is now a museum to the Norwegian occupation and the names of those killed in concentration camps in Norway are listed on a memorial outside the building.

Moreland was later transferred to Grini Concentration Camp, his prisoner number was 11696. Numbers killed at Grini are unknown but we do know they included British Airborne troops who survived Operation Freshman, the attempt to destroy the Norsk Hydro Heavy Water Plant, vital for any potential development of a hydrogen bomb by the Nazis. The surviving British Airborne troops from the operation were held at Grini before being taken to nearby woods and executed by the Gestapo.

Finally Moreland was transferred to Berg Concentration Camp in February 1945.  Berg was a transit camp where many Jews and political prisoners were kept before transfer to one of the death camps in Germany or Eastern Europe. It is possible that he was due for transit but the war at this point was nearing the end and he survived. 

West Glamorgan Archive Service reference SL WL 5/9/1

The poster is advertising a week long campaign to raise £20,000 to build a new support centre in Swansea for those veterans who served in WW1.  The end of the Great War coincided with the 50^th anniversary of YMCA Swansea. 

On the right of the YMCA Red Triangle logo is a notice which seems rather odd.  It states;

“The balance sheet of the National YMCA is published every six months, properly audited and is a document representing a marvel of enterprising work for God and humanity”.

The reason for the rather odd notice was that the appeal had already been effectively sabotaged and from a most unexpected quarter.

As well as providing YMCA huts at the front line, a considerable amount of work was being undertaken to support troops in Swansea.

50,000 meals had been served at St Andrews Hall (now Swansea Mosque), and where YMCA operated from May 1917 to March 1919. 80,000 sheets of writing paper given out to troops, sleeping accommodation provided to over 250 soldiers and sailors and

7,000 to 8000 free suppers provided. Food and accommodation provided also to 129 survivors of the Rewa, a hospital ship torpedoed in the Channel.

At an Executive Committee of YMCA Swansea on 1st October 1917 Mr. G. P. Cook-Davies stated that the number of Bit Badge Men in the town was about 900 (Bit Badge Men was a term for men who had done their bit but whom now were invalided out through illness or injury).  After discussion it was decided to appoint a delegation to meet with Sir John Llewelyn (YMCA Swansea President) to consider what could be done.  One idea considered was a hostel for soldiers and sailors and the need to investigate potential need.

In early 1919, the Red Cross notified the YMCA was that the building which had been turned into a hospital was expected to be handed back over on the 30^th March

It was agreed to hold an open meeting and in the meantime that the ground floor be used as a club for past and present members of H.M Forces.

A Jubilee planning meeting was held on the 15^th March.  The minutes are difficult to read but discussion involves a possible extension to the hostel as well as a new build erected to the men who have fallen in the war, on the model of the Red Triangle huts.

At a special meeting in March 1919 the appeal was launched with a target of £20,000

Ward lists were produced to target 20,000 houses via 260 canvassers and the Rev. James would target markets and businesses.

Newspaper adverts were also to be placed.  The appeal weeks would be the 28^th April to 10^th May. 300 posters and 500 window bills printed.

The appeal started well with the following promises:

Mr. Napier £200

Mr Cook £200

Richard Lewis £200

J. P Giles £100

S Palmer £52

W J Watkins £50

Total £802

The first indication of the appeal running into trouble comes in a minute dated 1^st April, under a heading the Bishop of Swansea.  The minute states:

“Mr Napier gave a brief report on the meeting of the National Council in London and stated that the Bishop of Swansea would be given an opportunity of substantiating or withdrawing his charge against the YMCA before a Commission appointed by the Council”.

A special meeting of the Executive Committee 16^th April minute states

“The Chairman referred to the Bishop of Swansea attack on the YMCA in the Times Newspaper.  In reference to the Bishops letter, Mr Highman gave exact information with regard to the Association building at Brecon and the success of that enterprise”.

The Cambrian newspaper reported on the allegations and subsequent inquiry by Lord Askwith on the 23^rd May 1919.  The central allegation by the Bishop was that the YMCA national body was competing with existing social organisations and that money subscribed for war purposes was now being used for peace schemes. It would appear that the criticism was triggered by something to do with Brecon YMCA but it is unclear what.  The report by lord Askwith rejected the Bishops criticisms. 

Although the Bishops letter to the Times had nothing to do with YMCA Swansea, the publicity effectively sabotaged the campaign.  The appeal was pretty ambitious anyway, particularly when it was only eight years since a similar appeal had raised the £20,000 for the cost of the building on the Kingsway.

In June the Rev Newton Jones reported that Len Palmer had succeeded in collecting £131, the highest amount secured by a member. The campaign figure now standing at £4548 with another £100 promised from Messrs Baldwin’s.  Another £250 was promised by the Butchers Association.

The minute’s state:

“Mr Napier moved thanks to Rev Newton Jones for his service as the campaign manager.  The campaign had not reached its target.  The attack upon the YMCA by the Bishop of Swansea and prevailing industrial unrest had doubtless influenced events.”

Mr Cook endorsed Mr Napier

“Campaign efforts had been largely controlled by unfortunate circumstances”

The appeal was finally closed with a total figure raised of £5692, well short of the £20,000 target.