FAN FOCUS: Christopher Hill
We continue our fan feature as we put our loyal supporters under the spotlight!
Fan Focus gives every member of the Jack Army a chance to share their favourite tales, games and goals from supporting the Swans over the years.
If you want to be involved in the feature, email garethvincent@swanseacityfc.co.uk
Name: Christopher Hill
Age: 39
From: Llansamlet
How long have you been supporting the Swans?
35 years
What was the first game you attended?
It was in 1981 - the first game in the First Division at home to Leeds United.
We beat them 5-1 but I don't remember much about the game - I was only four years old!
Why did you start supporting the Swans?
My dad was a massive Swans fan and still is. The year I was born, 1977, just happened to be the same year where we started the famous climb from the old Division Four to the old Division One under John Toshack.
What is your most memorable Swans moment?
A few games spring to mind. There is Bury away in 2005, when we took 5,500 on the last day of the season needing a win to get promoted into League One. We won, of course, thanks to an early Adrian Forbes goal and then Willy Gueret got arrested in the stand! I also remember Lee Trundle dancing on top of the dugout - they were amazing scenes.
Another good day was Sheffield United away, when we beat them 3-0.
Also up there is Valencia away, which was amazing. We had three days in the sun and watched our super Swans win in style.
What is the best game you've seen at the Vetch/Liberty?
Hull City at the Vetch in 2003 when we won to stay up on the last day of the season with James Thomas writing his name into Swansea City folklore.
Also, there was Yeovil when we won 3-2 over the Christmas period later that year, with Lee Trundle scoring two.
But for me the most memorable game I've seen is the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Nottingham Forest in 2011.
I've never heard the Liberty Stadium so loud - it was an amazing night.
What is the best goal you've seen at the Vetch/Liberty?
At the Vetch, I would go for Alan Curtis's goal against Leeds in our 5-1 win. At the Liberty, Darren Pratley's goal from the halfway line against Nottingham forest in the play-off second leg.
Describe your typical pre-match ritual.
Food and a few drinks with the family in the Harvester, then a few drinks - win, lose or draw - after the game as well.
Who is your favourite Swans player of all time and why?
This is a tough one as I used to love and idolise John Toshack when I was a young kid. I used to love watching Chris Coleman too.
Lee Trundle was worth the admission fee on his own with the tricks and goals he brought to our club, but my favourite all-time Swans player is Jimmy Gilligan. As a 14-year-old, I used to love him because of the goals he scored for us.
Who is your favourite current Swans player and why?
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lukasz Fabianski and Nathan Dyer all come close, but my favourite current Swan is Leon Britton because he wears his heart on his sleeve.
He played his part in our memorable 4-2 win against Hull and is a true Swansea City legend.
What is your favourite Swans kit from over the years?
It's a close call between our Gulf Oil and DP-sponsored kits. I'm going to go for the latter as I wore it when I was the club mascot aged about 12 or 13 years old when we lost 2-1 at home to Mansfield.
If you could sign one player for the club who would it be?
Gareth Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo. Not only would they score a load of goals for us, but they would create a load of chances for our strikers.
What has been the most disappointing moment watching the club?
I went to watch the Swans when I was 17 years old, all of 22 years ago, away at Newcastle in the FA Cup.
I was on a minibus full of boys I worked with and we lost 3-0. We then found out after the game that someone had stolen our minibus and we were stuck in Newcastle.
We then hired another minibus and gave the driver money to get us home only for the wheel to fall off by Nottingham. The AA came and fixed it only for the minibus driver to drive off with our money and leave us in Nottingham service station.
We got back into Swansea at about 11pm on Sunday!
What makes Swansea City special to you?
When I was little it was drummed into me by my dad what an amazing and wonderful club our Swansea City is.
I love the club and always will do. I have followed them home and away through thick and thin all my life.
