Swansea City | Derby Day Heroes
The South Wales derby is without doubt one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures in Welsh football.
It is a game where players can write their name into folklore, never to be erased or forgotten.
With Swansea City seeking to complete the first league double in the 110-year history of the fixture, three derby-day heroes tell us how it feels to score in and win a derby.
Marvin Emnes, Darren Pratley and Wayne Routledge also outline just what it would mean for the Swans to seal a derby double.
Marvin Emnes
The Dutchman bagged the winner for the Swans in 2010 with just 15 minutes remaining, silencing the home supporters at the Cardiff City Stadium.
“It was a great experience and a good feeling. It was something amazing for me to put my name up there by scoring the winning goal for Swansea against Cardiff.
“It was amazing because it is something that not many people have done before, but I just want to wish everybody all the best for the next game, and hopefully Swansea bring the three points back to where they belong.”
Darren Pratley
Pratley settled the nerves of Swansea fans in 2009 as he scored the winner - his second goal of the game - to halt a Cardiff City comeback from 2-0 down.
“I am still living off scoring in the south Wales derby 13 years ago. There is no better feeling.
“All week you get the fans coming up to you when you are out shopping or getting petrol, telling you how important that game is.
“So, to win and to score is massive. The boys have the chance to do the double, which is something I couldn’t do in my time at Swansea, and it is something that any player would love to do.
“It is a great opportunity for them to do it. Russell Martin has got them playing some good football and fingers crossed they can do it.
“Go and get the double boys.”
Wayne Routledge
Routledge struck the all-important opening blow of the 2014 meeting, finding the net from a fantastic Pablo Hernandez pass to set the Swans on the way to a 3-0 win in Garry Monk's first game in charge.
“To sum up what it is like to score in a south Wales derby is relief, jubilation, and we all know what it means.
“It is the bragging rights. It’s the fact that you have got one up over Cardiff for at least that one game.
“But in the grand scheme of things to do the double, not only would it mean the world to the club, to the city as a whole and the community, I think the players and staff in that changing room would get the biggest lift and hopefully it will help them finish higher.
“Hopefully that will be the springboard to some kind of success next year.”
