Swansea City mourns the passing of Dudley Lewis

Swansea City is heartbroken to learn of the passing of the club’s much-loved former player Dudley Lewis at the age of just 62.

The former defender made 300 appearances for the club, scoring two goals, during nine years as part of the senior squad.

A local lad, a Pentrehafod schoolboy, Dudley was part of John Toshack’s squad as they secured the club’s first-ever promotion to the top-flight in 1981, and he would go on to be a loyal mainstay of the Swans squad during a turbulent, topsy-turvy decade.

He captained Swansea schoolboys and Wales at youth level before signing apprenticeship forms at the Vetch.

His first-team bow came against Notts County in February 1981, and Dudley would rise to prominence when, aged just 18, he played a key role over the final part of that season after manager Toshack tasked him with being Swansea’s defensive sweeper; his maturity and composure belying his tender years.

When the Swans secured promotion against Preston at Deepdale, it was the teenager who Toshack ran to embrace first at the full-time whistle.

Dudley played just one game the following season, but remained loyal to the Swans during the challenging period that followed.

He won his solitary senior Wales cap against Brazil in 1983, swapping shirts with the Seleção great Socrates after the game.

After leaving the Swans in 1989, he went on to have spells with Huddersfield Town, Halifax Town, Wrexham and Torquay United.

From there he spent a number of years in the Southern, Conference and Welsh leagues, notably serving as player-manager of Llanelli.

Following retirement Dudley became a postman, and worked in the Sketty area of the city for a number of years.

His name will always be indelibly linked with one of the true golden eras in the history of Swansea City, and everyone at the club sends their sincerest condolences to Dudley’s friends and family at this very sad time.