Swansea City mourns the passing of Kenny Jackett

Swansea City is in mourning following the passing of the club's former manager Kenny Jackett at the age of just 64.

Kenny spent nearly three years in charge of the Swans between 2004 and 2007, and was responsibile for starting the club on its remarkable rise from the bottom tier to the top-flight.

His first season at the helm was the final campaign at the Vetch Field, and he guided the Swans to promotion from League Two and FAW Premier Cup success to give the club's former home an ideal send-off.

He came agonisingly close to back-to-back promotions, with Swansea losing on penalties to Barnsley in the League One play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Earlier that season they had won the EFL Trophy with a 2-1 victory over Carlisle United at the same venue, and they would retain the FAW Premier Cup with another final win over Wrexham.

Kenny was born in Watford in January 1962 to a father, Frank, who had played for Watford and he would be synonymous with the Hornets during his own playing career.

A skillful left footed player, he was part of the Watford side under Grayham Taylor who won promotion to the First Division, and they went on to finish as runners-up to Liverpool in the top-flight and reach the 1984 FA Cup final.

Due to his father’s land of birth, Kenny was eligible to represent Wales on the international stage. He made his debut in 1982 against Norway and played his final game in April 1988 in a friendly  defeat to Sweden. 

All in all the player featured 31 times for Wales, with only injury problems preventing him from adding to his tally. 

Those injury problems forced Kenny to hang up his boots at the age of just 28 and he moved into coaching at Vicarage Road.

In addition to his time at the Swans, Kenny’s managerial career took in spells with Watford, Portsmouth, Wolves, Rotherham United, Millwall and Leyton Orient and he was always known as a man of integrity and a strong, measured approach to working with and developing players.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, but our club and the game of football as a whole has been all the better for his presence. He will always have a special place in the hearts of Swansea fans, and his place in the history of our club is not in doubt.

Swansea City sends its sincerest condolences to Kenny’s family and friends at this sad time, and the club will look to remember and pay tribute to Kenny when we are all together again at the start of the 2026-27 season.