Frank Swift

Frank Victor Swift (26 December 1913 – 6 February 1958) was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England.

He conceded four goals in his debut at the Baseball Ground on 25 December, but in the return match the next day, his 20th birthday, he kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 win.

After making his debut, Swift played in every first team match for more than four seasons, a run of more than 200 consecutive matches.

Despite inconsistency, Manchester City were one of the stronger sides of the 1930s, and in Swift's first season the club reached the FA Cup final for the second successive year.

This period saw football match attendances reach an all-time high.

During the cup run Swift played in front of 84,569 people for Stoke City's visit to Maine Road, a record attendance for an English club ground which still stands today.

Hillsborough's attendance record of 72,841 (receipts £5,566) was also set by City during this Cup run.

The semi-final, against cup favourites Aston Villa, ended in a 6–1 victory, a record for an FA Cup semi-final.

In the final, Manchester City faced Portsmouth.

Swift, the youngest and most inexperienced of the team, was nervous.

As the playing surface was wet, he was unsure whether or not to wear gloves.

Seeing Portsmouth goalkeeper Jock Gilfillan take to the field without gloves, he decided to follow suit.

Portsmouth took the lead in the first half through a Septimus Rutherford shot.

At half time Swift slumped in the dressing room, blaming himself and his decision not to wear gloves for the goal.

Forward Fred Tilson attempted to improve Swift's spirits by telling him not to worry as he would "plonk two in next half".

Tilson duly scored two second half goals, the second with less than five minutes remaining.

A tense finish followed, in which a photographer behind Swift's goal gave regular updates of the time remaining.

At the final whistle, Swift was so overcome with emotion that he fainted.

After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.

Initially signed as an amateur in October 1932, eighteen-year-old Swift turned professional the following month, receiving a wage of ten shillings (50p) per week.

The following December he was called up to the first team, having previously made only three reserve team appearances.

At this time, goalkeeper was an unsettled position for Manchester City.

Swift broke into the Manchester City first team in 1933, taking part in the club's run to the 1934 FA Cup Final, where the club triumphed 2–1 against Portsmouth.

Three years later Swift won a League Championship medal, after playing in every match of Manchester City's championship-winning season.

War denied Swift several years of playing in his prime, though during wartime he was chosen to represent his country in international matches.

Len Langford had made over 100 appearances and had appeared in the 1933 FA Cup Final, which City lost 3–0 to Everton.

He missed the final game of the 1932–33 season and the opening match of 1933–34, but went on to play 18 consecutive League games before injury on 16 December 1933 ended his time as City's first choice.

Langford's replacement for the following game was James Nicholls, but he endured a torrid time as Manchester City lost 8–0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Consequently, Swift was given an opportunity for the Christmas double-header against Derby County.

His only absence prior to the suspension of football due to World War II was a single match in September 1938, where without Swift, Manchester City lost 6–1 at home to Millwall.

Though Swift quickly established himself as a fixture in the Manchester City first team line-up, his performances were not all positive.

In one of his early matches, against West Bromwich Albion, Swift conceded seven goals.

This led Swift to believe he would not be picked again, but with Langford unavailable due to a knee injury, Swift kept his place.

After the war he made his competitive international debut, playing 19 internationals between 1946 and 1949.

Swift retired in 1949, taking up a career in journalism as a football correspondent for the News of the World.

He died, aged 44, in the Munich air disaster after reporting on Manchester United's European Cup match against Red Star Belgrade.

Born in Blackpool, a coastal town in north-west England, Swift's first club was Blackpool Gas Works, where he worked as a coke-keeper.

A spell at nearby Fleetwood followed, during which Swift attracted interest from a number of Football League clubs.

Potential suitors included Blackpool (where Frank's elder brother Fred was the goalkeeper), Blackburn Rovers, Bradford City and Manchester City.

The first to offer Swift a contract were Manchester City, who played in the First Division, the highest level of English football.