South Wales derby | Vetch Visits
With the first South Wales derby of the season fast approaching, we take a look back at some of our most memorable trips to the former home of our Welsh rivals...
Early encounters
The first South Wales derby to take place at the Vetch Field was on 7th September 1912, with the two sides playing out a 1-1 draw in front of 8,000 spectators.
Jack Burton became City's inaugural derby goalscorer, netting for the Bluebirds in a 1-1 draw. The forward made 68 appearances and scored 25 goals during his days at Ninian Park, between 1911 and 1914.
City would have to wait eleven years for their first victory in Swansea, defeating the hosts 3-2 in a Welsh Cup Semi-Final tie in April 1923.
Joe Clennell was the Bluebirds' hero on that occasion, scoring a brace to secure victory, alongside club legend Len Davies' strike.
City would return to the Vetch Field to contest the Final, defeating Aberdare Athletic 3-2 to lift the Welsh Cup for the fourth time and retain the title they won in 1921/22.
Post-war wins
The Bluebirds enjoyed three consecutive victories at the home of the Swans in the late '50s and early 60's, triumphing in both league and Cup encounters.
In December 1957, a solitary goal from Colin Hudson handed Trevor Morris' side a Division Two win, in front of 19,483 supporters in West Wales.
Another triumph followed in 1959, with City running out as 3-1 winners. George Kelly, who made just eight appearances for the Club, scored a brace to defeat the Swans, with an own-goal from Mel Nurse confirming the victory.
A year later, the Bluebirds completed their trio of wins with a victory in the Welsh Cup. Yet another own goal played a part in determining the contest; Alan Wood was the Swansea player who put through his own net, aiding Harry Knowles' strike.
Cardiff City's largest win at the Vetch came in 1967, when the Bluebirds produced an emphatic 4-0 win over our South Wales rivals. In the Fifth Round of the Welsh Cup, goals from Bernard Lewis, Gregory Farrell and George Johnston (2) saw City progress comfortably into the next round of the competition.
Final fixtures
In the mid-to-late-1990s, the Bluebirds contested what would prove to be the final derbies at the Vetch Field, with the Swans moving to their new home ground in 2005.
In 1995, Paul Millar scored one of the all-time great derby goals to give City a narrow victory in a scrappy Welsh Cup contest.
Spotting Swansea goalkeeper Roger Freestone off his line, the City forward struck a looping effort from the far touchline, which flew into the top corner and gave Eddie May's team the win.
Cardiff-born Simon Howarth scored the final-ever Cardiff City winner at the Vetch in March 1997, tapping home from close range in a Third Division tie for his fifth goal in eight games.
Swansea's David Penney had the chance to level from the spot, but put his effort wide of goal - and struck a photographer who was sitting next to the goal.
In total, the Bluebirds were victorious on 17 occasions at the Vetch Field, with 10 draws.
