Get the latest Swans news sent straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

For a certain generation of Swansea City fans — some of whom would never countenanced the notion of seeing Premier League football in SA1 — a fixture against Huddersfield Town will conjure memories of an historic afternoon under the twin towers of the old Wembley.

Top-flight survival will be on the agenda at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday, but wind the clock back 24 years and a rare glimpse of silverware was the priority.

The 1990s were a period of highs and lows for the Swans, but the 1994 Autoglass Trophy final would rank firmly in the former category for the club and a stalwart who must rank as one of the finest servants to ever pull on a Swansea jersey.

Goalkeeper Roger Freestone made 702 appearances in total over more than 13 years, and stands second on the all-time list of league appearances for the Welsh club.

He would be the hero of the big day out at Wembley, setting up the Swansea goal and saving the crucial spot-kick in a shoot-out to secure victory over the Terriers.

Here, in his own words, he talks us through the high jinks of his pre-match preparations, the big day itself, and how Swansea were booed off barely 48 hours after lifting the trophy.

Chewing the fat with Martin O’Neill and a dream fulfilled

Swansea City had never played at Wembley in their 82-year history, but a nervy area semi-final triumph over Wycombe Wanderers ensured Frank Burrows’ team would head to the home of English football on Sunday April 24, 1994.

Prince was at number one with ‘The most Beautiful Girl in the World’, Schindler’s List and Mrs Doubtfire were among the recent box office hits and John Major was in 10 Downing Street as 18,000 members of the Jack Army headed to London.

"Playing at Wembley is a dream for any player, but especially in the lower leagues where you never really think it is a possibility.

"In the Autoglass Trophy you started off playing in front of crowds of 500, there was not much interest, but as you go further that develops.

"I remember us playing Wycombe in the area final, Martin O’Neill was their manager and before the second leg he and his staff were in our dressing room just chatting about the game and life in general.

"We had a two-goal lead from the first leg at the Vetch, and then we went away from home for the second leg.

"I think Frank Burrows had a plan to keep it tight and we were 1-0 down in 10 minutes, we were under huge pressure but we hung on.

"It was a great moment for Frank because he had played at Wembley for Swindon in a cup final and he got to go back.

"The atmosphere in the city was amazing, myself and a couple of players used to sit with Myra, Marlene, Heather and Joyce who all used to run the club shop and just watch people coming in for the tickets and memorabilia.

"Being where we were, money was tight and it was great to have that contribute to the club’s coffers. I think Doug Sharp and Robin Sharp were rubbing their hands in glee! It was such a buzz."

Club suits, new tracksuits and dismantling the bus driver’s bed

The sense of anticipation was tangible as the big day neared, both sides were firmly ensconced in mid-table and out of the promotion picture. Victory would be the difference between a successful season and a steady campaign.

There were nerves among many of the squad, who had some novel ways of easing the tension.

"We travelled the day before, myself and Richard Jones were the Newport contingent so we stopped in a chip ship and had a pie and chips before the bus came to pick us up at the Coldra.

"We drove down and went and had a look around Wembley before heading to the hotel.

"We had our club suits for the day, a nice grey number, and new tracksuits. We were treated like royalty.

"We were not used to being treated like superstars, but there was a bit of tension because it was a big day for the club and us as players.

"In the evening John Cornforth and I spent some time with our coach driver Ken, who has passed away now but was an absolutely brilliant character.

"He was disappointed he did not have a tracksuit when everyone else had one, so the gaffer helped to get him one and we gave it him.

"He was walking round the hotel in this black tracksuit with a pair of brown loafers and he thought he was the business.

"He went down for his meal and a couple of beers, so John and I went in and dismantled his bed and took the legs off so when he sat down it would collapse, and we put cling-film over the toilet.

"They were silly things but it just meant your mind was elsewhere and not worried about the game.

"Then we would have a game of cricket in the hallway with a tennis ball outside the rooms, most of the squad were involved. They helped relieve the tension, they were a great bunch of lads. Just spot on.

"My pre-match breakfast was bacon and sausage and everything, so I used to try and hide it from the gaffer and then it was time to get ready."

Glory followed by boos and a rollicking

Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield side were above the Swans in the table, although the Welsh side had a win and draw to their name from the Division Two meetings that season.

Swansea started well, with striker Andy McFarlane open the scoring. But they were pegged back by a Richard Logan's equaliser and it finished 1-1 after extra time.

However, the Swans did not put a foot wrong in the shoot-out. Cornforth, Kwame Ampadu and Steve Torpey all found the net.

For Huddersfield, Graham Mitchell and Phil Starbuck hit the woodwork, before Tom Cowan stepped up needing to beat Freestone to keep the contest going.

"We knew we would be under pressure, Neil Warnock was in charge of Huddersfield and you knew what to expect. The ball would be in the mixer but we coped well and I remember sending that free-kick down the field for Andy McFarlane to latch onto it and score. We had chances before that too.

"I don’t remember much about their equaliser, it is 24 years ago after all, but it got nervy through extra-time and then to penalties.

"All ours were fantastic, John Cornforth, Kwame Ampadu and Steve Torpey took three top-notch penalties.

"They hit the bar and the post and I did not realise, when it came down to it, that the final penalty I saved was the one that won it.

"I looked at the bench and Frank was shouting at me ‘Come on Roger’ but when I kept it out I did not realise it was all over.

"It was only when people started jumping on me I knew we had won. One of the boys was shouting at me ‘We’ve won two grand’ because we had a bonus for winning which was fantastic for us with the money we were on then and there were a few beers on the way home.

"But we had a game against Port Vale at home on the Tuesday after, we lost 1-0 and we were booed off — having won a cup at Wembley just a few days before.

"We had come in on the Monday for a warm down, and on the changing room table the cup was just sitting there. Frank had put it there in the middle of the room, just fantastic.

"But then we lost and he gave us a rollicking."

Turning down QPR and not being paid

Hopes had been high that Swansea would build on the Wembley success and become promotion contenders, instead Burrows would be gone inside 18 months and changes of manager became an increasingly regular occurrence.

Jan Molby would come heartbreakingly close to promotion in 1997, but relegation followed before the Third Division title was claimed in 2000, with Freestone keeping 22 clean sheets along the way. But the feelgood factor would not last.

"Every day was special at Swansea because it was a fantastic football club where people looked after you the best they could.

"Frank was a hard man, but a fair man and I knew his assistant Bobby Smith from my time at Newport.

"We had some difficult times after he left, changing managers every few months it felt like, but I never wanted to leave even when Tony Petty was there and we were not getting paid.

"QPR offered me a lot of money but I was living in Newport, my family were settled. Nick Cusack saw me a couple of days later and said, 'You must be effing mad, but I’m glad you’ve stayed’.

"I did not want to go anywhere, even though we had not been paid. The PFA looked after us, we stuck together.

"I remember we played Exeter on Boxing Day and we had not been paid. Colin Addison was manager, there was no money and on Christmas Eve he called us all in and said he would not blame us if we did not want to play because of what has happened.

"But I think pretty much everybody turned up, we went down there and turned them over 3-0. It showed the spirit in that team. We dug in and got a fantastic result."

A career to savour: "When I close my eyes I still see the Vetch Field”

Freestone still lives in Newport and works as a delivery driver for Tuffnells.

Despite the money that has steadily flowed through all levels of football the now 49-year-old has only fond memories of his near-20-year career.

"The players who played in my era have to work for a living, we were not fortunate enough to make a lot of money out of the game. What I did make went on to my mortgage and spoiling the kids.

"People say to me, ‘I bet you’d love to be playing now’, and I would. But the game has moved on so much that would we have been good enough to play now? That is the question.

"Even the lower league teams are all decent players.

"I am happy, I had my career and I loved it. I had 14 years at Swansea which were the best years of my career.

"I cannot grumble, I got a cap for Wales. Those are the things you dream of, playing at the highest level, playing for your country and playing at Wembley.

"I played at the top level with Chelsea, in the old First Division and I have a Second Division winners’ medal.

"With the Swans I won the Autoglass Trophy and the Third Division, and I played for Wales against Brazil.

"I look back and think there is plenty to tell the grandchildren when they are a bit older. I can say to them ‘you’re grandad was not a bad player’.

"It was special, every time I walked out at the Vetch and saw the two or three thousand hardcore on the North Bank I loved it. I close my eyes and I can see it now, a full house for a night game. It was fantastic.

"It’s great to see the club where it is now, I think guys like Huw Jenkins, Mel Nurse and the board deserve so much credit for what they did after Tony Petty.

"We are an established Premier League club, it’s brilliant.

"I am coming down for the Chelsea game, I try and go down a couple of times a season. I don’t like to ask for anything, the last time I came down was Alan Tate’s testimonial."

Fabianski continuing strong goalkeeping tradition

Freestone still keeps a regular eye out for the results of his old club, and visits the Liberty a couple of times a season.

He has been delighted by the recent turnaround under Carlos Carvalhal and has some warm words of praise for the man who now stands between the sticks for the Swans, Lukasz Fabianski.

"It’s always the same when you have a new manager, it gives you a kick up the backside. We changed manager quite a lot when I played. It puts pressure on players.

"Everyone doubted him when Huw Jenkins employed him, but he has been a breath of fresh air. He has been great with the stuff he comes out with, and he is backing that up with results.

"The confidence is up and they are playing again and that is what we need to go back to, the way we played under Michael Laudrup, Garry Monk, Brendan Rodgers and those guys.

"We want to have the confidence to play football because, until a few years ago, we were one of the best teams to watch in the Premier League. We need to get back to that.

(Image: PA Wire)

"It’s a massive game this weekend, if they get a result there it would be brilliant.

"They have some good players. I think Lukasz Fabianski is fantastic, he has been different class. I think we would have been dead and buried already without him. The amount of saves he makes, his distribution, he is top class.

"He is an international who works hard and I take my hat off to him.

"The game has moved on a lot since I played, these guys are athletes, not footballers. It is completely different.

"We played in a tough old league, it is nothing like it is today. You knew you were going to get a battering every weekend, but Lukasz has been fantastic and long may it continue."