Leon Britton targets double over CCFC / Recent fixtures

Tuesday 29th Oct 2013.


Leon Britton insists Swansea City are primed to record a historic derby double over Cardiff in a clash which he has labelled the “fast and furious”, writes Phil Cadden.

Neither South Wales rivals have managed to achieve success both home and away in the same season since the first meeting 101 years ago.

But, after three games unbeaten in eight days for Michael Laudrup’s men at the Liberty Stadium, experienced derby campaigner Britton claims back-to-back Premier League wins over their deadliest enemies would be sweet.

Britton said: “The record still stands that no team has done the double over each other in history and both clubs would love to do that.

“But it’s not as easy as just saying that as away from home at Cardiff will be very tough.

“It would be great if we can do the double. But we will just concentrate on one game which is next Sunday, try and do well and get a positive result.

“We go into the derby in decent form. We spoke about last week being a big and good week for us.

“We started off well with a win over Sunderland and then had two draws against Kuban Krasnodar and West Ham.

“We didn’t get the maximum points we wanted but it wasn’t the worst week.

“But derby games are very different. It’s like a cup final.

“It’s not like a league game. Sometimes it’s crazy. It can be hard to control the game as it is so fast and furious at times.

“They are great occasions to be involved in with great atmospheres. We’re all looking forward to it.”

Gallery: Iconic images from the South Wales derby


It all began in 1912 - the first ever derby between Cardiff City and Swansea Town. Here's the match programme from that historic day

The Western Mail report from the first South Wales derby in 1912. The match finished 1-1

A wonderful picture of a player who crossed the South Wales divide during his career. Mel Charles began his professional career with the Swans in 1952, later joining local rivals Cardiff in 1962.Here is Charles in the blue of Cardiff during the 1962 derby at Ninian Park which the Bluebirds won 5-2

Here's a legend of the game if ever there was one. Swansea's Cliff Jones looks to breakaway from Cardiff's Charlie Rutter during the 0-0 draw at Ninian Park on 24th August, 1957

A classic snap from the archive as Cardiff's Brian Walsh sends in a low drive which puts the visitors three goals up at the Vetch Field in the Division Two clash in 1960. Brave Swansea fought back to draw the game 3-3. From the left - Mel Nurse, Brian Walsh, Dixie Hale, Dai Thomas and John King, the Swansea goalkeeper

This great snap from the 1960 match shows Swans star Brayley Reynolds beat the Cardiff City keeper, but his shot was cleared off the line

A big Ninian Park battle in 1963. Cardiff City's Barrie Hole and Swansea's Eddie Thomas in a duel for the ball during their 1-1 draw

Press attention may be seen as a more recent annoyance to football clubs but this pic shows it's certainly nothing new...Cardiff City manager Jimmy Scoular tries to hide the face of centre half Don Murray from press photographers after being sent off against Swansea Town during a Welsh Cup game at Ninian Park in 1966

A slightly different one here, but some well-know faces all the same....Peter King holds the John Charles Trophy high to show the crowd after beating Swansea Town in the final of the Welsh Soccer Sixes at Ninian Park - Left to Right - Don Murrary, Bobby Brown, John Toshack, Ronnie Bird, Peter King and Bob Wilson - 28th May 1967

Here's a big Welsh Cup tie of note. Tony Millington comes under pressure from Cardiff's Don Murray in the Welsh Cup semi-final at the Vetch in 1970

How about these for club legends....This one from the 1980 folder of our archive shows Cardiff's Phil Dwyer tussling with Swansea's David Giles. Former Cardiff City star John Toshack is close behind.

In 1981, Peter Kithcen was the hero for Cardiff as he headed home an equaliser after Leighton James had put the Swans in front at the Vetch. The game finished 1-1

A great action shot here...Nigel Vaughan beats Swansea City goalkeeper Mike Hughes with a shot which went crashing into the net to give Cardiff City a 1-0 victory in the local derby on the 26th December 1985

With both sides relegated to Division Four by the late eighties, a 2-2 draw was fought out at the Vetch in January, 1988. Here, Cardiff City goalkeeper Scott Endersby and defender Terry Boyle can only watch as Paul Raynor's shot finds the net for the Swans.

Every derby needs a hero...This snap shows Cardiff City goalkeeper George Wood (Right) saving a penalty against Swansea City during the Littlewoods Cup First Round (First Leg) match a Ninian Park, Cardiff, in August, 1988. Cardiff would go on to win the tie 2-1 on aggregate

No Cardiff or Swansea fan would ever complain about the Premier League status they currently enjoy, but the days when the Welsh Cup was a big deal undoubtedly have a certain charm. Here, Cardiff City captain Terry Boyle holds the Welsh Cup aloft at the Vetch Field in May, 1988.

1993 saw the unsavoury side of this fixture explode in 'The Battle of Ninian Park'. This picture shows a strong police presence on the pitch before the match which was played just three days before Christmas

Trouble flares as seats are torn up and thrown at Ninian Park on a dark day for the derby

A derby day snap of a Swansea City legend...Roger Freestone, pictured here in 2002 with Cardiff's Leo Fortune-West, tops the derby appearance list with 19

Remember this chap? Steve Jenkins is one of a select group of players to represent both clubs. Here he is tangling with Cohen Griffith in 1995. He joined Cardiff for an unsuccessful spell in 2003.

Some players seeing red next...A picture that perfectly sums up that moment of realisation when you've done something rather stupid...Nearly 10 years without a derby clearly had an effect on Cardiff City's Stephen McPhail when the two sides met in the League Cup on September 23, 2008. He was dismissed for two bookable offences as Swansea won the match 1-0

That dark side again...Eight people were arrested at that derby, which saw fans clash with police after the final whistle. Officers from South Wales Police had missiles thrown at them during attempts to keep rival supporters apart.

He'll have an important role to play on Sunday, and he won't want to repeat this. Here, Swansea's Leon Britton is shown the red card in the 2-2 Championship draw in November, 2008

That first League derby of the 21st century was a 2-2 thriller but another day to forget for Cardiff's captain Steve McPhail. Here, the Irishman strikes that despairing pose again as he is dismissed for two bookable offences. Manager Dave Jones was to criticise his skipper after that match, saying: 'He probably cost us the three points'

Controversy has never been too far away in the South Wales derby, and in 2009 the fixture hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons as referee Mike Dean was hit by a coin apparently meant for Swans midfielder Jordi Gomez. This picture shows the blood pouring from Dean's head

This was the scene during the match as police surround Cardiff's fans following a goal in the derby

A picture here that captures the edge and the passion of the South Wales derby as a tattooed, and topless Swansea fan leads the chants at Cardiff City Stadium in 2010

Let's finish by taking a look at the more recent derby action on the pitch...


September 23, 2008,Carling Cup: Swansea 1 (Gomez 57) Cardiff 0

Spanish loan star Gomez handed Swansea deserved bragging rights after Cardiff wilted under the pressure of the derby atmosphere, the midfielder’s deflected free-kick winning the day. Stephen McPhail was sent off to compound Cardiff’s misery and delight Swansea fans who had spent the previous nine years left looking up at the Bluebirds, boss Roberto Martinez labelling it a special night for fans.

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Nov 30 2008, Championship: Swansea 2 (Pratley 19, Pintado 61) Cardiff 2 (Ledley 45, McCormack 48pen)

The first league meeting between the sides in a decade ended all-square after Gorka Pintado’s volley from a corner in a thrilling clash. McPhail was sent off once more for a double booking - joined by Leon Britton in the dying seconds of the game - but only after Swansea had taken a lead worthy of early play when Darren Pratley finished from Jason Scotland’s pull-back. Cardiff countered with a double sucker-punch, boyhood Bluebird punishing a weak Dorus de Vries clearance just before the break before Scot Ross McCormack made no mistake from the spot after the hapless Fede Bessone’s foul on Michael Chopra. Pintado levelled but then blew the chance to beat Peter Enckleman for a winner.

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April 5 2009, Championship: Cardiff 2 (Chopra 54, McCormack 90pen) Swansea 2 (Dyer 11, Allen 88)

The last ever derby at Ninian Park and, as we've mentioned, certainly one of the most controversial after referee Mike Dean was struck and cut by a coin thrown from a Cardiff supporter. Swansea had already taken the lead by that stage when Nathan Dyer was allowed to fire home Jason Scotland’s pass from inside the box, but Cardiff rallied and grabbed a deserved leveller when Michael Chopra pounced from close range to finish a Jay Bothroyd pass. Dorus de Vries kept Swansea in the game and the visitors looked to have won it when sub Joe Allen smashed his first goal from the club with two minutes remaining with a sweetly struck shot from outside the box. But there was one last twist as Ashley Williams was perhaps harshly adjudged to have felled Ross McCormack in meeting a late high ball into the box, the Scot making the most of the opportunity from the spot before Swans sub Tom Butler was sent off for dismissal after the final whistle.

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Nov 7 2009, Championship Liberty Stadium: Swansea 3 (Dyer 9, Pratley 16, Pratley 61) Cardiff 2 (Bothroyd 32, Hudson 35)

Another game that lived up to the hype as Swansea raced into a two-goal lead, the hosts running riot as Nathan Dyer headed the first before Pratley volleyed home a second for an early two-goal lead. But Bothroyd beat the offside trap to punish Swansea with Cardiff’s first real chance before Hudson headed home from a McCormack free-kick three minutes later to level. Still, Swansea grabbed the victory when Pratley timed his run to meet Bessone’s cross with Paulo Sousa’s side surviving a late Cardiff onslaught for the victory.

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April 3 2010, Championship: Cardiff 2 (Chopra 42,90+2) Swansea 1 (Orlandi 28)

Swansea looked on course for the first double in the fixture when Andrea Orlandi somehow snuck home an opener when his curling corner made its way past David Marsall and into the back of the net. But Chopra ended a three-month goal drought when he got on the end of a Bothroyd free-kick to set-up a tense finale for the two play-off hopefuls. Swansea thought they had won it only for Marsall to deny sub Shefki Kuqi with a wonder stop, setting up Chorpa’s heroics when he latched onto Aaron Wildig’s late ball for the injury-time party.

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Nov 7 2010, Championship: Cardiff 0 Swansea 1 (Emnes 75)

Brendan Rodgers’ men showed their class with a dominant display at Cardiff City Stadium, rewarded when Middlesbrough loan striker Marvin Emnes wrote his name into Swansea folklore with a egde-of-the-box winner 15 minutes from time. With Joe Allen outstanding, Swansea had made a mockery of Cardiff’s favourites tag before Emnes got enough room from defenders before firing home. Dorus de Vries kept out Bellamy with the Bluebirds’ best chance but the result piled the pressure on Cardiff boss Dave Jones and kept Swans’ promotion hopes alive.

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Feb 6 2011, Championship: Swansea 0 Cardiff 1 (Bellamy 85)

Craig Bellamy cemented his cult status at Cardiff with one of the best goals in South Wales derby history to give the Bluebirds a win. Cardiff gave one of their best performances of the season, inspired by loan men Bellamy and Aaron Ramsey, to nullify Swansea’s midfield threat . And when Scott Sinclair missed chances to take the lead, Bellamy’s brilliance to lose Angel Rangel and curl home from distance after a one-two with Ramsey won the day in some style.



Britton, in his 10th season at Swansea, knows better than most what to expect when both sides emerge from the tunnel at the Cardiff City Stadium for the televised 4pm kick-off on Sunday.

But the diminutive midfielder will tell Swansea’s foreign stars including Michu what is required from them in an encounter which he hopes will remain on the Premier League calendar for years to come.

Britton added: “We know what this game means. There are obviously a lot of new players at the club since the last derby, but there are a few of us who remain.

“We can relay to the other lads what the game means to the football club, the fans and the city.

“To be fair, the Spanish lads have played in derby matches over there so they are used to it.

“But in the build-up we will let the new players know how much it means.

“The games in the Championship were fantastic and it’s great for Welsh football that this is the first derby in the top-flight.

“We want that to carry on for the next five to 10 years and have both clubs in the Premier League because it’s fantastic for the young kids and fans to watch and support their local team rather than the big clubs like Manchester United or Liverpool.

“It will be a great occasion on the television and should be a fantastic game.

“They are greats days but only when you win. Equally it’s a bad day when you lose.”

The 31-year-old has a mixed personal derby record with two wins, draws and defeats in his six appearances which also includes a rare red card for a second bookable offence following a late lunge on Kevin McNaughton in November 2008. Britton, recalling his derby memories said: “We’ve had great games, wins and fantastic memories.

“But we’ve had some horrible ones as well.

“I remember the last derby at the Liberty when (Craig) Bellamy scored a cracking goal and (Michael) Chopra scored a late winner at Cardiff once.

“There have been a few sending offs, but in the derby games I’ve played in they have been pretty good and not too much trouble.

“There’s been the odd sending off, but they have usually been for two yellow cards rather than straight reds.

“The main thing is you want 11 players on the pitch to give you the best chance to win.”

Skipper Ashley Williams returned in the goalless draw with West Ham on Sunday and Britton believes the centre-back’s comeback is a major boost for Swansea this weekend.

“It’s great to have him back,” he said.

“He’s a very experienced player and our captain. Jordi (Amat) and Chico (Flores) have done very well in his absence, but to have the captain back was a big boost for us.

“He needed 90 minutes under his belt going into the Cardiff game.”

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the only thing double those c*nts will be having is double substituations when they are 2-0 down with half hour to go

WE'LL SEE. Fraggle kunt is in for a shock

In fairness to the lad he hasn't stated anything resembling to what the 'journalist' has suggested!

The gypsy king

The Spanish lads played in derbies? Laughable as they are nothing special.

The Spanish lads played in derbies? Laughable as they are nothing special.

You've not watched Betis v Seville? A real bitter derby that one. Canas and Medel have faced each other in that game.

The Spanish lads played in derbies? Laughable as they are nothing special.

You've not watched Betis v Seville? A real bitter derby that one. Canas and Medel have faced each other in that game.

Most of them are petty and not really exciting for fans etc.

I have watched it a few seasons ago Seville v Betis but didn't see too exciting and the atmo was quite poor.

But a few of your players won't fully understand this one if they haven't been in any hyped ones like ours.

The Spanish lads played in derbies? Laughable as they are nothing special.

You've not watched Betis v Seville? A real bitter derby that one. Canas and Medel have faced each other in that game.

Most of them are petty and not really exciting for fans etc.

I have watched it a few seasons ago Seville v Betis but didn't see too exciting and the atmo was quite poor.

But a few of your players won't fully understand this one if they haven't been in any hyped ones like ours.

Last seasons Seville v Betis derby was tasty. Betis losing 0-3 and equalize in the dying seconds to finish it 3-3. Scorer flips the bird to the crowd. Medel gets sent off after an altercation with Canas. Best game I saw all last season.

Jordi Amat has played in the Barca v Espanyol derby, Michu the Madrid derbies for Rayo v Athletico and Real (not that tense), De Guizman has played in a pretty fierce one Feyenoord v Ajax, Pablo Hernandez has played in a lot of big games for Valencia too.

We also have a lot more players than you who have played in this derby (Angel, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Dyer, Monk (he won't play) plus the likes of Alan Curtis will be drumming it into them all this week as well. I would add Routledge - not sure if he has played against us in this fixture or not.

Just looking back at recent results - we always seem to beat you in November and lose in April. hmmmm

Who doesn't target to win every single game they play.

The Spanish lads played in derbies? Laughable as they are nothing special.

You've not watched Betis v Seville? A real bitter derby that one. Canas and Medel have faced each other in that game.

Most of them are petty and not really exciting for fans etc.

I have watched it a few seasons ago Seville v Betis but didn't see too exciting and the atmo was quite poor.

But a few of your players won't fully understand this one if they haven't been in any hyped ones like ours.

Last seasons Seville v Betis derby was tasty. Betis losing 0-3 and equalize in the dying seconds to finish it 3-3. Scorer flips the bird to the crowd. Medel gets sent off after an altercation with Canas. Best game I saw all last season.

Jordi Amat has played in the Barca v Espanyol derby, Michu the Madrid derbies for Rayo v Athletico and Real (not that tense), De Guizman has played in a pretty fierce one Feyenoord v Ajax, Pablo Hernandez has played in a lot of big games for Valencia too.

We also have a lot more players than you who have played in this derby (Angel, Williams, Taylor, Britton, Dyer, Monk (he won't play) plus the likes of Alan Curtis will be drumming it into them all this week as well. I would add Routledge - not sure if he has played against us in this fixture or not.

Just looking back at recent results - we always seem to beat you in November and lose in April. hmmmm

Hernandez, Amat and Michu the derbies they play aren't big with fans like it is with us. Alan Curtis will need to certainty drum it into them for you lot otherwise their mind set won't be correct

I remember listening to the 2009 draw at Ninian Park on the radio in work, and remembering Ian Holloway (co-commentating) referring to Britton as 'Little Britton'...