By David Williams
Russell Martin has revealed how the club’s kit man found the words that inspired Swansea City to earn their historic “double Double” win over Cardiff City.
Michael Eames – the club’s first team kit manager who learned his trade at the club under his mother, Suzan, who did the job for 26 years – delivered the team talk before the Swans won another dramatic derby match, 3-2, at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Wales defender Ben Cabango struck from close range in the ninth minute of stoppage time in the Welsh capital.
Jay Fulton put a late free-kick into the Cardiff wall and then struck a post with a shot on the rebound.
The ball ricocheted to Cabango, who slid home the winner in front of disbelieving home fans and delirious travelling supporters.
It appeared the Bluebirds had stopped a rot of three successive derby defeats after goals from Sory Kaba and Jaden Philogene cancelled out Joel Piroe and Liam Cullen’s efforts that put the Swans 2-0 ahead after 33 minutes.
99th minute winner 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rZ740vtiIj
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) April 1, 2023
But you now have to go back to March 2021 for the last time the Bluebirds prevailed against their bitter rivals – a 1-0 win on enemy soil under the stewardship of manager Mick McCarthy.
Cabango’s winner ensured Swansea made more derby history, becoming the first team to win the fixture four times in a row, and winning three away games at Cardiff in a row for the first time ever.
And Martin could not hide the pride and elation of a quite remarkable afternoon.
“I think it is the most memorable (derby win) yet,” said Martin, who said kit man Eames had addressed the players in the dressing room before kick-off.
“We played really well in the first half, we came away from home and we had the best moments.
“If we don’t concede a really poor goal just after scoring, then I think it is a very different game.
“But to show the courage and character we did after it went to 2-2, I am really grateful to the players, and to the supporters who made so much noise for our team after they scored.
“I would not want that every week for the heart rate, but the emotion at the end was incredible.
SCENES. pic.twitter.com/XuEBxyWuAz
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) April 1, 2023
“I am so proud of the players, they were so brave. I know I talk about courage a lot, but the way we ask them to play and how they have come through this period, I don’t think it can be understated.
“You could see how together everyone is, with the substitutes, squad players and staff all together on the pitch.
“It means a lot, I am really grateful to share that special moment with this group of people at this football club, which we love working for.”
The result will not have a huge impact on the mid-table Swans’ season but it leaves Cardiff tangled up in a desperate fight for their Championship lives.
The Bluebirds are only above the relegation zone on goal difference with seven matches remaining.
Cardiff City v Swansea City
99th minute winner
Home fans in the foreground
Away fans in the background
Just brilliant pic.twitter.com/kRD1h0OcAY— Edward Walker (@edward_w97) April 1, 2023
Cardiff manager Sabri Lamouchi said: “When you start the game this way and when you finish the game this way, you can be upset, disappointed, complain, maybe, because maybe we paid the price for some mistakes in the beginning, one or two goals, easy.
“We can’t concede this foul. We can’t concede this goal in the last minute. So no complaints. Just a cruel scenario.
“Five goals in a derby is a lot of goals. Unfortunately it was not in our favour. We came back into the game with a fantastic goal from Jaden [Philogene] before the break.
“It was a chance to come back into the game with a different mentality and a different quality. We pressed them a little bit better, with no mistake at the beginning in the second.
“[Sory] Kaba scored another goal and I was thinking it was an important goal, but we finished as you know. Over 95 minutes, we need to keep the ball, put the ball away, the small details.”