20 December 1985 - Swansea Sinks To A New Low

On 20 December 1985, the once high-flying Swansea City hit a new low, receiving a formal winding up order. Only quick work from a local businessman saved the club from dissolution.

Founded in 1912 as Swansea Town, the Welsh club joined England's Southern League one year later. In 1920, they moved to the newly-created Third Division of the English Football League and spent the majority of their existence moving among the lower tiers. Their fortunes took a positive turn in 1978 with the appointment of 28-year old manager John Toshack, the youngest manager in the league at the time.

Toshack led them to three promotions in four seasons, taking them all the way from the Fourth Division to the First. Once there, they even held the league's top spot for several weeks before finishing in sixth place at the end of their first top-flight season. The success didn't last, however, and they fell as quickly as they had risen, suffering three relegations in four seasons to end up back in Division Four for the 1986-87 season. Toshack received his dismissal in 1984.

But the real low point came in December 1985, as financial problems led the High Court to issue a formal order winding the club up for an inability to pay its debts. With the club poised for liquidation, local businessman Doug Sharpe intervened. He took over as owner and quickly came up with a business plan to forestall the club's dissolution. In response, the court granted permission to the club to continue.

They then began the long road back to the top flight, culminating in promotion to the Premier League for the 2011-12 season.

10 June 1976 - The Behavior Was Bad, But Those Kits Were Worse

On 10 June 1976, UEFA banned Wales from participating in the European Championships because of crowd violence during a qualifier against Yugoslavia at Ninian Park. Initially intended to last until 1982, the ban was softened later that year.

Wales and Yugoslavia had met at Ninian Park on 22 May to play the second leg of their qualification match for that year's European Championship, with a spot in the tournament semifinals at stake. Yugoslavia had won the first leg 2-0, so the pressure was on Wales to overturn the deficit. Unfortunately for the hosts, referee Rudi Glöckner awarded a penalty to Yugoslavia in the 19th minute (replays suggested that the Yugoslavian player had dived). Josip Katalinksi duly converted the spot-kick, giving Wales an even greater mountain to climb.

A ray of hope arrived in the form of Welsh defender Ian Evans, who found a 38th-minute equalizer. Then, shortly after the break, John Toshack put the ball in the net with an acrobatic overhead kick. Glöckner, however, ruled that Toshack's play was dangerous and disallowed the goal, sending the 30,000 home supporters into a frenzy. They threw beer bottles at the referee and several fans tried to scale the fencing surrounding the pitch.

The situation grew worse for Wales. Glöckner disallowed another Toshack goal as offside, then Terry Yorath missed a penalty kick. The match ended 1-1, sending Yugoslavia through with an aggregate score of 3-1. At the final whistle, Glöckner needed an escort of 16 policemen to get off the pitch, while one spectator hurled a corner flag that stabbed an officer in the neck.

Four months after issuing the ban, UEFA lifted it to allow Wales' participation in the 1980 European Championship, but directed that no matches could be played at Ninian Park.

18 February 1998 - The Death Of Robbie James

On 18 February 1998, Llanelli player-manager Robbie James collapsed and died during a match against Porthcawl Town. He was 40 years old.

Born in Swansea in 1957, James spent the first nine seasons of his career with his hometown club, Swansea City, joining them in 1973. At the time, the Swans were in the Welsh Third Division and quickly slipped down to the Fourth Division. But the arrival of new manager John Toshack in March 1978 heralded a reversal of fortune and James, described by The Independent as "an indefatigably competitive attacking midfielder," proved instrumental in taking them all the way to the top flight for the 1981-82 season.

After making 394 league appearances (and scoring 99 goals) for Swansea, James left in 1983 for Stoke City (1983-84), then QPR (1984-87) and Leicester (1987-88) before returning to Swansea in 1988. They were back in the Fourth Division, but James once again lifted them to the Third Division. But he moved again in 1990, spending time with Bradford City and Cardiff City before moving to non-league side Merthyr Tydfill, then landing at Llanelli as player-manager.

He was playing for Llanelli against Porthcawl Town when he collapsed and died from a heart attack. The Independent reported that "To the very last he played the game the only way he knew how, with every ounce of his being."

Over the course of his career, he made 782 league appearances, scoring 133 goals and winning five Welsh Cups.