Frank Swift

Frank Swift is considered one of, if not the best goalkeeper of the 1930s, he was also a Manchester City legend.

553

Games

Goals Conceded

Clean Sheets

Trophies

1933/49 Manchester City (ENG) 510 games

1939/45 Aldershot (ENG) (Guest) 12 games

1939/40 Liverpool FC (ENG) (Guest) 2 games

1941/42 Charlton Athletic (ENG) (Guest) 1 game

1942/43 Fulham (ENG) (Guest) 5 games

1942/43 Reading (ENG) (Guest) 4 games

With the National Team :

19 caps

(Friendly matches: 19 caps)

1st cap: September 28, 1946 against Northern Ireland (7-2)

Last cap: May 18, 1949 against Norway (4-1)

Frank Victor Swift

Born December 26, 1913 in Blackpool (ENG)

Died February 6, 1958 in Munich (GER)

English, Goalkeeper, 1m89

A legendary goalkeeper in the English championship

Frank Swift was born on December 26, 1913 in Blackpool, England. He began his football career in 1932 after joining Manchester City, who were the first to offer him a contract despite interest from many other English clubs. First in the reserve team, he joined the first team the following season.

Since the goalkeepers were not performing well, he played his first professional match on December 25, 1933, a match in which he conceded 4 goals, the next day he played the return match and won the match without conceding a single goal, a 2-0 victory for his birthday. After this match, he became the club's starting goalkeeper for more than 200 consecutive matches, a record!

One of the best goalkeepers in the world

In a team that could live through the best and worst, he reached the FA Cup final in 1934 and this time, with his new goalkeeper, the club won the competition 2-1 against Portsmouth. Swift was then the youngest and inexperienced player in the team, not knowing whether to wear gloves or not in poor weather, the player would have finally followed the choice of not wearing gloves like the Portsmouth goalkeeper. Nervous, he conceded the first goal of the match, at half-time, he collapsed in the dressing room, feeling responsible because of his choice not to wear gloves. After two goals from his team, Swift made a good end to the match and at the final whistle, he would have fainted from emotion.

Subsequently, he won the English championship in 1937 and the Community Shield at the same time. He gradually became one of the best goalkeepers in the world and ranked among the best goalkeepers of all time. But in the season after the title, the team was relegated to the English second division, a shock for the club that had just been champion.

A goalkeeper who retired at the top

The Second World War slowed down the goalkeeper's career although he continued to play football in a special championship. After the Second World War, Manchester City won the English second division championship with a sparkling Swift who set a club record: 17 clean sheets in 35 games. A record that stood until 1985.

In 1949, when the goalkeeper was 35 years old and still one of the best goalkeepers in the world, he decided to end his career. With the England national team, he played a total of 19 games.