Alan Thomas Curtis (born 16 April 1954) is a former Wales international footballer, who played as a forward; he is currently the honorary club president of Swansea City.
He began his career with Swansea City in 1972, and spent the next seven years with the "Swans", winning promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1977–78 and out of the Third Division in 1978–79. He was then sold on to Leeds United, but struggled in the First Division and was sold back to Swansea in 1980. He helped Swansea to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1980–81, but a period of decline for the club followed and he moved on to Southampton in November 1983. He played on loan at Stoke City towards the end of the 1985–86 season, before he joined Cardiff City in the summer. He helped the "Bluebirds" to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1987–88 and to also win the 1987–88 Welsh Cup. He made another return to Swansea during the 1989–90 campaign, and later ended his career with Barry Town, winning the Welsh Cup in 1994.
During his career he also represented Wales, scoring six goals in 35 international games. After retiring as a player he spent many years on the backroom staff at Swansea City, and has had several spells as a caretaker-manager.
Club career
Swansea City He was born in Pentre, Rhondda on 16 April 1954 to Tydfil and Albert Curtis, a factory worker and coal miner respectively. His uncle, Roy Paul, was a Wales international footballer. He had an unsuccessful trial at Manchester United as a 13-year-old. He represented Rhondda Schools, where he was spotted by Swansea City and offered a trial. He chose to remain at his local Grammar school and pass his A-levels before going to Vetch Field for a trial in 1972, by which time he had already won a Wales under-18 cap.
Manager Roy Bentley handed him his debut in the Football League in a 3–1 defeat to Southend United at Roots Hall in August 1972. Though he did not have an extended run in the first team he did end the 1972–73 campaign with 14 appearances to his name. The team performed poorly, and a change of manager from Bentley to Harry Gregg could not prevent City being relegated out of the Third Division.
Despite being retained by Gregg, Curtis had to work as a builder's apprentice during the summer of 1973 to supplement his low income. Despite the arrival of John Charles as a coach and Herbie Way's promotion to player-coach, Gregg continued the physical style of football favoured by Bentley that did not suit Curtis well. Regardless of being ill-suited to this approach Curtis established himself as a first-team regular and made 40 appearances in the 1973–74 season. Gregg left Swansea midway through the 1974–75 campaign, and new manager Harry Griffiths insisted on playing a pass-and-move style of football. Initial results were poor, and the club had to apply for re-election after finishing 22nd at the end of the campaign.
Griffiths switched Curtis from his usual outside-left to a centre-forward position during the 1975–76 campaign, and the move worked out so well that he remained a striker for the remainder of his career. He claimed nine goals in 43 games, as Swansea improved to an 11th-place finish. He scored 17 goals in 53 appearances during the 1976–77 campaign, but Swansea missed out on promotion after finishing one point behind Bradford City despite boasting the highest goals tally in the Football League.
A disappointing start to the 1977–78 season cost Griffiths his job, and new appointment John Toshack managed to take the club to promotion, with Curtis claiming 34 goals in 46 games to become the division's top-scorer that season. On 12 November, Curtis scored a hat-trick during a home win over Crewe Alexandra. He also claimed a hat-trick in an 8–0 victory over Hartlepool United.
Leeds United After scoring just six goals in 35 matches for Leeds he was released in 1980. While he showed promise when he played, injuries kept him sidelined too often and he was let go by Allan Clarke.
Return to Swansea He moved back to Swansea City and helped them gain promotion to the First Division in 1980–81. He scored in the South Wales derby on 27 December 1980, in a 3–3 draw with Cardiff City at Ninian Park.
He scored on the opening day of the 1981–82 season, as Swansea beat his former club Leeds 5–1. The season was a highly successful one for both player and club, as he scored ten goals in 45 appearances to help Swansea to a sixth place league finish.
Swansea had a fine first season in the top-flight finishing in 6th position but back to back relegations saw the club slide back down into the Third Division.
Southampton Curtis joined Southampton in November 1983 and he spent three seasons at The Dell scoring seven goals in 67 appearances. Towards the end of the 1985–86 season Curtis joined Stoke City on loan playing in three Second Division matches for the Potters.
Cardiff City He then joined Cardiff City where he spent four seasons helping the club gain promotion in 1987–88. He scored a goal in the 2–0 win over Wrexham in the 1987–88 Welsh Cup final at Vetch Field.
Third spell at Swansea He ended his Football League career with a return to Swansea.
Barry Town However, he would experience further playing success in 1994, winning the Welsh Cup with Barry Town at the old National Stadium, aged 40.
International career Curtis won one cap for the Wales under-18, under-21 and under-23 teams. He went on to score six goals in 35 international matches for the Wales senior team from 1976 to 1987.
Coaching and managerial career Curtis worked in most backroom staff roles at Swansea City, as well as being a part of Brian Flynn's Wales under-21 coaching set up.
He was appointed Swansea's first-team coach by new manager Michael Laudrup in July 2012.
Curtis continued his role as first-team coach under manager Garry Monk. On 9 December 2015, following the dismissal of Monk, he became caretaker manager on a game-by-game basis as the club searched for a new manager. However, on 7 January 2016, it was confirmed that Curtis would continue as manager until the end of the season. Despite this, on 18 January, Francesco Guidolin was brought in as head coach, with Curtis returning to a coaching role at the club.
Guidolin was dismissed on 3 October 2016 and, after a short period with Bob Bradley in charge, Curtis again served as caretaker-manager before the arrival of Paul Clement in January 2017.
Curtis became Swansea's first Loan Player Manager in January 2017; he monitored the progress of players out on loan.
Curtis was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to Welsh football.
Personal life He married Clare in 2008 in a ceremony in Swansea. Alan Curtis has two sons and two stepsons.
Playing statistics
Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsSwansea City1972–73Third Division1301000001401973–74Fourth Division3841010004041974–75Fourth Division3702000003901975–76Fourth Division4191010004391976–77Fourth Division461410630053171977–78Fourth Division393252200046341978–79Third Division34123543004020Total248711471460027684Leeds United1979–80First Division2241020412951980–81First Division6100000061Total285102041356Swansea City1980–81Second Division2061000002161981–82First Division401010202045101982–83First Division2141020322761983–84Second Division91001020121Total902130507210523Southampton1983–84First Division90000000901984–85First Division3043171104161985–86First Division111004020171Total5053111130677Stoke City (loan)1985–86Second Division3000000030Cardiff City1986–87Fourth Division4244030105041987–88Fourth Division4021021204531988–89Third Division3543041614861989–90Third Division80002000100Total12510801129115313Swansea City1989–90Third Division263400010313Barry Town1990–91Southern League Midland Division31340001525051993–94League of Wales101000030131Total4144000182636Career total611119378439426733143
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsWales197681197720197820197982198131198251198311198420198530198710Total356
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenureTeamFromToRecordSwansea City18 March 20045 April 2004Swansea City9 December 201518 January 2016Swansea City27 December 20163 January 2017Total
Honours Swansea City Football League Fourth Division Third-place promotion: 1977–78 Football League Third Division Third-place promotion: 1978–79 Football League Second Division Third-place promotion: 1980–81
Cardiff City Football League Fourth Division Runner-up: 1987–88 Welsh Cup: 1987–88
Barry Town Welsh Cup: 1993–94
References
Bibliography