John Toshack: Film charts Swansea City's stunning rise under ex-Liverpool star

John Toshack started his career at Cardiff City before joining Liverpool in 1970 for a then club-record £110,000

Picture the scenario. Gareth Bale is out of contract and, having won everything there is to win as a player at Real Madrid, the great Welsh forward fancies trying his hand at management.

Injuries are a growing concern but he's still got something to offer, so he takes the chance to become the player-manager of a fourth-tier club in his homeland, Newport County.

So far, so fanciful. Yet while football might have transformed almost beyond recognition over the past four decades, this is as close as a modern allegory comes to the remarkable story of John Toshack's time at Swansea City, the subject of upcoming feature film Tosh.

The year is 1978. Like fellow Cardiff native Bale, Toshack is coming to the end of a glittering spell with one of the world's most iconic clubs. In eight years at Liverpool, Toshack has amassed three league titles, a European Cup, two Uefa Cups and an FA Cup.

As he approaches his 29th birthday, injuries are beginning to take their toll on the imposing Wales striker when he receives a phone call from Malcolm Struel, chairman of Fourth Division side Swansea.

Alan Curtis, one of the Swans' few star players at the time, takes up the story.

"I had just broken into the Wales squad and there was some sort of speculation that John was going to take over at Swansea," he says.

"I approached him and said: 'John, what's this talk of you becoming Swans manager?' And he said: 'No, absolutely no chance whatsoever.'

"Of course, I relayed that when I got back, he's told me categorically he's not going to come. And then literally the following day, he actually walks through the dressing room door as our new manager.

"The whole place, never mind the club, the whole city went football crazy.

"Our gates were OK - 5,000 or 6,000 - and then all of a sudden, John takes over, we are up to 18,000.

"It was such an exciting time, not only for us as players, but for the supporters and for the city."

John Toshack (left) and Alan Curtis (right) played together for Wales as well as Swansea City

Toshack had an instant impact. Having transformed his players' training methods, diets and drinking habits, he led Swansea to promotion in his first season.

In his second campaign, Toshack convinced several of his former Liverpool team-mates, such as Ian Callaghan and Tommy Smith, to join the club in the Third Division.

A second successive promotion followed, sealed on the final day of the season as Toshack himself scored the winning goal against Chesterfield.

"Some people have got a charisma and a presence about them," says Curtis. "Any time John walked into the changing room or any room, whatever conversations were going on, everything stopped. You took in every word that he said.

"From the first meeting, he talked about his aims and ambition. We probably would have got promotion that year anyway out of the Fourth Division, but John was talking beyond that and he wanted to get the club in the First Division within four to five years.

"In your mind, you're thinking: 'The First Division? The club have never been in the First Division. What is he talking about?'

"But he had this huge belief and this confidence in his ability, and he was more than true to his word."

After a season to consolidate in the Second Division, by May 1981 Swansea had got themselves into a position where victory at Preston would take them to the top flight for the first time.

Toshack delved into his contacts book once more and got the legendary former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly to deliver the pre-match team talk at Deepdale. It had the desired effect as the Swans won 3-1.

"I think we took about 10,000 supporters up there," Curtis recalls. "Although I'm sure I've spoken to about 20,000 supporters who reckon they were there."

A mere three years and two months after taking the job, Toshack had guided Swansea from the Fourth Division to the First Division, to which Shankly said at the time: "He's done a remarkable job. I would say he's possibly manager of the century."

Swansea took to the top flight with a flourish, thrashing Leeds United 5-1 in their first match and climbing to the top of the table by February.

Toshack was awarded an MBE midway through the season and, although the Swans' improbable title challenge fell short, their sixth-place finish remains the highest in the club's history.

Alan Curtis (right) was a member of John Toshack's coaching staff when he managed Wales

The good times did not last. Swansea were relegated the following season and, as financial constraints took hold after heavy spending under Toshack, the Swans suffered a second successive relegation to the Third Division. Toshack had left by then and, by 1986, Swansea were back in the bottom tier.

Toshack went on to enjoy a distinguished managerial career with several clubs around the world, including two spells at Real Madrid - where he won a league title - as well as two stints in charge of Wales.

Now 73 years old, Toshack is retired and resting at home in Spain, having recovered from pneumonia and coronavirus which led to him being hospitalised in February.

"It was a scary time, especially when he was on a ventilator and struggling to breathe," says Curtis.

"You have a couple of deep thoughts but thankfully he's well on the mend, he's back home and certainly a lot healthier than he was."

Curtis and his former Swansea team-mates will be at the Swansea.com Stadium on Friday night for the premiere of Tosh, a chance to reminisce and relive those golden years.

"We saw each other on the filming days and it was great to catch up. We tend to keep in touch but we're all looking forward to the premiere," Curtis says.

"That period, going from the Fourth Division to the First, they were fantastic times.

"They were the best days, and I would say I speak for all the players during that time. They were the most memorable times of our careers."

Tosh is in UK cinemas from 17 May, available on digital download from 13 June and on DVD & Blu-ray from 20 June.

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