Football Special Report: George Hedley Swindin- Arsenal Legend (Part 1)
George Hedley Swindin was a football player and later on a manager, he was born on the fourth of December 1914 and died on the twenty sixth of October 2005.
Gerorge Hedley Swindin played as a goal keeper; he was born in Campsall, Doncaster Yorkshire. He started with playing as an amateur footballer for numerous local clubs and this included Rotherham United.
He became a professional footballer in 1934 when he started with Bradford City. He made twenty six appearances for Bradford City and after another two years, he made a move to Arsenal FC.
He was signed by the Gunners and he made a move to play at Highbury Stadium. This happened on the third of September 1936 and the deal came with a transfer price of four thousand pounds.
He made his Arsenal Debut against Brentford immediately after joining the new team and he managed to make appearances in nineteen games that season.
He played the most out of the other three players in the first season and won the first division medal as well.
George Swindin was one of the Gunners longest serving goalies as he played for the club for almost eighteen years, then his career was abruptly took a long break because the Second World War broke out.
He made two hundred and ninety seven appearances for the Gunners and spent most of his football career as a player with them.
When thinking of Swindin, his career is cut in two half’s one is his goal keeping period before the war and one after it.
As before the war, his skills on the field were less as he was always nervous on the field, he had an erratic behaviour trend, and this made him compete with players like Frank Boulton and Alex Wilson for the first team spot.
The book written by Jeff Harris ‘Arsenal who’s who’ said that in the initial start up of this player’s career, Swindin was very active, energetic, strung, slightly nervous and definitely inconsistent.
George lacked confidence on the field, was hesitant about his capabilities and was a poor kicker.
Still Swindin was determined with the game and his efforts were paid off by his hard work, as he made more first team appearances than the other two competing for the spot and this landed him with the first division medal.
When the war started, he fulfilled his duties to his country as a PT instructor in the army and still managed to make a few appearances in some games.
When the war ended, there came a complete transformation in the player as when he resumed his regular football, his game play was shocking!
He made a drastic change in his goal keeping skills, and became the unchallenged number one goalie for the Gunners for the next six years.
His behaviour on the field and off the field changed as well and most believe that this led to him dominating the penalty box in various occasions.
He came back with a commanding demeanour, and with his strong physical build up, he was feared by a lot of players in the league.
He also improved a lot when it came to blocking goals and his aerial abilities substantially escalated.
George Swindin went on to gain his second and third championship medals in the 1947-48 season and the 1951-52 season.
He played in the FA Cup twice but then his age factor started to take its toll on the player and he was finally replaced by a talented young goal keeper named Welshman Jack Kelsey.
Article Continued in Part 2.
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