21 - John Toshack

Despite being remembered by most Swans fans as the club`s most successful manager, John Toshack was also an important part of the Swansea team and a Welsh footballing legend.

Toshack was born in Cardiff and started his footballing career by signing for his hometown club at the age of 16. He spent 4 years at Ninian Park, making his full Wales debut, before Liverpool`s manager Bill Shankly decided to pay £110,000 for his services in November 1970.

He made an instant impact at Anfield, scoring in 3-2 victory over Merseyside rivals Everton. A year later Kevin Keegan arrived at Liverpool & with Toshack`s aerial ability the two formed a parternship that would help fire the club to glory. Aswell as the 96 goals Toshack scored in his time there, he helped the club win the League in 1973, 1976 and 1977, the FA Cup in 1974, and the UEFA Cup in 1973 and 1976.

During his time at Anfield he earned the majority of his 40 Welsh caps, netting 12 goals in that period. His time at Liverpool was cut short by injuries and in 1978 he took the oppourtunity to become player-manager at Swansea City.

Under his guidance the Swans rose from the Fourth Division to the First Division. Two successive promotions saw the club return to the Second Division after an absence of 14 years. And after a season of consolidation, Swansea City clinched promotion to the First Division for the first time in the club`s history with a 3-1 victory at Preston North End on 2 May 1981. The Swans finished 6th in top flight the following season. During his time at the club, Toshack also scored 25 goals in 63 appearances, proving himself an important part of the squad as well as the management staff.

Toshack left the club in 1984, and has since managed a host of clubs including Sporting CP, Real Sociedad, Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna & Besiktas. He is currently the manager of the Welsh national team.

A video on Toshack's time at Liverpool:




Photo courtesy of bbc.co.uk

Links to the Top 25 Players:

25 - Chris Coleman
24 - John Cornforth
23 - Dean Saunders
22 - Lee Trundle

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