This is the blog of Martin Johnes, Professor of Modern History at Swansea University.
Recent blogs
Christmas Day Football
Christmas football was originally rooted in a wider tradition of communal entertainments on the 25th. While for the Victorian middle class, Christmas was a festival of the home, for the workers, who lived in cramped, overcrowded housing, getting out was often more important. Football, pantomimes, informal gatherings, community rituals and traditions all provided people with…
One syllable: Splott
This essay was first published in the programme for the National Theatre’s 2023 production of Romeo and Julie by Gary Owen. The most memorable thing about the Cardiff district of Splott is its name. Even in Cardiff, it’s sometimes the subject of some mirth. Outside the city, it can draw derision and act as another…
A brief history of Welsh football through the 1970s Admiral Shirt
Image credit: The Welsh Football Collection, Wrexham County Borough Museum & Archives. This cotton Wales football shirt was worn by Nick Deacy of PSV Eindhoven in an under 21s international match against Scotland in 1977. The two nations had been competing against each other since 1876, making it the second oldest international fixture in world…
Martin Johnes 