St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future
Plaques
The existence of club plaques is as old as the clubs themselves. As in ancient times when a shield represented a knight or the family or monarch he fought for, the design of a club’s badge is very often based on or copied from the local village, town, city or district. It also usually appears on the players’ jersey and cap. So it is a simple extension to place it on a plaque that could be exchanged with opposing teams. The fact that clubs endeavour to include imagery that is relevant to their locality ties them to the local community whose aspirations they share.
These emblems of rival team, fixed to the walls of a clubhouse, are not trophies. They are representations of the recipient club’s being part of a wider sporting community beyond their own membership. They are important as indicators of the vitality of both community and club.
Generally exchanged between two opposing clubs or unions, they mark significant meetings such as first encounters or special anniversary dates. Touring sides generally carry a plentiful supply of plaques designed specifically for that tour. In this section of the website you can see plaques from local club, regional, touring sides and international sides as well as schools and armed forces teams. They represent historical moments that have passed between Swansea teams and myriad visitors as well as those teams met on Swansea tours. These significant events appear frozen in time upon the legends and badges embossed on this collection of plaques.
This section also includes honour boards and other commemorative boards fixed to the walls in recognition of players and other persons connected to St Helen's ground.
