Kenny Jackett dies aged 64 after Swansea City rise
Swansea City is in mourning following the passing of former manager Kenny Jackett at the age of 64. He led the club for nearly three years between 2004 and 2007, the period the club now links to the start of its rise from the bottom tier toward the top-flight.
Swansea City and Kenny Jackett
Jackett’s first season brought promotion from League Two and FAW Premier Cup success. During his time in charge, Swansea also lost the League One play-off final on penalties to Barnsley at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, then won the EFL Trophy 2-1 against Carlisle United at the same venue and retained the FAW Premier Cup with a final win over Wrexham.
Those results sit at the center of his Swansea record: one season delivered a jump out of League Two, while later trips to Cardiff produced both disappointment and silverware. That mix is why the club placed him in a defining phase of its modern progress rather than just a single campaign.
Jackett's wider career
Born in Watford in January 1962, Jackett made 31 appearances for Wales after qualifying through his father Frank’s land of birth. He debuted against Norway in 1982 and played his final Wales game in April 1988, a friendly defeat to Sweden.
His playing career ended at 28 because of injury problems, and he moved into coaching at Vicarage Road soon after. His managerial path later included spells with Watford, Portsmouth, Wolves, Rotherham United, Millwall and Leyton Orient, but Swansea’s statement centered on the years when he helped set the club on its climb.
Swansea's tribute plan
The club said it will remember and pay tribute to Jackett at the start of the 2026-27 season. It also said, “He will always have a special place in the hearts of Swansea fans, and his place in the history of our club is not in doubt.”
For Swansea supporters, the immediate change is simple: a manager tied to one of the club’s formative steps is gone, and the tribute has been set for the next season rather than folded into the current schedule. The loss closes a chapter that began with promotion from League Two and carried through to the club’s rise.
