Mel Nurse

Melvyn Tudor George Nurse (born 11 October 1937) is a Welsh former professional footballer. A centre-half, he started his career at his hometown club Swansea Town and made his professional debut in 1956. He joined Middlesbrough in 1962 for a club record fee of £25,000 and later played for Swindon Town. During his career, he also represented Wales at under-23 level and gained 12 caps at senior level.

After retiring from football, he built a property portfolio that included several hotels and businesses in the Swansea area before, rejoining the football club as a member of the board. In 2001, he led a consortium in a takeover that is credited with saving the club from financial ruin. His lifelong association with the city of Swansea has seen him often referred to as "Mr. Swansea".

Early life Nurse was born in a one-room apartment where his parents lived in the district of Fforestfach in Swansea in 1937. His parents, both from the Swansea area, soon moved to a two bedroom house with no electricity or central heating in Alice Street in the nearby area of Cwmbwrla. The outbreak of World War II in 1939 saw the area sustain heavy bombing due to the nearby Cwmfelin Steelworks and Nurse's father was called up for service during the hostilities, spending several years away from the family.

Several other notable footballers were raised in Alice Street including the Charles brothers: John and Mel, Jackie Roberts and Ernie Jones. The group all attended the same school and played football at the local park, using a tennis ball, as no local family could afford a football at the time. Nurse was active in numerous sports, taking part in long-jump and javelin as well as captaining his school's football and cricket teams. At the age of 14, he was selected to play for the Swansea schoolboys team and played matches for the side at Vetch Field. The following year, he was selected to play for Wales' schoolboys and played in a 3–3 draw with England at Wembley Stadium, the opposition side containing Bobby Charlton and Wilf McGuinness. following an injury to first choice Tom Kiley. He was informed of his debut by a local sports reporter, Les Bailey, who covered Swansea Town matches and lived nearby to him. His performances in the first-team convinced Swansea to drop Kiley from the side and also cancel a £5000 transfer deal for Cardiff City defender Stan Montgomery. accepted. Nurse wanted to remain in Wales, but the club made it clear he had no future there if he refused to move.

Later career After signing for Middlesbrough on a wage of £25 a week, he made his debut against Grimsby Town in a 4–3 victory. Within a week of joining, he was made captain. During a night out in his time at Middlesbrough, Nurse was once mistaken for train robber Ronnie Biggs. He was pulled over by police and questioned before his real identity was established.

In 1965, Nurse became unsettled after the appointment of new manager Raich Carter and, with his wife homesick, Middlesbrough placed him on the transfer list. He moved back to the West Country, joining Swindon Town in August for £15,000. Appointed club captain, he made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Hull City the following month.

Nurse left Swindon in September 1968 and returned to live in Swansea. He had considered retirement in order to focus on his business ventures but was approached by Swansea manager Billy Lucas who visited Nurse's mother's house, where he was staying with his wife until they could purchase their own home, having been told that Nurse was living in Swansea again. limited by the players of the side, including John Charles and Mike England.

Non-playing career During his playing career, Nurse invested in several Bed and breakfast hotels in the Oystermouth area of Swansea. In order to raise the £300,000 required to remove chairman Tony Petty, Nurse secured loans against many of his own properties and did so having not seen the club's financial records beforehand.

His efforts in saving the club from folding were listed as one of the main factors when he was awarded the Freedom of the City in Swansea. He now runs a B&B Hotel in Swansea called Seahaven Hotel.

Honours Swansea Town Welsh Cup winner: 1961