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Curtis joined the club in 1971, signing professional terms in the following year. The flying winger went on to become a first-team regular and by 1978, the club was turning down big money offers from a host of top-flights sides. The following season, Curtis hit 32 league goals, almost equalling the club record of 35 in one season and forcing Leeds to splash out £350k for him. After 28 appearances for the Elland Road outfit, Curtis returned to the Vetch after just over a year an helped John Toshack's side win promotion to the old First Division.
The fans' favourite left the club again in 1983, this time to join Southampton for £85k. Spells at Stoke and Cardiff followed before Curtis returned to the club for one final season in 1990 - retiring the following summer due to injury, having achieved a total of 35 International Caps with Wales. After filling various roles at the club over the next six years, Curtis was named first-team coach under Alan Cork in 1997, before being appointed assistant manager to John Hollins a few seasons later.
After surviving numerous different managerial spells at the club, Curtis was eventually removed from his coaching position by current manager Kenny Jackett and has been moved into a role involved in the new stadium's hospitality section. Many believe Curtis to have been one of the best players to ever wear the Swansea City shirt and Curt's testimonial is more than deserved.
Ex-Welsh International Chris Coleman has agreed to bring his Premiership side to South Wales to open the new stadium and honour Curtis' time at the club. Fulham will name a full first team for the friendly, which is set to include a number of top-class players, including recently-capped England International Zat Knight, Frenchman Steed Malbranque and a host of other well-known faces. Fulham will certainly be without Edwin Van Der Sar and Andy Cole who have both left the club over the summer, while Luis Boa Morte could be absent as his future is uncertain following a bid from Newcastle for his services. Welsh Internationals Mark Crossley and Mark Pembridge are both likely to make appearances, while Swansea supporters will be particularly interested in Darren Pratley - a player that Kenny Jackett is hoping to bring to the club on a permanent basis.
Swansea have a number of players struggling for fitness ahead of the club's new stadium opener, with Garry Monk the only player definitely out. Andy Robinson, Lee Thorpe, Marc Goodfellow and Kevin McLeod will all have late fitness tests but Jackett expects high-profile striker Lee Trundle to start, alongside Welsh International Sam Ricketts. Trialists Stuart Edwards and Owain Tudor Jones are both likely to settle for places on the bench. Despite the fact that both sides will be taking this friendly as a serious first team outing, legend Alan Curtis will play the last ten minutes as a substitute to mark the occasion.
And so begins the new era...but will it be a winning one??!!