He was sold in 1975, the next in a long line of player sales, and chairman Bob Lord once said that of all the players he'd sold that Leighton James was the one he would always want back. He did just that in 1979 when Harry Potts was back in charge.
That stay was just under two years but he was back in 1986 and did just enough for us in that traumatic season as we avoided the drop on the last day against Orient.
Amazingly, having been released at the end of that season he returned as youth coach and returned to the side, often playing in defence, and got himself a Wembley appearance for the club in that last spell.
It all came to an end in 1989 when he was released by Frank Casper, but Taffy remains a firm favourite with so many supporters. Likewise he was an integral part of John Toshack's successful team at Swansea, and that is certain to ensure him the best of receptions from all four sides of Turf Moor tomorrow afternoon.