Perhaps not exactly rags to riches but certainly the transformation at Swansea City has been quite remarkable as they now sit in a healthy position just outside the Play Offs which will decide which Club joins the top two in next seasons Premier League. Yes, Premier League and Swansea City are one of around 12 Clubs chasing three positions available.
Now, to put this into context, I recently decided to take a look through a Swansea City programme from five seasons ago. The game in question was the Clubs first League match following the great escape which was the Hull City clash in May 2003. And the game I refer to is Swansea City v Bury on 9 August 2003, the first League match of the season.
Now the programme itself is quite decent. At a cost of £2 it contained some reasonably good information, statistics and articles including one very interesting interview with Roberto Martinez who was due to play his first League game for the Club since becoming a full time employee. More of that in a minute.
To put the Clubs improvement from that period to the current day into prespective, take a look at the Squad of players available as they kicked off the 2003-4 season. Just 19 full time professionals with a trialist by the name of Andy Robinson who was to go onto make a huge impression, not yet offered terms;
1 R Freestone
2 L Jenkins
3 M Howard
4 K O’Leary
5 J Smith
6 R Martinez
7 L Britton
8 K Nugent
9 J Thomas
10 L Trundle
11 L Johnrose
12 L Hylton
14 B Maylett
15 J Coates
16 K Connolly
17 K Durkan
19 R Duffy
20 S Jones
21 B Murphy
Compare that with the 31 to 34 full time professional players now at Swansea City and further, check out the considerable difference in playing quality now at our Club. That was a small sqaud which would be boosted by the considerable talents of Robinson but mssing the talents of injury prone James Thomas and Jason Smith for large parts, both of whom were forced to retire.
But the most important part of that programme relates to the interview between Anthony O’Connell and Roberto Martinez who is quoted as follows;
” Personally, I am delighted to be back at the Vetch having agreed a new two year contract in the summer. Everything surrounding Swansea City convinced me to come back. At the end of last season I saw what this football club means to everyone and I wanted to be a part of it again “.
But read this bit carefully as Martinez continued;
” I am here to achieve – that was the main reason I came down here. Everyone connected to the Club wants success and wants to help Swansea City do the best that it can. May be we will achieve our goals, may be we wont – but our starting point is getting the mentality of wanting to be successful and wanting to win things for the football club and the city. I believe we have that mentality and thats why I want to be involved. ”
” I was so impressed. I have met a lot of directors and a lot of boards that deal with football clubs and I can guarantee you that your board loves the club in a way that you will not find in many places. If they can transport this love of the club to the players and everyone around the club, then I think we can go places ”
” Finally, it is important to remind you the supporters how important you are. Our fans are worth 15 points a season and I hope you will support us the way you did last season. You have a key role in Swansea City’s future success “.
In Roberto’s case, I genuinely feel that he fell in love with Swansea City from day one and he could see the enormous potential here. He seems to have made it his mission to drag the Club form obscurity and he is the main man without question now behind the rags to riches story, notwithstanding the huge effort of the board and the Clubs supporters. As Club Captain, he was a natural leader of men both on and off the pitch and apart from a six month stint at Chester City, he has been the single most important factor behind the Clubs charge through the divisions. Long may it continue.
Glancing through the rest of the Swans v Bury programme, I was amused to read;
” SCFC would like to thank all the fans who turned up to assist with the clean up at the Vetch Field on Thursday ”
That brought home to me more than anything that those were indeed hard times for Swansea City. The transformation has been incredible as we sit on the verge of a place in the Premier League. Congratulations to Roberto particularly for his immense achievements to date at Swansea City and long may it continue.
