As Christmas approaches and the season edges toward its halfway point, it feels like the right moment to pause and take stock of what has been a chaotic, frustrating, occasionally uplifting and always typically Swansea City campaign. This is the time of year when supporters look both ways. We look back at what has already happened and we look forward at what might still be possible. And if there is one thing this club has taught us over the years, it is that nothing is ever straightforward. Hope and anxiety tend to travel together around these parts.
Back in July the mood around SA1 was as bright as it had been in years. The club had delivered what felt like the most competent transfer window in a long time. Early business, proper business, the sort of thing we had been begging for. Players in before pre season, not after the third league game. Players who looked like they fit a plan. After the strong finish under Alan Sheehan last spring, there was a genuine sense that Swansea were finally ready to push forward again. You could feel it in the pubs, in the concourses, in the way people talked about the season ahead. It was the first time in a while that anticipation outweighed dread.
Then came the ownership news. Luka Modric and Snoop Dogg. Even now it still sounds surreal to say out loud. One of the greatest midfielders of his generation and one of the most recognisable entertainers on the planet taking minor stakes in Swansea City. It was the sort of headline that made you double take. Was this the next level we had been promised for so long. Many fans thought so. At the very least it felt like a step toward something bigger. At best it felt like the start of a new era. The club’s reach grew overnight and the optimism that was already bubbling suddenly had a new spark.
But football has a habit of reminding you that nothing is guaranteed. The warning signs arrived early and they arrived quietly. Pre season was dreadful. Not just disappointing but genuinely concerning. A run of games against sides we should have handled comfortably ended without the performances or results you would expect from a Championship club. Those who travelled saw the issues clearly. The lack of cohesion. The lack of sharpness. The lack of anything that resembled a team ready for the season ahead. Most brushed it off with the usual line that pre season means nothing. Maybe next summer we will pay a little more attention.
The opening day defeat at Middlesbrough set nerves jangling but the win over Sheffield United the following week calmed things down. A victory over a supposed promotion contender should have been a sign of progress but it turned out Sheffield United were in a far worse state than anyone realised. What followed was a run of form that never settled. Four points from every nine. Enough to keep the optimists pointing at the table and saying we were only a handful of points off the playoffs. Enough for the pessimists to argue that the performances were nowhere near good enough and that the gap would only grow. Both sides had a point. Neither side felt entirely wrong.
Crowds began to thin. The football was flat. The recruitment that had looked so promising in July was now being questioned with increasing volume. The decision to leave a data analyst with no recruitment background in charge of transfers was starting to look like the mistake many feared it would be. The manager was under pressure and the 4-1 home defeat to Ipswich felt like the moment everything snapped. It was a meek performance, one that drained whatever patience remained. When the club announced the parting of ways with Sheehan, few were surprised.
The search for a replacement began quickly and for a brief moment it looked like Kim Hellberg would be the man. Then Middlesbrough arrived with a better offer and the whole thing fell apart. It was another moment that raised questions about how negotiations were being handled. This time the frustration did not feel limited to Swansea. It felt like the owners in the United States were asking questions too. This was not how things were supposed to unfold and everyone knew it.
Then came Vitor Matos. A swift appointment, a clear plan and a sense of purpose that had been missing for months. The only frustration was the delay in getting his staff through the necessary paperwork. Whether it was only paperwork is something supporters will debate for a while yet. But once they arrived the difference was obvious. Performances improved. The team looked more organised. More confident. More willing to play with intent. Even the defeats at West Brom and Stoke had positives. You could see what Matos was trying to build and for the first time in months the direction of travel felt upward.
Looking ahead, the imminent appointment of a director of football is a crucial step. Recruitment has been a weakness for too long and while data analytics have a place in modern football, they cannot be the sole driver of decision making. They are a tool, not a compass. The CEO has business acumen but no one person can run every department of a football club. Whether the push for support came from above or from within does not really matter. What matters is that it is happening and it is long overdue.
January was never supposed to be a busy window but the league position means it cannot be ignored. A right back is essential. Depth is thin and the current options are stretched. The wingers have struggled all season and that remains an area that needs attention. Beyond that the squad has enough to stay in the division. Survival is the first aim now. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
So here we are at Christmas. A few weeks ago the mood was bleak. Now there is at least a sense of direction. We are not out of trouble but we are no longer drifting. Matos has brought structure and belief. The players look more assured. The football is improving. The anticipation that vanished in autumn has started to return, even if it is nowhere near the levels we felt back in July.
This club has a habit of testing its supporters but it also has a habit of surprising them. As we head into the second half of the season there is hope again. Not blind hope but the grounded kind that comes from seeing genuine progress.
To every Swansea City fan and every contributor who keeps the conversation alive, have a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year. May 2026 bring better football, better results and a little more calm than the year we are leaving behind.
This article first appeared on JACKARMY.net.
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Alan Curtis
Roger Freestone
Roger Freestone
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Administrator
Alan Curtis
Alan Curtis
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Roger Freestone
First Team Player
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