Planet Swans ArchivesFinally, after 28 years of waiting the Swans are gracing the top flight again – dreams are becoming reality
The last time we set off to watch the Swans in a competitive fixture it was with the hopes and dreams that we could beat Reading and secure the place on football’s top table. We duly delivered and now – 11 weeks later – we set off on a journey that will take in 38 stops between now and the middle of May.
We start at the home of England’s richest football team and we end our road trips at the home of the Champions. We open up next week’s home fixtures against the Premier League’s smallest team and end in May against the five time European Cup winners. That is reality for this season and at long last it is about to start.
Back in May I talked about the pride I had in us reaching Wembley but tomorrow it is our day to make our bow in the Premier League and represent Wales in the top division for only the second time in our history.
Brendan has worked solidly throughout the summer and despite ludicrous claims that we have been inactive in the transfer market this summer we have seen the addition of Danny Graham, Steven Caulker, Leroy Lita, Wayne Routledge and Michel Vorm. If that’s inactivity then give it to me any day of the week. We may have lost Pratley and De Vries but nobody can claim that we have replaced them with lesser quality and we are now a stronger proposition then we were on that glorious Monday in May.
Three of them are almost certain to start at Manchester City with the other two – Lita and Routledge – almost certain to feature from the bench. Have Swansea City ever had players on the bench before that cost over a million to buy? Answers not needed.
This is quite simply the most excited I have felt on the eve of a new season – we are about to be watched by millions week in week out and for the next nine months I will be watching the team I support pitting their wits every week against the best that England can offer. I remember it happening last time around, this time it is far bigger because the financial rewards are already bigger for us.
It’s going to be a fun journey and along the way there may be some defeats that will be incredibly one sided but we go into the division a good team and with the belief we have built up over the past few years there is no reason why we cannot upset some people along the way.
And who knows maybe come May next year we will be celebrating another feat if we stay up and that will be more incredible then the feat that took us there in the first place.
Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride and be loud and proud as you sample it.
WHO ARE WE?
