words Richard Thomas pictures James Davies West Digital
Even if leon britton does not play “I’m just buzzing about being in new division,” he “There is a togetherness in the squad and you
another game for Swansea City , he revealed. “Everything has felt different since the need that when things might not go so well.”
will still be assured of a prominent day we finished off in League One.
place in the club’s hall of fame. The Swans certainly needed that in the spring
“It’s a new challenge for a lot of the boys. It’s a of 2003 when it came down to the club needing
Because it was the little midfielder who played a level we’ve not played at and obviously we want to beat Hull City to preserve their place in the
crucial role in stopping the Swans crash out of to prove ourselves there. It’s a big test for us, but football league.
the Football League five seasons ago. Since then it’s one we feel we have been ready for.
he has been instrumental in re-establishing the One slip up and they would have slid into
Swans’ reputation and firing them into the second “Every time you play in the Championship every the oblivion of the Conference, and a distinct
tier of the league for the first time in 24 years. game is big. The fans come out in force and there possibility they might never return again.
is also a big presence from the away fans which
After surviving the Football League trap door makes for a great atmosphere. That May day the Swans fielded a side including
the Swans have more than prospered. There was four players still involved with the club – Britton,
the move from the Vetch to the Liberty, which “There was always a bit of a concern going into Martinez, Alan Tait and Kristian O’Leary.
brought its own positive effect – promotion out the Championship because a lot of the players
of League Two in 2004-2005 before last season’s haven’t experienced football at that level before, “in many ways that hull game seems like so many
title-winning efforts in League One. but in the first few games I think we have shown years ago because so much has happened since
that we haven’t got anything to fear. with the move to the Liberty from the Vetch
The importance of 26-year-old Britton to the and the success we have had in recent seasons,’’
Swans was underlined at the end of last season “Whatever team we put out and whoever we added Britton.
when he earned a clean sweep of awards – player are up against, we feel we are just as good as the
of the year, players’ player of the year and away opposition and we don’t worry about how much “There was no doubt that that day against Hull
fans player of the year. they have spent on players. After a few games was a defining moment in the club’s history. Who
we feel there’s nothing to fear and that we can knows where we would be now if the club had
He has now topped 200 league appearances achieve something this year. been relegated.
for the Swans, who have more than adapted to
the higher level and quality of football in the “Who knows where we “I remember the day well. It was a typically dull,
Championship. wet day in south Wales and I remember how
would be now if the club tense it was.
But instead of looking up towards the
Premiership, when Britton joined the Swans had been relegated.” “We made a good start gaining a penalty in the
everyone was staring down at the Conference. first 10 minutes after I went down in the box.
“But you cannot relax for a moment because But then we went down 2-1 – you could feel the
“Soon after I arrived at Swansea we ended up the big teams just keep coming game after tension after that. But then we scored one before
in a massive relegation battle. But since then the game. There’s a big test almost every week. Take half-time and then a third afterwards. We were
club has prospered on the pitch as well as off October for instance we have to play the likes back in the lead but the last 20 minutes just went
it,” said Britton, who joined in 2002, originally of Wolves and Southampton – teams with real on forever. When the final whistle went it was just
on loan from West Ham, the Premiership club history. pure relief all round. We had won 4-2”
having signed him for £400,000 from Arsenal as a
16-year-old. “There is a great team spirit at the Swans at the Since then Britton has settled in Swansea , which
moment and there has been for a while. The he admits is a world away from the ‘Big Smoke’
But despite being on the books of two big gaffer (Roberto Martinez) is very conscious of where he was brought up.
London clubs Britton had never played in either signing players not just on ability, but he looks at
of the top two divisions. their personalities as well. “Having been brought up in London , coming
liTTlE briTTon
biG for SWanS
sportingwales
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