A bit about you:
Name: Philip Roberts
Current home town: Nottingham Birthplace: Swansea
How long have you supported your team? Since 3rd March 1978, my dad took me, as a 10 year old, to watch John Toshack¹s first home game in charge against Watford. The old Division 4. Graham Taylor was the Watford Manager and Elton John was still their Chairman and was at the game. It was a 3 – 3 draw and both teams were promoted that year and again the following year. Swansea were promoted the year after that too in a straight run to the old Division 1. We didn¹t stay there long though.
Overview of your club:
Favourite thing about your home ground: Always a good buzz on match day and you can get to see some real legends arriving if you hang around the VIP entrance before kick-off. Bobby Charlton was one of my best spots.
Favourite match played by your team & why: Our 2013 League Cup win will never be forgotten not least because Edin Hazard got sent off in the Semi’s for kicking our ball boy but a day out in Wembley is always for the archives.
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: John Toshack. He was my idol as a kid and was the reason I begun supporting Swansea. God forbid if it wasn¹t for him who knows I could have become a bluebird!
About our forthcoming match against you:
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Tom Carroll. Since he returned to Swansea in the January transfer window last season our form has been much improved and he has played a big part of that. Like Gylfi Sigurdsson, he came from Spurs after previously spending time on loan at Swansea and he can be just as successful as Gylfi was for us. I have to mention Alfie Mawson too. Ironically we have some really promising English players in our squad at the moment.
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Tammy Abraham. Not really ours of course as he’s on loan from Chelsea. A great threat in front of goal and worryingly I’m hearing talk of Chelsea calling him back early.
Player in our squad you most fear and why? Vardy and Mahrez seem to have recovered some of the consistency that won you the Premiership. They are quality players and will always be a threat.
Up and coming prospect in your squad? Olly McBurnie. He’s a Scotland Under 21 international. He has been scoring for fun for the Under 23’s for quite some time now. He did start to break into the first team squad but that’s been pushed back by Bony returning. He really looks like a great talent. He was supposed to go out on loan but that was messed up at the last minute. Really hope he’s given a chance at Swansea.
Where do you think you¹ll finish this season? I think our early results are misleading. I think we have the quality to be mid table. I hope I’m not left eating my words.
How do you think you¹ll do against us? Like us I don’t think your current league position represents your form. I’m going to go for 2 -1 to the Swans because we’re home but could equally be a draw.
General Questions
What did you think of the summer transfer window activity both in and out of your club? Reasonably pleased, I would have preferred to have kept Gylfi and Llorente of course but I could see that wasn’t going to happen. I hope Bony will recover some of the form he showed when he was first at the Liberty but I’m not so sure. Renato Sanchez, although on loan, has caused huge excitement. It’s early days for him but I think we’ll see a lot from him.
Which three teams do you think will go down? Huddersfield, Brighton and Bournemouth.
Who do you think will win the league? Manchester City, my tip from the beginning.
Any other comments? Hoping for our continued survival in the Prem and yours too because the annual visit to the KP with my East Midlands mates is always one I look forward to. Forest getting back to the Prem would make it even more convenient but I can’t see that happening any time soon. Newcastle is also a great trip so I’d be happy to see them stay up.