Swansea Chairman Huw Jenkins believes that Stoke can act almost as a role model for the Swans as they look to establish themselves in the Premier League

Swansea Chairman Huw Jenkins believes that Stoke can act almost as a role model for the Swans as they look to establish themselves in the Premier League

The Potters are now in a fourth season in the Premier League and last season qualified for the Europa League through reaching the FA Cup Final giving them additional budgets with which to work this season.

More than £20m was spent by them in the last transfer window as they look to build on their position as an established Premier League side and Jenkins believes that this can be used as a role model for his own club.

He told the Evening Post "Stoke are now regarded as a stable, established Premier League club

"They have proved you can come up from the Championship and survive and, not only that, they have gone on to become quite a strong force in the Premier League.

"They have proved it can be done and what they have achieved is something that we are all striving to follow. That's our aim.

"The way Stoke run things off the field, and the way their chairman works, are very impressive," he adds.

"They were very quick to come on to us after we won promotion to talk about our football club.

"Peter Coates offered his advice and support. He said we could go up there and speak to them about any part of their club or look at how they do things if we felt it would help us succeed.

"He has done it his way at Stoke and things have worked out well for them. He is a nice, genuine guy who has quite a lot of interest in clubs like ours.

"There's no doubt it will be a clash of styles," he says.

"But sometimes that sort of clash leads to a very good game of football, and there's no way the teams are going to cancel each other out on Sunday because we are not going to be able to compete with each other.

"I will be surprised if it is not an entertaining game and a high-scoring game."

It could also be a demanding one for Swansea given Stoke's physical power plus their decent sprinkling of attacking talent.

The signing of Tottenham striker Crouch in a club-record £10 million deal tells all about the progress made in North Staffordshire since promotion to the top flight.

Stoke started out like Swansea have, spending a relatively small amount on transfers in their maiden Premier League campaign.

"They have done things their way and gradually, when they have had the chance, they have strengthened in a reasonable manner," Jenkins continues.

"There's no doubt that there are a variety of ways you can go about trying to stay in the Premier League.

"There are many different opinions on ways of playing, even on individual players, but there's no doubt Stoke have found the right way and the right manager to move them forward.

"Facing them will be a very tough challenge for us.

"We want to move the club forward and that is one of the things we would like to develop gradually," he says.

"But I think when you look at the Premier League, it is not easy to pick up points even when you have all those things.

"Look at clubs like Bolton and Blackburn, established clubs who have got all the facilities but who have had a difficult start to the season.

"Which players you sign, what training ground you have and what food you eat to give you that extra per cent in your performance, the bottom line is that you have to get results at the weekend.

"Stoke have managed to do that and that's something we are looking to do as well."

Photo: Action Images

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