It was the 12th May 1984 when the Swans saw themselves beaten 5-0 at Portsmouth and end their stay in the second tier - just twelve months after their stay in the top flight ended. Since that date it has been a flit between the bottom two divisions but a win over Barnsley on Saturday will change all that and bring Championship football to the Liberty Stadium (or White Rock)

It's been a roller coaster season which looked for all it was worth like ending with a coast to promotion back in November through to a battle to get in the play offs in the latter stages of the season to a memorable victory at Brentford just ten days ago. But as with all roller coaster rides they have to come to an end and ours will either do so with glorious success on Saturday or a pain that any of us at Wembley back in 97 will remember all to well with no fondness at all. But let's not go there eh?

I find it incredible to think that 34,000 Swansea fans will make the trip on Saturday to watch the game creating a sea of black and white across the South side of the Millennium Stadium - one of Europe's finest sports stadia. Every single one of them will want to see a Jack party come 5pm (or later if game dictates) - and it is a far cry from crowds of 2000 not so long ago - certainly since the turn of the century. But this is not about how far we have come.

Saturday is about winning trips to Sunderland, West Bromwich and Leeds rather than Yeovil, Scunthorpe and Leyton Orient. They don't compare. It's about the added interest of local rivals Cardiff City rather than the all too distant games against Carlisle United. Coventry and Crystal Palace instead of Crewe and Chesterfield. 14 of the 23 current sides in the Championship next season have played Premiership football - we don't want Barnsley to make it 15. It's about average gates at home in excess of 17000 people. Maybe even well in excess. Superb away followings both at White Rock and also travelling with us. There really is no comparison.

Saturday just cannot come soon enough for me. This is the culmination of a season that started with a close range Bayo header against Tranmere and for all the world looked over as Rotherham p ssed all over us on Easter Monday. But we fought back and we are pretty much everyone's favourites on Saturday (in terms of odds at least!) This is a game that I didn't expect to see this season but we are there and having experienced the highs and lows of play off finals if we can get up to the Championship this way, there is no better way to be promoted. There also is no worse way to end a football season but again lets not go there

It's eleven against eleven, North against South, Swansea against Barnsley. The big one. The decider. The ultimate prize for both this season. Keep the titles coming, it doesn't change the enormity of the game for the two sides.

Roll on Saturday and for ninety minutes be loud, be proud, be Swansea.

WHO ARE WE?

Take Your Choice.....