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Be Proud To Be A Swan
Be Proud To Be A Swan
Friday, 5th Aug 2011 09:41

Keith Haynes looks back on the Swans rise to the Premier League - from rags to riches

Like many of us who have made the Swansea City journey for most if not all of our supporting lives I am still pinching myself today regards our tremendous rise to the Premier League.
As a club we all know what happened back in that dark day in May 2003 when Hull City stood between us and Conference football, and even when trying to account for that insane ninety odd minutes of football in the book, I found it hard to draw on anything but a memory bank of hazy and alcohol fuelled recall, pitted with extreme angst and worry.  I genuinely do not believe we would have bounced back as we have done thus far if we had gone down in that game and lost to Hull City.  Its just an opinion but a valid one I think.  I have also heard much talk ( especially on Talk Sport - the radio station for the south east of England  ) about our club, the people and characters involved and at times felt extreme frustration at the lack of knowledge about Swansea City and how it all works.  A guy the other week talked about ' Who is the Swansea City money man ' What an idiot, an extreme fool of huge magnitude. This ex player, someone who has led a life of taking and giving little or nothing back in football really got to me. If he were in front of me at that minute I would have strangled the fool.  The lack of awareness in the media especially as to how supporters walked from those Vetch Field terraces and guided a club not only to financial safety and stability but to the Premier League is one of the greatest feats in modern football times.  But it seems lost on the majority, who still talk about huge wages, transfer fee's with a general topic surrounding hundreds of thousands of pounds fitting, quite alarmingly in all their pockets. They are the thieves who will break football I am sure, and these people wont be there like the Swansea board were in 2002 to stabilise and rejuvenate a city's heartbeat that's for sure.  They will be long gone.
 
Writing ' Walking on Sunshine ' was never a chore for me last season, like many I had that feeling that once again we were on the fringes of football greatness, I managed to get to a number of games that normally wouldn't have been on the radar, and also had a little bit of therapy as I wrote each page as it happened, this helped me spill out my frustrations with players and fans alike.  Topically punching them in the face wherever possible.  Okay Orlandi had a bit of stick, but he did eventually settle down, and Darren Pratley got my blood boiling at times, but it was good counselling to be able to write down my thoughts.  This angst and anger is what happens to us all I know after games, especially that run of away defeats towards the end of the season that annoyed many a fan and player immensely. However, I am sure all will be forgiven now, and my lawyers tell me it is a funny book, and not a law suit will be in sight. Good news for us all methinks !  Its been mentioned before but I support the club and the people who run matters, not the players, who have been given a wonderful opportunity in life and get a huge salary as a result.  Of course i wish them well, and prosperity for them all in the future. However, they are quickly forgotten at most clubs with few exceptions, footballers are at times mercenary, so that's my attitude as well.  What's good for the goose etc .  The shirt is on loan to them that's for sure, but they can shape the future of Swansea City and hopefully in a positive way, and for that we as fans I am sure thank them - but please think about all this worshipping of players, is it necessary for grown men ( and women ) to place these young players on pedestals only to be lambasted and pilloried when the club and player fall out with each other ?  Im not sure if its all okay to do this, I mean, maybe someone should ask Darren Pratley ?     
 
My good mate Phil kindly forwarded the book for me and it comes out on August 28th by all accounts. I hope you enjoy it and also enjoy my and others rants on the pages as the season progresses.
 
For now, go in peace, go with a happy heart, and place your fist firmly in the air every time that Swansea City take to the pitch.
 
I think the term the last time we hit these dizzy heights  was ' Be proud to be a Swan '  
 
Hear Hear.

Keith Haynes is the author of "Walking on Sunshine" which tells about the Swans rise to the Premier League with particular focus on the promotion winning season of 2010/11.  It is available to pre-order on Amazon for £8.99 ahead of it's release on 26th August.

You can pre-order your copy by clicking this link

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0752464442/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=planswan-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0752464442

Photo: Action Images



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