Liam Walsh has played two games in less than a week, and not only has he come through those challenges more or less unscathed, the mental boost it gives him is going to be huge. You see, Liam hasn’t had the best of time at Swansea City, injuries and a poor loan to Hull acuity last season have taken their toll, but now it seems things are changing.

In two seasons to date the Swans faithful have only seen the twenty five year old on nine occasions, and his latest injury at the start of pre season last year at Haverfordwest County was thought to be a potential career ender. However not to be deterred Walsh worked hard to get back to his best, and it’s quite clear he has an incredible talent as a professional footballer. On his return to the Swansea fold head coach Russell Martin said “It’s been great to see Liam Walsh back on the grass in the last couple of weeks. It'll be a while until he's training properly and back with the squad but it's brilliant to see him take that big step. He's been working so hard in the gym and everything else. The players clapped him on to the training pitch on the first day back out there, which was a really nice moment for him and everyone else. He’s a great lad Walshy, he was doing so well in pre-season and looked really hungry before he suffered the injury”

That was in December and still with more hard work and diligence over three months we have seen the real Liam Walsh in the last two games. The Liverpool born player has had a career that has been very much stop start over time, loans to Coventry, Birmingham City, Yeovil and Hull City have ended with differing degrees of success, Coventry being his best season to date. So much so Liam was included in the league one team of the year for the 2019/20 season.

Diminutive in stature Swansea City fans saw Liam in full flow yesterday in a very positive and productive performance. Okay, his desire to show his class would have been increased as it was against Bristol City, the club he left to join Swansea City in July 2021, but his performance and quality is undeniable. Walsh was involved alongside Olivier Ntcham and Matt Grimes for seventy two minutes of game time yesterday. Ntcham shining as man of the match as the Swans took the Robins apart time and time again.

With a stable relationship off the pitch with Liverpool star Missy Bo Kearns ( pictured below ) Liam is very much at a stage of his career where if he can stay injury free his stock could rise massively. Very much within the player trading model so fondly spoken about by Jake Silverstein ( Swansea City director ) Yes, maybe at a slightly older age but Liam’s game time has been so limited his body if properly managed could give him an extended football career.

Liam Walsh always taken the plaudits and numerous managers from Everton to Swansea City have spoken glowingly about his ability on the pitch. We most certainly saw that yesterday at the Swansea.com stadium. With his managers arm round his shoulders after an impressive win, albeit still with those usual signs of tension throughout we can only hope Liam has reached his injury crossroads, and is ready to press on. He does have the right mindset to play football in a Russell Martin team, an intelligence that’s there for all to see. Russell Martin has had a rough ride over this year and his relief was evident yesterday as well.

It’s been a good end to this period of the season for Liam Walsh, now able to concentrate on his own fitness and post match recovery before the big derby game a week on Saturday. Yes, chinks of light are at last being seen, and you can’t beat that winning feeling after so many games of dismay and frustration. For now we look forwards to what is now called the ‘South Wales derby’ and the opportunity to make more history. For Swansea City fans most certainly Liam Walsh needs to be involved in that game based on yesterdays performance, it’s very much like having a new signing, and a very exciting one as well.

Over the coming week and a half we will carry numerous reports as we build up to Cardiff City v Swansea City on Saturday April 1st. This game is not being televised

Photographs with permission Swansea City AFC & Open Source