Keith Haynes makes his literary debut for The Swansea Way, with his take on Swansea's impending season
The opening game is always the favourite game of the season for most football fans. The expectation is always there, no matter who you support you can dream of all sorts of possibilities, and those possibilities are endless. Then of course there is the new kit, those home and away choices, and indeed the bright and gleaming newly manicured pitch and crafted stadium. That bright and dark green surface that you could flick a subbuteo player on and get a result rises before you as you enter the stadium. Like it does now at the Liberty and like it did back at the old Vetch Field.
A new season does bring a clean and bright hope, and for many fans of many clubs at the end of the first ninety minutes, some of those hopes are dashed. Think how those QPR supporters felt last season as the rejoicing Swansea hoards left Shepherds Bush noisily celebrating a 5-0 away victory. That season starter, followed by a main course of a Swansea League Cup win and the dessert of European qualification could never have been predicted by even the most prophetic and positive Jack.
But it happened.
This week we see the Premier League champions visit Swansea, one Manchester United, their star spangled stars, and worldwide support visiting our club. And that club (our club) could not be any further removed from the ethos that drives the spirit at Old Trafford. They may think they witnessed hard times in the seventies when relegated by a Denis Law back heel for Manchester City, but hard times as we know go far deeper than that.
My first real experience of hard times at Swansea would have been my first experiences of following the team. For a youngster pre-1977 was as dismal a time to follow the Swans as any. The brief respite of John Toshack and Malcolm Struel followed by years of false hope thereafter set the mould for me as a Swansea City fan. I expect nothing more than defeat, so the past few seasons, in fact since we moved to the Liberty have been difficult to manage. Success of this sort in my football watching life is not in the script.
How many of you at 3-0 up with five minutes to go in a game still worry about defeat?
I'll admit that at 4-0 up at QPR I was still wishing for a fifth, just to finish matters.
This is the Swansea Way as well, to expect the unexpected, no matter how it unfolds before you or how comfortable it is for others, you expect the worst. I expected the worst after our supporters club met in a Bristol hotel with Leigh Dineen etc prior to the fans take over of Swansea City. I expected the very worst after a home defeat to Exeter City at Easter in 2003, and indeed at 4-2 up against Hull City too that same year. I most certainly expected the worst at Wembley at half time when 3-0 up against Reading in the play offs.
So when I hear our new breed of fans talk of top half finishes in the Premier League It doesn't correlate that well with what I know and feel as a life time Swans fan. But then we as a club are there, at the top of our game again. And this time we are in to a third season and cup holders to boot as well. Things have never been so rosy or so bright. But of course that means one thing to me as a football fan.
There could well only be one way to go after so much success.
But my positivity gene is improving, it is being raised now on the success of the last seven years. To be truthful it's been on an upward curve ever since those fans walked off our rich Vetch Field terraces in 2002 and ran a football club to the top of the world game. From that small acorn the club has grown into a strong but determined sapling, a young pretender amongst the giants of the forest. Still not being taken seriously by the media, and ignored (through ignorance?) by the majority of the country's sports writers. Whilst this continues we have hope. It's only when we have everyone's expectation of victory, and not just the new Jacks of nowadays that I fear we may be in trouble.
And the worst may then become the norm again.
But how can that now be the case? Wilfried Bony in a bright and shiny stadium, Michu too (it seems - although I remain cautious for how long) could well form a partnership with the man from Bingerville, Ivory Coast. In the midfield JonJo Shelvey is looking striking and will score goals from all angles. JDG agreed to stay on because Laudrup did the same. The additions of Pozuelo and Canas the dog tamer linking with England hopeful Routledge and the guile of Britton is exciting. Nathan Dyer has recently committed to a new contract too, and with that signed he can concentrate on his football. After finding the net in pre-season, hopefully we'll see him turn some more games on their heads.
I could go on. The Emirates, Ash etc etc etc...
Yes, I am more hopeful now, and why not? I Paddy Powered a few free bets and SkyBet helped as well, so now I predict a top six end to the season and a top four goal striking finish for Bony at 50/1. As I explained the bookies like the media are still ripe for a Swansea taking. My positivity is now sky high, and like everyone else it will remain so regardless of the seasons outcomes. I mean lets be honest to stay in the Premier League and do this all again in twelve months time is the hope.
And as long as I keep on recalling how I made the journey to hope from hopelessness as a Swans fan, I think my outlook and future in reality may stay bright and rosy too. Well I hope so, I mean there's doubles to be done, more victories to celebrate, more records to set, and we know - being first at this football lark makes the seconders go green.
Yeah, that's the point. It's victory and it's winning, and this habit we now have at Swansea is one I hope we never give up on.
Because winning feels just fine.
Twitter : @_KeithHaynes
Keith also writes for SOS fanzine
Available around the ground.
Big thanks to Keith again for contributing to the site. Looking forward to your next post already!