Jay cheers sad Swans
JAY FULTON emerged from the smouldering ashes of Swansea’s deadline day fire sale to breathe some hope and optimism into the club.
The midfielder’s first-half headed goal lifted the Swans to a lofty place in the early Championship table despite a dispiriting week for their fans.
They had seen four players shipped out on Thursday and only one, Declan John, come in – part of a £46million flog-off after relegation.
But what looked like being a story of Graham Potter And The Deathly Deadline, became a tale far more unexpected.
The callow Swans deserved their second successive victory, played neat attractive football that used to be their hallmark, and toughed it out when Preston finally got up a head of steam.
Substitute goalkeeper Erwin Mulder made some vital saves after coming on for the injured Kristoffer Nordfeldt, meaning Oli Mcburnie’s penalty miss went unpunished.
“I am very proud of the players and the fans. They were both tremendous,” said Potter (above). “It was a difficult game. Our substitute keeper had to make saves and we were under pressure. When we lost Kristoffer, we could have felt sorry for ourselves, but we didn’t.”
Not even the raging fury of their fans towards the club’s American owners could dampen Potter’s optimism and he was realistic about the hand he has been dealt.
“We have got to be careful with deadline days. This time last year, the supporters thought we had achieved a good one. But the only time we can tell is at the end of the season.
“We have brought in four players for not too much money. But there is also a point in every window when you have to move out players who don’t want to be here. I understand the frustration, but the loan window is still open.”
Preston were so sleepy in the first half, they needed a few Scottish oaths from boss Alex Neil at the break to wake them.
Tom Barkhuizen fired wide and Lukas Nmecha was denied by a brilliant save from Mulder, but it would be stretching it to say they deserved to peg back Fulton’s opener, which came from Joel Asoro’s whipped cross.
Neil said: “At half-time I told the lads we could do one of two things, we could either sit in and not believe we are good enough or we could get up against them.
“In the second half they rose to the challenge and the quality was miles better.” Ratings & Stats page 15