Can the Swans rock in Brighton like in 2008?
Where: Amex Stadium When: 3pm today. Team news: Brighton Jurgen Locadia is in line to make his first Premier League start since becoming Brighton’s record signing. Jiri Skalak and Steve Sidwell remain out with ankle injuries. Tim Krul is fit to play after recovering from whiplash. There are no new injury concerns for Chris Hughton’s side. Swansea Alfie Mawson is fit to play after suffering from a locked knee during the warm-up of Swansea’s FA Cup draw with Sheffield Wednesday. Leon Britton and Renato Sanches will miss the Brighton game but Federico Fernandez and Lukasz Fabianski, who were rested against Wednesda, are set to return to the side. What the managers said: Chris Hughton (Brighton) He told The Argus: “For me it’s quite obvious, it’s about making sure this club is a Premier League club next season. That’s the only way in the initial years you give yourselves a chance to develop at the highest level. The FA Cup is a wonderful trophy and we’re absolutely delighted to be in it, but the priority for us is the league.” Carlos Carvalhal (Swansea): “It is normal in this competition, there are not many differences between the teams. Some start well and then lose points, we did not start well but are getting points in the last period. This is a marathon and at the end the real place of the clubs will be there, the worst will be bottom and the best will be top and we are fighting hard not to be in the bottom three.” Predicted Line-ups: Brighton: Ryan, Schelotto, Duffy, ] Dunk, Bong, March, Propper, Stephens, Izquierdo, Gross, Murray. Swansea: Fabianski, Olsson, Fernandez, Van Der Hoorn, Mawson, Naughton, Clucas, Carroll, Ki, Dyer, J. Ayew. Betting odds (Paddy Power) Brighton win EVS Draw 21/10 Swansea win 3/1 Referee: Mike Dean SWANSEA City head to Brighton looking to take another step towards Premier League survival, but the last time the Jack Army headed to the South Coast celebrations were guaranteed.
It has been nearly a decade since the Swans have faced the Seagulls on their own turf, the previous occasion coming on the final day of the 20072008 season.
Swansea had already secured promotion and the League One title. Typically, they finished the job in style, with substitutes Shaun MacDonald and Febian Brandy combining for the only goal in a 1-0 win.
Owain Tudur Jones was part of the Swans side that day, having returned from a year-and-a-half out with knee and ankle injuries to be involved in the final promotion push.
Swansea had narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship under Kenny Jackett in 2006, but Jones saw an immediate change under Martinez, even though he was initially having to look on as his rehabilitation progressed. “I was getting left behind and that was why I ultimately had to leave Swansea because I had lost ground through being in rehab all that time,” he said.
“But I could see we were going to another level under Roberto.
“I had an option in that season to move to centre-half, I had chats with Roberto and he put it to me about that move.
“He gave me the choice but the worst thing he did was make the comparison that Laurent Blanc had started in midfield and moved back and how he saw me in that mould.
“But Ashley Williams and Garry Monk had formed such a good partnership and I felt that learning a new position on the back of missing a year-and-a-half would set me back another six months, so I wanted to play my natural position.
“But, in hindsight, that injury was the killer for me. The term is that your legs have gone, and my legs had gone. I could not get around and the move back would have maybe suited me.”
Jones would eventually return to action in March 2008, appearing as a substitute against Bristol Rovers in what was his first appearance since Martinez’s arrival over 12 months previous.
He would go on to feature regularly as promotion was secured at Gillingham before starting at Brighton. In the midst of it all, he also got the first of his seven Wales caps.
He was still only 23 but, on the back of such a tough period, it meant all the more.
“It was a special time for me. During it I just wanted to get back to how I played before, although that was never going to happen,” said Jones, who was forced to retire at the age of 30 after persistent knee problems.
“I got my first appearance back at Bristol Rovers, I had only a few minutes as a sub and I was knackered. I was blowing, I had missed that intensity.
“But with Wales, I had just come back and the questions were whether I deserved it. But John Toshack had been pushing me a long time.
“I was due to play against Paraguay in 2006, but I had to wait two years for the cap. I probably was not quite ready after my injuries, but I don’t care about that one bit now, it was nice to wear that red shirt and to be part of such a great time at Swansea City.” Which brings us to Brighton. The Swans had celebrated at the Liberty with a cardboard cut-out of the trophy in front of their own fans, with the real thing not on offer as Leeds’ appeal against a 15-point deduction delayed confirmation of the title success.
But they more than made up for the delay. “I always seem to have a bit of amnesia after these nights out, but the bus journeys were good,” Jones says coyly of the celebrations.
“There would have been a few beers although I am not sure Roberto would have been having that, so the lads used to hide bottles in their socks to get past Graeme Jones, who was like a security guard.
“That was how it was after success, a few drinks on the bus, back to Swansea and then to enjoy the night and that dressing room knew how to celebrate.
“It was just a good time, and then you had the celebrations with the open top bus, it was a really great season.”