Swansea approach their crunch game tomorrow with second place Norwich City in a strange situation. For the first time, we are experiencing what Sir Alex Ferguson aptly named "squeaky bum time" and one can't help but wonder just how the players, fans and club as a whole will react to the pressure of potentially being just a few games from the richest prize in football.
At home, Swansea seem fairly solid, not losing since early February and drawing only one of those games. It is away from home that Swansea's problems seem to be developing once again, as they had at the very start of the season. They have lost their last three away matches, including games against Preston and Scunthorpe, both of whom certainly look favourites to be relegated this season.
The match against Norwich has been billed as every part of the "six pointer" by the media, both local and national and it seems that some supporters and possibly players are beginning to get nervy. From one point of view I can see why, Norwich have opened a four point lead over Swansea over the last three games or so and the dream looks in danger of slipping away into a playoff nightmare.
The alternative view of course if that Swansea still have four home matches in their run-in, including being at home on the final day of the season against troubled Sheffield United. With our afore-mentioned good home form, this should give us a good springboard to compete for that last automatic promotion place.
I have to say that I am personally not even slightly nervous about Swansea's run in and all the possible twists and turns that it could bring. I put this down to living through the hell that was the 2002-2003 season and that final match against Hull City at the Vetch Field. For those that aren't aware, only a win on the final day of the season preserved Swansea's league status that season, a danger that was in my opinion far more important to the history of the club than the possible promotion to the Premier League that they currently chase could ever be.
That was the real time to feel the tension, to really feel the strain of football. Jobs, a football club and a whole community threatened to be obliterated that day. The fear was very real, if we were to leave the football league that day, the feeling very much was that we would not return. That team of players and staff, those fans and that community stepped up to the plate, dealt with the ultimate pressure that football can bring and emerged more than victorious. We are still reeling from the euphoria of that final Hull match. We've used that experience as the fuel to push us on to promotion from the fourth tier, to the our new home, then from the third tier and to challenge at the very top of the second tier of English football.
This current season and the excitement it's brought for me has been simply incredible. These were someone else's dreams back in 2003, staring down the barrel of extinction as a club. We were so low that entertaining such thoughts were pointless and just foolish. Having been born after the great days of the Toshack era, I have known nothing but disappointing campaign after disappointing campaign with the odd sparkle here and there of what this club could achieve with the right amount of pushing. The club is pushing now better than it ever could have imagined in the past and the frightening thought is, it could still be so much better.
This is not the time to feel pressure for fans, players and the club alike. We left that behind in 2003. We said collectively that day that we will do what it takes for this club to go as far as it can go. This is the reason that we watch and play football, to strive for success. Yes, it doesn't always pay off, sometimes even when you really deserve it but we will be the stronger for it, success or no success.
I'm sure the players will have been briefed extensively by the considerable presence of those who lived that awful season with us. Seven years later, Alan Tate, Leon Britton and Alan Curtis at least are still there drumming the lessons learned that season in and I'm sure if they can't get through to their colleagues then James Thomas would. He really could show some players how to handle pressure. I can't think of many other players who could score two penalties in a match of that magnitude for the club that he supported from his childhood and then have the audacity to chip the goalkeeper from 25 yards for his hat-trick!
If you feel the pressure against Norwich or at any time during this run in, think back to 2003. Think back to that defeat against Carlisle at the Vetch and that feeling in the pit of your stomach after that game. If you weren't at these games, like Carlisle at home, away at Rochdale in the penultimate match of the season or at the great escape against Hull in 2003, research it before this run in takes hold. Feel the real tension of those dark days and you'll be able to come out after and sing the side home this season and see it for what it really is, just another bit of progress and one hell of a ride!
A link to some short highlights of that Swansea and Hull game in 2003:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIkFuYD9Q2g&feature=related
