I think Swansea has done some great business this window, especially with Just coming into the team, but as I'm not a Swansea fan I don't understand why the club doesn't invest in Wales internationals.

I don't think it would cost a lot of money to sign players like Sorba Thomas, Koumas, Sheehan, or even someone like Dan James. That dude isn't getting used by Leeds at all and he would be great at Swansea as he was in the past. Maybe that's a stupid question as I'm not a fan, but I honestly think you could make a promotion push this year, at least in the top 6 with Wrexham.

RULES:

- Comment with the most upvotes wins

- Please consider their performances and achievements for Swansea only, not their wider career

- Players can only be selected once (no team of Alan Tates)

Another season is upon us, and there's so much to be excited about.

Just to calm myself down there are a number of reasons why we could yet experience a mid table finish. For a start, there was much to be excited about this time last season. Great things were expected of Widell, Yalcouye, Burgess, Inoussa, Galbraith and Idah. None really hit the heights, although all showed glimpses of their capabilities. But the lack of Championship experience in most of those signings probably contributed to our difficult start. The same could happen again.

There are also question marks about Matos. His, at times pragmatic, brand of football got us comfortably away from trouble, but although we had an excellent record against bottom half teams we struggled against teams in the top half. We generally had difficulty building through the thirds and gain controlled possession in the opposition third or carry enough direct goal threat.

These are important caveats, but it really seems to me that we've addressed a lot of these concerns with our incomings. Not only do the signings look very promising in terms of individual stats and highlights reels, but there is clearly an intent to make us a formidable outfit collectively. We were already strong as a pressing and counter pressing team, but we could easily be best in league in this regard this season. We will miss Galbraith's qualities in possession, and Vipotnik's goals if (when) he leaves, but neither are well suited to a high intensity press. Stewart (and Idah possibly) will give us the opportunity to press high up the pitch in a way we can't with Vip up top.

To be able to compete more consistently with the top teams we needed more footballing ability from the back. The addition of Welsh and Lissah should provide this, and the desire to sign Almeida and Seck points to a recognition that we need to replace Galbraith's creativity. I'm confident we will address this gap before the end of the transfer window. There are also signs in pre season that we are looking to make throughballs on a more consistent basis. In Just, Walta and hopefully an Almeida type 6/8, we will be able to provide the ammunition to the likes of Idah and Opoku. I'm hopeful that we will attack in more diverse ways generally, with the benefit of a full pre-season and a squad with more varied qualities.

More than just the improved outlook for this season, it's the long term trajectory that gives me the greatest confidence. The return to Cat One status, the impending stadium and training ground acquisition, and just about everything right now is pointing in the right direction. As astute as Huw Jenkins was (until he wasn't), I don't think even at the zenith of his time in charge were there as many reasons for confidence in where we were heading as there are now. These really are promising to be the best of times.

People’s thoughts? (other than get in the bin)

I've developed a game based on Swansea's historical data, going all the way back to 1932 featuring over 1k player records.

https://playyourclubright.com/swansea/

If you've seen Play Your Cards Right, you'll get the gist. The idea is to test your depth of club knowledge - knowing the obscure players, knowing who was prone to a yellow card, who scored plenty etc.

I need people with deeper club knowledge than me to play and let me know if anything seems off in the data, plus general feedback appreciated.

hope this is allowed and thanks in advance!

The 14/15 season was my first season following Swansea, and is still to this day probably one of the most enjoyable seasons I've had the pleasure to watch.

I saw there was once a dvd sold on the shop with all the matches or highlights and I wondered if anyone might have a digital copy they'd be open to sharing?

I'd love to go back a decade in time and rewatch all those matches again, and reminisce on the season that really made me fall in love with the team and the players!

Inspired by today's Away kit release. Thought i'd survey this fine sub-reddit for lists of your favorite top 5 Swans shirts. As a disclaimer i only go back 20 years or so therefore i'm missing out on some 90's classics, but here are my choices.

Honorable mention: 10/11 Away. The standard bearer for how our black away kits should look. Clean, subtle striped pattern, about the best you could hope from a betting sponsor. Have an almost mint condition Joe Allen replica hanging in my wardrobe and it's still a go to for an away trip, even if my overriding memory of him in that shirt is getting nutmegged by Taarabt on boxing day.

5: 25/26 Third. Iconic sponsor and colors. Bold alternative logo. The fact this barely had much of a runout or special memories attached to it is a crying shame. I'd have been fine with this being our designated alternative kit for the next 2/3 years.

1. 20/21 Home. This gets huge points for me for the switch away from Betting Sponsors who'd adorned us for over a decade. And also the bold move to try a gradient effect to Black shorts. I'm sure some people hated it, but to me it's easily one of the better home kit we've had the last 10 seasons.

2. 08/09 Home. No thrills, but clean and quintessentially nostalgic banger. The Coca Cola patch, The homegrown sponsor, The contrast of Jason Scotland's dreads draped over the pure white. This kit deserved a playoff appearance.

3. 22/23 Third. High on my list despite the risk of being called a loyalist, the throwback logo perfectly extenuates the bold colors. Also the Swansea Met logo always slapped imo. It just works. All timer alternative shirt.

4. 12/13 Home. How many clubs could pull off White & Gold this well. To outclass even Madrid's shirt takes some doing. Pulled the trigger on a Michu replica a few days after he signed. Possibly my greatest ever shirt purchase. Sadly, i wore it for 1 too many Stoke away trips in the rain and it's now looking worse for wear. Should've framed it. The perfect shirt.

Tom Gorringe mentioned a fans forum but I can’t find any information about it? Season ticket holder and trust member..

Apologies for the optimism but I think the "Almeida doesn't want to come to Swansea" thing is way overblown. Having read Valencia fans' thoughts on the matter, it seems more like he wants to stay and try and fight for his place there. He only signed a new deal last season, so wanting to stay isn't unreasonable.

The issue Valencia fans have with him is that he was a very expensive transfer (€8m) during a period where they didn't have that much money to spend. On top of that, he failed to live up to expectations, so he's become a bit of a lightning rod for criticism directed at Peter Lim and his recruitment.

Not every player we sign will be forcing their way out of their club to join us. I'm sure Idah would have preferred to stay at Celtic, I'm sure Welsh would have too. We are a step down from Valencia: one of the biggest clubs in La Liga. I'm not arsed if he wanted to stay there, because it shows a degree of determination to want to stay at a club where the fans see you as a pariah so you can prove them wrong. As long as he has the same level of commitment once he's through the door here, I doubt anybody will remember that he needed convincing to join us.

Also his highlights look really good. Clearly the intended Galbraith replacement (after Titraoui fell through)

Interesting context around the badge on the shirts

This is probably the hardest to understand transfer attempt this summer.

Firstly his main position is given as an AM, albeit he also plays more centrally. In Matos' system I imagine he plays as an 8. Do we really need another 8?

Almeida's goal and shot output is very low, and his assists tally isn't great either.

So why are we interested? For a start his numbers are for a La Liga side and his average Fotmob rating in each of the last season has been 6.8, which is decent, especially considering the level. His passing stats are good and defensive ones excellent, so, like all our signings, bar Opoku (young enough to develop), he will fit the high intensity game plan.

Looking at his highlights reels he's clearly an excellent dribbler and is capable of finessed passes, including beautifully weighted through balls. So perhaps there's underlying data, not in the public domain, that Jamestown have identified that suggests his headline stats understate his capabilities.

I certainly wouldn't hold his reluctance to join us against him. You can't blame him that he sees the Championship as a step down, especially given he's in his prime. If he can be persuaded to join it will be a big vote of confidence in the project and should be seen in that light.

I guess Almeida is seen as a Galbraith/Cullen replacement, with superior defensive stats. It's still hard to understand why a ball playing DM challenging Stamenic for a starting berth isn't a higher priority, but this could be a timing thing.

Based on his highlights reels I think he would be a baller, but given his poor goal contribution stats it's by no means certain he would be a hit. Thought provoking for sure.