1. Freestone
2. Jones S
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. Smith
6. Cusack #
7. Thomas *
8. O'Leary
9. Watkin
10. Coates @
11. Price

    ---

12. Jones J
13. Phillips @ (88)
14. Jenkins * (73)
15. Mutton # (72)
16. Roberts

 Wigan

1. Carroll
2. Bradshaw
3. Green
4. Sheridan
5. McGibbon
6. Griffiths
7. Nicholls
8. Ashcroft #
9. Redfearn
10. Haworth
11. Liddell

    ---

12. Martinez # (73)
13. Stillie
14. Roberts
15. Mitchell
16. McLoughlin

Ah, the first day of the new football season. Don't you just love it? The sun nearly always shines, people have been to the club shop early to buy the new strip, and there is a feeling of optimism in the air.

Maybe, for Swansea fans, not so much optimism yesterday but the talk of what didn't happen in the summer but, nevertheless, as everyone gathered pre-match people were looking forward to another 9 months of football watching heaven(?)

A difficult way to start, with many peoples favourites for promotion in Wigan. Beaten play-off finalists last year and having invested during the summer and a shrewd manager at the helm, a tough task for us back in division two.

Onto the football, a disappointing in some ways but acceptable 0-0 draw played out in front of 8300 fans at the Vetch.

Swansea did not look out of place in the first half of little chances - the only real one falling to Redfearn who saw his shot tipped over by Freestone.

John Sheridan picked up a needless booking first half for a scuffle with Jason Price and just before the interval, Wigan were reduced to 10 men when Steve Jones was lashed out giving Dermot Gallagher no alternative but to brandish a red card.

This changed Wigan's game plan and it was 10 men behind the ball for the second half as they set about securing their first point. Should this be taken as a compliment and that teams will again be settling for a point when they come to the Vetch?

Two chances in the second half - one to Price who chipped over when played through by Watkin and one to Wigan when Liddell(?) blasted over from 15 yards when he too, should have scored.

Pluses and minuses from the game

PLUSES
1. We competed and matched Wigan first half
2. The defence was as usual solid and bar the two chances mentioned was very rarely troubled by the Wigan attack 3. Tommy Mutton looked sharp and enthusiastic when he came one

MINUSES
1. Lack of creativity, in all fairnedd it was hampered second half by Wigan's defensive tactics
2. The obvious lack of a striker although again, in fairness we created little for a striker today due again to Wigans tactics

CROWD MINUSES
1. The booing at the end - uncalled for and not needed - a point against the championship favourites is not to be sniffed at and you can appreciate where Bound was coming from with his reaction to this.
2. The new song of 'You only run from the Turkish' - In view of what happened to Leeds fans out there, this is, in my opinion, not particularly funny or clever and relates not one jot to Wigan Athletic or any of the teams we will see this season (unless we draw Leeds in the cup of course!)

In summary, a deserved point awhich could have been all three but wasn't.

No complaints from this corner about the result whatsoever - we will see worse teams than Wigan at the Vetch this season and with some creativity in midfield then maybe we could even score a goal or two ;-)

Next stop.............Brentford

Well after a 3 month wait the start of the season has arrived. A very warm day, with hazy sunshine and a Vetch crowd of 8291. With Boyd out Cusack played upfront with Watkin and O’Leary replacing him in midfield. The first half was 50-50 with Wigan playing some neat football early in the half. The Swans more than held their own without making any inroads into the Wigan area. Premiership referee Dermot Gallagher clamped his authority on a sometimes bruising 45mins by booking 3 Wigan players as well as sending off their Nicholls for lashing out at Jones after a tackle. One moment of worry came when Redfern found a gapping hole in the Swans defence but Rog came to the rescue by tipping over the shot which had goal written all over it.

The second half found the Swans almost totally dominant, but again without finding anyway through what was now a packed defence. Wigan had now decided to close ranks and leave only ex Cardiff striker Howarth alone upfront. It was one way traffic but no real breakthrough, but on the hour Price found himself clear and closed in to the right of the area with chasing defender and keeper Carroll coming out he lobbed over the bar. There was a double substitution around 75mins with Jenkins & Mutton replacing Cusack and Thomas who had earlier been booked for a two footed tackle. Again late in the game Wigan had a glorious chance of picking up all the points when lack of concentration allowed Liddell a free shot from a pull back shooting over from 10 yards. Phillips replaced Coates in the final minutes.

At the start of play we would have been happy with a point from one of the promotion favourites, but reality shows we deserved all 3. On footballing terms we held our own, but hard worked chances must be taken. Yes Boyd was missing but it was clearly there for all to see, that the forward line needs strengthening

No individual player scoring, but a few comments.
The defence as strong as ever, with Howard still improving.
The midfield worked hard as a unit, but lack the vision of a play maker.
The forwards cannot be faulted for their efforts, but need the killer instinct as chances are soon closed down.
On the whole a promising display which showed we can compete in a higher division, but still the need for a striker and a creative midfielder

A good atmosphere for the start of a new campaign. 8000 + saw more of the same as last season with the only difference being stiffer opposition.

Freestone: Although hardly tested was as solid as ever tipping well a shot over the bar that looked destined for a goal. Only one error when he threw the ball aimlessly to a Wigan player otherwise his distribution looks far better than last season.

S.Jones: Largely untroubled as Wigan didn't really utilise the flanks so giving Steve plenty of attacking opportunities. His ball control and distribution were good today and he worked hard with a lot of off the ball running.

Howard: A quiet game but again Wigan's failure to utilise the flanks left him with very little to do.

Smith: An almost faultless game,soild in the air when needed proving he can handle the best of strike forces at this level.

Bound: Also solid and faultless defensively but if he is insistant on taking the ball forward he needs to improve his distribution.

Coates: Looked dangerous at times in the first half showing on his day he is one of the most skillfull players we have. However inconsistancy again spoilt his game in the second half with him losing silly possesion and producing high crosses for a dwarfed front line.

Thomas: By his standards a very quiet game, he tended to drift in and out throughout the match. Booked again for one moment of hot headedness but then again that's his agressive game we all know he plays.

J.Price: I felt JJ was our most lively player today but again tended to fade in and out of the game. Missed a real sitter one on one with the Wigan keeper hitting over ther bar.

O'Leary: I didn't feel he really contributed today and I question his match fitness. A couple of long ranged shots that missed by a long way.

Cusack: Started lively enough giving us some much needed height alongside Watkin.To be fair to him he was expected to fill a role unsuiting to him. Didn't really cause Wigan any problems.He had one header that hit the inside of the post but was penalised for pushing.

Watkin: Holds the ball up wonderfully but it's no good without support up front. He still lacks that killer instinct and ability to create openings for himself.

Mutton: Fairly late substitution for Cusack,the kid's still learning his trade but managed to get a couple of low crosses in that worried an otherwise solid Wigan defence.

Jenkins: Came on in a joint substitution with Mutton for a now defunct Coates.Didn't really get into the game at all.

CONCLUSION....
More of the same I'm afraid, Wigan had the best of the first half with our defence coping well with a very quick and agile front two. Wigan losing a player red carded on half time for a kick at S.Jones on the floor decided to leave only one up second half and play for the draw. We had 70% possesion in the second half with plenty of slow build up play but no finishing qualities. We missed Boyd badly today and it outlined our need for a striker ASAP.

My thoughts on the match:

Despite the spin, no sign of Boyd. JH went with Cusack up front with O'Leary occupying his place in midfield. Apart form that it was everyone's probable starting line up with Price getting the nod over Appleby/Roberts.

First half was very even and plenty of signs of encouragement for Swansea who more than held their own against the division's favourites.

Turning point came when one of their players got sent off for a punch on Jones while I was at the toilet ;-)

Second half was much more difficult. Despite having territorial advantage (Wigan settling for a point leaving only Haworth up front) Swansea were devoid of ideas as to how to break the stubborn defensive Wigan line down.

In fact it was Wigan who had the best scoring chance from a breakaway which was cut square to an unmarked player who blasted over from 12 yards out.

Swansea's only chance of the game came midway through the second half when Cusack harried their defence and forced the ball to Watkin who fed the free Price on the right. But unlike last year, his advance on goal was chipped over instead of into the net over the advancing keeper.

Apart from the welcome 5 points I picked up in predictascore. my only criticism would be why didn't we bring on Roberts? for one of our surplus full backs to try and get behind them.

Disappointing to see very few of the players clap the fans for turning up BUT even more disappointed to hear some of the crowd boo the players at the end in what was a match where no one really had a bad game.

A sweating throng of anticipation, crowded in to the North Bank by 2.30pm the hardy souls that are Swansea till they die sang their hearts out. Wigan supplied 300 members to the cast, drowned out and in awe of the noise that sounded like a chartered flight to Lanzarote taking to the sky's, the new season was here. Full blooded encounters ensued, The Swans, tight at the back with Smith, Bound, Jones and Howard making sure that no Wigan man would pass. The day was set up for another 1-0 win. The midfield looked steady without impressing, Coates ran, Price, his legs all over the place contrived to force whatever issue he could. O' Leary battled and Thomas behaved. Up front Cusack impressed without worrying the Wigan back four and Watkin, slow, methodical and strong gave the impression he was and is a good attacking midfielder.

Early exchanges brought foul after foul as Wigan brought the game to a stand still time after time with their inept tackling, and blatant disregard for the games rules. Sheridan, a man once the pride of the International stage was the main antagonist, his reward, a booking, and to be honest he should have seen red. When a player did take an early shower it was for butting Steve Jones. A man in red made his way on to the pitch to vent his anger, luckily he failed to reach his goal, stewards replacing him in the crowd. They had no choice, it was turning nasty - again. Blood fell from Jonesy's face, and their left back, a man called " idiot " was sent from the field. A handfull of Hacket wearing morons from Wigan showed us all how pathetic the hooligans are by congregating closest to the North Bank. A fence and twelve stewards seperating them from four thousand hyped and single minded Jacks. All we wanted was victory.

The first half was interesting without any result.

The second half had a poor credit rating. Wigan decided a point was enough and failed to see that they could have easily won the game, if only they had tried to. Luckily they remained negative. Eight men behind the ball and the incompetent Howarth, hand balling, pushing and falling over was their only answer. Swansea passed and passed, diagonal and backwards, no invention or creativity, Frank Burrows would have been proud. The game died. Watkin ( or has he changed his name ) carved out the one chance for a Swansea win. With Cusack they robbed the Wigan defence of the ball and Price was left clear in on goal. His finish was Muttonesque, nay Torpeyesque, or Phillipsesque, maybe Westesque, either way he hit the crowd. The moans could be heard a mile away. Elsewhere strikers performed, Corrazin netted as did Forrester and Brayson scored too, the players whose faces don't fit at Swansea for whatever reason, earned their wedge in different colour jerseys to us. Months of looking and Hollins has a crisis, we just cannot score.

Boyds cut foot just may have earned us something, but like today he won't always be there. Mutton was out of position, even in position it is clear he cannot supply the answers. Cusack last played up front for Motherwell, his return was eight goals, equalling what we gave away in the close season. And Watkin needs to play behind a front two, but without two to put there he will only score ten goals this season at the very most. When interviewed Hollins remained very militant. He refused to answr any questions on his front line deployment, he stated the face has to fit. 857 days in charge at the club, he is yet to find the right man. He said " It is not just a striking problem ,we failed to create and no striker would have made the difference " His response during the game was to bring on Lee Jenkins and Gareth Phillips, players who create very little, and when sampled with Mutton, very little at all. And all the time a player who can create, who can probe and cause problems sat on the Swansea bench - Stuart Roberts.

He knows every inch of that bench, every blemish and every scratch. He has spent a whole year there - Just Waiting. His mind must be thinking, " What do I have to do " His father must be thinking, " This season he either makes it here or goes elsewhere "

We missed Alsop, yes we did. He would have concentrated the minds of the Wigan back eight, he just may have forced an error and gave us the break in play we needed. He isn't the answer, he never was, but today as the ball flew in to the Wigan box time and time again only to be returned with interest I thought " Julian might have got that "

8,500 Swansea voices failed, fourteen players failed and the reasons are there for all to see. The media know, the supporters know, and if you get them on their own the players know. And so does John Hollins, but now he has to get busy. He has formed a Swansea side that is the best we have had for years, they are battlers, they are friends, they know what's required. John Hollins can really make a mark this season, he just needs the courage of his convictions to do so, and all of Wales is watching. Until he does this match report can be reproduced for all 46 games this season. So close and yet so far.

The final solution is with Mr Hollins.

Good to see so many reports sent in on this match, so we'll keep this one brief! This was a game which could have proven the doubters wrong, or alternatively, it could have confirmed the folly of our lack of investment in the striker market; in the event, it did a bit of both.

Certainly the performance was full of promise in many areas of play - the defence was a stout as ever, with the familiar Smith-Bound combo towering over the fancied Wigan attack; the midfield did better than we expected, with Thomas and Price in particular battling for everything; we showed some good patient passing, particularly in second half, as we tried to prise open the 10 man Wigan defence; and up front Watkin and Mutton showed promising signs of better things to come.

But as an attacking force, our fears were confirmed. Cusack made little impression throughout, either in the air or on the ground. He has given a lot to this club over the last few years and would probably play in goal if asked, but it is unfair and unrealistic to expect him to lead the line, as well as leaving us short of creativity in midfield. During the course of the game we whipped in some useful crosses from our wide players, and as other reporters have commented, we desperately lacked anyone to apply a finish.

The most pleasing aspect of the first half was the battling quality of the Swans line up, with all 11 quite happy to mix it up with a very robust Wigan line up. The physical nature of the game made it very much a stop-start affair, with very few chances created by either side. When Wigan's assured passing style gave them periods of pressure, we defneded stoutly, with the midfield tracking back and Smith/Bound heading everything in sight. So much so that we were breached only once, when a neat touch from Howarth set up Redfearn for a suberb strike, which was brilliantly saved by Wales' number one!

But following the sending off, well spotted and dealt with by Dermot Gallagher, Wigan decided to show a lack of ambition of Homer Simpson proportions, pulling all 10 men behind the ball and conceding the midfield area completely. We should take this as a compliment, as the league favourites were clearly happy to settle for a point. But on the negative side, this frequently left Kris O'Leary on the ball with 10 yards of space around him, yet he still managed to do nothing creative whatsoever. It was wave after wave of Swansea attacks in the second half, but this was due mainly to Wigan's negativity, and frankly, never really looked like giving us a win.

It was the persistence of Price and, on his introduction, the sharp darting runs of Tommy Mutton, that created our best opportunities. Yet only one of these was clear cut, when Cusack set Price free down our right, but lifted his shot over the bar. Mutton showed some neat close control and twice wriggled free of the tight marking to send in two dangerous low crosses, one of which was nearly converted by the persistent Steve Watkin, whose twisting and turning caused the Wigan defence some problems. Notably, virtually all our attacks came down our right, with Coates looking very ineffective against this Wigan defence.

Lee Lenkins and Gareth Phillips battled hard when they came on, but surely Stuart Roberts should have been given a run out - even on the left in place of Coates - it would have been worth a try. But I am sure we can expect to see a lot more of Stuart this season

Some player ratings
Freestone - 9 Performed everything well, with one excellent save.
Jones - 7 A steady performance, joining the attack on occasions, bit with little impact.
Howard - 8 As for Jones, but seems to be improving as an attacking option.
Bound - 9 Superb; headed everything and always in position
Smith - 9 As above, though he lost Haworth once.
Price - 7 Some mazy and unpredictable runnng caused the some problems.
Coates - 4 Gave the ball away too much, didn't pass a full back and didn't produce an effective cross.
Thomas - 7 Held the midfield together with his tackling.
O'Leary - 5 Kris is a decent auxiliary defender, but he is no midfielder. Got the occasional good tackle in, but his vision and distribution were just not up to it.
Watkin - 6 Some good running, twisting and turning, but didn't hold the ball up too well.
Cusack - 5 We miss him in midfield, and he really needs to go back there, for his own sake as much as ours.
Mutton - 7 Some very intelligent and pacy running; some decent crosses; didn't get a scoring chance, but very promising.
Jenkins - 6 Did better than O'Leary, but didn't really make use of the space he had.
Phillips - Not on long enough for a rating.