A bright end to the season

So, what was all the fuss about?

With one game to play, the Swans are comfortably in mid-table. A win this afternoon would see them chalk up their second highest total since they arrived in the Premier League back in 2011.

Crisis? What crisis?

Well, there have undoubtedly been some worrying moments along the way this season.

The Christmas turkey was a little tougher to swallow this season as the Swans spent the not-so-festive season languishing in the bottom three.

But no team in the Premier League has a divine right to successful, worry-free campaigns.

The Premier League is considered to be the toughest in the world for a reason. No club can expect an easy ride and any team, regardless of size or history, can find themselves at the wrong end of the table.

Up until the last few weeks, this season has often been described as disappointing for the Swans.

But, if you want a true definition of a disappointing season I'm sure Aston Villa fans would be happy to provide one.

But disappointment is relative. After last Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Sunderland, Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink knew his side could finish no higher than ninth. "I'm disappointed," he said. 

And after winning the league last season, I suppose finishing that far down the table is a disappointment for the reigning Champions.

After finishing a Premier League best of eighth last season, perhaps some people were expecting the Swans to match that again this term, or go even higher.

But that was always going to be a tall order at best, and at worst, a little unrealistic.

I know Leicester's exploits this season may have now skewed a lot of people's expectations for their club's next season, as they have proved "anything really is possible", but they were 5,000-1 outsiders going into this season for a reason and fans still need to keep a hold of reality.

This hasn't been a disappointing season for the Swans. Granted, there have been parts that were disappointing, but titles and relegation issues aren't decided at Christmas time, so there's no point labelling a season a write-off when you are down in the lower reaches halfway through the campaign.

Those are the times when you need optimism, character and fight, and that's exactly what the players, management and fans of the Swans have shown during the second half of the season.

Manager Francesco Guidolin and his staff  - in particular Alan Curtis - should take a massive amount of credit in helping turn around the club's fortunes following the departure of Garry Monk.

We will never know whether Monk would have turned things around had he stayed, but there can be absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the Swans' fortunes have improved immeasurably under the subsequent regimes.

And that's why it's important to save judgement on a season until its very end, rather than passing judgement halfway through.

When you look back at the season as a whole, there is no way it can be described a disappointment, even if the Swans can't match the heady heights of the last campaign.

Over the past nine months the Swans have once again won at Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium, chalked up their first ever league victories over Chelsea and Everton, registered only their second win at Upton Park in 100 years of trying, and celebrated their first league win over Liverpool since their first campaign in the Premier League.

They also won four home Premier League games in a row for the first time since their promotion and will be bidding to make it a fifth today. So, it's not been too bad a season in the end then?

You have to admit that, although we could have done without a flirtation with the relegation zone, it's certainly made for an exciting season.

And, of course, the excitement isn't over yet. After this afternoon's encounter against what is always an entertaining and talented Manchester City side, we can look forward to probably the most exciting and intriguing summer I have ever experienced as a Swans fan.

At the time of writing, we still don't know who will be in charge of the team next season, so it will be fascinating to find out who will be at the helm when the Premier League kicks off again next August.

Even more intriguing than that, we will know who will be at the helm in the boardroom as more details of the club's proposed takeover emerge and all the developments that may bring.

Of course there will be the usual frenzied speculation over the comings and goings on the playing front to look forward to.

And, last but not least, we will finally get to see Wales play in a major finals tournament once again, with the added excitement of seeing the nation led in France by our very own Captain Courageous Ashley Williams.

That little lot should keep us interested until the new season dawns!

C'mon you Swans and good luck Wales!