Fulton recalls tough battles with Neil

Jay Fulton knows just how tough Swansea City's assignment at Preston will be, having taken on North End boss Alex Neil during the early stages of his playing career.

Graham Potter’s side will be aiming to make it three consecutive wins in all competitions when they take on the Lilywhites at Deepdale.

During his teenage years at Falkirk, Fulton regularly faced off against former midfielder Neil, who was then plying his trade with Hamilton Academical under current Swans assistant Billy Reid.

And the Swans midfielder admits he was always in for a difficult challenge against Neil, whose future managerial qualities were evident to him at the time.

“Playing against him, those were probably the toughest games during my time in Scotland,” the 24-year-old observed.

“He was a seasoned pro and I was around 17 at the time, but those experiences certainly helped me in my career.

“He used to play in midfield and you could always see him organising the team.

“Looking from afar, you could see that he would go on to become a manager.”