Swansea City star Leon Britton salutes Wolves boss Kenny Jackett

29th July

Swansea City head into their Kenny Jackett reunion at Molineux this weekend with Leon Britton hailing his old boss as an unsung hero of the club's rise through the divisions.

The Swans play their penultimate pre-season friendly against Jackett's Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday (3pm).

And Britton reckons the trip to the Black Country means a chance to catch up with a man who played his part in the club's climb from bottom division to the top flight.

Wolves boss Jackett was in charge of the Swans between 2004 and 2007.

He memorably led the club out of League Two in the final season at Vetch Field, then came within a whisker of winning a second successive promotion only to lose the League One play-off final against Barnsley on a penalty shootout.

Jackett also signed some players who would have a big influence at the Swans, among them Garry Monk.

And the one survivor on the current playing staff from Jackett's time at the helm believes the former Welsh international deserves credit for the work he did in SA1.

"Kenny played a big part for us," Britton says, "and maybe he does get missed out a little bit when people talk about our climb up the leagues.

"People talk about Roberto (Martinez) and rightly so, but Kenny got us out of League Two and he very nearly got us out of League One as well.

"We were just a few spot-kicks away. Things could have worked out so differently if we had won that shootout.

"He did really well here and he was very well respected by the players who played under him."

Signed by Brian Flynn, Britton was not a guaranteed starter in the early days of Jackett's Vetch reign.

But he eventually won him over, playing an unfamiliar role on the right flank of midfield so successfully that he was named player of the year in 2006-07.

Britton recalls how Jackett, who left his job as Queens Park Rangers' assistant manager to take the reins from Flynn, turned the Swans into more formidable opponents.

"Under Brian Flynn we were very much an attacking team," he adds.

"We were open, we played off the cuff. We were told to go out and enjoy ourselves and express ourselves. We would score a lot of goals but concede a few as well.

"When Kenny came in, it was a more rigid 4-4-2. We were more drilled and organised, and I think that showed in the year we went up.

"We kept a lot of clean sheets. We were well organised and difficult to beat. With the attacking players we had at that time - people like Lee Trundle, Andy Robinson, Bayo Akinfnewa - we were always going to score a goal.

"Kenny brought in some important players like Garry, Sam Ricketts and Adrian Forbes. Bayo was another one. We also had Trunds, Rory Fallon and Leon Knight as options up front. That was a very good group of forwards for that level.

"Kenny definitely played a big role here. He may go under the radar a bit, but everyone who has been at the club for a long time or supports the club appreciates what he did for us."

Britton expects to play some part at Wolves despite missing the Swans' midweek victory over Swindon Town as a result of a minor knee problem.

Francesco Guidolin's men have one more friendly to come, against Stade Rennais on August 6, before the new Premier League season begins with a trip to Burnley.

For Wolves, meantime, the Swans clash is a final dress rehearsal ahead of their Championship opener at Rotherham United in eight days' time.

And Britton would be delighted to see Jackett's team thrive in the second tier this season.

"Swansea was Kenny's first job and he has gone on to do very well," he says.

"He was at Millwall for a while and he has been at Wolves for a while too.

"I am sure he is looking to manage in the Premier League having worked at every other level, and it would be great to see him get there with Wolves."

Please note, Swans supporters can pay on the day at Wolves via turnstile block 3.

Tickets cost £10 for adults, £8 for over 65s and under-17s and £5 for juniors under 12.

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