Huw Jenkins: Swansea decline not result of American takeover, says chairman

Huw Jenkins (right) makes a point to Swansea manager Bob Bradley

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has defended the club's American takeover, claiming off-field events have not led to the team's decline.

The Swans are second from bottom in the Premier League, having been bought by Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan in July.

Jenkins has previously said he takes responsibility for the club's slump, but insists the takeover will benefit Swansea.

"The sale of shares has had no adverse effect on the football club," he said.

"Financially, we are in a stronger position to go forward, and with a little luck and continued hard work between now and the end of the season we can be in a great position to develop financially over the next few years.

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"The club needed a major shareholder to take financial responsibility for our future development. We could not continue to operate any longer as things were."

Jenkins led the consortium which saved Swansea from financial ruin and relegation from the Football League in 2002, and then oversaw a dramatic rise from the bottom tier to the Premier League.

Following promotion to the top flight in 2011, Jenkins and his fellow directors were lauded as a model example to other clubs.

However, following the summer's takeover, the chairman and the board have been criticised by Swansea's fans, who believe the directors were acting in self-interest when they sold their shares to Levien and Kaplan.

Jenkins made more than £8m by selling 8.2% of his 13.2% stake and he has been singled out for condemnation by the Swans' supporters.

Although he recognises the club is faltering on and off the field, Jenkins hopes a productive January transfer window will help propel Swansea up the Premier League table.

"Looking back over the last 12 months, it's plain to see that things have not gone well. We all know that it's been a tough time and our players, in particular, have had to cope with a lot of changes on and off the field," Jenkins added, writing in the match programme for the Boxing Day game against West Ham.

"I must stress once again, however, that the changes within our football club have been minimal from a day-to-day operational perspective and as far as most of us are concerned it's been business as usual.

"The January transfer window can provide us with the platform and timing to not only strengthen our first- team squad, but to bring everyone and everything together to stamp some lost belief and clarity on and off the field going forward."