Leon Britton: Swansea midfielder's video lesson for team-mates before Stoke win

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Leon Britton in action for Swansea City against Stoke CityImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Leon Britton has played more than 400 games for Swansea City

Swansea's Leon Britton gave his team-mates a history lesson to help inspire them before their 2-0 win over Stoke.

The 34-year-old has been at Swansea, with one season's break, since 2003 and played a key role in their climb from near-bankruptcy to the Premier League.

Britton revealed that the day before the game he handed out copies of the film "Jack to a King", external which charts the club's rise through the leagues.

"I said 'listen, if you get a spare hour just have a watch'," he explained.

"I did it because because some of them don't understand, they come to a Premier League club and think it's always been like this.

"You don't blame them, they maybe don't understand that it wasn't that long ago that we were washing our own kit and trying to find somewhere to train so I said have a watch and see how much it means to some people.

"To be fair quite a few of the boys made comments about it and what happened so I think quite a few of them did watch it."

Swansea were almost relegated from the Football League in 2003 and needed a 4-2 win over Hull, external on the final day of that season to secure survival - a match in which Britton played.

Image source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Tom Carroll's goal secured Swansea's first win since the 3-2 victory over Burnley on 4 March

They are again locked in a relegation battle involving the Tigers who are two points ahead of the Swans after both teams won their latest Premier League matches.

Goals from Fernando Llorente and Tom Carroll ended a six-match winless run for Swansea, but Hull's win over Watford means the Welsh club remain in the relegation zone with four matches remaining.

Britton, playing for the first time since December, was singled out for praise by manager Paul Clement and said he was "delighted" to be back.

"It's been three or four months without playing, obviously quite frustrating, but I've been trying to help the team in any way I can off the pitch," Britton said.

"But it was nice to be back out on the pitch and having a bit more of an impact on the game, but I was just chuffed with the performance and the result."

Swansea's remaining matches

30 April: Man Utd (a)

6 May: Everton (h)

13 May: Sunderland (a)

21 May: West Brom (h)

Britton said he had not questioned the manager's decision to leave him on the sideline.

"There's more pressing matter to worry about than me knocking on the gaffer's door or him having to explain why I'm not playing," he added.

"I have a good relationship with the manager, I speak with him a lot and I said to him many times anything I can do to help in any way - playing or not playing.

"I'll do what I can to help the club stay up."

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