Dobbie: This Is Our Big Chance To Reach Top Flight

Stephen Dobbie says this season is our big chance to reach the Premier League.

Swansea City have their best opportunity yet to make the big move up to the top flight after finishing just outside the play-offs in the previous two seasons.

A win tomorrow against Reading - another club targeting promotion - would give our promotion hopes a big boost as we go into the second half of the Championship season.

Dobbie has had to watch on from the sidelines recently as he has found it difficult to get into the first team, but he started his first game on Tuesday since October.

'If Swansea have ever had a chance to get promoted, it's this season,'

'The squad we've got is strong as we saw on Tuesday with David Cotterill, myself, Jermaine Easter, Mark Gower, Andrea Orlandi and Neil Taylor all coming in.

'Half the team was changed and we could still go out and get a result — that's the kind of squad we have.

'The squad we've got here is one of the best there's been for a long while at this level.

'There are possibilities. Making the play-offs is probably our aim this year and if we can get any higher then fantastic.

'Hopefully this group can do what Blackpool did last year and then it will have been two good years for me.'

Dobbie also said he's remaining patient as he waits for his opportunity to play, but he's hoping he impressed enough against Barnsley to earn himself another start on New Year's Day as we host Reading.

'You have to keep working hard in training and hopefully the day comes along where you get your chance,'

'It's been a while, but the boys have been playing fantastically, as our league position shows.

'The gaffer has got decisions to make and I'm sure he'll bring in a couple of players in January, when it could be the same situation for a couple of the other boys.

'I was in the team, then Marvin (Emnes) came and scored a couple of important goals.

'Craig Beattie had waited for his chance and he got it.

'Hopefully I did enough out there against Barnsley to get another start tomorrow.

'But when you look at our bench the other day it was fantastic, with the likes of Craig and Scott (Sinclair) on it.

'With the games we've got coming up, I'm sure everyone will get a chance at some point.'

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