Gower Hopeful Of More First Team Chances

Mark Gower tasted Premier League football for the first time last weekend, and he's hoping he gets more chances to play in the first team this season.

The former Southend United midfielder was an unused substitute for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League 15 years ago, and he was delighted to finally get his chance to play in the top flight on Saturday at Arsenal, coming on as a substitute to replace the injured Kemy Agustien.

With the Dutchman set to be sidelined for up to 6 weeks with a hamstring problem, Mark Gower is hoping that this will give more chances to play first team football for the Swans.

"I got a bit emotional when I was ready to come on,"

"It was really nice to get that monkey off my back because it has been a long time coming.

"To finally play in the Premier League is a great feeling.

"I first got on the bench at Spurs when I was 18, so it`s taken nearly 15 years to get my chance. It`s a nice feeling and I will enjoy it."

Gower was a first team regular last season as he enjoyed being a part of the team that won promotion via the play-offs. He must have been disappointed at the start of this season however to be replaced by Agustien, a player who hardly played a League game last year.

Gower added:

"It was mixed emotions for me. On a personal note it was great but to not get anything from the game is disappointing because I thought we really deserved something.

"It is a tough pill to swallow because we competed with them from the first minute to the last.

"The lads were a different class.

"The work-rate was superb and we created chances, we just need that little bit of luck and something to go our way to give us confidence.

"The team needs a goal and once that comes we will be fine."

Gower, like the manager and other players in the squad, is confident that goals will come, as the Swans have still yet to score in their first 4 League games.

"It`s a bad habit to be an unlucky loser.

"But at the same time in the four games that we have played so far we have played two really tough teams away from home.

"We competed for 60 minutes against Man City and against Arsenal it was there for all to see.

"In the two home games with a little bit of luck we could easily have won both of them.

"We can more than compete at this level I am certain of that.

"There is an awful lot of quality in our dressing room and I feel with a little bit of luck, a deflection or anything to get us a goal, will give us so much confidence.

"It is a tough league but I could see us stringing a few results together and climbing up the table.

"We will be fine."

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.