August 21, 2018, just weeks into their new life as a Championship club and Swansea City's fans were soon to find out just how fun a ride, albeit a brief one in the end, they would go on to enjoy under new boss Graham Potter.

Having already claimed a frankly bonkers 2-1 win at Sheffield United on the opening day before beating Preston, Potter's young guns were proving they were worthy of the chance to shine after the bulk of the Premier League contingent were offloaded following relegation.

It was a first home midweek night under the lights for Potter, and a bumper crowd filled the Liberty Stadium as the Swans drew 2-2 in an absolute thriller with Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United.

Of the 18 players involved for Swansea on that occasion, only two remain in the current squad - Jay Fulton and Kyle Naughton.

The same number now find themselves in the Leeds squad (Joe Rodon and Dan James) while Connor Roberts also went on to have a loan spell with the Whites after joining Burnley on a permanent deal in 2021.

But the outlook for Swansea at present is a far cry from what it was during those rosy and exciting days under Potter - the man who has gone on to manage Brighton, Chelsea and now West Ham in the top-flight.

Key assets regularly departing, mismanagement at the top, a muddled identity and a lack of alignment throughout the club are just some of the factors that have led to dwindling attendances and a widespread feeling of apathy towards the club right now. 

Following the Swans has become a chore.

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This comes after what outgoing chairman Andy Coleman was eager to tell everyone was a wonderful "new era" after Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien sold the club in November.

Unfortunately for Swansea, Coleman consistently proved he was not up to the required standard and the club is continuing to suffer while he will relinquish his role as chairman in the summer - hopefully when the club has secured its Championship status under Alan Sheehan.

The Irishman has been confirmed as the man in charge for the remainder of the season - but there are no guarantees about the next campaign.

Videos of the Potter, Steve Cooper and the Russell Martin eras often circulate on social media sites nowadays and bring back the kinds of emotions that remind fans why they follow the game and their club in the first place.

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Those types of memories have been heavily limited of late, further emphasising that years of mismanagement have come home to roost.

Under Potter, this was a club going places. Through different methods, there was huge hope under Cooper and then again under Martin.

For almost two seasons now, it feels everything has been pointing in the same direction for Swansea.
 The grim reality is, it isn't upwards.

The risk now is that they become just another former Premier League side languishing in Championship obscurity. 

Even more of a worry is if they can't even operate at that level, something that is unfortunately becoming an increasing possibility given that Swansea have somehow been dragged back into the relegation picture this season.

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A trip to Elland Road to face the current league leaders is the last thing Sheehan needs as numerous sides below them continue to pick up points.

It may well require a limp to the finish line before Swansea go through their annual ritual of a big summer where the hierarchy learn from the mistakes made in the past. Supposedly.

But the transfer window is one that needs to be heavily utilised to prove that Swansea really can be in an exciting new era.

Because at the moment, they simply aren't. 

Fans need an Oli McBurnie, a Joel Piroe, a Dan James goal against Brentford, a Bersant Celina stunner against Man City, a 90+9, a dominant Marc Guehi defensive display.

This won't happen without drastically improved alignment and investment over the coming windows. 

Should Swansea's new ownership group need any convincing as to the scale of the task ahead, Saturday will likely prove it.

And two of the men who represented everything good about the club will be at the heart of Leeds' plot to extend their former club's misery.