Swansea v West Brom - Match preview

In a season of ups and downs, Carlos Corberan has managed to revive Albion’s promotion hopes as they now enter the final day of the Championship season with a flicker of hope.

As well as beating Swansea today, Albion must also rely on two other results. They need Millwall and Blackburn to draw, and Sunderland to drop points at Preston, to give them a place in the top six.

Swift, who signed at the start of this season, now wants to make a late push and right the wrongs of Albion’s fall down the table earlier in the campaign.

“When I joined, my mind was straight on at least making the play-offs,” he said.

“10 games in and we were down the bottom of the table, it was a reality check for everyone to say ‘just because we’re West Brom doesn’t mean we automatically deserve to be in or around the play-offs’. Everything changed and the performances got better, but in reality we were still under achieving.

“No matter where we were or how many games we won, we were still under achieving.

“It will be good to beat Swansea and get into the play-offs and make up for the disappointment at the beginning of the season.

“I know that’s what everyone wants to do. Everyone wants to prove to the fans that we are the same team from the beginning of the season, just better now.

“Hopefully we can make it right against Swansea.”

Albion’s first priority will be to beat Swansea today, before their thoughts turn to results elsewhere.

Swift was was honest about today’s priorities – and said the time will come when Albion have to consider how the other teams are doing on the final day.

“Every player will say we need to concentrate on our result and do everything we need to do,” Swift added. “But two seasons ago I was at Reading and in the stands because I was injured, and Swansea beat us 5-1 and it made a big swing for them.

“It’s easy just to say we need to concentrate on the result, and do what we need to do on the pitch, but when it comes down to the last 10 or 15 minutes of the game and we’re either winning, losing or drawing, we’re going to need to know what we need to get.

“In our mind, if we’re winning and all we need is a win, we’re going to want to know that when we’re on the pitch.

“Ultimately we need to win and concentrate on our performance, but in the back end of the game we’re going to need to know what we need specifically.

“Hopefully the fans there will let us know, but if not we’ll get something from the sidelines.

“We need to make sure we’re in the game by that point. We don’t want to concentrate on that all game and let it slip through our hands. It’s a massive game and everyone needs to be on it.”