Former Swan Steve Lovell insists there will be no lump in his throat or tear in his eye today – unless he knocks his old club out of the FA Cup.
The Gillingham manager returns to his home town club determined to steer his League One side into round five, rather than get nostalgic.
Lovell grew up in Swansea until former Crystal Palace manager Malcolm Allison tempted him away to Crystal Palace at the age of 16.
He did return briefly to play a handful of games for the club under Terry Yorath but he is clear where his loyalties lie – in the same place at 1,200 travelling Gills fans.
“I left Swansea a long time ago and there is more of a love here than at Swansea,” says Lovell, who scored more than 100 goals for Gillngham as a player.
“I have more of a rapport with this football club than I did at Swansea.
“Yes, Swansea is my home town, but from a football point of view Gillingham is my club, the club I love and work for. We will be doing everything to win on Saturday.
“The most important thing is the game and putting on a performance that will warrant giving Swansea a good game.
“We are good enough to give them a game and give ourselves a chance of going through or bringing them back here.
“We will be going there with a positive frame of mind and after our league defeat on Saturday it is a matter of bouncing back and forgetting that.
“We have done it many times before, we have lost games on a Saturday and then come out and performed well. That is what we have to do again.”
Lovell, who made two league appearances for Swansea in 1987, is hoping to guide his side to another upset against Welsh opposition after beating Premier League Cardiff City in the third round.
“I’m very excited because I know what we can produce when we’re at our best,” he said.
“This year, we have turned up for the big games, so I’m hoping we can replicate what we’ve done before against Cardiff and Portsmouth and make sure we do ourselves proud.
“Whatever the result, it’s important that we put in a good performance and give everything.”
Swans manager Graham Potter’s side are targeting a place in the fifth round for the second successive season.
Victory over Sheffield United last Saturday saw the Swans move to within six points of the Championship play-off places but Potter will not prioritise the league over the FA Cup.
“I don’t think I can sit here as a Swansea City head coach or manager and say the FA Cup is not important,” said Potter. “Of course, it is important to us. It is important to the players, the club and our supporters.
“We want to be competitive in every game and we want to develop that mentality going into the second half of the season that we want to win every game we play.”
