Swansea City sit top of the Championship table after 10 games in the 2026-27 season, collecting 23 points from 30, their best start since being relegated from the Premier League in 2018. Midfielder Jay Fulton, who has been with the club since January 2014, believes the squad depth is the strongest it’s been since that relegation.
Fulton said the team now looks like it has “almost two players in every position.” Manager Vitor Matos has rotated heavily, using all 50 available substitution slots this season, a feat matched only by Bristol City’s Michael Skubala. So far, four goals have come from substitutes for Swansea, the joint-second highest tally in the division.
“It feels like a bigger squad; it feels like [there is] a lot more depth and quality,” Fulton said. “When one player comes out, the next player comes in, and I don't feel as if there's been any drawback from it really.”
Swansea’s improved squad balance has coincided with a strong start to the season both home and away. The Swans remain unbeaten in five games at the Swansea.com Stadium and have an impressive 2.4 points per game average on the road, the best in the league.
The culture around the club has changed since Matos took charge in November last season. Fulton credits the Portuguese coach for creating a positive environment where all players get minutes and feel involved.
“The training ground every day is a good place to come in, and obviously it helps when you're winning, but the environment the manager has created is a good one,” Fulton said. “He gets everybody playing minutes; there aren’t many people not playing minutes, so everybody's together and everybody's pushing in one direction.”
Fulton has been a mainstay in the squad this term, appearing in nine of the 10 league games and captaining the side in a 3-0 win at Derby County and a goalless draw with Wrexham. This is a stark turnaround from the start of last season when he featured in just six of the first 15 league fixtures under former manager Alan Sheehan, starting only once.
The 32-year-old midfielder said Matos has helped him regain form and confidence after a frustrating spell. “Since the manager's come in, I feel as if I've brought a bit of form back to myself,” Fulton said. “Once the manager came in, he just kind of clicked straight away, and I felt that throughout the season, my form built back up.”
Fulton highlighted the good relationship he has with Matos, noting the sense of belonging he has regained. “He's just instilled confidence back in myself and a bit of belonging again, so I can only thank him for that.”
Swansea’s rise up the Championship table reflects the manager’s approach to squad management and the players’ ability to adapt. Their resilience on the road and effective use of substitutions have helped them maintain momentum through the early weeks of the season. The club’s current form and squad balance mark a clear progression since their relegation in 2018.
According to Yahoo Sports.