The Championship - It's been a long time coming but at last its here.

The last time the Swans played in the Championship it was called the Canon Second Division. May 12th 1984 was a day to forget, as not only did the Swans lose 5-0 against Portsmouth at Fratton Park, but we were also relegated to the Canon Third Division.

Those were dark days in the history of Swansea City Football Club, as the club was relegated for the second season running, after being relegated from the First Division in season 1982/83.

The club is now vastly different to the club that last played in the Championship, a new ground, a brilliant young manager in Roberto Martinez and probably the best squad of players the Swans has ever had in their 96-year history.

This Saturday afternoon the Swans face an away trip to The Valley to take on Charlton Athletic, who themselves were playing Premiership football only 15 months ago.

The Swans will still be without Angel Rangel and Gorka Pintado, who though they are both injured, are expected to be fit within the next two weeks. Jason Scotland is expected to be part of Saturday's squad, but if he does play a part it will be as a substitute.

Charlton also have their injury worries, with Matt Holland only thought to have a 50/50 chance of starting. Speaking to BBC Sport this afternoon, Charlton manager Alan Pardew said:

"It's a very important game for us. They really knock it around well, they do things quick, they can hurt you. We need to be on our guard. "I think it will be a great game. Hopefully we'll come out victors. "I think the only players that probably won't be available are Svetoslav Todorov, Darren Ambrose and Izale McLeod, who are all suffering from operations."

Swans manager Roberto Martinez, talked to the Evening Post about the Championship season ahead. He said:

"Our challenge this season is to make people realise who we are,""We did things in League One not many people expected last season.

"We competed against clubs like Nottingham Forest and Leeds who were miles ahead in terms of facilities and budgets, and we need to do the same again this year.""It would be foolish to predict how we will finish," Martinez declares. "We want to be competitive, we want to try to match whoever we play on the day.

"But we have a few new faces and we need to gel. We need to see where we are in February or March and then we can think about aims for the end of the season. Right now our aims are to try to improve in every department and to be as good as we can."

Match Referee - Mr R J Beeby(Northamptonshire)

Swans Team(Possible): Dorus de Vries; Collins; Monk; Serran; Painter; Butler; Bodde; Pratley; Gomez; Gower; Bauza. Subs from: Tate; Williams; Bessone; Britton; MacDonald; Brandy; Scotland

Swans Mad Prediction - Addicks 1 v 1 Swans

COME ON YOU SWANS!