WAYNE Routledge reckons he finally proved his Premier League worth last season — but insists he is not on easy street heading into the new campaign.
Playing for his seventh Premier League club, 28-year-old Routledge showed for perhaps the first time in his career that he has the ability to be a top-flight star.
Now the Swansea City wideman is determined to do it all again in 2013-14 having loved every minute of his finest ever season.
"Everyone's always said I had ability and I always believed I did, as did my family, but it was getting that chance to show it," Routledge said.
"I had that chance last year from the start, and I probably grew with every week because of that.
"When you play you get that confidence, you get more self-belief when you feel your part of it rather than being in and out.
"More than likely I would say it was my best season.
"I managed to have a good pre-season to start with, I got a chance in the first game of the season and it went from there. It was good for me personally as well as the team as a whole and the club as a whole. It was a massive year and it was good to be a part of it."
At the start of last season, Routledge had only one Premier League goal to his name in more than 100 appearances.
He changed the record dramatically under Michael Laudrup, scoring five times in 36 league games.
Routledge had never nailed down a place in Brendan Rodgers's Swansea side, which was a familiar tale for a player who has also turned out at the top level for Crystal Palace, Spurs, Portsmouth, Fulham, Aston Villa and Newcastle.
But he shone on the opening day of the Laudrup era at Queens Park Rangers and never looked back.
"When you're not starting most weeks and you're in and out as I have been, you try to impress more," Routledge added.
"You try more things to try to make an impact. Then you get yourself in a rut if they don't come off and you try even harder next time and almost make it worse.
"But if you're in the mode of playing most weeks, you get into a rhythm and relax into the games — you don't try to run before you can walk. That was a big part of it for me last season. But I won't be looking at this year any differently.
"I will be taking it exactly as I did last year and hopefully I'll be part of the manager's plans.
"I'm hoping to be in the starting line-up for first game — as everyone else is — and then I want to carry on."
