Get the latest Swans news sent straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Ten years ago last week, a talented winger from Liverpool joined Swansea City on a season-long loan deal.

His name was Paul Anderson, and he was highly-rated at Anfield at the time.

And 10 goals in 41 appearances later for Swansea, he was held in the same regard in SA1.

Roberto Martinez, the man at the Liberty helm at the time, was keen to sign the youngster following his successful stay in Landore.

He had become something of a fans' favourite at his temporary home, scoring on his home debut for the club in a 2-0 win over Walsall in the Carling Cup.

Strikes against Millwall, Carlisle, Swindon, Leyton Orient, Wycombe and Gillingham followed as the Leicester-born wideman racked up eight goals before Bonfire Night.

The goals may have dried up in the second half of the campaign - partly due to injury - but Anderson was a hit in South Wales.

He was a direct winger, pacy, old school in make-up, a player who could beat his man and get to the byline.

Importantly for a wideman, he could cross. Even better than that, he could shoot.

He scored in the Swans' final home game of the season, a 4-1 win over the O's as Swansea sealed promotion to the Championship.

He was Swansea's young player of the year.

That summer, Martinez made a huge play to bring Anderson back to the Liberty on a permanent basis - or at least for another loan spell.

Swansea faced competition from Nottingham Forest and Derby for his services - who were both prepared to treble any loan fee Liverpool demanded for the England Under-19 man.

Martinez, however, believed Swansea was the best place for Anderson to continue his developement.

“It’s very easy for another club to offer lots of money for a loan deal,” he said at the time . “But we have last season as proof of what we can do for Paul’s development.

“This is the time of year when football is played in an office. It’s very easy to make promises and achieve things from an office.

“But, when you consider what we have done over the past 11 months and how Paul progressed with us, we don’t need to convince Liverpool of anything.

“Paul’s development will be more important than the size of any loan fee. We believe Swansea provide the deal that will bring success for everyone involved.

“He is attached to another club so we have to be patient, but hopefully this will have the right ending.

“We enjoyed a very successful season with Paul in our team. He is a player with Premiership potential and we can help develop that. We all hope that Liverpool will be happy with what he did here. I think it will give us the advantage.”

Martinez cut his holiday in Ibiza short that summer to convince Anderson to sign.

“I met with Paul and we agreed that, as far as football reasons go, it’s clear he wants to play for Swansea City,” he said.

“We are delighted about that. But there are three parties here; ourselves, Liverpool and the player. We must all come together now on an agreement.

“We all know how excited Paul is about playing Championship football and we’re delighted that he wants to do it with us.

“Paul has told me he wants to come back here and that he is happy to carry on his development with Swansea."

But Anderson did not return that summer.

He opted for a term on loan at Forest.

''I enjoyed last season at Swansea but after speaking to Forest I just felt it was the right move for me," Anderson told the official Forest website that summer.

''I am joining a big club in Forest and I am very excited about the challenge of trying to help them make an impact in the Championship.''

He made a belated start to his City Ground career, making his debut in the October of 2008.

Another serious injury three months later - a broken wrist - ruled him out for a month. Forest survived that season - just, with Anderson scoring just twice.

As his loan came to an end, Swansea tried once again to bring him back to South Wales.

Bids were submitted to Liverpool from both clubs, but the departure of Martinez for Wigan saw Forest get their man for £250,000.

Anderson's relationship with the Swansea faithful was severely tested when he returned with Forest for the first time in December 2009.

The visitors won the game - but the home crowd were keen to let Anderson know their feelings as he was substitued.

“It was my first time back here since I helped Swansea to promotion and I was gutted with the reception I got,” he said .

“It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but I was disappointed with some of the fans.

“I expected some stick, but not what I heard. It’s just coming from some jealous fans.

“I think they forget what I did when I was here.

“I know it was the minority, but I still have a lot of respect for the club and the players here, so it’s just a shame the fans don’t have the same respect for me.”

Swansea fans shouted "daddy's boy" at him as he left the field - a reference to his father being his agent.

“I think a lot of rubbish came out from the Swansea end and everything was put onto my head,” he added at the time.

“It was being said that I preferred Forest because it was closest to home, but that is just rubbish.

“It’s pathetic. I think that is the only word I can use to describe it.

“There were people spreading rumours that the reason I wanted to go home was that I’m a daddy’s boy and I wanted to be closer to my family.

“But I’m a 21-year-old man and I can make my own decisions."

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the youngster believed he was at a better club at the time.

Not many could have foreseen Swansea's rise and rise - coupled with Forest's impending struggles.

On one level he was right - Swansea were, in a way, jealous that he opted for the East Midlands.

“I have become a much stronger and better player by going to Forest over Swansea," he added.

“There were a lot of chances for me to come back to Swansea, but I don’t need to go into that because I am loving life at Forest.

“I still wish them all the best though.

“I hope they are up there fighting for promotion at the end of the season.”

Swansea were fighting for the play-offs come the campaign's end - but it was not to be.

They didn't have to wait too long, however, for a crack at the Premier League.

As for Anderson, it didn't quite work out for him and he has yet to experience the top-flight - a standard Martinez believed he was capable of playing at.

Following Forest, where he spent four seasons in total, he meandered from Bristol City, Ipswich, Bradford, Northampton and eventually to current club Mansfield, who he joined last month.

He is still only 29.

A successful career no doubt, but it is still a case of what could have been in those summers of 2008 and 2009.

He was superb for Swansea - it is a shame he didn't hang around for longer.