Speaking at the launch of a German Doner Kebab restaurant – great affiliation to have, right? – in Swansea last week, iconic midfielder Leon Britton declared himself fit for selection ahead of this weekend’s clash at Stamford Bridge.

Having recovered from a calf injury, the midfielder was then ruled out of the win against Leicester after experiencing back spasms.

Britton has not yet had the chance to make a real impression on his new boss and has been left frustrated with the irregular training schedule caused by his injuries. Speaking to the South Wales Evening Post, Britton said: “It has been frustrating to have it happen at a time when a new manager has come in.”

And while his availability will no doubt come as good news for Paul Clement, especially with Ki Sung-Yeung still out with a knee injury, have Britton‘s injuries come at the wrong time for him?

Last featuring in a 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, he hasn’t been able to play even as much as a bit-part in the dramatic revival of a team which little over a month ago looked destined for a Premier League disaster. Even playing with a midfield three – rather than the two that had so often been used by previous managers – it looks unlikely that the Swansea stalwart will be able to shift Jack Cork, Leroy Fer and Tom Carroll from their starting positions given the form that they’re in.

I wrote a couple of years ago – when he was being linked heavily to a move stateside – that I thought it may be time for Britton to pack his bags and enjoy what many see as an early retirement. I also said I was happy to be proven wrong, and that I was! Two years on and, despite showing signs that he may not be quite as reliable as he once was, he’s done more than an adequate job when called upon.

It’s when, and at what stage of a game he’ll be called upon under Clement that for me is the big question. Personally, I no longer see him as a starter, not a regular one anyway. Despite being club captain, I feel both his qualities and experience give us an excellent option from the bench; one that will really suit him in the games following Saturday’s trip to Stamford Bridge.

It’ll be against teams in and around our league position that we can really make the most of him. His composure on the ball makes him a perfect option to come on and slow down a game that we’re winning, and Clement may look to utilise him alongside the likes of Cork and Carroll in the closing stages of a game to help prevent any of the sloppiness that we became used to seeing under Bob Bradley.

Of course, it would be ridiculous for me to rule out a place in the starting 11 for Britton – a man who has played such a key role in the Swans’ history. While our depth in midfield was somewhat rectified with the signing of Carroll in January, Britton is still the only senior midfielder available for selection in our current squad with Jay Fulton seemingly out of favour. Should either Cork or Carroll pick up injuries Britton may find himself right back in the fold, but as good as he is, I don’t think I’d fancy him filling a Fer-shaped hole in midfield!

Whatever his role may be in the coming weeks, it’s safe to say that he’s one of a handful of icons at the club who, if necessary, will have a job for life. Be that as an ambassador à la Lee Trundle, in a scouting role like Alan Curtis or a position in the coaching setup with the likes of Alan Tate, there will always be a place in this club for Britton.

In fact, it was reported yesterday that Britton (along with Lee Trundle, Owain Tudor-Jones and Sam Ricketts) is one of four Swansea icons to be taking his UEFA A Licence badges. He told WalesOnline: “I am on the A licence at the moment, I completed the B licence last summer and went on to the A licence. I complete that in June, then I have a year left on my playing contract and it is a case of seeing what happens after that.”