Andy Robinson has seen his life transformed since starring in a trial match against Port Talbot four-and-a-half years ago.

His two goals in that pre-season friendly match would be the start of the journey from unknown to renowned midfield dynamo.

But for Swansea's last remaining Scouse star, there are a couple of things that will always remain the same; his accent and his Championship dream.

"No, I've not picked up a Swansea twang yet even though I've been down here a fair while now," says the 28-year-old.

"My little boy is starting to pick it up though and he's sounding more and more like a Jack every day - but I'm still fluent Scouse!

"It's quite funny in the dressing room now with all the foreign lads - the mix of accents and the banter is great.

"I still struggle understanding Jason Scotland, but he'll probably say the same about me, we're all as bad as each other."

But if the multi-cultural mix inside the Liberty Stadium has thrown up a Liverpudlian language barrier, Robbo reckons it won't stop him reaching the Championship this time around. Quite the opposite.

In his time in League One, play-off heartbreak put pay to the aim first time round, while he snubbed the chance of a quick-fix last year by turning down offers of a move up to sign a new deal in South Wales.

Now the former removal man doesn't want the chance of making it third time lucky taken away.

"I want Championship football, it's a big, big thing for me that's for sure," admits Robinson, who sees his current contract run out at the end of the season. "And I want to stay because I want to make it there with Swansea.

"We've a great chance of doing it - going into this year couldn't be much better being a Swans fan.

"You hear the lads say every year this is the strongest squad they've played in, but it's especially true this season.

"Ability wise it's just second to none and in almost every position there's two or three players fighting for a start. In terms of quality of the lads waiting to take your shirt, it's not something I've had to this level since I've been here.

"I thrive on feeling someone breathe down my neck because I know I have to be on my toes or I'll be down the pecking order - that's when I deliver.

"You always need it and you want it too because you have that edge knowing if you're not performing someone will have your place in an instant.

"But I think it's the team spirit that's probably what made it special this year and the foreign lads have really helped that."

Robinson wasn't always 100 per cent sure that was going to be the case, especially when big pal and Scouse double-act partner Lee Trundle left in the summer to realise his own Championship ambition.

But he admits: "I think the squad turned the loss into a gain. He was a big player, did an awful lot for the club on and off the pitch and was a big character here - when he left it could have really hit our spirit.

"It could have been hard to get it going again with all the foreign lads and that was my big worry, but in hindsight it's all probably brought us a bit closer together.

"All the different cultures and banter around the place has been great and the squad has really gelled."

With Trundle's usual 20-goals a season being replaced by strikes from all over the field - Robinson himself chipping in with a tidy sum - it seems he hasn't been missed as much as was feared.

Although it did leave the Birkenhead boy desperately seeking new room-mates.

"I had to dig around for someone to share with after Trunds left," he says. "I did have Ian Craney, but now he's gone too and the lads reckon I'm cursed.

"But I've managed to get Leon Britton now after Dennis Lawrence left him to room with Jason. I'm not sure Den wanted Jase or Leon wanted me, but we've all got each other now and Leon's starting to learn all the chores I set out for him!"

Sounds like a happy camp then, and thanks in no little part to the manager who has impressed all in his first full season in charge at the Liberty.

Having played alongside him for three years, Martinez would have known as soon as he took over from Kenny Jackett the commodity he had on his hands with Robinson.

And sure enough, the midfielder turned manager has looked to get the best from the wide-man all year.

But Robinson reckons it's not only him feeling the benefits of the new brand of football being honed at the club's Llandarcy training base.

"The gaffer has worked hard on the style and we are reaping the rewards now," he insists. "We are getting a name for playing good football, for passing and moving, and that is a good position to be in.
"A few people have asked me how we've managed to get to the standard of football and it's all down to the practice. Training under Roberto has been total football - we get the ball down to play. It's all fresh ideas and all smiles out there and that transfers to the pitch.

"We're all getting on the scoresheets and that's a sign of a great team that we can hurt the opposition from all over - even Garry Monk has got one! There's a proper unity about the way we play as a team.

"At the start of the season it was coming in patches, but recently we've really hit form and shown what we're capable of.

"As a player it's nice to be part of - you know if you play a one-two you're going to get the ball back and then get your shot away."

He's done that a few times over the years since Brian Flynn took him on a month's contract,;that month quickly turning to three; three months into a season and a season into five.

But incredibly Robinson has never hit a hat-trick in Swansea colours, despite being a regular owner of the match ball in his non-league days with the likes of Cammel Lairds.

One of his best chances to put that little stat right came against Cheltenham on Boxing Day, but a glaring miss to add a third to two earlier strikes was cheekily put down to the lack of light coming from the Liberty Stadium stands.

Still, having mustered more than 50 goals for the club in his 200-plus appearances since that Port Talbot trial, Brian Flynn's pre-season punt seems to have paid off.

Add to it two FAW Premier Cup wins, a Football League Trophy victory, a couple of FA Cup shocks and a League Two promotion, it's not worked out too bad for Robbo either.

And after failed dreams at Everton, Plymouth, Tranmere and then Wrexham, it's no wonder the set-piece specialist is relishing every experience thrown at him.

"I remember that friendly at Port Talbot," Robinson admits. "There's no way I could have predicted how things would have turned out for me in all aspects of life.

"When I came here my life changed completely, from what I was doing day to day to my whole outlook on everything. I had dreamt of being a professional footballer and I thought I'd lost that chance, but I was lucky enough to get a second crack at it and I wanted to make sure I took it with both hands.

"Time has gone really fast since then and a lot of ups and downs in that time - and I've enjoyed every minute.

"And now going into 2008 it's all there in front of us. There's going to be some huge games for us in the league and with the Johnstone Paints because we would all love the chance of playing at Wembley.

"We're not going to win the FA Cup, the Champions League or even the Carling Cup, so it's our cup final and a big opportunity at Wembley.

"But for me every game is big but we've got the squad to cope with as many of those as they can throw at us.

"When you look at our squad you can just see we're all ready to go and look as fresh as we did at the start of the season. It's quite frightening really."