Chris Coleman insists the current crop of Swansea City players are the best since the ones John Toshack led to the old First Division in 1981.
The Swans spent two seasons in the top flight under Toshack in an era heralded as the finest in the club's history.
Coleman, who now manages Coventry City, hails from Swansea and played for his hometown club from 1987 to 1991.
"This is the best Swansea team I have seen in some years, since Toshack," Coleman told BBC Sport Wales.
"I watched the Toshack team and this is a good team."
The Swans went into freefall after dropping out of the First Division and suffered a string of financial problems before finding stability in 2002 after the ousting of then chairman Tony Petty.
Apart from flirting with relegation from the Football League, the club has not looked back since.
After ending a 24-year exile outside the top two divisions in the summer, the Swans have won many plaudits during their first year in the Championship.
Boss Roberto Martinez has his side playing fluent passing football which has seen them often dominate the opposition.
But their dominance has not always seen them get the rewards, drawing their last eight and equalling a Football League record for consecutive stalemates.
It was enough though for Coleman to compare them favourably with the division's top three clubs.
"We have faced everybody and Swansea are the best footballing side in the league," said Coleman, whose Coventry side drew both games against the Swans.
"They passed the ball the best in terms of keeping the ball and being patient.
"They are better than Wolves and Birmingham at that, but I think Reading, Wolves and Birmingham are stronger with their squads."
And Coleman believes the Swans can go on to win promotion to the Premier League if they spend some money.
"I think they are doing it right by doing it slowly," he added. "They've got a very, very good manager in Roberto Martinez.
"This year, they've got to sit nice and tight, they're good enough for this league.
"If they want to get into the play-offs, they will have to chip away at it.
"I think eventually, they are going to have to spend a little bit."
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