Welcome back everyone for the new season - it's great to be back in the Barclays Premier League.
Since we all returned for pre-season we have been waiting for the first game, like I am sure all of you were, and it was great to get the new campaign off to a winning start.
First of all, I would just like to say a big thank-you for the magnificent support that greeted us as we walked out on to the pitch at home to Aston Villa.
There was a fantastic buzz around the stadium and all of you our fans were in great voice again. It took me back to the Play-Off final with the noise you were all making and it was absolutely brilliant for us to get the win and for me to be able to pop up with the goal. The packed house we had and the atmosphere you all made meant it was even more special.
A win breeds confidence and there have been smiles on the faces around the training ground this week. We have to take that and the work we have been doing this week into the game at Swansea this weekend.
It will be a tough game, they also had a fantastic result of their own on the first day and deservedly so, so we under no illusions about what we are facing. But if we can get on top of them and give a 110 per cent, we will certainly be giving it a go.
This season will be all about giving everything for you all, playing good football along the way and I think you saw both of those things against Aston Villa on Saturday. We will be working hard and pushing each other.
As we all know, it will be tough at times. No games in this league are going to be easy - away games especially - so your support will be a big factor for us again this year and we don't take it for granted. I'd like to say a big thanks to all of you travelling to see us at Swansea and if anyone else fancies coming I've heard there are still a few tickets left.
I would like to welcome the new lads who have joined us this season so far and I thought they were brilliant on Saturday. If Ginge keeps to that level of performance throughout the season he will be top notch for us. Mo Maiga came on was very close to marking his debut with a goal, but I am sure he's going to pop up with some lovely goals for us this season.
Momo Diame has been doing what you saw him doing on Saturday for Wigan for years. His work rate is boss, he is good on the ball and he has great awareness. It was nice to have him and Nobes beside me helping me out!
The new lads seemed to have settled in well. Something I have always believed in massively is to have good spirit and togetherness in the dressing room, especially if you want to go far, and I think we gained from that last year. It gives the new boys a sense of security early on and they can just concentrate on their football.
We are a family here and we make sure we stick together when there are rough patches, but by sticking together we will have more good times than bad.
The gaffer and the club are still working hard to bring some more new lads in to strengthen us and so that will be good for us as we go forward.
With the injury I picked up in pre-season, I have not been training fully and have mostly been in the gym and getting my fitness up for the past three weeks. To have got 70 minutes under my belt against Villa was great and full marks go to our backroom staff of Andy Rolls, Eamon Swift, Monte Colombo, Taka Yamamoto and Will Storey. I don't think I could have done it without them and the care and that they gave me was fantastic.
We are a Premier League club again and it feels good pulling on the shirt with the Premier League patches on and playing the other clubs in this league. What we have to try and do this year is prove we should be here and remain in this league, I feel we can do that and then look to keep going for the future and have the club where we want it to be in this league.
Off the pitch, there has been some house-moving this summer for the Nolan family. I have my wife and children down here with me now, so it is really nice and great to have them with me again. We are looking forward to enjoying our life here.
It has been a good week of training and we will take this hard work into our game at Swansea and then into the Capital One Cup game on Tuesday against Crewe Alexandra. It's been a busy week and one which is not easy, but with hard work and effort, hopefully we can do the business.
Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain