'how The Fans React Is How The Fans React'

Matt Grimes makes a first return to Swansea City this weekend with Vitor Matos insisting it is not his place to decide how home fans will respond to their long-time club captain.

Grimes was booed by some away supporters during Swansea's defeat at Coventry City in December, a reaction Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard described as "incredible".

Coventry skipper Grimes is now set to play at the Swansea.com Stadium for the first time since ending a 10-year spell in Swans when he moved to the CBS Arena 14 months ago.

Matos says Grimes is respected at his old club – but says his only concern is that home supporters back his team as they try to topple the Championship leaders.

"I've not too much to say about it - he's a player for Coventry," the Swansea head coach said.

"At the time here at the club, how the fans react is how the fans react, there is nothing much I can say.

"The most important [thing] for us is that our fans will be with us in every situation of the game, that they can push us in a hard game and for sure we will need them because it's our home stadium and the connection has been unbelievable.

"I think that's what we need, so everyone who goes in the stadium that puts on a scarf, puts on a shirt, go there to celebrate and to have a proper game together with us."

Grimes joined Swansea, who were then a Premier League side, from Exeter City in 2015 for £1.75m.

Though his impact was limited during the club's spell in the top flight, the midfielder established himself as a key figure following their relegation from the top flight in 2018.

Grimes was a regular in the second tier, going on to make 333 Swansea appearances and captaining the club for five-and-a-half seasons before leaving for Coventry.

His exit came despite the fact that he had signed a new contract in August 2023, with Coventry – who were only four points above Swansea in the second tier at the time – getting their man after a third bid was accepted.

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Luke Williams, who was Swansea boss at the time, said his captain's exit came as a shock but that football was a "dog eat dog" business, while Grimes said Coventry's "ambition" was the key factor in his move.

He helped Lampard's team reach the play-offs last season, while they are on course for automatic promotion with eight games remaining in this campaign.

Though Matos did not work with Grimes, he says the 30-year-old is well thought of at Swansea.

"[There is] a lot of respect for what he was at the club," he added.

"That's something that we always need to have. Now he's a Coventry player, on the pitch it's 11 against 11 and that's what we need to think about it."