Swansea City midfielder Stephen Dobbie cannot wait for the new Premier League campaign to kick-off

Stephen Dobbie,Swansea City

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Swansea City midfielder Stephen Dobbie cannot wait for the 2011-12 Premier League campaign to kick-off.

Although never a favourite at Liberty Stadium under former-Swansea manager Paulo Sousa, the 28-year-old was an integral player with Brendan Rodgers’ promotion-winning team in the last season.

The new campaign will be the attacking Scot’s first taste of top-flight football in England and he is relishing the prospect of it.

“I could never have imagined – especially when I was at Queen of the South and Dumbarton – I’d be preparing to face Manchester City on the first day of the new season,” he said, speaking the Western Mail.

“I just want to get back to work, get started and be ready for the new campaign. I’ve worked so hard to get here and I’m now relishing it.”

Dobbie won his second successive play-off final last season after having played for Blackpool on loan in the 2009-10 campaign.

He made 44 appearances in the Championship last season and scored 11 goals for the Swans.

The midfielder admits his fitness has improved dramatically since he made the move away from Scotland to the club two years ago.

“Being at Swansea, the boys here are conscious of doing gym work every day. I’ve bought into that and it has worked for me,” he said.

“There’s stuff I used to eat that I wouldn’t touch now. I used to drive home from Queen of the South and stop at the McDonald’s and get a take-away!”