Swansea City's 4-2 win over Reading in the Championship playoff final in May secured promotion to the top flight for the Swans, making the club the first Welsh side in the Premier League era.
It was viewed as an opportunity for the profile of Wales to be raised, with thousands of visiting supporters flocking to the Liberty Stadium and pumping money into the local economy.
But prior to the start of the season, it was expected to be only a temporary stay, with Swansea being installed as the odds-on favorite to be relegated back to the Championship at the end of the season.
However, under second-year manager Brendan Rodgers, Swansea is doing more than simply making up the numbers in England's top tier.
Rodgers saw his club claim its biggest scalp on Sunday in a 3-2 win over Arsenal, which moved Swansea into the top half of the league and nine points clear of the relegation zone.
The win not only served as confirmation that the team belongs in the top flight, but also that Rodgers and his men have the ability to remain there beyond this season following a 28-year absence.
Swansea's form on the road has been predictably underwhelming with only one win from 10 league games, yet the club has transformed the Liberty Stadium - which is the second-smallest venue in the league behind QPR's Loftus Road - into a fortress.
In its first 11 home matches in the Premier League this season, only Manchester United has returned to England with three points, thanks in large part to a staunch defense which has yielded only six goals on home soil this season.
Goalkeeper Michel Vorm has been in top form since signing over the summer from Utrecht for a little over $2 million, and he believes the win over Arsenal proves his team's quality, especially at home.
"This performance has shown that we can beat anyone at home," Vorm said. "We showed everyone that Swansea deserve to be in the Premier League, and we have the respect now."
Sunday's win not only confirmed Swansea's prowess at home, but also provided another example of the club's ability to play an attractive style, even against a top-class opponent in Arsenal.
The free-flowing passing style of Swansea has not always yielded results on the scoreboard, as evidenced by the fact that the Welsh side scored one goal in its first five league matches combined.
But the net has bulged with greater frequency in recent contests as the attacking trio of Danny Graham, Scott Sinclair and Nathan Dyer finds its footing.
All three players put their name on the scoresheet in Sunday's win, with England boss Fabio Capello watching from the stands.
Rodgers has tipped all three of his attacking players for success on the international level, with each Swansea win only enhancing their visibility.
Sunday's win certainly raised the profile of Swansea as a club and helped to further the reputation of key players in the team.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool must still visit the fortress known as Liberty Stadium this season, providing more opportunities for validation as a top-flight club as well as a little boost to the economy.
The task for Rodgers and his team the rest of the season will be to ensure more visits from Premier League heavyweights in the years to come.
