Leon Britton has a back catalogue that proves he understands what is required when a football club is in a fight.

The Swansea City midfielder knows it takes more than rolled sleeves and determination to preserve status and that teams need the courage to assert themselves, rather than just cover up under the blows.

Britton was with the Swans when they came perilously close to dropping out of the Football League in 2003, but is optimistic his current teammates will harness the same attributes shown 13 years ago to now keep themselves in the Premier League.

A first point for new manager Bob Bradley against Watford on Saturday was insufficient to lift his team out of the relegation zone, but Britton, 34, believes Swansea are both tough enough and good enough to move away from danger.

“The last 10 years have been great in terms of progression but there were times, especially early on when I first came to Swansea, when we had to battle just to stay in the Football League,” says Britton, who, as so often was his team’s busiest player in the goalless draw.

“I have been part of that. I know you need togetherness, spirit and camaraderie, but at the same time you need quality as well. You can’t just rely on team spirit.

“You need that quality and, thankfully, I felt we showed that. So, we need to make sure we carry on like that and keep improving our performances levels. If we do that, I am sure we will get the points we need.”

Watford have developed a stubborn streak, underlined by just one defeat in six matches, but it was still a game Bradley will feel should have provided Swansea with their first victory since the opening day of the season.

Britton added: “It’s just small margins out there at the moment. However, I do think there is a lot to build on for the future. We got a clean sheet, we created chances and our second half performance was very strong. If we carry on performing that way, I am sure the results will come that we need.

“We are certainly in a different situation to ones we are used to. For the most part, since we have been in the Premier League, we have been in or around mid-table and we haven’t had to worry too much about relegation.

“But it’s the situation we are in at the moment. That’s where we are at and we have got to make sure that we perform, get points, get wins and climb the table.”

Bradley remains confident he can turn things around, even though the fixture list looks unkind over the next few weeks with matches to come against Stoke, Manchester United, Everton, Crystal Palace and Tottenham.

Bradley says: “I’m completely confident that the way we continue to work, we will get better – that little things, in terms of the way we play, will go up and up and up.

“But in the short term, as you’re trying to improve, you have to still take points, that’s absolutely what’s difficult about the Premier League and it’s shown itself in the run of games the side have had with tough fixtures.

“Somebody talked to me about Watford, in theory, being an easier game but I don’t think anybody that’s played them this year would walk away saying that – they’re hard to play against, they guys up front are both handfuls.

“So, we just have to continue to work. Our margin for points is small, but if we keep working, if we get a little bit sharper about how to handle advantages, the balls into the box, the runs we make, they are the little things that will make us better and get results.

“There are many things we can improve so attacking plays we create come with a better idea of how to finish them off.”