Swann arrived at Trent Bridge from his native Northants in 2005 keen for a fresh challenge and ready to challenge for an international call-up following a successful England A tour of Sri Lanka.
He proved an important part of the bowling attack which helped lift the Championship title in 2005 but admitted he would need to show more of his undoubted batting ability to catch the eye of the selectors.
Our leading wicket-taker during the run to the 2006 Twenty20 Cup Final, Swann also chipped in with half-centuries in three consecutive Championship innings in the middle of the summer, before an elbow injury which had required surgery in winter of 2005 resurfaced and restricted his bowling in the final month of the season.
Swann really came to the fore with the white ball, as his probing off-breaks made him a constant threat, while he also enjoyed success with the bat opening up in the Twenty20 Cup.
It proved enough for him to be recalled to international colours for the one-day tour of Sri Lanka, where he shone alongside his Notts team-mates Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom.
Swann made his Test debut against India in December 2008 and dismissed Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in his first over, becoming the second Englishman to achieve the feat.
His rise continued and he peaked at number two in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers at the turn of 2010.
A prominent voice in the dressing room, if Swann isn't leading the singing in the showers he'll be making a nuisance of himself with his best mates Paul Franks and Ryan Sidebottom.
Now centrally contracted to England and firmly established as his country’s number one spinner, his appearances at Trent Bridge will be severely limited in 2010.