Swansea City have appointed Luke Williams as manager until June 2027.
Williams’ arrival comes one month after Michael Duff was sacked following a run of one win in eight matches, amidst a brief up-turn in form following a poor start to the season.
Williams will be joined by his assistant, Ryan Harley and first-team coach analyst, George Lawtey who have also left Notts County alongside the 42 year-old.
Alan Sheehan had been in interim charge since Duff’s departure and will now remain with the club as assistant head coach, in a return to the role which he held during Duff’s spell in charge.
In a statement on Williams’ appointment, Swansea City Chairman, Andy Coleman explained that the club had “undertaken a diligent and detailed process” to appoint their next permanent manager, which saw him spend time with Williams to ensure that he is the right manager for the club.
Coleman consequently believes that Williams has the potential to deliver success, as he explained: “He fits right into the mould of other talented and ambitious young managers who have succeeded here.
“I am confident our supporters will be excited by and proud of this Luke Williams-led Swansea City team.”
Williams previously was part of Russell Martin’s coaching staff at Swansea until he was appointed Notts County manager in June 2022.
Swansea’s Sporting Director, Paul Watson added: “We know Luke can coach the style of play we want, in part because he was an integral part of delivering it here in training sessions when he was an assistant.
“Luke’s ability is also backed by the data and results. He is a great fit for Swansea City and our ambitions.”
During his time at Notts County, Williams led the club to promotion back into the EFL and the Magpies currently sit fifth in League Two, seven points adrift of an automatic promotion spot.
Notts County has released a lengthy statement following Williams’ departure, in which they urged suppoters to support Williams in his move.
“As disappointed as we are to lose Luke, he departs with nothing but our very best wishes.
“We’re sure this sentiment will be shared by our supporters, who have grown to love him not only for his phenomenal achievements but also his infectious personality.
“He will be forever known as the man who took the world’s oldest professional club back into the EFL, breaking records and creating lifelong memories along the way.
“The high-profile nature of our achievements since Luke’s arrival 18 months ago, coupled with the immense respect he holds within the game, mean it’s come as no surprise that he’s attracted interest from higher in the pyramid.
“Our focus now has to be on finding a new head coach to build on the excellent foundations he’s laid.
“It’s important to remember that the club operates in a way that protects itself against the loss of a key figure like Luke.
“While his presence will naturally be missed, our vision remains the same and we’re very confident of finding a suitable replacement to fit our ethos and help the club challenge for promotion to League One.
“It’s still very much our intention to strengthen the squad this month and, as evidenced in the summer of Ian Burchnall’s departure, we’re more than capable of doing so without a head coach in place should the correct opportunity arise.
“We thank our fans for their ongoing support and will provide a further update when appropriate.”
Williams’ first match in charge of Swansea will see the Swans host Morecambe in the FA Cup tomorrow (6 January) at 5:30pm GMT.
Leave a Reply