Old Trafford winner: Five things we know about Leeds United's likely next manager Garry Monk

As Garry Monk continues to be heavily linked with the vacant head coach's position at Leeds United, Lee Sobot picks out five facts about the former Swansea City boss.
Swansea City manger Garry Monk. Image: PASwansea City manger Garry Monk. Image: PA
Swansea City manger Garry Monk. Image: PA

Record-breaking manager

Monk was sacked as Swansea manager in December of last season following a torrid run of one win in 11 Premier League games.

But the previous season the former defender had guided the Swans to their highest ever Premier League finish in 2014-15 with a record points tally as a return of 56 points saw them end up in eighth.

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Monk was appointed Swansea boss in February 2014 and helped the team stay clear of relegation at the end of that term as the Swans finished 12th.

As part of Swansea’s record-breaking season under Monk in the Premier, City were 2-1 winners at Manchester United on the opening day of the campaign as goals from Ki Sung-Yueng and Gylfi Sigurdsson wiped out the effort of Wayne Rooney. Monk’s men went on to complete the double over the Red Devils with a 2-1 win in February and the Swans also took six points against Arsenal.

Experience of every division

Monk is perhaps best known for his recent managerial exploits with Swansea in the Premier but the 37-year-old has experience of every division in the Football League.

As a player, Monk made 223 league appearances for Swansea, with his journey beginning down in League Two in 2004.

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Seven years later, having become captain of the Swans, the side were promoted to the Premier in 2011.

Monk had 11 years at Swansea as a player and manager but prior to that the centre-back began his career at Torquay United and then had eight years at Southampton where he was loaned out to five clubs - namely Torquay, Stockport County, Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley who he then joined permanently before leaving for Swansea.

Play-off final winner

Whites chairman Massimo Cellino is desperately seeking a candidate capable of getting Leeds out of the Championship, and Monk knows what it takes.

Having failed to reach the Championship play-offs in both 2009 (eighth) and 2010 (seventh), Swansea finished third in 2011 and saw off Nottingham Forest in the play-offs semi-final. Monk then captained Swansea to beat Reading 4-2 in the final to achieve promotion to the Premier.

Englishman, autobiography, and a League Cup winner

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Okay, so that’s three more things, but while Monk is famed for his 11 years at Swansea, the 37-year-old was born in Bedford and began his career in Torquay. Some 12 years later, Monk released an autobiography titled ‘Loud, Proud and Positive’ in 2012.

The following season, Monk had a League Cup winners’ medal to boast about, having beaten Bradford City 5-0 to bag Swansea’s first major hour in their 101-year history.