Former Premier League manager Garry Monk hired by League One club after more than three years out

Garry Monk has returned to football for the first time in more than three years, being named Cambridge United’s next coach.

The League One club lost Neil Harris to his old side Millwall on February 21, and have acted swiftly to bring in a well-regarded replacement.

Monk has managed Swansea, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday, leaving the latter side in 2020.

Before Monk spoke to the media, majority owner Paul Barry commented: “We are very pleased to welcome Garry as our next Head Coach. This follows a thorough process and three separate interviews with owners, board and senior staff from across the Club last week where Garry emerged as our unanimous choice.

“He is a coach of high pedigree, has managed at the top level and impressed us all with his leadership skills, clarity of thinking and his analysis of Cambridge United - both the squad and the Club. Although he has had opportunities to get back into the game over recent times, he has been waiting for the right one. Like us, he sees this as a project and we are pleased he has decided to join us on the journey ahead.

“We do, of course, all recognise that there is the immediate challenge of securing our League One future after what has been a difficult period for everyone at the Club, following Neil Harris’ unexpected and sudden departure.

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“In many ways the season starts now. We have eleven games to go. We know what we need to do and we know that it will require a collective team effort with everyone playing their part in helping us get over the line - players, staff and fans. So let’s attack these next two months, get behind Garry and the team and get the Abbey rocking on Saturday.

“Finally, a big thank you to Barry and all the coaching staff. It’s undoubtedly been a tough two weeks that no one could have anticipated or planned for, but they have been a credit to the Club in the way they have conducted themselves and lead the team with both professionalism and integrity.”

Monk has coached 67 games in the Premier League with Swansea, and was named manager of the month in August 2014 during his spell with the Welsh side.

Since then he's spent most of his managerial career in the Championship, and most recently with Wednesday, who he left in November 2020 after just over a year in charge.

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Monk will have his work cut out at Cambridge, who are currently on a four-game losing run and only four points from the League One relegation zone.