About Garry Monk
Garry Alan Monk (born 6 March 1979) is an English football manager and former professional player who was most recently the head coach of EFL League One club Cambridge United. Monk, a centre back, began his playing career with Torquay United before joining Southampton. In nearly eight years, he rarely appeared for the club, instead spending time on loan at Torquay United, Stockport County, Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley. In 2004 he signed for League Two club Swansea City, and over the next ten years played for them in all four divisions of fully professional football, for the majority of that time as captain, made 270 appearances in all competitions, and was a member of their 2013 League Cup final-winning team. He began his managerial career with Swansea City, and later took charge of Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Birmingham City and Sheffield Wednesday before joining Cambridge United in March 2024. == Playing career == === Early career === Born in Bedford, Bedfordshire, Monk began his career as a trainee with Torquay United, making five appearances during the 1995–96 season, whilst still a trainee after growing up in Torquay for the majority of his youth. At the end of that season he moved to Southampton to complete his apprenticeship and turned professional with them in May 1997. Monk returned to Torquay on loan in September 1998 and on returning to The Dell immediately broke into the first team squad, making his first team debut against Derby County on 28 November 1998 in place of the injured Ken Monkou. In September 1999, he had a loan spell at Stockport County, before being recalled to the first team for two matches in January 2000. He later had a loan spell at Oxford United (in January 2001), but was recalled from Oxford by Glenn Hoddle owing to an injury crisis amongst the Southampton defenders.
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