The appointment sees a month-long wait to replace the dismissed Northern-Irishman come to an end, with caretaker head-coach Alan Sheehan’s longer-than-expected seven-game tenure concluding. Sheehan is expected to return to his previous role of assistant head coach in the 42-year-old’s back-room team.
It is understood that Williams, who led Notts County to promotion from the National League had impressed the Swansea board when interviewed this week and will be at Swansea’s FA Cup third round tie with Morecambe at the Swansea.com Stadium on Saturday.
Williams will also be joined by former Swan Ryan Harley, his assistant at Meadow Lane after compensation was agreed with the high-flying League Two outfit for the pair’s services.
Having started his coaching career as a development coach managing the under-21 side at Brighton & Hove Albion, Williams moved to Wiltshire to become assistant manager at Swindon Town.
This would be where the Englishman would gain his first taste of first-team management, taking over duties on a caretaker basis following the dismissal of manager Mark Cooper.
After working under two further management teams at the club, Williams would become the club’s number one. A position he would hold for 18-months enjoying a mixed spell in charge before mutually agreeing a departure after the club’s relegation to League Two.
Londoner Williams is no stranger to life in South Wales, having worked at Swansea City as former boss Russell Martin’s number two in 2021 after joining the Swans from a similar role with Martin at MK Dons.
Williams departed in 2022 to take over as number one at Notts County where he earned plaudits for his team’s free-flowing attacking style of play, guiding the Magpies to second place in the National League in his first season in charge.
Whilst County would finish second to Wrexham, his side would break the club record for both goals, points and set an impressive 25-game unbeaten run – the longest in the team’s history. Promotion would then be secured to the Football League after a tense Wembley play-off penalty shoot-out win over Chesterfield.
This season, Williams has continued his fine work at Meadow Lane and leaves the promotion-chasing Magpies after 18-months in charge lying in fifth position in the League Two standings and seven points off the automatic promotion placings.
Swansea’s new man Williams will now look to hit the ground running at the 16th– placed Championship side, with his first league outing as permanent manager coming at St Andrews against managerless Birmingham City in nine days time.
An intriguing match-up against Martin’s Southampton in SA1 then awaits in Williams’ first league home bow, before a daunting trip to league leaders Leicester City concludes the month.
Swansea City Chairman Andy Coleman commenting on the appointment said: “As I have said previously, we have undertaken a diligent and detailed process to find our next head coach.
“I have been fortunate to spend a lot of time with Luke recently. I have looked him in the eye and know that we can trust Luke to be a coach and leader who is aligned with our vision for Swansea City.
“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.”
Sporting Director Paul Watson said of Williams: “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.”
[Lead image: Swansea City]
