Planet Swans ArchivesI knew on Monday that this was coming so I had plenty of time to prepare for it but it was the same feeling that I had on Saturday when I left the ground that I realised that someone I classed as a Swansea legend would have his ties with the club that he served so well severed.
I fully remember Garry Monk arriving at Swansea in the summer of 2004 but nobody realised at that point in time that it would spark a relationship that would play a massive part in the transformation of this club from a side in League Two playing in front of a few thousand to a side that had a major trophy on their honours board and is currently in their fifth season in the Premier League.
The rise of Monk is almost as remarkable as the rise of Swansea. He led the team through the divisions and into the Premier League in a seven year period and no matter how it ended in the last three months we should remember him for those times and thank him for what he achieved.
Last season he led the team to a record breaking Premier League finish which can not be taken away from him no matter what his successors achieve over the course of time. It was last year that we became only the third side to do the league double over Arsenal and Manchester United in the same season in the Premier League era and when you can outfox Louis Van Gaal and Arsene Wenger then you clearly have something about you.
I remember Monk the captain with such fondness it is not real. His block in the play off final will live long in my memory and it was the moment for me that we sealed promotion and it typified the captain that he would put himself on the line for the Swans and drive the side with the passion that we needed.
I remember his face when we finally got our League One trophy at Brighton after a brilliant season under Roberto when we seemed to be promoted time and time again thanks to the Leeds scenario. As he lifted the trophy in front of those of us lucky enough to be there it said it all that the club was progressing and his pride in being their captain was clear to all to see.
I was lucky enough to watch him and Ash lift the Capital One Cup from the Royal Box at Wembley and whilst Ash was widely accepted as captain by that point he wanted to share the moment with his defensive partner and skipper for so long and that picture went down in Swansea history as we took home a major trophy for the first, and to date, only time in our history.
I have been fortunate enough to work alongside Monk at many events over the years and you genuinely could not wish to meet anyone nicer and certainly there aren’t that many who had his passion for the club and the area. And in the most he did it all with a smile on his face and whilst the club maybe isn’t completely the small time club that fought so hard for what we wanted over the last ten years (The Premier League has a habit of changing that) Monk came through man and boy to understand what it meant to us.
I will always admit to being surprised that he got the job when he did (but I always knew he was being tipped to do it one day) but it proved to be the right decision at the time no matter how it turned out in the end. The results last season proved that and he eclipsed the league finishes of Brendan and Michael before him.
It is because of all of that that it was with such sadness that I had the news confirmed yesterday. It was a sadness that I didn’t get with many of the managers before him (maybe Roberto would have come close but that was anger at the time) and that sadness was born out of his long association with the club and the fact that we had to do what we did to someone who can rightly call himself a Swansea legend.
I know that Huw and the board would not have made the decision lightly and would have felt the same but after Saturday we really did have no choice but to do what we did. However, for me I will remember the first 134 months of Monk and Swansea well ahead of the last 3 months where it just didn’t work for him.
It will not be the end of Garry and football and neither should it be and I for one will never forget the things that he did for Swansea City (and of course what Swansea City did for him)
Thanks for the memories skipper, gaffer and legend, you will never be forgotten and there will always be a welcome for you in Swansea.
Bye Monks and thank you.
