Swansea City’s captain was talking about his vice captain who reaches the landmark against Derby at the Liberty this afternoon.
And whilst Monk was not convinced of the concept of a team of Alan Tates, he was complimentary about his influence on the club since his arrival in South Wales eight years ago.
Monk told the Western Mail โYeah, weโve had a few laughs about that song, I think we both agreed it would be a pretty basic side, but it would give you everything.
โHeโs someone for kids to look up to here. He knows everything about the club and what it takes to wear the shirt. Just look at how heโs played in so many positions over the years โ even in goal โ heโs been superb wherever heโs been asked to play. That says everything about his attitude.
โIโm not sure I would have thought that when I first came to the club; he didnโt strike me as someone who was the type to hang around when things werenโt going his way. But Iโve got to know him more since then and seen him grow up a lot as a player as well as a person.
โWe all make mistakes when weโre young and Tatey was the same, but heโs taken responsibility for himself.
โIt can be easy to blame everyone else, but heโs realised what it takes to be part of a winning side, learned his lessons and added to his game. You have to learn quick in this game and weโre lucky to have a player who has that experience.โ