First Team Staff

Luke Williams

HEAD COACH - LUKE WILLIAMS

Luke Williams was confirmed as Swansea City head coach in January 2024.

The 43-year-old joins the Swans on a three-and-a-half year contract from Notts County, having led the Magpies to promotion to League Two following a superb National League campaign last season.

His assistant, Ryan Harley, and first-team coach analyst George Lawtey, also make the move from Meadow Lane as part of Williams’ coaching staff.

They will be in charge for Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Morecambe.

The club would like to thank Alan Sheehan, who has led the Swans impressively since assuming caretaker head coach responsibilities last month, delivering a top ten performance over his seven games in charge. Alan will return to his role as assistant head coach and work alongside Luke.  

Williams’ appointment follows a thorough and extensive search for a head coach who can deliver the types of performances and results Swansea City need to achieve our goals while exhibiting a commitment to a brand of football in-keeping with the club’s best recent traditions.

His arrival sees Williams return to SA1 having previously been a leading member of Russell Martin’s coaching staff during the 2021-22 season, proving a popular and respected figure among the first-team squad.

Renowned for producing sides with an exciting and progressive possession-based approach, Williams won numerous plaudits for the outstanding football played by his record-breaking Notts County side.

The 2022-23 campaign saw them rack up 107 points, scoring a league record 117 goals while conceding just 42 producing another league record goal difference, and setting a new club record of 25 league games unbeaten.

They also won 32 of their 46 league games, yet another club record, before they were promoted via the play-offs courtesy of victory over Chesterfield on penalties after twice coming from behind.

This season they are sitting fifth in the League Two table after impressively making the step up to the EFL with their eye-catching style of play, and they are currently the top scorers in the top four divisions with 55 goals in 26 games.

Williams’ own playing career saw him have stints in non-league and in the Norwich City academy, before a knee injury curtailed his on-field ambitions.

He quickly moved into coaching, working at Leyton Orient and West Ham United, before becoming a coach in the FA Skills programme.

From there Williams joined Brighton & Hove Albion, becoming manager of their under-21 and reserve sides.

He became assistant manager at Swindon in 2013 and helped them reach the League One play-off final in 2015, where they lost to Preston North End.

Williams then had a successful 14 months at the helm of the Robins before becoming coach of Bristol City Under-23s, where his work in player development was praised by those in the senior set-up.

He was an assistant at MK Dons before his move to Swansea and his successful time with Notts County.

 

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH - RYAN HARLEY & FIRST-TEAM COACH ANALYST - GEORGE LAWTEY

George Lawtey Luke Williams Ryan Harley

Ryan Harley joined Swansea City as assistant head coach in January 2024, working alongside head coach Luke Williams.

The former midfielder worked with Williams at Notts County during their stunning 2022-23 National League promotion campaign where they broke a number of club records.

Harley had a lengthy playing career, which included a short spell with the Swans in 2011, and he featured in all EFL divisions, as well as helping Exeter City secure promotion from the National League.

In total he represented Bristol City, Forest Green Rovers, Weston-super-Mare, Swansea City, Exeter City, Brighton & Hove Albion, MK Dons and Swindon Town, playing under Williams at Brighton and Swindon.

George Lawtey also joined Swansea City as first-team coach analyst in January 2024, to be part of Luke Williams’ backroom staff.

He made the move to SA1 having worked with and made a considerable impression on Williams during their time together at Bristol City.

Lawtey would link up with Williams again at Notts County, helping them to secure a return to the EFL via the play-offs in 2023. 

 

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH - ALAN SHEEHAN

Alan Sheehan

Alan Sheehan joined Swansea City as assistant head coach in June 2023, taking up the position within Michael Duff's coaching staff.

Sheehan, 36, who has held first-team coaching positions at Luton Town and Southampton, enjoyed a lengthy playing career that saw him feature for Leicester, Mansfield, Leeds, Crewe, Oldham, Swindon, Notts County, Bradford, Peterborough, Luton, Lincoln and Northampton.

The former left-back also won five caps for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s, and held a player-coach role with Oldham before his move into full-time coaching with Luton in 2022.

He became caretaker head coach when Duff left the club in December 2023 and led the side tremendously well to take 11 points from a possible 21 during a congested schedule prior to Luke Williams' appointment as head coach in January 2024.

Williams' arrival saw Sheehan revert to his position of assistant head coach.

 

MARTYN MARGETSON - HEAD OF GOALKEEPING

Martyn Margetson

Martyn Margetson rejoined Swansea City as head of goalkeeping in July 2023.

Margetson was previously on the club’s coaching staff between 2019 and 2021 and took up a position as part of Michael Duff’s new-look backroom team, remaining in place following Luke Williams' appointment.

He is currently goalkeeping coach in Gareth Southgate’s England set-up, where he has helped the Three Lions reach the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the Euro 2020 final.

Margetson hails from Port Talbot and started his playing career with Manchester City, joining their youth system in 1988.

He went on to make 60 first-team appearances for the Maine Road side, while also having spells with Bristol Rovers, Bolton, Luton Town, Southend, Huddersfield and Cardiff, becoming player-coach at the latter and moving into a goalkeeping coach position after hanging up his gloves in 2007.

Margetson, who was capped by his country against Canada in 2004, went on to join the Wales national set-up to work with Gary Speed in 2011.

He remained involved under Chris Coleman as the Dragons enjoyed an unforgettable run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

Margetson then made the switch to England in August 2016, initially working under Sam Allardyce and then remaining in Southgate’s backroom team.

At club level, he moved to West Ham in 2014, before returning to Cardiff. He has since worked at Crystal Palace, Everton and Swansea.

Margetson combines his ongoing England duties with his position in Swansea's coaching team.

 

KRIS O'LEARY - FIRST-TEAM COACH

Kris O'Leary

Kris O’Leary joined the Swansea City first-team coaching staff ahead of the 2022-23 season, and remained in place under Michael Duff and Luke Williams.

The 45-year-old took on the position of first-team coach, having held the role on an interim basis over the final months of the 2021-22 campaign, in addition to his responsibilities with the Swansea under-23 squad.

It continued the former midfielder’s lengthy relationship with his boyhood club.

O’Leary played 334 games for the club over a 15-year spell, winning three promotions during his time at both the Vetch Field and Swansea.com Stadium.

The former midfielder had previously coached in the club’s academy as well as in the first-team setup; O’Leary was part of Garry Monk’s coaching staff during the 2014-15 season which saw the club finish eighth in the Premier League.