The Swans’ star defender, Garry Monk, is a rare player. Not only has he played in all four of the Football League Divisions, but he’s captained his club in all four as well. Now this much respected and experienced footballer tells the story of his footballing adventures in an honest and entertaining book, Garry Monk: Loud, Proud and Positive (Y Lolfa, £9.95).
Brought up in a footballing family, playing the game was all Garry Monk lived for and his story takes us with him from the early days of youth football to the Premiership, back down the divisions and back up to the Premiership again, in a full circle. In this book, he talks openly and fairly about the top players he’s played with and against; of the local rivalry with Cardiff City over the years and of the managers and chairmen he has admired. Paulo Sousa and Peter Ridsdale are not among that group, and he explains why, keeping the most forthright comments in the book for the former Swans manager:
“Looking back now,” says Garry, “I’m glad we didn’t get into the play-offs with Paulo, as he did not deserve to be the one to take us to the Premiership. He had not earned that right… In terms of the progression Swansea City had made under Kenny Jackett and then Roberto, I saw Paulo’s time in charge as a wasted season. Yes, we finished seventh, which was one place higher than the previous season, but I put that achievement down to the attitude of the players rather than anything Paulo Sousa gave us.”
Garry played in the same England Under-16’s team as Rio Ferdinand and his now Swansea midfield team mate, Mark Gower. While playing for Torquay, he was spotted by Southampton’s legendary manager, Laurie McMennemy, who signed the young player and gave him a two-year contract on £200 a week for the first season – going up to £220 in the second! He made his Premiership debut as a 19-year-old against Derby at The Dell, where he went on to play under Glenn Hoddle and Gordon Strachan.
Kenny Jackett brought Garry to Swansea, after a spell on loan with a few other clubs. Garry’s first season was the club’s last at the Vetch, and Garry describes the two opposite emotions of first season excitement and saying a long good-bye to a much loved ground. This soon turned into the full blown drama of the end of season play-offs. The joys of promotion tainted by the utter heartache of the play-off against Barnsley and then, that famous £90 million block of Garry’s to prevent Reading scoring a potential equaliser at Wembley. That game secured a spot for his team in Premiership football for the first time in a Welsh club’s history, and put Swansea back in the top flight for the first time in 30 years. The book ends with an inside account of the first season in the Premiership.
The book also gives us a light-hearted insight into the way the team get on, on and off the pitch. Dealing with the return of Roberto Martinez as a manager, having previously played alongside him, is another insightful section, and the players’ reaction to the death of their colleague, Besian Idrazij is particularly poignant. Garry Monk: Loud, Proud and Positive (£9.95) is a warm, honest, fascinating football tale. The book will be launched at the Liberty Stadium Shop at 2.00 pm, Monday 7th of May
“Garry’s story has taken him from the parks of Torquay to the peak at Wembley, a real magic carpet ride through every level of the British game and a story that will provide inspiration and hope for many youth and senior players in the years to come.” Brendan Rodgers.
