My name is Garry Monk, i was pretty unknown until around three years ago when Swansea made it into the Premier League. I joined the club in 2004 after leaving Barnsley on a free transfer. Swansea were in League Two at the time and i made my debut against Northampton. After two seasons at the club I became captain after Roberto Martinez left the club and after two games i was ruled out for the season after damaging my cruciate ligament. Devastated, heart-broken, i had to bounce back.
I, we, did that in style winning League One with a club record 92 points in 2008 and the following season in the Championship we managed to finish eighth. We were making great progress as a club on and off the field and i was loving it. The year after we won the play-off's and made it into the Premier League, my greatest achievement as a player. I was rewarded with a 3-year deal and was on top of the world, i was now a Premier League footballer, the dream i had since i was a little kid. I would never imagine what would follow our promotion. In 2013, under Michael Laudrup, we won the league cup final after winning 5-0 against Bradford.
I, we, did that in style winning League One with a club record 92 points in 2008 and the following season in the Championship we managed to finish eighth. We were making great progress as a club on and off the field and i was loving it. The year after we won the play-off's and made it into the Premier League, my greatest achievement as a player. I was rewarded with a 3-year deal and was on top of the world, i was now a Premier League footballer, the dream i had since i was a little kid. I would never imagine what would follow our promotion. In 2013, under Michael Laudrup, we won the league cup final after winning 5-0 against Bradford.
When Laudrup left in 2014 spirits were low in the club and i was appointed as interim manager. Well, what a way to get spirits high again, in my first managerial game we won rivals Cardiff 3-0 and carried on that form to avoid relegation and stay in the Premier League. I was rewarded with a 3-year deal at the club and the following season i led the club i had been at for 10 years to their highest ever league finish, picking up a manager of the month award in August 2014, what an accolade.
I have two years left on my deal at Swansea, and i'm still only 36 years old. I cannot wait to see what happens next...