League One side appoint ex-Swansea City and Leeds United boss as former Blackpool manager misses out

Garry Monk(Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

The U’s have been searching for someone to take the reigns since Neil Harris departed the club last month to rejoin Millwall in the Championship.

Ex-Blackpool, Preston North End and Fleetwood manager Simon Grayson had been the bookies favourite to take over at the Abbey Stadium, with the 54-year-old looking for his next challenge after returning from his spell in the Indian Super League at the end of 2023.

The Cambridgeshire outfit have now gone with Monk to take them forward. The retired centre back, who has also coached the likes of Middlesbrough and Birmingham City, has been out of work since departing Sheffield Wednesday back in 2020.

Explaining his decision to go with the 44-year-old, majority owner Paul Barry said, “We are very pleased to welcome Garry as our next Head Coach. This follows a thorough process and three separate interviews with owners, board and senior staff from across the club last week where Garry emerged as our unanimous choice.

“We do, of course, all recognise that there is the immediate challenge of securing our League One future after what has been a difficult period for everyone at the club, following Neil Harris’ unexpected and sudden departure.

“In many ways the season starts now. We have eleven games to go. We know what we need to do and we know that it will require a collective team effort with everyone playing their part in helping us get over the line - players, staff and fans. So let’s attack these next two months, get behind Garry and the team and get the Abbey rocking on Saturday.”

Cambridge currently sit currently sit 19th in the League One table and are just four points above the relegation zone, having lost their last four games, with their last win being a 4-0 win over Carlisle United last month.

Monk’s first game in charge will be against Northampton Town on Saturday afternoon, with six outings between now and their meeting with Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on April 6.