Former Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City boss handed vote of confidence at League One club

Former Sheffield Wednesday manager Garry Monk has received a vote of confidence from the board at Cambridge United.

The U's currently find themselves in a relegation battle and are currently second from bottom, eight points adrift of safety. It is the third year in a row in which Cambridge are bidding to avoid the drop.

They are on a bad run of form at the minute, having suffered five straight defeats over the festive period. Their last league win came on December 7, a 4-1 win against relegation rivals Shrewsbury Town.

Teams around them in the relegation dog-fight have changed their manager, with Gareth Ainsworth taking over at Shrewsbury. Basement side Burton Albion appointed Gary Bowyer, whilst Bristol Rovers sacked Matt Taylor, and replaced him with Brighton & Hove Albion under-18s boss Inigo Calderon.

Cambridge are resisting the urge to part ways with Monk however, and have assessed the situation. The hierarchy at the Abbey Stadium believe injuries have played a part in their poor form, as well as the fact they have one of the lowest budgets in the league.

Cambridge United club statement

A club statement read: “We have been reflecting on the moment we now find ourselves in and how to chart the best way forward.

“We believe we have a good Head Coach in Garry, and that the injuries we have suffered throughout the season have meant he has struggled to field anywhere near a fully fit squad on a weekly basis.

“Consequently, a small squad with one of the lowest budgets in the league has been very stretched and several players have had to play far more football than anticipated, without any real opportunity for rotation or recovery.

“Although we are not where we would want to be to begin 2025, it is our belief that under Garry, with a strengthened squad, we can still achieve our collective goals. It is also clear to us that the players are still very much behind and playing for Garry, which is always a key factor when making these decisions.

“At the same time, we will shortly be concluding our own internal review of the Club’s First Team football operations. Balancing speed and thoroughness, so we can all learn and then act on the relevant lessons for next season is a priority.

“We know we are in a real fight to preserve our League One status. There is still half the season remaining and a lot of football to be played. We have been here before and know from experience that a lot can change quickly.”

Garry Monk’s time at Sheffield Wednesday

After succeeding Steve Bruce in September 2019, he guided Wednesday to a 16th-placed finish. During his time in South Yorkshire, he oversaw 58 games, with a record of 18 wins, 15 draws, and 25 defeats.

Cambridge was Monk's first job in football management in nearly four years after he was was sacked by the Owls in November 2020, with Wednesday going down that season. They appointed Tony Pulis and later Darren Moore, but they could not prevent relegation.