Head coach Williams leaves Swansea

Luke Williams was recruited by Swansea having won promotion to League Two during his one full season as Notts County boss

Head coach Luke Williams has left Swansea City after a run of seven defeats in the club's past nine Championship matches.

Williams departs after 13 months in charge with Swansea 17th in the second tier, eight points clear of the bottom three with 13 fixtures remaining this season.

Assistant head coach Ryan Harley and first-team coach analyst George Lawtey have also left their roles.

Assistant head coach Alan Sheehan has been named caretaker boss for a second time "on an interim basis", with Swansea saying the search for a permanent successor to Williams is "already under way".

Sheehan will work alongside coach Kristian O'Leary and goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson, with Swansea next in action when Blackburn Rovers visit on Saturday.

"This was a difficult decision and one that has not been taken lightly," Swansea chairman Andy Coleman said.

"Luke has led the club through some challenging periods and we appreciate his hard work. I am aware of the effort he and his staff have put in throughout the last 13 months for Swansea City. I want to personally thank Luke, Ryan and George for their dedication and the sacrifices they have made on behalf of the club.

"Unfortunately, since the turn of the year our performances and results have not been of the standard required at this level. Ultimately, that has led us to conclude a change is required in order to bring about an improvement in our showings on the pitch."

Swansea have suffered an alarming slump in form since the turn of the year, with Saturday's 3-1 defeat at struggling Stoke City proving to be his last game in charge.

Swansea were only four points outside the play-off places in ninth after post-Christmas wins over Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town.

But they have since taken only four points from a possible 27, while they were also well beaten by Southampton in the FA Cup third round.

As well as the string of poor results, Swansea endured a miserable January transfer window, with the club missing out on numerous targets but sanctioning the sale of Matt Grimes – their captain and most influential player – to Coventry City.

Grimes' departure was a heavy blow to Williams, whose squad already had a number of deficiencies which have not been addressed.

Nevertheless, the former Notts County boss, 43, faced heavy social media criticism from Swansea fans during what proved to be the closing stages of his reign.

Williams' relationship with some supporters took a dent amid speculation linking him with West Bromwich Albion in late December.

Williams eventually apologised to anyone who felt he had shown "a lack of commitment" by failing to rule out the idea of moving to The Hawthorns.

The Albion links came just when Swansea were looking like genuine contenders for a top-half finish in 2024-25, which would have been a laudable achievement given the club's budget and the players at Williams' disposal.

In the autumn, Williams had boldly talked up Swansea's play-off prospects having suggested – understandably – last September that it would be "silly" to say his inexperienced squad could compete "at the very peak" of the division.

Williams left Notts County to take over at Swansea in early January 2024, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract at a club where he had previously been part of Russell Martin's coaching staff.

Victory over Cardiff last March was one of Luke Williams' highlights as Swansea boss, but his side suffered a heavy derby defeat during the run which has led to his departure

The Swans were 16th in the Championship when he arrived, having taken 11 points from seven games under Sheehan during his previous spell as caretaker boss, which came following the sacking of Michael Duff in December 2023.

Despite some difficult days in the early part of his tenure, Williams led Swansea to a 14th-placed finish last May and set out this season hoping to make steady progress while developing the young players in his squad.

He was on course to achieve those goals until the collapse in 2025 which has prompted his exit.

Williams goes just as Richard Montague, who he worked with at Notts County, takes up the role of director of football at Swansea.

Williams felt Montague's arrival would assist Swansea's off-field operations, having been critical of the club's failings in the mid-season window.

After Blackburn, Swansea have 10 days without a fixture before they go to Preston on 4 March.

"We will keep supporters informed of developments when we are in a position to announce a new head coach, while Alan, his staff and our squad focus on our upcoming fixtures," Coleman added.

Swansea, meanwhile, have postponed a much-anticipated fans' forum which had been due to take place on Tuesday, 18 February until Monday, 3 March.

Williams and Coleman had been due to answer supporters' questions at the event, but Swansea say they have put it back as a result of Williams' exit.