Alan Tate joins Swansea City's first-team coaching staff

Swansea City is delighted to confirm Alan Tate has joined Steve Cooper’s first-team coaching staff.

Club legend Tate, who played just under 350 games for the club, has spent the last six weeks working in Cooper’s set-up alongside Mike Marsh and Martyn Margetson.

The 37-year-old’s new role will also see him retain his involvement in the club’s youth ranks and act as a link between the academy and first team.

Since retiring from football, in which he played in all four divisions during a 13-year spell for the Swans along with captaining the club in its first Premier League fixture, Tate has coached the under-16 and under-18 teams.

He will continue to take sessions with the age-grade teams on top of his first-team responsibilities.

Chairman Trevor Birch is delighted the club will benefit from Tate’s knowledge, experience and expertise at both junior and senior level.

“Alan possesses many qualities and is a great addition to the first-team set up,” he said.

“His love and passion for the club is well known and, like Leon Britton, it is important to have people here who have been part of Swansea City’s journey and understand what we are all about.

“But Alan has proved in his time working under Steve that he is very capable and can be an important part of the coaching staff.

“He will also act as a link between the academy and the first team. This is very important to us because a player’s progression from the under-23s to the first team is a key area.

“Alan’s knowledge of the youth teams will be very important going forward, and he will continue coaching at age-grade level, so all levels are benefiting from his qualities.”