Luke Williams was sacked by Swansea earlier this year after a poor run of results. The former Premier League assistant has now taken a very different job
Tom Sunderland Sports Writer and Samuel Meade
10:10, 22 Jun 2025
Former Swansea manager Luke Williams is currently working at Bristol Airport
Former Notts County chief Luke Williams has taken up employment at Bristol Airport after a photograph of him donning a high-vis jacket went viral. The 44-year-old was placed on gardening leave after being sacked by Swansea in February and has since transitioned to a vastly different work environment.
Williams’ previous roles also include a stint at Swindon before he attracted attention from Notts County. And it was his achievements with the latter that drew interest from south Wales as he moved up to the second tier of British football.
He guided County from the National League as they secured their spot in League Two via the play-offs back in 2023. He was then scouted for a return to Swansea in January 2024, having previously served as assistant to Russell Martin while at the club in 2021.
His distinctive style of football garnered significant praise. Upon his departure from Meadow Lane, his team held the record for the highest number of goals in the Football League.
However, his tenure at Swansea was short-lived and lasted a little more than one year before he was dismissed. Williams oversaw a run of seven defeats in nine games prior to his exit, having guided the team to 14th in the Championship the previous term.
A string of porous results led the Swansea management to seek a change earlier this year, resulting in Williams’ dismissal. But despite a probable severance package from the Championship club, he has shown a desire to stay active.
Williams was sacked by Swansea in February 2025(Image: Athena Pictures, Getty Images)
Williams has accepted a role assisting disabled and limited-mobility passengers navigate the Bristol Airport terminal. The Mirror reported he started the job two weeks ago in early June
A viral photo showed the former Swans manager donning a high-vis vest and lanyard as he exited an elevator at Bristol Airport. The site is ranked as the eighth busiest in the UK.
Luke Williams (centre) is currently working at Bristol Airport following his departure from Swansea City
The ex-Notts County boss is well-known for his dedication and graft, having undertaken various roles to support his initial steps into coaching. This included loading lorries at BHS, as well as ferrying passengers to clubs and airports.
Williams told The Guardian about his obscure motivation last year: “Sometimes I would work 20 hours off the bat, get three or four hours’ kip, back to work. In my opinion motivation in life is everything.
“The realisation in my late-teens that life is going to be a monumental struggle for me, that life was about to become very tough and the world would become very hostile for somebody with no qualifications, no contacts, working class… that desire to feed myself and look after myself kicked in.
The 44-year-old has spoken of his drive to stay busy in the past(Image: Getty)
“I realised that I was capable of tolerating almost anything, providing that I would be able to have a roof over my head and something to eat. That is how the motivation began. I don’t think I’ve really moved away from that. I still feel as insecure in that way as I ever did.”
While his stay at Swansea may not have ended how he envisioned, Williams’ work to date may well make him an attractive target for some. And there’s a chance he’ll be on certain clubs’ radars over the summer period while he keeps himself busy via other means.