Davies replaces Levey as Swansea Academy Manager
Written by
Ian Westbrook
June 12, 2025
Ryan Davies has been appointed as the new Academy Manager at Swansea City, replacing Gavin Levey.
Davies returns to the club after leaving in May 2024 following 12 years working in various roles in their Academy, including Head of Coaching and Interim Academy Manager.
He helped develop players like current Swans’ first-team captain Ben Cabango, Ollie Cooper, Liam Cullen, Connor Roberts and Josh Sheehan. Since leaving Swansea a year ago, he has worked for Teaching Personnel and for NHS Wales.
In a statement, the club said: “His passion for Swansea City, and detailed and in-depth knowledge of the club and the different elements of its player development pathway made Davies the outstanding candidate for the position.
“He will formally take up his role on August 1, with Football Operations and Administration Manager Rebecca Gigg assuming Academy Manager responsibilities in the interim.”
Davies said: “I am delighted and extremely proud to be given the opportunity to return to the club and lead Swansea City’s Academy. Being able to represent my hometown club and local community is a huge privilege and witnessing the growth of the Academy over the last decade and more has been incredible.
“As a club we have a proud track record of producing talented young players capable of featuring at senior club and international levels, and that is one we are very keen to continue.”
Davies began his coaching career as an Academy Analyst at Colchester United and joined Swansea as a Sports Science Intern in their Academy. He went on to become Lead Youth Development Phase Coach, Under-18s Assistant, Assistant Head of Coaching and Head of Coaching.
He was briefly Interim Academy Manager when Jon Grey left and before Levey arrived.
Gavin Levey said he was "proud" of what had been achieved in his time at the club
Levey joined Swansea in October 2023 from Aberdeen, where he had worked in the Academy for 17 years.
During his time in South Wales, several Academy players made their first-team debuts for the Swans, while 28 Academy players won caps for Wales across the various age groups.
In the 2023/24 season, the Swans’ Under-21 side reached the Professional Development League (PDL) play-offs and the Under-18s were runners-up in the PDL Cup, while last season the Under-17s were finalists in the PDL Cup.
Writing on LinkedIn, Levey said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in a relatively short period – driven by a dedicated team of staff who will no doubt continue to seize every opportunity to shape young Welsh talent and support their journeys at all levels of the game.
“Now feels like the right time to pause, spend some quality time with family, reflect, and look ahead to the next exciting chapter.
“I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of Swansea City – for the memories, the relationships, the experiences, and the invaluable lessons along the way. It’s been an absolute pleasure!”
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