[themaclad]

Notts County have appointed former Swindon Town manager Luke Williams as head coach.

Williams, 41, succeeds Ian Burchnall, who left Notts in May to take charge of League One side Forest Green Rovers.

He most recently worked as Swansea assistant manager, leaving his job in Wales in February for personal reasons.

"All the building blocks are here, we just need to go to work and try to get the club up the divisions," Williams told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"It feels like this is a club on the push, a surge, and I wanted to be part of that."

A statement from County said Williams "fully understands the pressure and expectation that comes with this role".

Williams will be the third manager to try to get Notts County back to League Two, after the club were relegated from the English Football League for the first time in their history in 2019.

The Magpies have reached the National League play-offs in each of their three seasons in non-league football, with Grimsby Town dramatically ending County's latest promotion bid on the way to sealing their immediate return to the EFL.

Former Exeter, Brighton and Swindon midfielder Ryan Harley has been named Williams' assistant.

"Between them they have the right management skills and experience of all EFL divisions, as well as the National League, which we believe will help us achieve our goal of promotion and getting back to where we feel we belong," a statement from the club said.

Williams' stint as Swindon manager ended following the club's relegation to League Two in 2017 at the end of his first full season in charge.

A year earlier he had impressed enough as caretaker boss of the Robins to earn a five-year contract.

After leaving the Wiltshire club he was appointed head coach of Bristol City Under-23s, where he stayed for two years before taking the job as Russell Martin's assistant at MK Dons.

He followed Martin to Swansea in August 2021, only to leave six months later.

[themaclad]

Notts County boss Luke Williams has signed a new deal with the National League club, keeping him at Meadow Lane until the summer of 2027.

The 42-year-old's new contract comes after he was was linked with the vacant Portsmouth job.

He has been in charge for seven months and has the Magpies top of the fifth tier after 27 matches.

"We should all be proud of the work we've done so far," Williams told the club website.

"But I feel it's important to stress that we're only seven months into our journey together and I know that we're only going to get stronger."

Alongside Williams, his assistant Ryan Harley has also agreed new terms with Notts.

Williams has turned Notts into major contenders to earn automatic promotion to the English Football League after a four-year absence.

He has overseen 18 wins in 27 league games, and after enjoying their best start to any league campaign in their history - one which dates back to the formation of league football in 1888 - the club are now unbeaten in 18 games.

"It would mean the world to me to be part of the collective effort to take Notts back into the EFL - and the prospect of what we could go on to achieve from there is incredibly exciting," he said.