Well, it’s finally happened. After several months of silence from the Club, regarding fans’ concerns about a new Head Coach and players, the announcement was made this afternoon that former Sheffield Utd boss Carla Ward has been appointed. We send her our thanks and a huge Blues’ welcome.

Carla hails from the Isle of Wight but grew up in Torquay, where the streets were her football training ground until she joined Torquay Utd LFC. Her senior career started in Bristol before she travelled to Spain in 2006 to spend a season with SPA Alicante. Returning to the UK, Carla played for Leeds, Lincoln and both Sheffield teams before becoming Head Coach of the Blades in 2018. She was instrumental in helping the club achieve its FAWC Licence.

There is no doubt that she has a mountain to climb. The team’s performance last season has been analysed in my previous posts. Where Carla has an edge is that she took the Blades to second in the WCL, behind our local rivals, before the season was stopped, and brings with her an impressive set of stats. After a very busy day she took time to give me a few words about joining the club:

“Delighted to be joining such a huge club, it’s got a wealth of history in the women’s game and something we want to try and restore at the football club The Blues supporters are a group who we will need more than ever. The existing players are a group who are fully committed to the club and deserve the backing so now it’s about sticking together, adding some new faces and getting ready for the opener in just a matter of weeks.”

The season starts on 5/6 September with a game at Brighton then the following weekend we’re at home to Man Utd.

Joining Carla as AHC is Charlie Baxter and it’s a big ‘Welcome Home’ to GK Coach Tony Elliott after a spell at Bristol.

We’ve yet to find out the arrangements for games as far as the fans are concerned.

As always, more news at it breaks.

#KRO