FC United of Manchester to launch women’s team

Fan-owned, community football club FC United of Manchester is launching a women’s team that will take to the field in the club’s distinctive red, white and black kit in time for the 2012/13 season.

FC United club secretary Lindsey Howard said: “With FC United’s recent “A Woman’s Place is at the Match” event showcasing women’s involvement at our club, more and more women getting involved in playing football and with our own ground on the horizon, we felt that the time was right to have a women’s team representing FC United of Manchester.

"We’re really excited about this development, which is a significant one for our club.”

The team will be run by John Marsden, former manager at Birkdale United Ladies, and Denton Girls manager Lee Sutton. Both John and Lee have valuable coaching knowledge and experience in women’s football and both are looking forward to building a team and achieving great things in the women’s game.

John Marsden commented: “Forming a women’s team is something we’ve been trying to do for a while and I’m delighted that FC United is going ahead with this. It will be good for the club and it adds to our vision of working in all communities.

"While it would be great to have an inaugural season like the men’s team had, initially we’re just hoping to build a stable women’s team that can hold its own and compete in the league.”

The FC United of Manchester women’s team will be applying to play in the Greater Manchester Women’s Football League, which plays its matches on Sunday afternoons.

Manchester FA’s Get into Football Strategic Football Manager, Fiona Callaghan, said: “This is a welcome boost for women’s football, especially in the north of the city of Manchester.

"Football is the biggest team sport for females in England at the present time so if clubs within the male game, such as FC United with their passion and track record in community football, are looking to create new teams, inevitably it will enable more women to play competitive football and further raise the profile of the game. This is really good news.”

The club is waiting to confirm a venue for its home ground as well as dates and information on trials for women who wish to have the chance to represent FC United on the pitch.

Women can register their interest in playing for the FC United of Manchester women’s team by emailing womensteam@fc-utd.co.uk