Sandbach United is a club which is held in high esteem with locals and throughout the county for a number of reasons. It is a club that offers football for all, from boys to girls, young to old and of all abilities; there is an opportunity for everyone. The diversity and inclusion of those involved within the club was one of the driving factors behind the FA Grassroots Club of the Year award in 2020.

The Girls’ and Women’s section specifically has a pathway from Wildcats (age 5) through Open Age, offering both competitive and social opportunities throughout. The club take great pride in the development and growth of the Girls’ and Women’s section and identified it as a priority area to support over the coming years. It is with this support, conversations between Executive Committee members and team officials have taken place in regarding the future & development of the women’s team, the pinnacle of the section.

It has been a tough start to the season for the Women’s team having appointed a new Head Coach in July who departed in October after a short stint in charge due to personal reasons and circumstances. The team underwent the recruitment process again, with temporary management in place, through Assistant Coach, Tom Millward, who has helped the team through a rough patch excellently. Support from Head of Football at the club, Oliver Byron, has now seen the appointment of new Head Coach, Beth Simpson to see the Women’s through the season.

Throughout this process, the team also sat down with Chairman, Pete Colclough, who scrapped all player fees for the Women’s team. This was on the basis, the senior teams at the club should all be treated fairly and backed equally by the club.

The team are now looking forward, with new management in place and full club support. Liz Clark, Head of Diversity & Inclusion said, “As a team and club we all need to support Beth. This is a change for the future, come on girls”. It is a new era for Sandbach United FC Women, the next phase of the section’s flagship team, which is one bound to be exciting, challenging and inspiring.