Following an outstanding campaign that saw our First Team earn promotion to the Women’s National League Southern Premier Division, the gap between the First Team and Development Squad has grown significantly.
Therefore, after careful consideration, we believe that pausing the Development Squad for the upcoming season is the best step as we look to review our player pathway.
Our focus over the coming year will be on exploring how we can build a more competitive Development Squad that will better support the long-term ambitions of the club.
Women’s Manager, Richard Wood, added: “It is really important that everything we do has a clear purpose. We do not have unlimited resources and, as such, it is important that we can demonstrate that the development team is purposeful and capable of producing players for the first team.
“With the first team now competing at an even higher level, we find ourselves in the same position as many Tier 3 clubs. Preparing talented young players for this standard is extremely challenging, as the step up in intensity, quality, and physicality is substantial.
“The recent consultation and review of development football by the FA Women’s National League highlights that this is not a simple problem to solve. We should therefore take the time to ensure that our player pathway is sustainable, effective, and fit for purpose.
“We do have a fantastic pathway for young players through the great work of the Foundation, and we owe it to them to ensure that we are diligent in our consideration of how to maximise the potential of local talent.
“Chi [Chiarna Deller] and her staff have been extremely committed in their work with the development team, and we have always worked closely together, so I am pleased that she will remain at the club.”
We would like to finish this article by placing on record our sincerest thanks to every player, coach, and staff member who has contributed to the Development Squad.
We are confident this temporary pause to the Women’s Development Squad will only make our player pathway stronger in future seasons.
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