Happy International Women’s Day! Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another, that’s why March 8th marks a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.  Today we recognise female trailblazers, fight for political change and connect with women’s history. Ever since I left college, my work has seen me land roles in male dominated industries, such as construction and football. Looking back all those years ago, I never really thought about it like that. I thought it was pretty normal for a young girl in high-vis to be working on sites ..read more

I’ve been asked ‘When are you starting a podcast?’ non-stop for over a year, and although it’s a little out of my comfort zone, you’ve got to give what the people want right? The Happy Gaffer Podcast (working title) is going to be a little different from the women’s football podcasts currently available. Instead of focusing on fixtures, results, and club news – there’s already a handful of epic podcasts available for that – I’m going to focus on the development of girls and women’s game from grassroots to professional as well as discussing controversial topics. Straight up, no filtered chat. M ..read more

I’ve been asked ‘When are you starting a podcast?’ non-stop for over a year, and although it’s a little out of my comfort zone, you’ve got to give what the people want right? The Happy Gaffer Podcast (working title) is going to be a little different from the women’s football podcasts currently available. Instead of focusing on fixtures, results, and club news – there’s already a handful of epic podcasts available for that – I’m going to focus on the development of girls and women’s game from grassroots to professional as well as getting down to the nitty-gritty and discussing controversial top ..read more

I’m just your average girl with big dreams, high expectations and excessive determination; but never did I think 2020 would be the year I had to focus on all three to make my dreams a reality. Last year really was the year no one saw coming… Firstly I just want to say I’m extremely sorry to not have posted for a few months – but life got a little in the way! I have been so overwhelmed with the immense support on my journey this year however, I needed a little break away from typing. As many of you know, mental health is my top priority and lately, I’ve found it hard to get into the right heads ..read more

One week into full-time football and I can honestly say, I’M LOVING EVERY MINUTE! I’m extremely thankful to have been given the opportunity to become the Head Coach for the Football Fun Factory in Ipswich and make a difference to children in my local area. To be able to give so many children a positive experience through playing football is an absolute dream of mine.  Most of you will know me as the manager who’s heavily involved in Women’s Football, and with that, comes targets and pressures to ensure we provide a successful pathway for female players looking to progress higher up in the ..read more

Vacancy: HEAD COACH Location: Your local community Vacancy Type: Full-time Franchise Owner & Coach What is The Football Fun Factory? The Football Fun Factory was created to provide incredible childhood football experiences for boys & girls of all ages and ability levels, eliminating barriers to opportunity. We use the nation’s passion for football as a vehicle for child development, delivering truly unique experiences that make memories that last a lifetime. Fantastic work-life balance. The FFF has a proven business model that allows superstar Head Coaches to earn betw ..read more

Picture by Ben Pooley: The majority of the Needham Market Women’s First & Reserve team alongside the NMFC U12 Girls. As we head into the new season, I’d just like to say a huge thank you to all the individuals who continue to support and believe in the growth of women and girls football. It’s been a difficult year. We’ve experienced the unimaginable. But slowly, the world is piecing back together. No one really knows what the 2020/21 season will look like, but we can hope that everyone will continue to stay safe and enjoy the beautiful game. I for one, will not take football for granted ..read more

Photo Credit: Ben Pooley “You’ve got no idea about football”, ‘You’ll never be able to run a team”, “Why on earth have they gotten you to be a manager?”, ‘“But you’re a girl?” are amongst the phrases I took on the chin when starting my coaching career in 2018. Pretty prehistoric comments right? But the reality is, they’re still being said today. Even though I’ve doubled the women’s provision at a club, gained promotion in our first season and have just recently begun my new venture coaching full-time, individual self-doubt still haunts me because of those comments back in 2018.  Females ..read more

Natascia Bernardi Job Role“I work in a FE college but I am also a wildcats football coach and I volunteer for a hospital radio station called Radio Harrow, located in North West London. Here I produce a podcast called The Sports Press Room, where I interview people engaged in sport and physical activity in the Ealing, Harrow, and Brent.” Twitter@NatasciaB_76 Best game/story you’ve covered“The best story I covered is a project on Women’s football done by Koyel, a 15 years old football player. You can find it in Episode 2 of my podcast.” Do you prefer digital or printed media? “I prefer radio a ..read more

Amy Tompkins Job Role“I am the current Social Media Manager at Leiston Football Club.” Twitter@_amytompkins Best game/story you’ve covered“In the short time I’ve been at Leiston it has to be the double signing we announced recently, we teased the announcement for a week, and kept fans on the edge of their seats when we announced we were signing two players.” Do you prefer digital or printed media? “Digital for me, I would be lost without my Social media Platforms and websites.” Have you always wanted to break into sports journalism, specifically football? “When I was younger, I never real ..read more