Page 5 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.14 2021-22

A student of the game who began her coaching journey in 2008 and earned her UEFA Pro
Licence in 2019, Lydia has risen through the ranks of women’s football to become one of the most
highly rated, progressive young coaches in the game.
As lead coach for England Under-17s with oversight of coaching throughout the FA’s
international development pathway, Lydia’s role at the FA has exposed her to a range of
experiences, working with some of the country’s most highly regarded talent and building an
in-depth knowledge of the WSL player landscape. At club level, she has coached in the FA
Women’s Championship with London Bees and Tottenham Hotspur.
Lydia will be supported in her role by the vastly experienced Brent Hills, who takes up the
role of Assistant Manager. Brent’s 42-year career in coaching and football development includes a
15-year spell working for the Football Association, 11 of which as England Senior Women’s
Assistant Head Coach, and a brief spell as caretaker manager.
Lydia’s appointment follows a period of rapid progression for LCFC Women, who turned
professional following an acquisition by King Power in August 2020 and earned promotion to the
FA Women’s Super League for the first time at the end of the 2020-21 season. Football Operations
for LCFC Women moved to the Club’s historic Belvoir Drive Training Centre at the start of 2021,
with the team currently the only women’s side in the country with their own dedicated elite facility.
Ahead of the start of the season – the Club’s first in the WSL – King Power Stadium was
confirmed as the venue for the majority of the team’s home games, while a new Academy Pathway
was unveiled to support the development of elite young female talent in the county.
Lydia and Brent will begin their roles with LCFC Women officially on 6th December. Head
of Women’s Football Development Emile Heskey will continue to oversee training and preparation
for the Continental Cup tie against Manchester United on 5th December.
SPAR Scotland continue partnership
SPAR Scotland have pledged their commitment to continue to support the women’s and girls’
game in Scotland through their partnership with the Scottish FA for the next two years. The
partnership began in 2019 with the launch of the SPAR Future Stars Cup which saw 105 schools
across Scotland compete in the tournament in its inaugural year.
The competition is designed to encourage girls between the ages of 12-16 to participate in
the sport and build on the positive momentum in women’s football generated by the increasing
profile of the Scotland Women’s National Team. Its second year will begin at the start of 2022 with
more than 100 schools anticipated to register again in the aim of increasing participation numbers
and proving a fun, competitive environment for players of all abilities.
Colin McLean, CEO of SPAR Scotland, said: “Our continued partnership with the Scottish
FA and our sponsorship of the Scotland Women’s National Team allows us to encourage more girls
to play football and increase participation numbers.
“The tournament gained momentum prior to the pandemic and we were experiencing a lot
of promising engagement. It was frustrating to see it come to an abrupt halt but to have the
tournament return will hopefully give all of the participants a great lift and we are looking forward
to seeing the 2021-22 Future Stars Tournament begin early next year.”
Fiona McIntyre, Scottish FA Head of Girls’ and Women’s Football said: “As part of the
Scottish FA’s Girls’ and Women’s Strategy which was launched earlier this year, we want to
increase participation in Scotland and inspire the next generation.
“The Future Stars Tournament allows us to help facilitate these goals by providing a
platform for young girls to compete in a safe, competitive and enjoyable environment.
“We are extremely grateful to SPAR for their support following the disappointment of last
year’s competition being cancelled due to the pandemic.
“We are now looking forward to seeing the competition become a springboard for the girls’
and women’s game in not only increasing participation but also improving their awareness of
women’s football in the country. Our national team are aiming to return to their second
consecutive World Cup and we hope they can act as inspiration for everyone who takes part in the
competition.”
(www.scottishfa.co.uk)
Issue no. 14 - 2 December 2021 womenssoccerscene@mail.com