Oldham Athletic are delighted to announce the launch of a brand-new women’s first team ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
The move follows the announcement last month which will see a Women’s Academy operate from next season.
It’s part of the club’s wider ambition to offer pathways and opportunities to both men and women, and with girls' teams from under 8s through to under 16s already established, the roll out of a ladies’ first team will see the women’s side of the club mirror the men’s.
The team will be managed by the club’s new Female Development Officer, Holly Espie, who will oversee the implementation of the women’s structure at the club.
With the introduction of the team, it now means young Latics-supporting girls can play for the club all the way from the age of seven years old up until the open age category.
The squad will be managed by both UEFA qualified coaches with numerous years of experience coaching within the women's game from grassroots, academy football and open age National League teams, with further professional staff supporting the team, giving it the best chance to flourish and succeed.
We will be hosting open trials for the squad in May, with dates and details to be released later this month or early April.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of Oldham Athletic, to be able to provide an opportunity for girls to play football from a young age and finally an open-age team,” said Holly Espie.
“I think it is super important to be able to provide a pathway, locally for girls and women to play football or be a part of football, to be able to represent their own town and club”.
Oldham Athletic CEO, Darren Royle added: “The implementation of a women’s first team has been one of the club’s goals since the takeover by the Rothwell family 18 months ago.
“We’re delighted that we’ve now made that step, the creation of a women’s first team, in addition to the Women’s Academy and the already-established youth teams show how committed Oldham Athletic are to girls’ and women’s football.”
