With the welcome return of grassroots football last week, the FA is delighted to announce a new board that will oversee the development of the FA Women’s National League.
Following a challenging year, the new Board has been formed to drive forward women’s football across Tiers 3 and 4 of The Women’s Football Pyramid, taking on responsibilities such as agreeing and implement the strategic direction of The FA Women’s National League and its Competitions, as well as making recommendations in respect of commercial partnerships, league development and policy.
The board will report into the FA Women’s Board; and is made up of professionals making waves in their respective industry, with men and woman working in football, as well as in areas including finance and media. The variety of skills, experience and diversity of thought that each member brings will be invaluable in supporting the League Management Committee, who continue to run the league day-to-day, and together ensuring the league’s competitions are progressing and developing.
The Board has a valuable and important blend of independent and club representation, alongside some FA representatives including Kelly Simmons, the organisation’s Director of the Women’s Professional Game. The FA is pleased to confirm the board’s independent chair will be Sandi Dosanjh, who is currently a Consulting Director at KPMG, as well as a former player of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Inaugural Chair, Sandi Dosanjh, said: “Football has always been a happy space for me and the opportunity to Chair this Board and to drive and accelerate the progression of the Women’s game is both humbling and inspiring.
“Having played football since I was a young girl, and as a current player in the women’s game, I am incredibly proud to be able to bring 15 years of corporate governance experience and combine it with my passion for the game to realise and maximise the potential of the FA Women’s National League.”
The Board’s immediate role will be to assess how the pandemic has affected the FA Women’s National League and plan for how it will come back even stronger at the start of the 2021/2022 season; and to create a new League strategy with clear priorities for the Leagues development over the next three years.
The FA WNL Board members are:
Chairperson: Sandi Dosanjh
Independent: Jessica Creighton
Independent: to be confirmed in due course
Club Representative: David Mallin (Huddersfield Town)
Club Representative: Tim Greenwell (Southampton FC)
League Representative: Carol West
FA Representative: Sue Hough
FA Representative: Kelly Simmons (pictured above)
Fleur Robinson of Burton Albion is also currently a member of the board, but The FA is delighted to learn of Fleur’s appointment as chief executive of Wrexham AFC from 1 June. We wish her every success in her new role and as a result of her appointment, a recruitment process for a Board Club Representative will follow in due course.
Courtesy of the FA
