Breaking Ground: how Nottingham Forest Women are scaling up their ambitions

Last season was Forest’s first in WSL2. How do you assess it?
It was a brilliant first season in WSL2 and a great foundation for where we want to head as part of our five-year strategy. It’s given us a great springboard for what we want to achieve over the final years of that plan.

When we started this journey three years ago, the first stage was becoming more professional. We moved to a hybrid model, then we made everybody full-time, and the third season was being in WSL2. We’ve always tried to operate as if we’re already in the league above. Right now we’re operating at WSL level because ultimately that’s where we want to be.

Is the club broadly where you expected it would be at this point?
Yes, I think so. Last year we knew we needed to evolve the squad to establish ourselves at this level. There’s a freshness now because we’ve got a new head coach, but it’s a different kind of freshness because Tom [Mallinson] already knows the club, knows the city and understands the culture of what it means to play for Nottingham Forest. 

What makes Tom Mallinson the right person for this stage of Forest’s development?
I could talk about that for hours. He’s a fantastic person. Since I arrived at Forest, I’ve admired his connection to the badge and his understanding of what this club is all about.

His ability to develop players is something I’ve honestly never seen before. He understands how to get the best out of the people around him and make sure every staff member is contributing value. He knows the club, understands player development, and is incredibly competitive. When you put all of that together, he became the obvious appointment. I genuinely think the fans are going to love him.

The pre-season tour to Canada felt like a statement of intent. What were you hoping to get from it?
With the amount of transition we’ve had over the last few years, we’ve never been in a position to do something like that before. We’ve either had significant staff changes or significant player turnover.

One of the things the players decided themselves is that they want to be a team that is admired by all and feared by all. We want people to admire how we play and how we conduct ourselves, but when they face us they absolutely don’t want to play against us. The tour was a big part of setting that tone.

Forest’s recruitment this summer seems to suggest an emphasis on youth and athleticism… That’s fair. We deliberately brought our younger signings in early so they could  have the maximum amount of time to embed into how we play. Players like Lois [Shooter, on loan from Chelsea] and Cody [Thomas, on loan from Manchester City] are people we’ve monitored for a number of years. We wanted them in before we went to Canada so they could understand our environment.

We want to become the loan club of choice. Clubs should feel comfortable sending players here because they know those players will get better. And if you’re signing permanently, you want to know you’re joining a club that can accelerate your career. 

And the latest signing of Shania Hayles…
Shania’s somebody we’ve watched closely for a number of years. I worked with her when I was at Aston Villa, so that’s a signing that’s been a long time coming. There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes on that one.

Birmingham City won the WSL2 title last season. What can Forest learn from them?
If you look across the division, different teams had great runs and difficult spells. Birmingham were the side that consistently delivered. Their performances and their results stayed steady throughout the season. That’s incredibly difficult in WSL2 because it’s such an unpredictable league. It might not be the most exciting answer, but consistency is what works.

Off the pitch, Forest Women’s social media game has been strong this summer. Is that a priority this year?
Absolutely. We’ve got fantastic personalities in the building. Players like Georgia Brougham, Alana Murphy, Cerys Brown and Aimee Claypole have brilliant characters and are really funny. We want to make more of an effort to show that side of them.

We’ve listened to supporter feedback and had lots of conversations that have already informed changes around season tickets and matchday experiences. It’s been really valuable. Now we’d like to formalise some of that through a fan advisory group. We want supporters to help shape the experience and continue influencing decisions where appropriate.

How important is the restructuring behind the scenes?
It’s really significant. Previously there was another layer between myself and the sporting director. Now we have a three-way leadership structure, with Chris McGuane overseeing the boys’ academy, me overseeing the women's first team and girls’ academy, and Andy Reid driving the football identity across the whole pathway.

The important thing is consistency. Whether you look at the boys’ academy, the girls’ academy or the women's first team, there should be a recognisable ‘Forest’ way of developing players and coaches.

Finally, what would your pitch be to a LeftLion reader who hasn’t yet been to a game?

So many reasons to come down. The reality is that men’s games are incredibly difficult to get tickets for. Women's football offers something different. You can bring the family, enjoy the atmosphere, have a drink in the stands with your friends and watch exciting football in a really accessible environment.

At the end of the day, we’re in the entertainment business. The players and staff know they’re there to put on a show every Sunday. For me, there’s not much better than walking through West Bridgford, grabbing a coffee, heading into the Peter Taylor Stand and spending an afternoon watching great football with family and friends.

@nffcwomen