Norwich City Women’s Team Gains Recognition
Norwich City’s promotion-winning women’s team is not a token gesture project for club owner Mark Attanasio. The team was integrated into the club four and a half years ago and, after two near misses, secured promotion to Tier Three, Northern Premier Division via a dramatic play-off final shootout.
Commitment to Women's Football
The big prize came with significant decisions for general manager Flo Allen, who replaced team boss Andy Cook and allowed some high-profile players to leave. Allen emphasizes that the club is not merely paying lip service to the women’s team.
“We had the full board at the play-off final game in Burton,” she said. “Mark (Attanasio) was in constant communication that day - he was listening to the radio coverage.”
Allen noted that the ownership group and the board are deeply invested in the women’s program, viewing it as a long-term investment for a competitive women's football program in Norfolk.
Challenges Ahead for the Team
Replacing Cook with Perry Northeast and allowing players like club captain Sarah Quantrill and striker Tash Snelling to leave indicates the challenges ahead. “Every team at Tier 3 deserves to be there,” said Allen. “We know we're going to come up against teams that are fitter, faster, stronger than what we faced last year.”
She added that the team must raise their game to meet the new challenges, believing they can achieve this with improved technical capabilities and possession play.