Football / Bristol Rovers Women
Rovers Women to be managed by Rovers in new ‘one-club’ policy
Bristol Rovers Women will form part of the Bristol Rovers set-up ahead of the 2024/25 season after several successful seasons as an initiative of the club’s official charity.
It means that the Gas Girls will also be playing their matches next season at the Memorial Stadium, where the team recently lifted the South West Women’s Football League Premier Division trophy as they prepare for life in the National League.
Increased funding from the club will “further support its growth, development and success”, said Bristol Rovers Community Trust CEO, Adam Tutton, one of the co-founders of the newly reformed Rovers Women.
is needed now More than ever
Rovers Women has been solely run by volunteers since 2019 and supported by organisations such as Bristol24/7 whose logo has appeared on the back of players’ shorts.
The new administration of the Gas Girls will see their on- and off-field activities fall under the management of the club’s senior leadership team.
Rovers chairman Hussain Al-Saeed said: “Welcoming Bristol Rovers Women back into the club fold is a proud day for all of us.
“Ensuring a ‘one-club’ policy across all of our squads at Rovers has been a priority of mine since joining, and it is a pleasure to finally be able to say ‘welcome home’ to the Gas Girls.
“Under the management of the Community Trust, the team have done exceptionally well over the last five years and my sincere thanks goes to chairman Rod Wesson, the trustees, CEO Adam Tutton, women’s team manager Nathan Hallett-Young and the team for their hard work and effort in growing, promoting and developing the side.
“We now look forward to an exciting and ambitious future for the Gas Girls.
“I am excited to work closely with the squad, the coaching team, and our staff at Bristol Rovers to instil an infrastructure that allows the side to progress even further through the divisions and compete at the top end of women’s football.”
Since they were reformed in 2019, Bristol Rovers Women have played their home games at Lockleaze Sports Centre – photo: SGS College
Tutton added: “I am incredibly proud that Bristol Rovers FC have kindly agreed to take over the management and financing of our women’s team.
“The Gas Girls was formed in the spring of 2019 by Bristol Rovers Community Trust, the club’s official charity, with a focus on community, education, participation and performance.
“Our ambition was to bridge the gap between amateur and professional football, offer educational opportunities for girls in sport through our education programme, build an inclusive community within the club and work alongside other organisations and charities who represented our values.
“It is a privilege to say that we have exceeded our ambitions both on and off the pitch, none of which would have been possible without the efforts of our incredible team of volunteers and our supportive sponsors, all of whom I thank greatly.
“As the club now moves forward, I would like to personally thank Hussain Al-Saeed, Abdullatif Al-Saeed and Wael Al-Qadi for their commitment to further support its growth, development and success.”
Main photo: Bristol Rovers
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