The New Saints Women are delighted to announce that its entire playing squad will become semi-professional from the 2024/25 season, as the club enters an exciting new era.
All players will be on professional contracts and will have access to a range of world-class facilities and coaching at the club’s Park Hall home, including a state-of-the-art industry leading gymnasium. Additionally the move to a semi-professional model will allow the players more on-pitch training time, as well as enhanced analysis and strength & conditioning sessions, allowing the club to strive to be fighting at the top of the Genero Adran Premier.
The decision to move to a semi-professional model will give the club the best opportunity to achieve its ambitions of success in the league and cup competitions, as well as fulfilling its goal to become a team that competes on the European stage.
Additionally, the The New Saints Women will be established as an incorporated company to ensure it continues to meet licensing criteria, this move ensures the club aligns with its elite counterparts including those in England’s Women’s Super League (WSL)
The move also brings a change in the Park Hall dugout as Greg Draper leaves his role as head coach after three successful seasons driving the progression of the Women’s team. Draper will move into a role where he oversees the development of the U19 and U16 players as part of the Men’s Category A Academy set up. The New Saints Women would like to put on record its thanks to Greg Draper for his outstanding work in the past three years and wish him well in his new role.
Head of Women and Girls’ Football, Shauna Duffy, will now assume the role of Head Coach. Duffy joined the club in April 2023 and has since overseen the development of the entire Women and Girls’ strategy at the football club. UEFA A Licence candidate, Duffy’s previous experience includes a six-year stint as a Girls’ RTC Coach at Liverpool FC, time spent at FA Women’s National League Club Stockport County Ladies, 18 months as part of the Alliance Football Club set-up in Dubai, and a player development and first-team coaching role at Shrewsbury Town Women.
Duffy becomes the only female Head Coach in the Genero Adran Premier and will be at the forefront of the growth of the club on and off the pitch in the years ahead. The New Saints Women will also continue to proudly have an impact in the local community to inspire a generation to get involved in the women’s game.
Her backroom staff will be made up of a new Assistant Coach, Tom Peevor, and a new Women’s Sports Therapist, Fliss Winters. Peevor, UEFA A Licence candidate, joins the club after five years at Shrewsbury Town Women, three of which he spent as the club’s First Team Manager. Peevor also holds strategic development and coaching mentor roles at the FAW and The FA and will directly support Duffy in the dugout throughout next season.
Winters also moves to Park Hall with a wealth of high level football experience including roles with The FA, Aston Villa FC, Liverpool Girls RTC and the Alliance Football Club in Dubai. Her expertise and experience will ensure all the players receive high quality care and can remain at optimum performance levels.
The club will also be recruiting a dedicated strength & conditioning coach to enhance their current offering, who work alongside the rest of the backroom staff, ensuring that all players receive the best coaching and care to optimise their performance.
Speaking on the announcement, The New Saints Women Head of Women & Girls’ Football, Shauna Duffy, said:
“This is an extremely exciting time for the continued progression of The New Saints Women on and off the pitch as we look to strive for success in the upcoming season and beyond. This commitment to move to a semi-professional contracted model will be beneficial for all players at the club and ensure we can continue to challenge at higher echelons of the league.
“We are all ready and raring to attack the season ahead, I look forward to welcoming players to our open training sessions next week.”
The New Saints Chairman, Mike Harris, said:
“We are delighted to move into a semi-professional model for our Women’s team which reinforces our commitment to growing the women’s side of the football club. We have ambitions to mirror the success of our Men’s team and win silverware across domestic competitions, as well as fly the flag for the nation in Europe as well. We will continue to ensure we are at the forefront and setting the standard to support the FAW’s growth of women’s football during an exciting time for the game in Wales.
“We’ve got world class facilities and a coaching team to match at Park Hall as we head into the new season. As the women’s game continues to grow, I encourage everyone to come along to Park Hall and cheer us on next season.”
As part of this exciting news, The New Saints invite players interested in joining the club to participate in open training sessions which will take place on Tuesday 28th May, Wednesday 29th May, Tuesday 4th June & Wednesday 5th June – 6:30-9:00 pm at Park Hall. Interested players can sign up by clicking here
