THE WEEKLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO WOMEN’S AND GIRLS FOOTBALL SCOTLAND’S LEARNING CURVE IN BRAZIL * NEW ROLES FOR BRENT HILLS AND MARIEANNE SPACEY * Fresh call ups to England squad for La Manga * Gemma Davison and Siobhan Chamberlain make moves * Becky takes first steps back after serious injury * Cardiff Met have good day in WPWL Featuring ALL the Women’s Leagues across the country… ACTION Shots . (above) Portsmouth striker Charley Wilson is closed down by Kate Natkiel of Brighton & Hove Albion (www.jamesprickett.co.uk). (below) Downend Flyers goalkeeper Dani Pearson saves bravely at the feet of St Nicholas striker Becky Rexworthy. [email protected] Brent Hills has been appointed Head of Women's Elite Development by the FA, while Marieanne Spacey will take up the role of Assistant Women's Coach and Coach Developer. Hills, the former Under-23 Head Coach and senior team assistant who took charge of England's opening World Cup 2015 qualifiers, will be responsible for producing a clear pathway for elite female players. He will oversee the England teams at U19, U17 and U15 level as well as the female Centre of Excellence programme and will report into Dan Ashworth, The FA's Director of Elite Development. Hills' task is to set out a vision and philosophy for the women's game that will allow us to produce world-class players and coaches to ensure England teams can regularly compete on the world stage. He said of his new role: "I am delighted to be taking the post of Head of Women's Elite Development. "My experience in long term player development and international coaching will help me work with all those in elite player development to improve the quality and quantity of female international players over time. "I am very much looking forward to working with the new Senior Head Coach Mark Sampson and his international staff in order to support the senior squad." This appointment is the first of many in a new elite women's unit. The second sees former England striker Spacey become Assistant Women's Coach and Coach Developer. As well as working alongside Sampson, Spacey will take charge of the Under-23 team and will focus on coach development to help increase the number of female coaches at the highest level and support coach development across the women's game. Spacey, who scored 28 goals in 91 internationals, said: "This is a huge opportunity for me. "I think my various roles are really important for the future of women's football in this country and I am really looking forward to the challenge. "The prospect of working with two different England squads really excites me, as does helping any female player that wants to become a better coach, because we need more female role models across the game." Ashworth added: "I'm delighted that Brent and Marieanne have accepted their roles. "Brent has extensive international experience both at youth and senior level and he has played a critical role in the women's game for a number of years. "His new role is a massive one long-term and it needs somebody who really understands the women's game and we believe Brent is the right person to meet the demands. "Marieanne is a former England player who has come up through our coaching system, she was an FA Skills Coach and she has worked a lot on the coach education side of the women's game." FA Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking said: "Mark, Brent and Marieanne have already spoken and they are all extremely excited by the prospect of working together. "We believe they will complement each other and mix really well to take the game forward at every level and build on the good work that has gone before." Hills and Spacey will begin their new roles in January 2014. [email protected] Northern Division Preston North End are back up into the top four after they defeated Newcastle Utd 2-1 on Sunday. After Jess Havelock had hit the bar with a header for Newcastle early on, it was Preston who took the lead on 27 minutes when Gemma Watson scored with a spectacular 25-yard strike. Newcastle were back on terms just six minutes later, Havelock was the provider as her header from a corner was swept home by Beth Gardner for her ninth league goal of the season. The game was settled in Preston's favour just after the hour mark, leading scorer Melissa Ball also making it nine for the campaign after being set up by Watson. Southern Division Portsmouth continued their gradual climb up the Brighton’s Renee Hector heads the ball away from table with a 2-1 victory away to Brighton & Hove Charley Wilson of Portsmouth (www.jamesprickett.co.uk). Albion which takes them up into fourth place, just ahead of their opponents. All of the goals came in the opening twenty minutes, Mollie Kmita marked her debut for the Seagulls by giving them the lead after six minutes with Leeta Rutherford equalising via a long range strike and Lucy Quinn scoring what proved to be the winning goal. Nottingham Forest Ladies FC have re-organised their structure at the Club's AGM. Elected Chairperson PJ Andrews is no stranger to the club after being involved up to 2008, when she took a break due to family commitments, and is keen to help shore up the club's status. PJ said: "It's well documented that the club is going through a period of transition due to an unsuccessful Women's Super League bid and the subsequent withdrawal of support from NFFC. The impact has been significant both financially and on morale but after a number of meetings and full consultation, the will to work from all managers, staff and players across all teams has been the inspiration to continue. The club has a commitment to nine teams and a community project for this season and the priority is still to secure funding for their support. "Due to resignations from the previous committee, it was important to have experienced people in positions that will benefit immediately. We have nine people on the committee now as opposed to five, plus all the managers and coaching staff, and I want to encourage more involvement rather than less. The spirit is tight and we are getting to fully understand our areas of expertise. "Ultimately we are working on the urgent short term strategy but have to look at enhancing the resource and building more positive relations with longer term partners to ensure longevity. [email protected] The club now has five months hard work ahead to assess further, and key decisions will be made in due course as the results of that work transpire in the best interests of all. We have to thank those whom have invested so far and hope the results on the pitch are a just reward as well as the wider impact on individuals. Incredibly, all teams are performing well across the club and that is full credit to the managers, coaches, support staff and players and is part of the inspiration to invest our personal time to support them." Newly appointed Club Operations Manager, Steve Gray added: "I am very pleased to come on board as Club Operations Manager, I have been working with the club as a volunteer since late August 2012 and have been involved in fundraising and helping enhance the media profile of the club in that time. "Now I am hoping to help Nottingham Forest Ladies FC work towards its long term future. I'm confident that with investment and the great core of volunteers, players, coaches and parents that this can be achieved." Fay Glover, Club Secretary, commented: "Forest Ladies has such a positive place in the women's and girls footballing community that it would be a significant loss to see any demise. Its hard work with so many challenges but we are all committed to do our best to support our players and managers and maintain an enjoyable and developmental experience as the club has had for the past 23 years." NORTHERN DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD LEADING SCORERS SHEFFIELD F.C. 10 9 0 1 44 9 27 35 Krystle JOHNSTON Sheffield F.C. 12 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 9 6 2 1 24 9 20 Jodie15 MICHALSKA Sheffield F.C. 11 STOKE CITY 11 6 2 3 27 23 20 Amber4 HUGHES Nottingham Forest 10 PRESTON NORTH END 11 6 0 5 28 22 18 Melissa6 BALL Preston North End 9 DERBY COUNTY 10 4 2 4 26 28 14 Beth-2 GARDNER Newcastle Utd 9 SPORTING CLUB ALBION 11 3 3 5 20 19 12 Melissa1 JOHNSON Derby County 9 BRADFORD CITY 8 3 2 3 15 17 11 Suzanne-2 DAVIES Sheffield F.C. 8 NEWCASTLE UTD 12 3 2 7 24 43 11 -19Chantelle GALLAGHER Stoke City 8 Carey HUEGETT Leeds Utd BLACKBURN ROVERS 9 3 1 5 14 24 10 -10 7 Abbie McIVER Leeds Utd 7 LEEDS UTD 11 3 1 7 22 35 10 -13 WOLVERHAMPTON W. 10 2 1 7 15 30 7 -15 Preston 2 Newcastle 1. SOUTHERN DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD LEADING SCORERS GILLINGHAM 11 8 2 1 32 7 26 25 Sarah WILTSHIRE Cardiff City Ladies 12 CARDIFF CITY LADIES 10 7 2 1 28 10 23 18 Charlotte GURR Gillingham 10 COVENTRY CITY 10 5 3 2 19 11 18 Cherrelle8 ALBERT West Ham Utd 6 PORTSMOUTH 9 5 0 4 18 14 15 Naomi4 COLE Lewes 6 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 8 4 1 3 21 11 13 Leanne10 LAPHAM Keynsham Town 6 LEWES 9 4 1 4 12 19 13 Bethan-7 LLOYD Cardiff City Ladies 5 CHARLTON ATHLETIC 9 3 3 3 17 15 12 Tammy2 WAINE Brighton & Hove Albion 5 WEST HAM UTD 12 3 3 6 17 24 12 Lily-7 AGG Brighton & Hove Albion 4 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 9 3 2 4 13 21 11 Kelley-8 BLANCHFLOWER West Ham Utd 4 Danielle CARLTON Gillingham 4 CHESHAM UTD 11 2 0 9 9 38 6 -29 KEYNSHAM TOWN 10 1 1 8 19 35 4 -16 Brighton 1 Portsmouth 2.