Ipswich Town FC's women's manager tells of club's growth

Image source, Connor Bennett/BBC

Joe Sheehan and Sophie Peskett hailed the growth of their side both on and off the pitch

By Lewis Adams & Connor Bennett

BBC News, at Portman Road

The manager of Ipswich Town Football Club's women's team said the side has "grown massively" since he took over five years ago.

Joe Sheehan joined the team in February 2019 and the club has since entered the third tier of women's football.

He said changes such as providing food for the players before training, and employing full-time staff at the club, had led to the success.

"The growth in this space of time has been really positive," Sheehan said.

The side, which plays its home games at the AGL Arena in Felixstowe, Suffolk, now sits fifth in the FA Women's National League, Southern Premier Division.

Image source, Connor Bennett/BBC

Joe Sheehan took the reins at Ipswich Town Football Club's women's side in February 2019

Under Sheehan's tenure the team had played 123 games and won 87.

"Since [2019] we've managed to build a really strong, competitive first team," the manager continued.

"At the time [I joined] it was voluntary. I didn't get paid to do the job. We were training two nights a week, really late. [The staff were] voluntary, the players voluntary."

Sheehan said that the club had "grown massively" since his appointment and hailed the impact of the England Lionesses' success on the international stage.

"We've contracted our players, we've got full-time staff as well as part-time staff, we train more frequently - everything has grown," he added.

"Lots has been achieved but there's still so much to do."

He added that the side's success over the past five years was also due to the talents of his players.

Image source, Connor Bennett/BBC

Sophie Peskett joined the side five years ago as an academy player

Winger Sophie Peskett, who joined the club five years ago, said the players were training alongside the men's team, who are fighting for promotion to the Premier League.

"We see the men around the training ground and it feels really normal and very professional," she said.

"To look back five years ago when I joined as an academy player... We were training part-time, training in the evening not getting fed and turning up in our shin pads.

"I feel really lucky to have seen this growth and there's only more to come.

"If it's grown that much in the last five years, the next five years are going to be really exciting."

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