the new lightning football team outside the stadium

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ football merger creates new Lightning team

Two of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s top-performing women’s football sides have merged to create a brand-new Lightning football team.

The University’s performance team and the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Foxes have officially combined to launch a new Lightning programme that will compete nationally against some of the biggest names in the sport.

The clubs have worked in close collaboration for a number of years now with Head Coach Issy Martin overseeing both programmes since her appointment at the University in September 2019.

Lightning will compete in the FA Northern Premier League where it will face teams including Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest, and West Bromwich Albion.

Speaking about the launch of Lightning Football, Issy said:

“Women’s football is growing at such a huge pace it’s fantastic for us to combine two very special programmes into the new Lightning side.

 “The move will enable us to run a programme that will see us attract and develop some of the sport’s top talent and will also put us in a position to compete against clubs who are well established at this level.

“Whilst also providing a sustainable pathway in º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ for women and girls, we have firm ambitions to drive the programme forward year-on-year and take º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Lightning to the next level.”

The University now has six Lightning teams in total, including in netball, rugby, cricket, wheelchair basketball, and cycling.

Nicki Russell, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Foxes and Lightning Chairperson said:

“º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Foxes Women’s and Girl’s Football Club has a fantastic history of offering football for girls’ across º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, from our Wildcats at 5 years old through to the senior teams.

“Partnering with º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ brings the full pathway to performance, combining community, education and elite-sport to enable us to compete at the highest level.

“This is an incredibly exciting partnership, and we look forward to working with º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ to achieve our shared goals.”

John Steele, Executive Director of Sport, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ added:

“This partnership will undoubtedly drive our women’s football programme forward yet further and will be testament to the hard work of Issy, Richard, and the rest of the team.

“The quality and range of women’s sport at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ continues to grow at a rapid pace and this new Lightning programme will create even more opportunities for young athletes to flourish in a high-performance environment.”

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s football programme remains under the guidance of Richard Allen, the former Head of Talent Identification at the Football Association, and Head of Academy Recruitment at Tottenham Hotspur.

Lightning’s first game will take place in August, and the side is also inviting players to its open trials session on Sunday 11th July.

To register your interest in the open trials visit HERE, and for more information on football at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, visit its website HERE.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 21/118

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in the Guardian University League Table 2021, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2021.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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