Latest news with #GwaliaUnited
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Thomas commits to Gwalia United manager role
Gwalia United have named James Thomas as their permanent manager as they prepare for the 2025-26 season in the English women's National League Southern Premier initially took over on an interim basis from Fern Burrage-Male in early club's co-owner Julian Jenkins believes Thomas' appointment is "a key step forward" for the said: "There's a hunger at this club – from the players, the staff, and the ownership – and I want to channel that into performances and a culture we can all be proud of." Gwalia United, the only Wales-based team in the English women's system, finished ninth in their 12-team division last previous roles include working most recently as head of academy at Bristol City Women as well as a variety of experience with international age-grade teams and as head coach with Trinidad & Tobago senior women.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Injured O'Sullivan-Jones set for Wales Euros role
Manager Rhian Wilkinson says goalkeeper Laura O'Sullivan-Jones will have a role with Wales at Euro 2025 despite missing the tournament due to injury.O'Sullivan Jones, 33, has sustained an ACL injury which has ruled her out of the July tournament in Switzerland - Wales' first ever appearance at a major women's Gwalia United player has won 59 international caps since making her Wales debut in 2005. When asked if O'Sullivan-Jones will still travel to Switzerland with the team this summer, Wilkinson said: "She will be there."Wilkinson added: "I think there are certain players that whatever their role in Switzerland - whether they're on the team, whether they're a training player or whether they can't be there - have to be there in Switzerland in one capacity or another".O'Sullivan-Jones was unlikely to start Wales' opening match against the Netherlands in Lucerne on 5 July but was expected to be involved as a squad keepers Olivia Clark and Safia Middleton-Patel have been the preferred choices during the Nations League campaign. "There are players that grab the headlines with their injuries because they are front and centre," added Wilkinson."Her [O'Sullivan-Jones] representing Wales has been an integral piece of the success of this team."Every time I name a roster and her name is not on it, I know that her heart has broken."She's not happy just sitting as the second or third string keeper but she does it for the betterment of the team and has done it with such grace and leadership."To see her have that injury was really heartbreaking. She is a phenomenal woman who is going to do great things in the sport once she's back."But it really is one of those reminders that things can change very quickly and we will miss her in Switzerland and hope that she'll be joining us in a different way".
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales keeper O'Sullivan-Jones ruled out of Euros
Wales goalkeeper Laura O'Sullivan-Jones has been ruled out of this summer's European Championships in Switzerland because of a knee injury.O'Sullivan-Jones, 33, was injured on international duty in Sweden prior to Wales' 1-1 Nations League Gwalia United goalkeeper, Wales' only regular squad member not playing full-time football, has sustained an ACL injury."Everyone involved with the team is devastated to hear the news and the Football Association of Wales will offer their full support for Laura during the recovery and return to play process," an FAW social media post United confirmed O'Sullivan-Jones, who made her Wales debut a decade ago, has suffered a "serious knee injury.""Everyone at the club is gutted for Laura," co-owner Julian Jenkins said."We'll support her throughout her recovery and can't wait to see her back doing what she does best."
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ipswich Women move step closer to promotion
Ipswich Town forward Natasha Thomas insists there will be no let-up in the final three games of the season after they moved to the brink of promotion from Women's National League Southern Jamaica international scored both goals in Sunday's 2-0 win over Gwalia United in Felixstowe and three points at Watford next weekend will virtually seal a place in the second-tier Championship next need four points to be mathematically certain of going up but their goal difference is 28 better than second-placed Hashtag United and their three remaining games include a trip to winless MK Dons, who are bottom."For us as a squad, we're taking each game as it goes because we've come so close a couple of seasons on the trot now," Thomas told BBC Radio Suffolk."We know what we've got to do, we know how many games we've got left, so for me, until it's done we'll keep on providing the goals, keep on providing the performances. We want to ensure we get all the points on the board that we possibly can."Ipswich registered their 15th clean sheet of the season against Gwalia while Thomas' double took her personal goals tally to 16. Ipswich missed out on promotion two seasons ago on goal difference and victory next weekend would be fitting as it was Watford who pipped them in believes extra fitness and conditioning work has really paid off for them this season."It's just (about) encouraging myself and all my team-mates to keep on doing the right things because it's certainly working, even our max speed and things like that, we're all improving and we're going to need to keep on improving if we want to match that in the Championship," she Joe Sheehan said a 1-0 defeat at Hashtag in their first game of the month had "galvanised" his team, who have won four in a row since then and recently attracted a crowd of 10,173 to Portman Road to see them beat Plymouth 3-1."Our biggest strength is our consistency. If you come and watch us [training] this Tuesday, compared to a Tuesday in October, it's exactly the same attitude, the same way we communicate with each other," he added. "They are a really resilient, robust, strong group that like all aspects of the game."We are absolutely aware we have three games left, we know what we need to do but we won't put any extra pressure or expectation on us to do it next week."
