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BBC News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Supporters join Ipswich Town Women to celebrate promotion
Fans of Ipswich Town Women joined the players at an event to celebrate the team's promotion to the second tier of women's Borough Council invited supporters to the Cornhill, a square in the town centre, on Saturday to mark Lewis, 30, a season ticket holder, said the achievement was "absolutely massive".The Tractor Girls reached the Women's Championship after spending four years in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division. Ms Lewis added: "It is going to massively bolster the development of the women's game as well as the promotion of the town."It is going to be huge. It is huge," she added. Matt Battersby, 55, from Paris, was among those who turned out to celebrate. He said: "First time to see the men's and women's teams at the same tiers of football, and I think it is really great for the town and both sets of supporters, and long may it continue."The Championship will consist of 12 teams next season, and Ipswich Town Women's opponents will include Crystal Palace, recently relegated from the Women's Super League after one Forest were also promoted after winning the Women's National League Northern Premier sold out their final game of the season at the 2,150-capacity Martello Ground in Felixstowe, where they play home games. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ipswich Town Women event to celebrate Championship promotion
Celebration event for Ipswich Town Women's promotion A celebratory event has been planned to celebrate Ipswich Town Women's promotion A celebration event has been planned for Ipswich Town Women's promotion to the second tier of women's football. The Tractor Girls reached the Women's Championship after spending four years in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division. It came after an 8-0 victory against Cheltenham Town during their final game of the season on 27 April. Ipswich Borough Council has now invited residents to join a special celebration on Saturday to mark the team's promotion.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What does promotion mean for Ipswich Town Women?
Ipswich Town Women have been promoted to the second tier of women's football. The Tractor Girls reached the Women's Championship after spending four years in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division. There are so many questions fans will want answers to. Even before Ipswich Town Women secured promotion, the club laid out its vision for the team. Earlier this season, chief executive Mark Ashton told the East Anglian Daily Times: "We want to get into the Championship and then we want to stabilise, stay in that division and then build progressively from there because the Women's Super League (WSL) is a whole other ball game, another set of challenges." The Tractor Girls will also benefit from improved training facilities at Playford Road, which are expected to be complete next year. One factor we can be sure of is that Town can expect tougher competition in the Championship. Portsmouth, for example, who were promoted to the second tier last season, currently sit ninth out of 11 teams but have secured safety. The team's manager, Jay Sadler, told the club's website they had had to "dig deep, fight and ask a lot of question of ourselves" throughout the season. He added: "It took us a little while to adapt to this level – both physically and technically – but since Christmas, we've been the team doing the punishing." The Championship will consist of 12 teams next season, and Town's opponents will include Crystal Palace, were recently relegated from the Women's Super League after only one season. Nottingham Forest were the other promoted team after winning the Women's National League Northern Premier Division. Town's other opponent include: Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bristol City Charlton Athletic Durham Newcastle United Sunderland Southampton The Championship aims to encourage further investment and expect clubs to build towards a professional model. Town's squad contains a mixture of professional and semi-professional players, but not all of the players are on full-time contracts. In 2021, midfielder Sophie Peskett became the club's first-ever professional women's player, aged 18. At the time she said it was a "no-brainer" to sign. Other players to have signed professional deals include forward Natasha Thomas, defenders Leah Mitchell and Maria Boswell, and midfielder Kyra Robertson. There could potentially be more players going full-time, but the club has not yet made any announcements. And what of transfers? The club invested in the squad, determined to win promotion, and it paid off, so the odds suggest there could be some significant activity in the summer. Town signed three players - Ruby Doe, Elkie Bowyer and Lucy Watson - on loan from WSL clubs as part of their promotion push, with experienced midfielder Ruby Seaby joining on a permanent deal in March after leaving Arsenal. Will the club try to re-sign them for next season, or is there a new list of targets? Conversely, will Town keep hold of players such as Peskett and Lucy O'Brien, who have produced eye-catching displays throughout the season? Questions have already been raised as to whether Town will continue to play their home games at Felixstowe & Walton FC's Martello Ground. Will they extend their 12-year stay on the coast, make a move to Portman Road, or go somewhere else for the new campaign? When approached, the club said it was still being decided. Town sold out their final game of the season at the 2,150-capacity Martello Ground, with Joe Sheehan's team drawing an average attendance of 726. However, they have drawn crowds of over 10,000 at Portman Road in successive seasons. Felixstowe & Walton's chief operations officer, Chris Daynes, played a role in securing the Martello Ground as Town's home venue. He said initially Felixstowe "made a significant loss" in hosting matches, with just tens of fans watching those early fixtures. "It's barely believable that the vision and plan at that first meeting to grow the support base and facilities has come off to the extent that the team [has] clinched Championship football with a league attendance of 2,000 plus," he added. Mr Daynes added he did not know yet if Town would stay, but said if Sunday had been the last game he was pleased to have played a role in Town's tenancy. Last year, 55,000 people attended celebrations when the men's team secured promotion to the Premier League. The club have yet to announce plans to celebrate the Tractor Girls' promotion. Analysis by Graeme Mac, BBC Suffolk sports editor There is no doubt that Ipswich Town Women are both ready for this promotion and deserving of it. Missing out on the Southern Premier Division title on goal difference two years ago looked to have damaged the team, as last season they finished 17 points off the pace. It was identified that something needed to change in order to make that next step, and as far as recruitment is concerned, the club have made massive strides since. Manager Joe Sheehan has hailed the roles played by general manager Rachel Harris – appointed in January 2024 – and assistant manager Lauren Phillips, who arrived a year later. Both have experience of the second tier, as do a number of the players who joined the club last summer. That has undoubtedly played a big part in a phenomenal campaign at the Martello Ground, which remains the home of the team for the time being. Mainstays within the squad, such as captain Maria Boswell, midfielder Lucy O'Brien and forward Sophie Peskett will no doubt relish the forthcoming tests at a higher level, as will Sheehan, who as manager has cultivated winning and professional standards both on and off the pitch since taking over first-team duties in 2019. Replicating the men's team in recording a successive promotion next year will be a very tall order for the Tractor Girls, with stabilising in the second tier the main priority. But it appears the ingredients are there – along with the support base - to do just that. Kaz, from Lowestoft, is a season-ticket holder for the men's team, but also follows the women's team. "For us with women's football it's just fantastic, for the young kids in this area, just women's football in general," she said. "We've had England Women's football be so successful, and now for Ipswich Town to follow them and finally make it... it's just fantastic for the club to be promoted to the Championship. "They've just got to ride that wave. I'm sure they'll get that support and everything that they want from the club anyway. "I think we do already, they'll be successful." Sue, from Ipswich, said: "It is fantastic to see the women doing so well because [older women] didn't have this opportunity. "It's great to see the young girls doing so well. "They're fantastic role models. Seeing the youngsters, their faces beaming looking at these really strong athletes, it's a great representation." Sue added that her nine-year-old nephew was just as interested in the women's game as the men's, and said the team could go far. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Ipswich Town Women exhilarated after promotion Ipswich Town Women win promotion to Championship Ipswich Women look forward to promotion party Ipswich Town Women
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
What does Championship promotion mean for Ipswich Town Women?
Ipswich Town Women have been promoted to the second tier of women's football. The Tractor Girls reached the Women's Championship after spending four years in the Women's National League Southern Premier Division. There are so many questions fans will want answers to. What are the club's ambitions for the Tractor Girls? Even before Ipswich Town Women secured promotion, the club laid out its vision for the this season, chief executive Mark Ashton told the East Anglian Daily Times: "We want to get into the Championship and then we want to stabilise, stay in that division and then build progressively from there because the Women's Super League (WSL) is a whole other ball game, another set of challenges." The Tractor Girls will also benefit from improved training facilities at Playford Road, which are expected to be complete next year. Who will Town face next season? One factor we can be sure of is that Town can expect tougher competition in the for example, who were promoted to the second tier last season, currently sit ninth out of 11 teams but have secured team's manager, Jay Sadler, told the club's website they had had to "dig deep, fight and ask a lot of question of ourselves" throughout the added: "It took us a little while to adapt to this level – both physically and technically – but since Christmas, we've been the team doing the punishing." The Championship will consist of 12 teams next season, and Town's opponents will include Crystal Palace, were recently relegated from the Women's Super League after only one Forest were the other promoted team after winning the Women's National League Northern Premier other opponent include:Birmingham CityBlackburn RoversBristol CityCharlton AthleticDurhamNewcastle UnitedSunderlandSouthampton How will the squad look next season? The Championship aims to encourage further investment and expect clubs to build towards a professional squad contains a mixture of professional and semi-professional players, but not all of the players are on full-time contracts. In 2021, midfielder Sophie Peskett became the club's first-ever professional women's player, aged 18. At the time she said it was a "no-brainer" to players to have signed professional deals include forward Natasha Thomas, defenders Leah Mitchell and Maria Boswell, and midfielder Kyra could potentially be more players going full-time, but the club has not yet made any what of transfers?The club invested in the squad, determined to win promotion, and it paid off, so the odds suggest there could be some significant activity in the signed three players - Ruby Doe, Elkie Bowyer and Lucy Watson - on loan from WSL clubs as part of their promotion push, with experienced midfielder Ruby Seaby joining on a permanent deal in March after leaving the club try to re-sign them for next season, or is there a new list of targets?Conversely, will Town keep hold of players such as Peskett and Lucy O'Brien, who have produced eye-catching displays throughout the season? Where will the team play their home games? Questions have already been raised as to whether Town will continue to play their home games at Felixstowe & Walton FC's Martello Ground. Will they extend their 12-year stay on the coast, make a move to Portman Road, or go somewhere else for the new campaign?When approached, the club said it was still being decided. Town sold out their final game of the season at the 2,150-capacity Martello Ground, with Joe Sheehan's team drawing an average attendance of they have drawn crowds of over 10,000 at Portman Road in successive & Walton's chief operations officer, Chris Daynes, played a role in securing the Martello Ground as Town's home said initially Felixstowe "made a significant loss" in hosting matches, with just tens of fans watching those early fixtures."It's barely believable that the vision and plan at that first meeting to grow the support base and facilities has come off to the extent that the team [has] clinched Championship football with a league attendance of 2,000 plus," he Daynes added he did not know yet if Town would stay, but said if Sunday had been the last game he was pleased to have played a role in Town's tenancy. Is a promotion celebration planned? Last year, 55,000 people attended celebrations when the men's team secured promotion to the Premier club have yet to announce plans to celebrate the Tractor Girls' promotion. 'The ingredients are there' Analysis by Graeme Mac, BBC Suffolk sports editorThere is no doubt that Ipswich Town Women are both ready for this promotion and deserving of out on the Southern Premier Division title on goal difference two years ago looked to have damaged the team, as last season they finished 17 points off the was identified that something needed to change in order to make that next step, and as far as recruitment is concerned, the club have made massive strides Joe Sheehan has hailed the roles played by general manager Rachel Harris – appointed in January 2024 – and assistant manager Lauren Phillips, who arrived a year have experience of the second tier, as do a number of the players who joined the club last has undoubtedly played a big part in a phenomenal campaign at the Martello Ground, which remains the home of the team for the time within the squad, such as captain Maria Boswell, midfielder Lucy O'Brien and forward Sophie Peskett will no doubt relish the forthcoming tests at a higher level, as will Sheehan, who as manager has cultivated winning and professional standards both on and off the pitch since taking over first-team duties in the men's team in recording a successive promotion next year will be a very tall order for the Tractor Girls, with stabilising in the second tier the main it appears the ingredients are there – along with the support base - to do just that. What are the fans looking forward to? Kaz, from Lowestoft, is a season-ticket holder for the men's team, but also follows the women's team."For us with women's football it's just fantastic, for the young kids in this area, just women's football in general," she said. "We've had England Women's football be so successful, and now for Ipswich Town to follow them and finally make it... it's just fantastic for the club to be promoted to the Championship."They've just got to ride that wave. I'm sure they'll get that support and everything that they want from the club anyway."I think we do already, they'll be successful." Sue, from Ipswich, said: "It is fantastic to see the women doing so well because [older women] didn't have this opportunity."It's great to see the young girls doing so well."They're fantastic role models. Seeing the youngsters, their faces beaming looking at these really strong athletes, it's a great representation."Sue added that her nine-year-old nephew was just as interested in the women's game as the men's, and said the team could go far. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ipswich Town Women's footballers on brink of Championship
Ipswich Town Women's manager Joe Sheehan has said his side's near-certain promotion to the Championship will be a "special day". The Tractor Girls' stunning season culminates on Sunday as they host Cheltenham, with their superior goal difference meaning even a loss would still not stop the party. It will be the first time the club will compete in the second tier, ending their four-year stint in the FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division. Sheehan, who initially worked in a voluntary role at the Suffolk club, said: "I'm incredibly proud and privileged to have played a part in the growth over so many years." 'From 40 fans to 10,000' Sheehan was appointed manager of the women's side in February 2019. The following month, his side drew 1-1 with Leyton Orient in front of 40 spectators in the fourth division. Their now record goalscorer, Natasha Thomas, was on the bench. In 2025, she went on to represent Jamaica at international level, having scored over 150 goals for Ipswich. Two Covid-19 curtailed seasons and three heart-breaking title pushes later, the Tractor Girls returned to Portman Road in March 2025 where they broke the league attendance during their 3-1 win against Plymouth Argyle in front of 10,807. Sheehan himself was unpaid during his first season-and-a-half. The players trained just twice a week, led by voluntary staff. The dedicated boss once drove a minibus for an U21's friendly match to Sunderland, where he could only pull together a team of just nine they train four times a week, have tailored strength and conditioning training, and are fed nutritionally balanced meals. 'Remarkable' Sheehan said: "It's been an incredible journey. "The growth, the success, the development of the group, the club and the staff. "The experiences that we've had along the way have been remarkable. " 'Four years thinking of this day' Captain Maria Boswell will be the player to lift the league title on Sunday. The 22-year old, who lives with teammates Sophie Peskett and Kyra Robertson, has been part of a rock-solid defence that has only conceded 10 goals in the league this season. Both her and her teammates are still part-time footballers, but promotion will mean going full-time. She has dreamt of this moment since coming into the first team four years ago. "I've spent four years thinking of this day. I've thought about it every single day; what the feeling is going to be like," she said."You don't get opportunities like this very often, to celebrate promotion to the Championship. "I can't put it into words how much it would mean to be with the girls, on the pitch and lift that trophy." 'No room for error' in tier three? The Tractor Girls have come close to promotion each season at third tier level, but have fallen at the final hurdle. On previous attempts, they finished second, third and fourth. Until the 2023/24 season, the winner of the Southern Premier Division then had to face off in a promotion-deciding fixture with the Northern division's winners. Sheehan said previously it gave "little to no room for error", requiring "near-perfect seasons".He added: "We have had sour experiences, some trauma and some difficult moments. We've been close, but have fallen short. "On two separate occasions, we have won 10 to 11 games in a row in this division, and still fallen short. It's been tough; lots of low points where you wonder what else you can do". Within these seasons, the Tractor Girls have had some key moments, including record-breaking FA Cup runs, hosting WSL side West Ham United at their home in Felixstowe, as well as two trips to giants Manchester City. The perfect end to a near-perfect season? Ipswich set the standard in the league this year, slipping to defeat only twice and conceding just 10 goals. Their main rivals this season have been Essex side Hashtag United, who are three points behind them going into the final round of fixtures. A nine-game unbeaten run at the start of the season saw Sheehan's side set the pace, including a 4-0 league cup win over East Anglian rivals Norwich City at Carrow Road. Hashtag were one of only two teams to beat Town, which didn't come until early March. Ipswich were the form scorers in the league, and have netted 81 times so far. Town recorded eye catching results including 11-0 and 13-0 wins over MK Dons, a 7-0 win over Cheltenham and a 6-0 win over Billericay.
