English Premier League club Leicester City have announced that their women’s team will be a fully professional outfit when the 2020/21 season gets underway.
Leicester City Women’s FC were formed in 2004 and have been competing in the second-tier Championship. The new arrangement has involved parent company King Power International, who acquired the previously independent women’s side and joins Leicester City Senior Men, Under-23s and Under-18s who are all professional under Leicester’s very own operations.
The current player and coach setup from LCWFC will remain the same as before, with General Manager Jade Morgan, Team Manager Jonathan Morgan, 12 members of the playing squad and a number of key support staff now going full-time.
Russ Fraser has been appointed as the Head of Women’s Football, showing Leicester’s intent of committing to a long-term plan of building awareness for the women’s game in the area.
“This is really proud day. The introduction of a women’s team embedded within the Club has been an ambition of ours for some time and today it can start to be realised,” Leicester City Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said as part of Leicester City’s statement.
“The Club’s co-operation with LCWFC since 2004 has been a valuable gateway to the women’s game. Its chairman, Rohan Morgan, and its staff and players deserve great credit for the solid foundations they have built and we’re really excited to see how we can progress with the setup in-house.
“LCFC Women will carry the standard, but our vision for developing the women’s game in Leicester is wide-ranging. We want to build on the recent success of women’s football to inspire a generation of young girls and to ensure opportunities exist for the gifted among them to have a future in the game.
“Exactly 10 years on from King Power first arriving in Leicester, this is a significant expansion in our vision for the Club – both in terms of diversification and our dedication to football for all; and in our ongoing commitment to excellence in every one of the Club’s pursuits.”
Former LCWFC chairman Rohan Morgan will become an advisor to a LCFC Women’s Football Leadership Group, led by Chief Executive Susan Whelan.
“This is an amazing step forward, both for our team and for women’s football in the city,” he said.
“For many years now, we have proudly represented Leicester City in the women’s game and tried to build an organisation with solid foundations, high standards and the potential for growth.
“Officially joining the Leicester City family is the best possible endorsement of that work and I’m extremely proud of every player, member of staff and volunteer – several of whom will be continuing the journey with us – that has helped bring us to this point.
“Thanks to the belief of Khun Aiyawatt, Susan Whelan and everyone at Leicester City, we have an incredible opportunity to build on that potential and be a part of the Club’s vision for success.”
