Exciting news for all fans out there — Nottingham Forest is taking a huge leap forward to elevate its women’s team by offering them “lucrative” salaries. The club is on the brink of embracing full-time professionalism, and the buzz of excitement from fans and players is palpable.
The official overseeing the transformation revealed that owner Evangelos Marinakis is injecting more funding to “accelerate the growth of the women’s game” at the Reds. This is a monumental shift for the third-tier outfit, especially considering their previous independence from the Premier League club before 2019.
In the upcoming season, 18 full-time players will be the first to reap the benefits of this initiative, setting the stage for the entire team to turn fully professional by the 2025-26 campaign. This news arrives in the wake of reports that second division club Blackburn Rovers was only offering minimum wage to its players. England midfielder Georgia Stanway was among those who criticized Blackburn’s approach, especially given its semi-professional status and modest playing budget of £100,000 for next season.
When asked about the comparison between Nottingham Forest’s new wages and Blackburn’s, Amber Wildgust, the head of women and girls football at the club, confidently stated that they do not believe in paying the minimum wage. “That is the same across all departments, so it will be lucrative for our female players, absolutely.”
Nottingham Forest’s bold move comes at a time when other clubs are grappling with financial issues, with Reading, another club that played a division higher than Forest last season, being forced to pull out of the Championship. When asked if she felt the Reds were “bucking the trend” with their decision to invest more in women’s game, Wildgust expressed empathy for other clubs while emphasizing the importance of propelling women’s sport forward.
Despite finishing third in the National League Northern Premier Division last season, the Reds are determined to ascend to the top-flight. Wildgust believes that the move towards professionalism has bolstered their confidence and will steer the team towards their ambition of competing in the Women’s Super League.
The future looks incredibly promising for Nottingham Forest’s women’s team. The club is making a bold statement by prioritizing the growth and development of women’s football, and the players are undoubtedly feeling valued and empowered. With this thrilling news, it’s evident that Nottingham Forest is a team to watch as they lead the way for greater opportunities and successes in women’s football.
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