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Sunday, February 8, 2026

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Stockport announce exciting new era

Stockport County have announced ambitious new plans for the future of the club, starting from next season.

To assist with their project, the FAWNL Division One North club have appointed former England netball coach Tracey Neville as Managing Director to oversee matters.

The club has issued the following statement on its official website at www.stockportcounty.com:  

Stockport County Football Club today announces the launch of Stockport County Women, marking a significant new chapter for women’s football in Stockport and beyond.

Founded in 1989 as Stockport County Ladies, the club has spent 37 years as a volunteer-run community organisation, providing opportunities for women and girls to play football across the borough.

From the 2026-27 season, the team will compete under the name Stockport County Women - a change that reflects both the evolution of the women’s game and the club’s long-term commitment to equality, opportunity and growth.

Stockport County’s ambition is clear – become a superpower for women’s sport in our region and create the same opportunities for girls and women as the club has built for the men’s team, and to establish Stockport County Women as a future force in the women’s game.

The club is also pleased to confirm the appointment of Tracey Neville as Managing Director of the women’s team - a senior leadership role that underlines the seriousness of Stockport County’s ambition for the women’s game. Neville brings extensive experience from elite sport, where she has operated at the highest levels of performance, governance and cultural change.

Her appointment signals a clear shift from support to strategic leadership, with a long-term focus on building a sustainable, high-performance programme rooted in the community and capable of competing at the very top of the women’s game.

Tracey will sit on a new and dedicated board for Stockport County Women. The board will be appointed in the coming months and oversee the next phase of the team’s development, reinforcing the club’s commitment to leadership, representation and expertise within the women’s programme.

Central to this vision, is a desire to build a legacy of homegrown role models who will inspire females from Stockport to participate in sport. The club’s long-term aim is to create a clear pathway from grassroots football to the elite level and for Stopfordian girls to dream of playing football at the highest level of the women’s game.

The Club’s recent acquisition of Stockport Sports Village, the current home of Stockport County Ladies, is another significant step forward in the development of women’s football in Stockport. The women’s team will benefit from the development of best-in-class facilities at the site over the coming years, providing a home and training facility that reflects the club’s ambitions on and off the pitch.

The growth of the women’s game creates an opportunity to experience football in a more inclusive, welcoming and family-friendly way, while still holding true to the passion and pride that define Stockport County.

Matchdays offer a different rhythm - affordable, accessible and rooted in community - where parents, children and supporters new and old can connect with the club together.

At the same time, this is about coming together to play a vital role in the next chapter of the County story, backing the women’s team with the same energy and loyalty that has driven the club forward for generations.

Stockport County Women will be a team the whole town can get behind - uniting long-standing supporters and new fans around a shared love of football and a shared belief in what this club can be.

The launch will be formally celebrated towards the end of the season, where past and present players, volunteers and supporters will be recognised for their contribution to women’s football in Stockport over nearly four decades.

Simon Wilson, Chief Executive, Stockport County FC, said: “Today is about recognising where we have come from and setting out on the patch to where we need to go. For 39 years, Stockport County Ladies has been built by volunteers, players and supporters who believed in women’s football long before it had the platform it has today. We are incredibly proud of that history.

That team of people, led by Jane Morley, have done an incredible job at producing a club that the town can be proud of, and they’ll continue to play a pivotal role as we take the club forward.”

“As a football club, we have acknowledged that this is moment to do more. We are proud of our history, grateful to those who built it, and we are determined to build something even stronger for the future. The women’s game offers new ways for families to experience football, and we want to be the club for everyone in this town.”

“This is about more than a name change though. It’s about building a sustainable, homegrown pathway for more Stopfordian girls and creating a women’s football programme that this town can be proud of for generations to come.”

“This change to Stockport County Women is a statement of intent. It reflects our ambition to create the same opportunities for girls and women in our community as we have for the men’s team, and to invest properly in the future of the women’s game.”

Jane Morley, Club Secretary of Stockport County Ladies, said: “We’re extremely excited for what this will create for the women and girls of Stockport.  The club have supported us for many years and alongside the hard work and perseverance of the volunteer community, we have collectively built a solid foundation for the future.

With this announcement we 100% believe we will see more girls playing sport across Stockport and can continue to dream of seeing Stockport County Women in the WSL.”

Tracey Neville, Managing Director of Stockport County Women, said: “I am incredibly proud to be joining Stockport County at such a pivotal moment for the club and for the women’s game.  

“My career in elite sport has shown me what is possible when there is a clear vision, strong leadership and a genuine commitment to developing talent from the ground up.

“Women’s football is at a defining point, and Stockport has the opportunity to do something special. This is a community club with deep roots, and my focus will be on creating a clear, credible pathway for girls and women to progress, while building the standards, culture and infrastructure needed to compete at the highest level.

“We want young girls in Stockport to believe that they can reach the top of the game without leaving their community. That’s how you build something powerful, sustainable and truly representative of the people it serves.”