SAINTS will appoint a new women's manager with Marieanne Spacey-Cale stepping up to a more senior role within the club. 

Spacey-Cale is stepping down from her existing coaching position to focus on the wider women’s and girls’ programme.

This new role will see Spacey-Cale take on a more senior position within the club and report directly to CEO Phil Parsons. 

Spacey-Cale has been with the club since 2018 and has overseen the rapid development of the club’s women’s and girls’ programme.

She most notably achieved back-to-back promotions to secure a place in the Women’s Championship.

Parsons, CEO of Saints, said:“This is another important sign of our ongoing commitment and support to the women’s game which we believe deserves a real focus.

“Marieanne is one of the most respected figures in the game and is a fantastic asset to the club. To have her in a senior position at the club also shows she believes that our journey is only just getting started.

“We have a long-term objective of seeing the Women’s team performing at the very top level and we are all behind Marieanne and the team as we go into the new season.”

Spacey-Cale added: “This is a pivotal moment for us to take our Women and Girls’ programme to the next level, in an exciting era of women’s football.

“I look forward to building on the strong foundations we have in place to ensure we are ready not only for next season but that we can create something special for years to come.”

As part of her new role, Spacey-Cale will also oversee the women and girls academy programme to ensure a continued pathway of local talent coming through the age groups. 

The new women’s first team manager will report directly into Spacey-Cale and she will be at the heart of the decision-making process for her replacement to give the club the best chance of continued progression and development.