Sheffield Wednesday Women are pleased to announce that they have appointed Andy Burgess as their new manager. Andy accepted the Owls proposal today. He will be meeting the players and staff at their Hillsborough training ground tomorrow for the first time. Andy Burgess has been involved in Women's football for nearly 4 years now, starting out as 1st team Manager at ERWFL side Kettering Town LFC, before moving on to Nottingham Forest Ladies FC as 1st team Assistant Manager. Forest Ladies finished 3rd in his first season as first team coach their, before going on to win promotion to the National Premier League the following season. Their first campaign in the highest echelon of the sport saw them achieve their pre-season goal, consolidation in division. He then moved north to work with Rick Passmoor at Leeds Carnegie Ladies where he worked as Recruitment Officer at the National Division side.
Chairman Jeff Maslin commented “When Dan stepped down I knew it was going to be hard to fill his boots. I have known “Burge” since his Forest days and was absolutely delighted when he accepted our offer. He is definitely the right man for the job and it is a great compliment for us that he has accepted our offer as I understand there were a few other clubs trying to secure his services. I would like to welcome him to Wednesday and I am sure he will be an outstanding success.”
Liam Kelly will be staying on in his role as Assistant Manager “I am looking forward to working with Andy, I know his pedigree and I know between us our fortunes will change on the pitch. Our paths have crossed before when I was at Leeds, and I believe that appointment will put us back on track.”
After the official announcement of Andy Burgess being appointed manager of SWWFC he made the following statement:
"I am delighted and privileged to have been given the opportunity and cannot wait to get going, starting tomorrow night at training and Sunday at Leicester City. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time across Yorkshire at Leeds Carnegie, and the experience I have gathered from the likes of Rick Passmoor, Julie Chipchase and Colin Walker has been fantastic. I feel I learnt my trade as Assistant Manager at Forest Ladies for two and a half seasons and now was the right time to take the step into the position of Manager. The phone call from Jeff came just at the right time and he sold the football club to me with what’s already in place and what the visions are for the future.
For whatever reason, things haven't been going to plan this campaign and I know it was a big decision for Jeff and the Club to accept Dan's resignation. I'd like to take this opportunity to acknowledge his contribution to the Club over the years and realise I have some big boots to fill.
My role at Leeds took me to the game against Lincoln earlier in the season so I have an idea of the players I will be taking on - but its a clean sheet of paper as far as I am concerned and a fresh chance for the squad to show me why they should be in the team and representing this wonderfully traditional football club.
I am delighted Liam has agreed to continue in his role as Assistant Manager and that Dan has said he will be on hand to make the transition as seamless as possible. Liam's knowledge of the players will be hugely important - never more so than at Leicester on Sunday where we shall be going to get a result and start as we mean to go on."
Wednesday’s next game is away at high flying Leicester on Sunday 1st November, Kick Off 2pm.