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Leicester City women to go professional
King Power International, Leicester City’s parent company, has completed the acquisition of LCWFC, which will now turn professional and join Leicester City’s Senior Men, Under-23s and Under-18s among the core teams within the Club’s football operation. The transfer of the team’s FA Women’s Championship (FAWC) licence to LCFC was approved on Tuesday.
General Manager Jade Morgan, Team Manager Jonathan Morgan, 12 members of the playing squad and a number of key support staff will be retained from the previous setup, which will now go full-time.
Former LCWFC chairman Rohan Morgan will become an advisor to an LCFC Women’s Football Leadership Group, led by Chief Executive Susan Whelan.
Russ Fraser has been appointed to the position of Head of Women’s Football. Russ brings to the Club a wealth of knowledge of the women’s game, built during spells with West Ham United and Reading. Russ will manage football operations for LCFC Women and, together with the LCFC Women’s Football Leadership Group, will develop a strategy to build interest in the women’s game locally, encourage participation, and synchronise the work of the LCWFC Academy and the Leicester City Girls’ Regional Talent Club (RTC) to create a defined development pathway for gifted young female players.
Leicester City Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: “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.
“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.”
Rohan Morgan said: “This is an amazing step forward, both for our team and for women’s football in the city. 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.”