Current Birmingham City Women’s manager Carla Ward is to become the new Aston Villa Women’s boss this summer.
Ward guided Birmingham to safety in the Women’s Super League during the 2020-21 season despite having the smallest budget in the league, before stepping down with one game remaining.
Villa have turned to the 37-year-old to take over the team following a host of departures in the wake of the recently-completed campaign, which saw the club finish 10th.
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Marcus Bignot, who took over as interim manager in January, left his role along with coach Gemma Davies – who was in charge before Bignot – and assistant Jenny Sugarman. Sporting director Eniola Aluko also departed Villa for Los Angeles club Angel City.
A Villa statement read: “Aston Villa can confirm that Carla Ward will become the new Manager of Aston Villa Women.
“She will take up the position next month and will be formally presented in due course.”
Having taken over Birmingham last August, Ward’s season in charge was not without its challenges, with City’s squad sending a letter to the club’s hierarchy in April highlighting a lack of support for them compared to that given to the men’s team.
The complaints were reported to include players earning less than the minimum wage, delays over treatment for injured players, a lack of access to the training-ground gym and changing rooms, and travel arrangements for away fixtures, prompting a statement from Birmingham saying the club was committed to the women’s team.
Ward has also managed Sheffield United and was nominated as WSL manager of the year.
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