Hannah Dingley: Who is City’s new Girls’ Head of Academy? | OneFootball

Manchester City are delighted to announce the appointment of Hannah Dingley as Girls’ Head of Academy.

She makes the move to the City Football Academy having previously been Head of Women’s and Girls’ Football for the Football Association of Ireland over the past 12 months.

However, her coaching experience at both senior and youth levels spans well over two decades, breaking boundaries in the process for female coaches in the United Kingdom.

Learn more about Hannah below…

History maker

Perhaps the most famous achievement of our new Girls’ Head of Academy's career so far came in July 2023, when she took over as caretaker manager at Forest Green Rovers.

In doing so, she became the first and, so far, only woman to take charge of a senior professional men’s side in England.

A 1-1 pre-season friendly draw away at Melksham Town would follow within 24 hours of her taking charge of the team, with Dingley then returning to her previous role as Academy Manager following the appointment of David Horseman.

Speaking to the BBC about her time in charge back in 2023, she said: "You've got a responsibility as the first to open the doors for others and to encourage others.

"You always say if you don't see it, you're probably not going to be it. The fact that I do this I hope it encourages more females to come into coaching, into football, into different roles.

“I feel a great responsibility to talk about that."

Forest Green

Dingley’s legacy at the New Lawn was defined by far more than her period as interim manager, though.

She remains the only woman to have taken charge of a men's English Football League Academy, doing so when joining the club in 2019.

Two years later, she was influential in creating the FGR Girls Academy, mirroring the men’s setup which she’d also oversee during her five years in charge.

Early footballing education

Having already coached at various non-league levels, Dingley went to the University of Loughborough, where she studied Sports Science.

She went on to become a senior lecturer in sports coaching practice after graduating, also eventually working with Notts County’s Under-9s and local non-league sides.

Dingley also helped coach Lincoln Ladies – then operating in the top tier of women’s football in England and boasting the likes of Rachel Daley, Casey Stoney and Lucy Staniforth.

A move to Burton Albion to work in their youth system followed, before heading up their academy programme from 2016-2019 in her first full-time role in professional football.