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2025: Another Big Year Of Change For Reading Women
What a difference a year makes. This time last season, Reading Women were a team in crisis, anchored to the bottom of the league with zero points and a goal difference of -21 after six matches.The narrative seemed written: a demoralizing relegation was all but inevitable. Yet, in a turnaround that would make any football analyst’s spreadsheet sing, the double act of manager Pedro Bruno and assistant Shelley Strange orchestrated a great escape worthy of the Hollywood treatment.They didn’t just scrape survival; they engineered a 10-point buffer above the drop zone, a feat of tactical resilience and sheer will that defied the raw data of those early, heavy defeats. Fast forward to today, and the Royals are a transformed outfit.From the ashes of a relegation scrap, they’ve been rebuilt, recalibrated, and now sit sixth in the table with 13 points from just seven games—a points-per-game haul that speaks to a profound shift in trajectory. The summer saw a changing of the guard, with Ed Jackson-Norris taking the managerial reins, bringing with him a core of players from his former club, Maidenhead United, including new captain Mia Parker.This wasn’t a patchwork job; it was a strategic rebuild with time for proper pre-season preparation, a luxury denied the previous regime. The results are tangible: a more balanced squad, a cohesive coaching team, and performances that have seen Reading become the first side to take points off league leaders Wycombe Wanderers this season.The on-pitch story is one of remarkable progress, a testament to the power of clear planning and player development. However, lurking behind this sporting renaissance is a familiar, unsettling financial subplot.While new ownership under Rob Couhig has brought stability to the men’s side of Reading FC, the future of the women’s team is shrouded in uncertainty. Funded by the Community Trust—a charity reliant on grants and donations—the team faces a funding cliff-edge as club support is set to be withdrawn.Couhig’s vision is for a new, independent owner to step in, but the search continues, leaving the team in a precarious position. It’s a stark dichotomy: on the field, they are building momentum toward a potential promotion push, aided by a one-off league restructuring that could see three teams go up.Off it, they are fighting for their very existence, playing home games in Slough and scrambling for sponsors. The potential is untapped, the opportunity immense, but the financial foundations remain worryingly unstable.For now, the players and staff, led by the indefatigable Lucy Bolitho, last season’s standout, continue to write a compelling underdog story. The second half of the season promises a genuine shot at the top, but the final whistle on their long-term future is yet to be blown.
#Reading Women
#football
#women's football
#team rebuild
#funding concerns
#featured
