Hodgetts-Still named WBA's women's full-time manager

Former midfielder Siobhan Hodgetts-Still played for WBA from 2006 to 2014 before joining the coaching staff

Siobhan Hodgetts-Still says it is a "proud moment" after being appointed West Bromwich Albion's first full-time head coach of the women's team.

The club said her new role was an "expansion" of her previous job leading the side, which Hodgetts-Still has done since replacing Jenny Sugarman in June 2023.

The women's team operated as a separate entity from the men's side but were fully incorporated by the club in June 2024 following the Shilen Patel-led takeover by Bilkul four months earlier.

The team currently plays in the Premier Division of the Women's National League [WNL], the third tier of the pyramid.

The Baggies say Hodgetts-Still's new remit is the first step in making the women's team a full-time, professional set-up.

"This is a proud moment for me personally, but also a great step forward for the women's team," said Hodgetts-Still.

"Since we became fully incorporated by the club last summer, we have been made to feel very much at home. This really is an exciting opportunity for us to progress towards our long-term goals."

Albion sporting director Andrew Nestor added the club were "delighted" to have Hodgetts-Still signed up on a full-time basis and had "ambitious" plans for the team.

"Bilkul has always been clear about its commitment to the development of the women's team, and this is another big step as part of this journey," Nestor told the club website.

"We have ambitious plans for the team, and Shev has been tasked with helping us to outline our long-term strategic vision in order to drive progress towards a fully professional setup."

Albion are currently seventh in the WNL, 10 points clear of the bottom two.