EXCLUSIVE: Landmark move as League Two club Forest Green Rovers appoint Hannah Dingley as their interim manager… making her the FIRST woman to lead a men’s professional football team in England
- Dingley has been handed first-team reins in a landmark move for English football
- She is the first woman to lead a men’s senior side in England’s top four divisions
- It comes after Duncan Ferguson left Forest Green after six months in charge
Forest Green Rovers have placed their head of academy Hannah Dingley in caretaker charge of the men’s senior team following the departure of Duncan Ferguson.
In a landmark move for English football, Mail Sport understands Dingley took training on Tuesday as Ferguson finalised his exit from the League Two club.
Dingley – who has a UEFA Pro Licence – will become the first woman, albeit temporarily for now, to lead a men’s senior side in one of England’s top-four divisions.
Having led Tuesday’s session, Dingley is expected to continue leading the club’s pre-season preparations while the search for a new permanent head coach is carried out.
Forest Green face non-league Melksham Town in their first pre-season game on Wednesday night. Dingley is set to be in charge.
League Two side Forest Green Rovers have named head of academy Hannah Dingley (pictured) as interim boss of the men’s senior team in what is a landmark moment for English football
Rovers owner Dale Vince (left) has made the appointment after parting company with former boss Duncan Ferguson (right)
Forest Green face non-league Melksham Town in their first pre-season game on Wednesday
In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, Dingley – when asked when there might a time when a woman is in charge of a men’s professional football team – said: ‘It will come in sooner than you think.
‘The success that the Lionesses are having, that Emma Hayes is having at Chelsea. There are others, really good female coaches out there who I have more than faith in would be more than capable of coaching at a men’s level.
‘They’re players at the end of the day. It’s football at the end of the day, that doesn’t change. I don’t think it’ll be long before you see a female on the touchline.’
Along with Ferguson, it is understood the former Scotland striker’s assistant Tony Grant has also left Forest Green.
In confirming Ferguson’s exit, club owner Dale Vince said: ‘It’d been a privilege to work with Dunc these last few months and this was a very difficult decision to make.
‘I’m grateful to Dunc for joining us in such difficult circumstances and for all of his hard work at the club.
‘But I feel this is overall the right decision for everyone and I wish Dunc well in his next coaching role. We are parting as friends. You can’t ask for much more than that.’
Under owner Vince’s stewardship, Forest Green have become among the most socially forward-thinking clubs in professional football.
In 2017 they were officially recognised as the world’s first vegan football club, receiving the Vegan Trademark from the Vegan Society.
The United Nations has recognised Forest Green Rovers as the world’s first carbon-neutral football club and it was described by FIFA as the ‘greenest team in the world’.
Former Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin – who is vegan and now plays at Sporting CP in Portugal – became the second-largest shareholder in the club in September 2020.
The club replaced beef burgers with quinoa on the matchday menu and Vince has proposed to build an eco-friendly, fully wooden stadium.
In 2021, Rovers also became the first team in the world to play with a kit made using coffee grounds and recycled plastic.
In August 2021, Forest Green Rovers announced a new partnership with clean energy YouTube channel Fully Charged and named their pitch The Fully Charged New Lawn.
Rovers were promoted to League One in 2022 but were relegated again a season later.
In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, Dingley said the time when a woman is in charge of a men’s professional football team ‘will come in sooner than you think’