Grimsby Town Football Club, and Grimsby Town Sports and Education Trust, are delighted to announce Dale Houlston as the first ever Grimsby Town Women’s FC manager.
We had an incredibly impressive number of highly-qualified applicants, but Houlston stood out as the perfect candidate to become the women’s manager ahead of the 2019-20 season.
He has a good background of coaching and developing girls and women in football, and has an extremely enthusiastic passion for the women’s game.
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In his first interview since becoming Grimsby Town Women’s manager, Houlston said he has been working towards this special opportunity for several years.
Speaking exclusively to gtfc.co.uk, he said: “I’m really delighted to be on board, and to be given the opportunity to build something great for Grimsby Town in the world of women’s football.
“I’m very pleased, and delighted – it’s a great opportunity. I’ve spent a lot of time building up to this.
“I’ve studied and worked through coaching qualifications, and gained experience in the girls’ and the women’s game.
“And now it’s a great opportunity for me to build something. And it’s right from the bottom because we really are starting from the bottom rung of the ladder so it’s a completely clean canvas.”
And Houlston praised the Mariners’ step forward to introduce its first ever affiliated women’s side in the Lincolnshire Women’s League next season.
He said: “I’m delighted to hear that a professional football club, like Grimsby Town, is embracing women’s football at a time which is a great time to be doing it.
“It’s come right from the top – through the board – that they’ve expressed the desire to see Grimsby Town develop a presence in women’s football.
“They’re doing some fantastic things. Obviously as a professional football club, and what they do on the pitch with the men’s team, it speaks for itself.
“From what they do in the community, and in the area in North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire, it’s a natural progression that they’re moving into the world of women’s football.
“So it’s great that Grimsby Town are going to be supporting women’s football, and building a presence in the area.”
Houlston will now focus on searching for players in the local area, and will be in charge of the open trials at Oasis Academy Wintringham on Saturday, June 15 (11am to 1pm).
Watch Dale Houlston’s first interview as Grimsby Town Women’s FC manager for free exclusively on our official YouTube channel.
