NOTTINGHAM FOREST SET TO MAKE CITY GROUND HOME FOR 2024/25: VIEW

With less than two weeks to go until Forest Women begin their 2024/25 campaign at Stoke City, Carly Davies’ side have been busy putting the pieces together for what will be a historic season on Trentside.

Following the announcement last month that Forest Women will become a full-time professional team starting in 2025, as part of owner Evangelos Marinakis’ ambitious aim to have Forest compete at the highest level in both the men’s and women’s game, it looks like it will be an exciting year for The Reds.

Following this announcement, all 11 of Forest Women’s home league games will take place at The City Ground as The Reds advance toward becoming the elite of the Women’s Super League and gaining promotion to the Barclays Women’s Championship.

This goal is being recognized, as many recent recruits are supporting Forest’s ascent up the women’s football ladder.

Kate Longhurst has undoubtedly competed at the highest level before. The midfield player, who has featured in 182 top-flight games, equals the record for the most appearances in Women’s Super League history upon joining from Charlton Athletic. Securing consecutive WSL championships with Liverpool in 2013 and 2014, she contributes an abundance of expertise to a team striving for triumph this year.

The experience of winning the crown doesn’t stop there either. Naomi Bedeau and Bridget Galloway, the latter of whom scored 17 goals on Tyneside last season, have signed contracts to join Trentside after playing crucial roles in Newcastle United’s promotion to the Championship the previous season.

Also adding firepower to the frontline is Mel Johnson – the winner of the Championship Golden Boot with Charlton in 2022/23 – and former England U20 international Charlie Wellings, who has experience of playing in the top tiers of England and Scotland with Reading and Celtic respectively.

Millie Chandarana has added further Championship experience to the squad, arriving from Blackbirn Rovers following spells in San Marino and Italy, whilst Amy Sims has made the move from Derby County to be a part of Forest’s promotion push – the midfielder scored 40 times for Derby across two seasons, winning the Golden Boot in the 2022/23 season.

But as well as adding to the squad, Forest have kept hold of influential players such as vice-captain Nat Johnson and Freya Thomas – Forest’s Player of the Season for 2023/24.

In a promising campaign for the team, Sophie Domingo, a forward, and Emily Batty, a goalkeeper, have also committed their careers to Forest by signing their first-ever full-time contracts.

Join us on our adventure as the 2024–2025 season draws to a close and witness our growth.