Former Fylde Women boss backs new managers to do top job

AFC Fylde has relaunched its women’s team, just a month after disbanding it, with senior players Kim Turner and Danielle Young replacing Prendergast at the helm.

Prendergast, who had been in charge of the National League Northern Premier club for three years, will instead focus on his work with the Fylde’s Academy.

He said of Fylde Women: “The players are absolutely buzzing. Hopefully they can get back on the pitch sooner rather than later and show the talent they have all got.

“My full-time role was already with the academy, which has grown massively in recent months.

“We have more than 90 lads on the scholarship programme here full-time, so my attention will turn to that on a more regular basis.”

He will continue to monitor the women’s fortunes and added: “I’m very close to the guys who are taking charge, so I’ll be there for that transition period as best I can but I don’t think they will need much help. They are very experienced.

“I joined from Manchester City, where I was working with the women’s team, and it was a great opportunity for me to step up and take charge of a team as a young manager.

“Over the last three years we’ve made so many great memories as a team, so it was a tough decision but I can look back with a smile on my face.

“There are no other women’s teams on a similar level nearby. The nearest is Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, the league above us.

“I think it’s good for he people of the Fylde coast to be able to watch a women’s team playing in a really competitive league at a fantastic standard.

“There are plans to create a girls’ academy, and hopefully in the next three to five years we’ll have a variety of age groups leading to the womens’ first team. Hopefully we can recruit girls from 10-12.”