For Newcastle football fans, March 2025 is a time they won’t forget for a while. After going seventy years without fresh silverware in the trophy cabinet, Eddie Howe’s side historically brought home the Carabao Cup.
Newcastle United have been steadily building and pushing for a consistent high finish in the Premier League, having re-entered after winning the Championship in 2017. Now, as women’s club football takes flight, the Newcastle women’s team are looking to emulate the men’s success.
Newcastle United Women secured promotion into the Championship only last season, after a brutal 10-0 defeat of Huddersfield Town, and already have their sights set on promotion to the Women’s Super League.
With recent big signings, this could be the Magpies’ moment to break into the top sector of women’s football in the United Kingdom, and their transfer window activity hints at their deeper ambitions.
Most recently, the club announced the signing of Morgan Gautrat, a midfielder from NWSL team Orlando Pride, and a two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winner with eighty-eight caps for the USA national team. Earlier in the summer, Ireland international Aoife Mannion was also collected, sporting a club history including four years at Manchester United and the 2024 Women’s FA Cup trophy.
One of the most prominent signings was that of Jordan Nobbs. Rich with experience for both top-level clubs and her country, having made seventy-one caps for England, Nobbs’ presence in the squad hints at what is to come for the Magpies. She has won the WSL 3 times and currently holds the record for the most appearances in the league (208). Upon her signing, Nobbs asserted her desire to be a part of the club’s journey to promotion, alongside championing the growth of women’s football in the North East.
Newcastle United women have a talented array of players to choose from in addition to their recent signings, with players such as Claudia Moan, Sunderland AFC’s Golden Glove winning goalkeeper, and Demi Stokes, an England defender with sixty-nine caps. Stokes has vast experience across club and international football, she was a part of the Lionesses’ historic win at the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euros and also has played for Manchester City.
In addition, Welsh midfielder Lois Joel has confirmed her excitement for the upcoming season. Moving from London City Lionesses where she was the team captain, Joel has claimed ‘Newcastle is a very exciting project’ and that she is looking to set new standards for both the Newcastle United women’s team and the Championship itself.
In 2023, the Newcastle women’s side turned professional, a rare and bold move for teams in the Women’s National League. However, the decision helped the team advance to the Women’s Championship and rapidly climb the table, leaving them now on the brink of another promotion.
Solid and consistent investment and funding, alongside stoic support for the women’s team has been noted as essential in the team’s rise. On a similar trajectory is London City Lionesses, who will make their debut in the WSL after being promoted last season. Acquired by Michelle Kang, her vision and belief in her club has been proven through her tireless investment and numerous big changes and signings.
These clubs are examples of the money and commitment that is necessary to develop a women’s team.
Newcastle doesn’t want to claw their way through the ranks, but rather propel themselves, fuelled by extensive skill and strategy, experience, and unbreakable ambition.
