There’s mixed feelings around Nottingham Forest Women of late, and, with the new season just around the corner, they kick-off at home to Stourbridge on 20 August, The Reds are getting their house back into order.

Last season’s double winners, Nottingham Forest lifted both the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier title, and the League Cup, was followed up by them narrowly missing out on promotion to the Barclays Women’s Championship.

That ‘failure’ has come at a cost if you will with their now former Head Coach Andy Cook recently departing the club, and now, several of last years’ double winners have also left, whilst the fact the club has not only moved out of Eastwood, but also out of Nottingham, to Long Eaton, ahead of the coming season, has divided opinion.

Seven of last season’s double winners were announced as having departed recently, they accounting for more than forty goals as the Reds marched towards the league and cup double last time around; Georgia Hewitt, who made her 100th appearance for the club in the League Cup semi-final win over Portsmouth, and having joined the club back in 2018, is one of those departures.

She said on her socials: “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.

“Unfortunately, four days prior to pre-season starting, I was informed that I would no longer be a Nottingham Forest player.

“Words can’t even describe how l’m feeling over this decision, a decision I had no control over.

“I’ve dedicated five years of my footballing life to Forest, and l’ve loved every minute of it.

“I’ve gone from battling relegation to a double champion with this club and l’ve made lifelong friends throughout the years.

“I never really thought about my Forest journey coming to an end, especially not like this, but here we are, football can be a cruel game sometimes.

“I’d like to say thanks to the Gaffer who had faith in me throughout his time at Forest, all the staff behind the scenes, the fans who have treated me like a true red throughout the years regardless of where I am from, and last but most definitely not least all my team mates from past years and especially to my team mates of last year, a unique group of individuals, a group that cannot be described nor replicated.

“I wish all of them the best of luck for their futures and I stand proud to have played alongside and achieved so much with every single one of them.

“Forest has become my family and my home and will always hold a special place in my heart.

“It’s been an honour to pull on the Garibaldi and l’ve given my all to the badge I pulled on every week, with one of my proudest moments being my 100th appearance for the club.

“As they say, one door closes and another one opens. I may end up pulling on another shirt, but I will always be a part of Nottingham Forest. YOUUU REDSSSSS!

“I will always love this club.”

Other players departing are Charlotte Steggles and Amy West, both having made more than fifty appearances each for the club, along with Gianna Mitchell, Naomi Powell, Yasmin Mosby, and Rosetta Taylor, they all having made more than twenty appearances for the club last time around.

In addition to the departures, the club has also announced that home games for the upcoming FA Women’s National League Northern Premier campaign, will take place at Grange Park, the home of Long Eaton United (in Derbyshire).

On the plus side, and with several, new additions having previously been announced behind the scenes at the club – we still await a new Head Coach – Forest Women have become fully integrated within Nottingham Forest Football Club and have installed the new hybrid model as the club moves to that of a full-time, professional status.

Explaining the move, Nottingham Forest Chairman, Nicholas Randall KC, said: “When we arrived at the club six years ago one of our key objectives, as determined by the owner Mr. Marinakis, was to re-integrate the women’s team into the club structure and to nurture and develop it alongside all other areas of the club.

“Today’s announcement (dated 19 July 2023) is a landmark moment for us all and represents the culmination of six years of development and investment.

“We are all delighted with the progress made and look forward to further growth and success in the future.” (Read the full article here).

In addition to the move towards a full-time set-up, the club also announced eight players who have been offered new contracts with the Reds.

Captain and long-serving defender, Lyndsey Harkin is leading from the back, and she’s joined by last season’s top scorer, Charlotte Greengrass, other players to sign contracts are Becky Anderson, Olivia Cook, Hayley James, Mai Moncaster, Laura-Jayne O’Neill, and Niamh Reynolds – a solid set in which to build new foundations when they go again next month.

Speaking of going again, and with the Reds kicking off the defence of their title at home to Stourbridge, followed by an away day at West Bromwich Albion on 3 September, the small matter of the East Midlands derby is always on the radar of fans.

Arch rivals Derby County, they visit Grange Park on 8 October, whilst Forest make the trip into enemy territory later in the season, on 31 March (dates/venues subject to change); Wolverhampton Wanderers, who’ve been a thorn in Forest’s side in recent seasons, visit on Bonfire Night (5 November) with the away day on 10 March, whilst the promoted side, Becky Langley’s Newcastle United, visit on 19 November, before the Reds head to the north-east on 21 January.

As for the season finale, that will see Stoke City visit on 5 May, with the Reds hoping that, this time around, they will have sealed promotion to the Championship.

Keep up-to-date with all the goings-on at Nottingham Forest Women both ahead of, and during the season, via their socials on Facebook and Twitter and the website here.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen Nottingham Forest will play at Long Eaton’s Grange Park next season.