Danny Harrigan Appointed Full-Time Women's Head Coach...
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 9:44 pm
Well done Danny & good luck for the coming season.
From the Club...
'Our 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 full-time head coach
We are delighted to confirm Danny Harrigan has moved into a full-time capacity as our Women’s Head Coach.
Harrigan, who has been operating on a part-time basis since his appointment last summer, becomes the first full-time
head coach of our Women’s team in the club’s history.
“It is a big moment for myself, but it's also a sign of intent from the club and shows the ambition that they have for
the Women's team,” Harrigan said.
“Coming in on a part-time basis last year was obviously exciting for me but being offered the full-time opportunity
allows us to focus fully.
“It gives us a chance to really improve our level of planning and to set the culture and the standards we want.”
Harrigan says the club’s keenness to develop the Women’s team has had a real impact on the squad, as well as enabling
them to attract additional talent into the building.
“Having (CEO) Christian (Nourry)’s support has made a big difference,” he said.
“I think the girls appreciate the fact that he's not someone that they meet at the start of the season and never see again.
He's at all our games, home and away, so having someone that is so actively involved and wants to know what's going on,
wants to know the players, has been good for our recruitment as well.
“A lot of players and a lot of clubs will say they’ve got support. I think we actually have – we have had Christian at games,
we've had Richard Reilly at games, we've had a lot of senior people at the football club at our games, and they're just there
to support the team.”
Last season, the R’s finished fifth in Division One South East, the fourth tier of Women’s football in England.
Preparations are already well underway ahead of 2025/26, with the Women’s team adding Fran Ali, Faye Baker, Abbie Morris,
Lily Wellesley-Davies, Melis Mehmet and Libby Doyle to the ranks.
Harrigan explained their arrivals have been months in the planning.
“We started looking at recruitment for this season in September, October last year,” he said.
“Historically it would have been coaches and support staff using contacts that they have, whereas now we've all been aligned
under the recruitment team of Andy Belk and we've been more strategic in picking the players that we want to go after.
“We were keen to get the majority of our work done early, which we have. it's been a great effort from the recruitment staff
and coaching staff, we're really happy with how it has gone.
“We're in a strong position early, which was the ultimate aim.”
With ability and experience coming into the dressing room from the tiers above, Harrigan is openly ambitious about his targets
in his first season on a full-time basis.
“Our recruitment strategy involved looking at players that have played in Tier Three, so the level that we're aspiring to get to.
“Also part of our strategy was bringing in players that have played in our league and have won it. So we've recruited some players t
hat have got that experience of getting out of Tier Four, which was probably something we may have been lacking last year.
“I'm pleased to say most of the players we've got in have either played at our level and won it or they've played at the level above.
“Our ambition is to get promoted. In order to do that, you need people that know how to do it.
“They've come in and instantly changed the mindset of some of the players who may have been a little bit nervous about having
the added pressure of the club wanting to go up.
“They're setting the tone that the pressure is a privilege.”
While Harrigan is not hiding away from the target for the season ahead, he knows it will be a tough challenge.
An additional promotion spot has been added to the division which means two teams can achieve Tier Three football come the
end of the campaign, with the second spot coming via a play-off between the two second-placed sides in Division One South West
and Division One South East.
“The added benefit of the playoff will give a little bit more excitement to the league and it's a nice addition but there’s a lot
of teams who have put a lot of resources into it this year,” Harrigan said.
“It'll be more competitive than ever. To get out of it is extremely, extremely difficult so it won't be easy. I don't think anyone's
expecting it to be easy but we're not shying away from the fact that's what we want to try and do.”
Harrigan hopes the hardcore fans that follow his team home and away continue their incredible support, and he is also keen
for more people to try out the Women’s game in the coming season.
“We always make an effort with the supporters, and the girls especially do, making sure they go over and thank them for coming.
“The more people that can come along and give us that extra 1% might help turn a draw into a win for us. Sometimes in these
tough leagues, those small things make a big difference.”
CEO Christian Nourry said: “Giving Danny the opportunity to focus on the Women’s team full time marked a logical next
step in our ambition to achieve the highest level of success attainable in Tier Four this season. He is diligent, smart, and
a leader.”
From the Club...
'Our 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 full-time head coach
We are delighted to confirm Danny Harrigan has moved into a full-time capacity as our Women’s Head Coach.
Harrigan, who has been operating on a part-time basis since his appointment last summer, becomes the first full-time
head coach of our Women’s team in the club’s history.
“It is a big moment for myself, but it's also a sign of intent from the club and shows the ambition that they have for
the Women's team,” Harrigan said.
“Coming in on a part-time basis last year was obviously exciting for me but being offered the full-time opportunity
allows us to focus fully.
“It gives us a chance to really improve our level of planning and to set the culture and the standards we want.”
Harrigan says the club’s keenness to develop the Women’s team has had a real impact on the squad, as well as enabling
them to attract additional talent into the building.
“Having (CEO) Christian (Nourry)’s support has made a big difference,” he said.
“I think the girls appreciate the fact that he's not someone that they meet at the start of the season and never see again.
He's at all our games, home and away, so having someone that is so actively involved and wants to know what's going on,
wants to know the players, has been good for our recruitment as well.
“A lot of players and a lot of clubs will say they’ve got support. I think we actually have – we have had Christian at games,
we've had Richard Reilly at games, we've had a lot of senior people at the football club at our games, and they're just there
to support the team.”
Last season, the R’s finished fifth in Division One South East, the fourth tier of Women’s football in England.
Preparations are already well underway ahead of 2025/26, with the Women’s team adding Fran Ali, Faye Baker, Abbie Morris,
Lily Wellesley-Davies, Melis Mehmet and Libby Doyle to the ranks.
Harrigan explained their arrivals have been months in the planning.
“We started looking at recruitment for this season in September, October last year,” he said.
“Historically it would have been coaches and support staff using contacts that they have, whereas now we've all been aligned
under the recruitment team of Andy Belk and we've been more strategic in picking the players that we want to go after.
“We were keen to get the majority of our work done early, which we have. it's been a great effort from the recruitment staff
and coaching staff, we're really happy with how it has gone.
“We're in a strong position early, which was the ultimate aim.”
With ability and experience coming into the dressing room from the tiers above, Harrigan is openly ambitious about his targets
in his first season on a full-time basis.
“Our recruitment strategy involved looking at players that have played in Tier Three, so the level that we're aspiring to get to.
“Also part of our strategy was bringing in players that have played in our league and have won it. So we've recruited some players t
hat have got that experience of getting out of Tier Four, which was probably something we may have been lacking last year.
“I'm pleased to say most of the players we've got in have either played at our level and won it or they've played at the level above.
“Our ambition is to get promoted. In order to do that, you need people that know how to do it.
“They've come in and instantly changed the mindset of some of the players who may have been a little bit nervous about having
the added pressure of the club wanting to go up.
“They're setting the tone that the pressure is a privilege.”
While Harrigan is not hiding away from the target for the season ahead, he knows it will be a tough challenge.
An additional promotion spot has been added to the division which means two teams can achieve Tier Three football come the
end of the campaign, with the second spot coming via a play-off between the two second-placed sides in Division One South West
and Division One South East.
“The added benefit of the playoff will give a little bit more excitement to the league and it's a nice addition but there’s a lot
of teams who have put a lot of resources into it this year,” Harrigan said.
“It'll be more competitive than ever. To get out of it is extremely, extremely difficult so it won't be easy. I don't think anyone's
expecting it to be easy but we're not shying away from the fact that's what we want to try and do.”
Harrigan hopes the hardcore fans that follow his team home and away continue their incredible support, and he is also keen
for more people to try out the Women’s game in the coming season.
“We always make an effort with the supporters, and the girls especially do, making sure they go over and thank them for coming.
“The more people that can come along and give us that extra 1% might help turn a draw into a win for us. Sometimes in these
tough leagues, those small things make a big difference.”
CEO Christian Nourry said: “Giving Danny the opportunity to focus on the Women’s team full time marked a logical next
step in our ambition to achieve the highest level of success attainable in Tier Four this season. He is diligent, smart, and
a leader.”