Here is all you need to know about Hannah Dingley who creates history by becoming a first female boss of the men’s football team along with her age and family
Hannah Dingley said she thinks being the first woman in English football to coach a professional men’s club will encourage young girls to overcome obstacles.
Who is Hannah Dingley female coach of Forest Green Rovers, bio, age, husband, coaching career, record, stats, teams coached
After being appointed by Forest Green Rovers of League Two, Dingley has assumed over as interim manager. On Wednesday, her first game ended in a 1-1 preseason draw against Melksham Town.
"I'm first but I don't want to be the only"
Hannah Dingley on becoming the first female manager of a men's professional team in English football at Forest Green Rovers ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/CQoSwHNncj
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 6, 2023
Dingley, the only woman to oversee a men’s English Football League academy, has been at Forest Green since taking over the programme in 2019. She also started the club’s girls academy, which opened in 2021, and was born and raised in Carmarthenshire.
Dingley, who formerly worked at Burton Albion and holds a UEFA Pro Licence, said she didn’t hesitate to accept her new position. Following her graduation from Loughborough College in Course Leader HND Sport and Exercise Science in 2011, the 39-year-old began her career as a senior lecturer in sports coaching practise. She also worked as an academy coach at Notts County, a men’s Under-19 club, and a local non-league team.
She carried on lecturing as she changed teams and became the academy coach at Burton Albion FC. When the academy programme was launched in 2016, she stepped down from her position as a teacher. Dingley has since served as the Forest Green Rovers academy manager for four years, making national history as the first woman to hold that position for a professional men’s club.
Her early years spent growing up in Carmarthenshire, where there was no school girl’s football team, may have inspired her idea. She began playing organised football when she was 16 years old, but this did not dim her passion for the game.
While Dingley has avoided direct disagreements with the other coaches, players, and staff she has interacted with thus far in her career, she has been mistaken for the physio a few too many times in what she refers to as “unconscious sexism,” accidentally offending based only on gender.
She was even denied access to a club under the presumption that she was a spectator rather than an actual member of staff because it has been considered that as a woman she holds a less-senior position.
Hannah Dingley Biography
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Hannah Dingley |
| Nick Name | N/A |
| Date of Birth | 19 July 1983 |
| Birth Place | Carmarthen, Wales |
| Age (as of 2023) | 40 |
| Gender | Female |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Profession | Football coach |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Home Town/State | Carmarthen, Wales |
| School | N/A |
| College/University | Loughborough University |
| Educational Qualification | Degree in sports science |
| Religion | N/A |
| Hobbies | Coaching, walking, reading, spending time with family |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Boyfriend | N/A |
| Net Worth | $1 million (estimated) |
The “Another Way” road that leads to Forest Green Rovers’ New Lawn Stadium is a fitting tribute to the owner Dale Vince’s dedication to operating the team and his choice of Dingley as interim head coach.