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London City Lionesses have strengthened their operation team, ahead of the 2021/22 FA
Women’s Championship season. Restructuring and expanding the department to ensure the
long-term success of the Club and supporting the ambition to play at the very highest level.
Edward Gallagher who joined London City Lionesses as General Manager prior to the 20/21
season will move into the newly created strategic role of Sporting Director, overseeing the
long-term football strategy at first team, academy and educational level.
With ten years’ experience in women’s football in both a coaching and operations capacity, he will ensure a smooth link between the London City Lionesses Board and the Club’s technical staff. As a UEFA qualified professional, Gallagher has further developed work on the “Club Vision” strategy that will be implemented throughout all football departments at the club, including academy, sister clubs, education programmes and community partnerships.
On the new role, Gallagher said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first year at the Club and I’m
looking forward to our continued growth at a first team level, but also through our
academy and grassroots partnerships. Diane and the Board have been very supportive and
the vision that London City has to not only be a top professional women’s football team, but
also grow our own talent from a grassroots and academy level is something that massively
appeals to me.”
London City Lionesses have also appointed Francesco Bonomo as Operations Manager. This new role will support the evolution of the club including areas such as administration and commercial. Bonomo joins having worked with West Ham United in the FA Women’s Super League and Olympique Lyonnais in France. A Football Business Academy graduate from Switzerland, Bonomo will oversee all league and FA compliance requirements.
Completing the new look Football Operations line-up is Operations Coordinator Maisie
Ward. Ward brings a wealth of football and sport co-ordination experience having
previously overseen St Mary’s University’s 24 sports clubs as Sports President. She also bring her playing and coaching background to London City.
London City Lionesses Chair, Diane Culligan commented: “I am delighted to welcome our
new staff members Francesco and Maisie, as well as see Edward move into this key strategic
role. The past year has been challenging with the pandemic, but this has not stopped us
from continuing to implement our long terms plans for London City Lionesses."
“As we take the club forwards, it is important that we continue to invest in strengthening
our resources and infrastructure off the pitch, to underpin the fantastic progress that our
Head Coach, Melissa Phillips, has been spearheading on the training ground and match day
front.
“We’re still in our early days as a club but we’re continuing to strengthen our foundations
and build an independent Women’s club that’s here to stay and demonstrated things can be
done differently to the traditional football way.”
The Club has also launched a new recruitment department and partnership model to ensure
strength across the football operations department.
The recruitment department has been in operation over the current transfer window and
aims to ensure long-term success for the club. Scouts across the UK and Ireland are now
working on behalf of London City Lionesses to ensure the club have up-to-date data on the
best female players available.
As an independent women’s football club, London City Lionesses is now also working
alongside other independent women’s football clubs in the UK but also throughout the
world to share football methodologies and to create a support network.
London City Lionesses will embark on their third season in The FA Women’s Championship
this August.
