Newly-promoted FA Women’s Championship club Sunderland have revealed that they will play in the second tier with the majority of the squad which served them so well in the FA Women’s National League North.
The Lady Black Cats’ promotion was confirmed by The Football Association early last month. Sunderland applied for a second tier licence as part of The Football Association’s upward club movement process and they were successful, largely as a result of on-field performances over the last couple of years.
Manager Melanie Reay has been busy working behind the scenes to assemble a squad for the new season and Sunderland have today confirmed that 16 members of last season’s team will remain with them for 2021/2022.
Captain Kiera Ramshaw and Maltese international midfielder Maria Farrugia recently signed new deals with The Lady Black Cats and it has now been revealed that Abbey Joice, Allison Cowling, Claudia Moan, Emily Hutchinson, Emily Scarr, Eve Blakey, Faye Mullen, Grace McCatty, Holly Manders, Jess Brown, Libbi McInnes, Louise Griffiths, Megan Beer and Neve Herron will also stay on Wearside.
Sunderland also have defender Charlotte Potts under contract after she recently returned to the club after leaving Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) side Hibernian.
The FA Women’s Championship has undoubtedly improved since Sunderland last featured at that level a number of years ago and manager Reay now faces the challenge of bringing some new faces into the club to help push Sunderland on a level.
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