Blackburn Rovers strike first class deal with UCLan

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is delighted to announce an official partnership with Blackburn Rovers Ladies.

As part of the exciting new deal, the University’s sports hub will become the new home of Rovers’ renowned Regional Talent Club (RTC) – which provides a player pathway for girls aged 8-16 – with training and home matches to be played at the multi-purpose UCLan Sports Arena in Preston.

Rovers Ladies manager Gemma Donnelly said: “I am thrilled to officially be able to work with UCLan. They have a strong and clear vision to want to propel women’s football further forward and together we can make this happen.

“We have a long-standing history with UCLan, but now we have been able to align our vision and broker a fabulous opportunity for our female players.

“We will move all of our RTC programme, along with aspects of the Ladies operation, to the University, which will complement our current partnership with our own Jade Richards, who is UCLan’s High Performance Coach within Women’s Football.

“As a former UCLan student myself, I know first-hand of the magnificent facilities and fantastic education provision this prestigious University offers and I am delighted to have developed this strategic partnership.”

UCLan’s Director of Sport Dr Adrian Ibbetson added: “Women’s football is one of our focal sports, so we are delighted to be working jointly with the premier women’s football club in our area.

"The partnership will provide opportunities for us to help develop the women’s game across the region, to develop a dual career pathway so that talented players can be nurtured and developed whilst also having the opportunity to achieve qualifications that will provide routes to other careers when their playing days are over.”