Ipswich Town Women: Tractor Girls set for historic day at Portman Road

Joe Sheehan took charge of Ipswich Town Women in February 2019. (Image: Ross Halls)

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

When Joe Sheehan took charge of the Ipswich Town Women's team in February 2019 he and the players were not paid. Training was just twice a week late in the evenings.

The first major milestone moment came in February 2020 when the Tractor Girls, in the fourth-tier at the time, reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup before losing 10-0 at WSL giants Manchester City.

Frustratingly, the Blues, who were top of Division One South East when Covid hit the country, were denied promotion due to that campaign ultimately being declared null and void. Town subsequently got off to a great start in 2020/21 before Covid brought things to a halt once more. This time, thankfully, they were granted promotion upon application.

Kyra Robertson takes a photo with a young supporter. Ipswich Town Women players take pride in engaging with their growing fanbase. (Image: Ross Halls)

Ipswich Town Football Club was taken over by American group Gamechanger Ltd in April 2021 and immediately more money was put into the women's set-up. Sophie Peskett became the club's first professional player that summer, with several more following. The team started to train three times a week in the time slot of 4-6pm and were given their own pitch at Playford Road.

In their first season in the FA Women's National League South, Sheehan's side finished third. Off the back of that, defender Paige Peake became the first player the club had received a transfer fee for when she joined Southampton. That money was reinvested.

Last season, agonisingly, the Tractor Girls were pipped to top spot by Watford on goal difference, thus missing out on a shot at a promotion play-off with the winners of the North division. It was subsequently announced that, going forwards, the winners of the division would automatically go up. 

Natasha Thomas is Ipswich Town Women's all-time leading goalscorer. (Image: Ross Halls)

A SLIGHT STEP BACK...

A clutch of key players left last summer, some to play for clubs higher up the pyramid. It left Sheehan with a very young group. 

Beyond goalkeeper Laura Hartley (23), midfielder Bonnie Horwood (36) and striker Natasha Thomas (28), the rest of the squad are all 21 or younger. Teenagers Evie Williams (17), Leah Mitchell (18), Lenna Gunning-Williams (18) and Ruby Doe (18) are all regular starters.

Long-term injuries to important duo Megan Wearing and Eloise King have not helped. Town are currently fifth in a 12-team table, with defeats to the likes of Portsmouth and Oxford United proving costly.

Ruby Doe, on a dual-registration agreement from Arsenal, is one of several teenagers in the Ipswich Town Women's squad. (Image: Ross Halls)

"We had 10 players move on who had accumulated 550 senior games of football and we brought in seven players who had hardly played 20. That’s a huge experience shift," explained Sheehan.

"We’re not always young through choice. We have tried to recruit more experienced players, but there is a limitation to what we can attract based on the level we’re operating at.  

"It’s been a difficult season, but I think we’ll all benefit from the experiences we’ve had and take them into next season. By taking a couple of steps backwards, we can hopefully kick on again."

Lenna Gunning-Williams and Summer Hughes celebrate during a 4-1 home win against Rugby Borough last month. (Image: Ross Halls)

THE AMBITIONS

In January, the club appointed a women's team general manager in Rachel Harris.

Harris had previously worked at Championship side London City Lionesses and getting Ipswich to second-tier level is the next big goal.

MORE: Sheehan hopes Portman Road game will inspire young girls to play

"We are really determined to get to the Championship, but we want to make sure that when we get there we can be competing at the top end of that division, not struggle for a year," explained Sheehan.

"We have to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle are in place to do that and we’ve still got a few more pieces to get. But we’re enjoying the journey, we’re enjoying the process and we’re enjoying the company we do it with."

TODAY'S OPPONENTS

Chatham Town are second-bottom of the table. The Kent club has picked up just six points all season (all from draws) and currently have a goal difference of -50. Ipswich won the reverse fixture 6-1 last October.

Exciting winger Sophie Peskett is one of several Ipswich Town Women players with bright futures. (Image: Ross Halls)

KEY PLAYERS

Centre-back Maria Boswell is the reliable skipper. The 21-year-old, who started out in Arsenal's academy, is keen to climb the pyramid with Town.

Midfield general Bonnie Horwood joined from the London Bees in the summer of 2021. She's an experienced player who has played in the Women’s Super League and Championship.

Exciting winger Sophie Peskett made her debut at 16, became the club's first professional player at 18 and is now 21. She's someone who gets fans off their seats.

Prolific striker Natasha Thomas joined in 2015 from Lowestoft and has gone on to become the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 146 goals from 203 games. She's a trustee of club's Foundation.