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St James' Park Newcastle United | Credit: SmartFrame Images | News Images
The Newcastle United Women’s team now know their schedule for the new seson.
United’s WSL 2 and League Cup fixtures all now released.
The campaign gets underway against newly-promoted Wolves at Gateshead International Stadium on 6th September, with the season finale set to take place against Bristol City at St. James’ Park on 9th May 2027, which potentially could be a promotion decider.
There is only one automatic promotion spot up for grabs this season for the league winners, while the runners up take on the side that finishes second bottom of WSL 1 in a playoff.
With Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic all clinching promotion last season, Leicester City drop down from the top flight. Similarly with Portsmouth having returned to the third tier after two seasons, they are replaced by Burnley, Wolves and Watford.
The Lasses will be playing six league games at St. James’ Park throughout the campaign, including the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland. The other five league games will take place at Gateshead International Stadium.
The Subway Players Cup gets underway on 21st September, with a new format for this season. They will play six fixtures during the group stage with three played at GIS against Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United and then three away from home against Aston Villa, Everton and Durham, with the latter game being played at South Shields.
Newcastle will also enter the Adobe Women’s FA Cup – a competition which Oxtoby won three times during her time on the coaching staff at Chelsea – on 13th December.
Transfer market
Newcastle United Women have had a busy summer with no fewer than eleven players leaving and as many coming in. Not to mention existing players receiving extended contracts and a full set of fixtures now being released for the new season along with their Pre-Season plans.
Outgoings
Molly Pike was the first to leave, announcing her intention to retire from football on the morning of the Lasses final game of the 2025-26 season, due to personal reasons.
The following week saw former captain Charlotte Potts retire after announcing she is expecting a child later this year along with having not featured for almost two full seasons.
The club then announced their retained list on June 1 with a further five players named as departing. Striker Shania Hayles was perhaps the biggest name leaving, having suffered a disappointing second season last time out after top scoring the year before. She leaves having scored 20 goals in 44 appearances.
Following her out the door was experienced and popular defender Deanna Cooper who had been a mainstay in the United backline during her two years at the club, along with Claudia Moan who perhaps didn’t recapture the form she displayed at Sunderland when being named Championship Player of the Season in 2023-24. Fellow goalie Hannah Hawkins also left along with American striker Simone Charley who arrived on a short term deal during the second half of last season but having only made one cameo appearance from the bench in what was an injury-troubled stint.
Femke Liefting and Jorja Fox both returned to their parent club Chelsea after spending last season on loan. While, last season’s main centre forward Emily Murphy also left for what the club confirmed is a record fee received. Despite a low return in goals and offensive output, the Irish international was able to secure a move to WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion.
Squad registration means up to 25 senior players aged over 21 can be included b Tanya Oxtoby (pictured below) and submitted to the FA. Within that list, teams must include at least 8 homegrown players (those registered with an English club for 3 seasons or 36 months before turning 21). Players under 21 do not count against the 25-player senior cap. With that in mind and with so many new players coming in, space was needed and so Polish International defender Malgorzata Grec was the latest to be released after making seven appearances last season.
Incomings
The flurry of signings were announced throughout July with Welsh international defender Gemma Evans the first to be unveiled. Central defender Evans has a wealth of top flight experience and arrives from WSL side Liverpool having spent the last couple of seasons there, while she has a Women’s FA Cup winners medal from her time with Manchester United prior to that. The 29-year old starred for her country at Euro 2025.
On joining, Gemma said: “I’m looking forward to meeting the girls, meeting the fans and showing them what I can do. I think it’s a really exciting project to be part of and I can’t wait to get going.”
Another defender to arrive is that of Hungarian international Hanna Nemeth who spent the last four years with Frauen Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. Hanna made 88 appearances for the Northern German outfit as well as reaching the DFB-Pokal final at the end of the 2024-25 season. The 27-year-old also spent four years in the U.S. NCAA college system prior to that, playing for Indiana Hoosiers.
On signing Hanna said: “I’m super excited, I know Newcastle to be a club with insane tradition. The ambition to get to the WSL is something that I really want to be part of. This felt like the perfect place for me to develop as a player, and I’m really excited to get going.”
Manager Tanya Oxtoby described her as being “A physical central defender that also has the composure in possession that I like to see across the backline, while also providing us with versatility in that position.”
Completing the defensive reinforcements is right back Rachel McLauchlan, who joined for an undisclosed fee after two years with WSL 1 side Brighton and Home Albion. Rachel played 51 times for the Seagulls and featured for the side in the Women’s FA Cup final last season and can boast five Scottish Women’s Premier League titles, and four Scottish Cups from her time playing North of the border with Rangers, Glasgow City and Hibernian. She has been capped 35 times for Scotland and was part of the squad who played at Euro 2017 in the Netherlands.
Rachel said: “I’m really excited to get started. I want to come here and help the team get promoted. Tanya spoke so highly of what the club wants to do and that was a big motivation for me to come here.”
Oxtoby, added: “She is a brilliant defender that adds versatility to the full back position, while also possessing the ability to provide effective support to the attack.”
The midfield has seen a major overhaul with three new additions. Icelandic midfielder Hildur Antonsdottir, who signed on a free from Liga F side Madrid CFF, is another to have represented her country at the last Euros. Hildur, who can cover a variety of roles in midfield made 57 appearances during two seasons in the Spanish capital, previously played for Dutch side Fortuna Sittard and spent 11 years back home in Iceland for Breiðablik and Valur, winning two league titles, three Icelandic Cups and two Icelandic League Cups.
Hildur said on joining: “I’m really happy to be here. Newcastle is obviously a big club, and I’m really honoured and proud to be able to represent this badge. The club has big goals and that is something I want to play for. I will give everything every game and every training session.”
Manager Oxtoby described her new signing as someone who has “all of the attributes that we have been looking to add to our midfield; she is tactically intelligent and has an outstanding ability in possession.”
Having been the thorn in their side in recent seasons Hartlepool-born Mollie Lambert rejoins Newcastle having spent the last six years with Durham. Mollie spent a year and a half with United during her first stint, and was named club captain for the 2016-17 season before leaving for Sunderland.
Mollie said: “It’s a huge club, a huge move. The club’s ambitions and goals, working under Tanya herself, the answers were all there. This next move was important for me. I want to win things and look back on my career knowing I’ve done myself proud.”
The club added further depth after signing Katie Bradley who was part of the promotion winning side at Charlton Athletic last season. The 24-year-old made 53 appearances for the South London side, scoring 13 goals. She played for both Manchester City and Manchester United at youth level, and was part of the Blackburn Rovers side who played in tier 2 during 2024.
Katie said: “It’s a huge club and a big opportunity. I didn’t really need convincing that this is where I wanted to be. The ambition of the club is huge and it’s a project that I want to be part of. I want to develop and help the team, and this felt like the right place.”
Oxtoby, said: “Katie joins us off the back of a promotion winning season with Charlton, where she was one of their standout performers. She brings strong technical qualities to the midfield, and she likes to play on the front foot which will complement our play.”
The biggest overhaul of the squad took place in the final third as they look to add some firepower to what was a shot shy side last time out.
Scottish international Kathleen McGovern arrives from last season’s Scottish Women’s Premier League champions Hibernian. The 24-year-old bagged 51 goals in 65 appearances and has also spent time with Hearts, SC Sand in Germany, and Celtic, where she won the SWPL Cup. Since making her Scotland debut a couple of years ago she has netted an incredible 10 goals in 14 appearances.
Kathleen said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be here. I know how big the club is and I couldn’t wait to be part of it, I knew this was the next step for me. I want to help the club to achieve promotion. I’m a winner, I want to score goals and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Oxtoby, described her new striker as being “Powerful, energetic and clinical.”
Fellow Scottish International Martha Thomas joins from Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee after scoring 13 times in 66 appearances in North London. Martha spent the second half of last season on loan at Liverpool, and prior to her move to Spurs, spent two seasons with Manchester United. She has scored 21 goals in 52 appearances for her country.
Martha said: “I’m really excited, it’s a really big club to be able to play for and I just can’t wait to get started. I want to compete and play for the best teams.”
Oxtoby, said: “Martha is a physical striker and adds outstanding work rate to the squad. She has shown that she has the ability to score all kinds of goals, while also having the link and create the play too.”
Ireland international Leanne Kiernan completed a move from Liverpool for an undisclosed fee. Leanne made 76 appearances, scoring 23 times during her five years on Merseyside, before spending the second half of last season on loan at fellow Barclays WSL 2 side Nottingham Forest. She has also played for West Ham United in the top flight and has 38 caps for Ireland.
Leanne said: “I’m really excited. I’m looking forward to a fresh start and meeting the fans. It was a dream of mine to come to a club like Newcastle, it really felt right when the contact came in. I would say I’m a quick attacker in behind, so I feel like I can bring my strengths and hopefully score loads of goals to help the team out.”
Her manager feel she brings “Versatility to the forward line, with her pace and intelligent movement making her a threat in the way we want to play.”
Newcastle’s most recent signing is that of 19-year-old, Jessie Gale on a season long loan from Arsenal. Jessie spent last season on loan at Portsmouth and Bristol City, scoring nine goals in 27 games and has been capped at all England youth levels up to Under-23s, and is currently part of the Under-20s squad that are preparing for the World Cup in September.
Jessie said: “I’m just so happy to finally be here and be part of such an ambitious club. This is not the type of club that you turn down. When I heard about it, it was a no-brainer. As a striker, I want to score as many goals as I can. I want to get promoted with this team, that is why I came here.”
Oxtoby, said: “Jessie is an exciting young striker who showed that she is more than capable of performing at this level last season, while still having a lot of potential. She is fast, aggressive and knows how to find the back of the net. We are looking forward to working with her and helping her to continue her development.”
With three goalkeepers having been released it meant only Finnish international Anna Tamminen remained. But Newcastle added depth with the loan signing of Kayla Rendell from Manchester United. The 25 year old spent eight years at Southampton prior to that where she made 134 appearances and helped them earn promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2021-22 season. She received her first call up to the senior England squad in April 2024.
Kayla said: “The name speaks for itself, it’s a massive club with a lot of ambition. It was exciting for me to join this part of the journey. I want to help the squad progress to the next level. Everyone knows what Newcastle fans are like, I’m excited to be on the Newcastle side and hopefully they can get behind us again this season.”
Oxtoby, said: “She has shown across her career that she is composed when in possession and has outstanding distribution that can support our play. We are looking forward to working with her this season.”
Staying put
The club announced popular midfielder Emma Kelly signed a new contract in mid-June after ending the previous campaign on a high. Emma, was named Player of the Month for March after returning from injury to start each of the final seven games. However just days later Emma announced her pregnancy, as did fellow midfielder Morgan Gautrat. Both are not expected to feature this season and won’t be registered on the squad.
Welsh international midfielder Lois Joel was also kept on after an impressive second season for the club. While former England left back Demi Stokes has signed for a third season too.
Coaching staff
Some changes to Tanya Oxtoby’s backroom staff have seen some further comings and goings. Stuart McLaren joins as Assistant Manager, having previously worked with Tanya at Northern Ireland and Scotland. Charlie Cave comes in as Assistant Head Coach from Charlton Athletic having also previously worked with Tanya internationally.
Following her retirement at the end of the 2024-25 season, Rachel Furness took on the role of Under-16s Head Coach but has now been appointed Assistant Coach for the senior side. Former Northampton Town goalie Barry Richardson is now Head of Goalkeeping while Stephen Brass remains in his position as Goalkeeper Coach.
However, former Interim Manager and assistant Claire Ditchburn and Luke Thomas-Arayo have departed.
Pre-season
The new look side have announced seven pre-season games, four of which are to be played behind closed doors.
They kicked-off their schedule against Scottish Women’s Premier League side Rangers back on Sunday 19th July. Before facing newly promoted Birmingham City, last weekend. Next up they take on Everton, this coming Saturday 8th August.
Their first public game will be as part of the VisitMalta Weekender at St. James’ Park on Sunday 16th August, when they entertain Internazionale Femminile. The lasses then head to Spain for a week long training camp, where they face Manchester United behind-closed-doors on Wednesday 19th August. Then take on Valencia on Sunday 23rd August at Estadio Antonio Puchades.
Their final warm up game will see a first ever friendly at Gateshead International Stadium on Sunday 30th August, when they host WSL 2 newcomers Burnley.
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