The Halfway Line heard from Bristol City forward Jesse Woolley ahead of the 2024/25 Barclays Women’s Championship. The homegrown talent spoke highly of her now-former head coach, touched on the absence of Reading FC from the Barclays Women’s Championship following her loan spell at the club, and told of Bristol City’s ambitious goals as the season’s opening fixture looms on the horizon.

Bristol City’s no. 27 did not shy away from the prospect of the Robins fighting to return to the Barclays Women’s Super league, asserting their clear ambitions ahead of the new campaign.

She said,“Yeah, that’s definitely our aim this season. We spoke a lot about it as a club. It’s definitely our intention, our goal is to get straight back up.”

Lauren Smith’s impact

As reported by the Daily Mail, Bristol City manager Lauren Smith has resigned from her position at the club. Smith took on the role back in 2021, and now ends her tenure on the brink of a new campaign, amid a high turnover in players. Captain Megan Connolly was among ten squad members to have left the club this summer, with just three new signings having been made thus far.

The news of Smith’s resignation comes as a shock to many, and presents an undoubtable challenge for the club. Woolley shared her thoughts on Smith’s monumental role at the club, and her own journey through the academy set up.

“I’ve known Lauren for years, I reckon since I was about seven. She was an academy coach at Bristol when I was there so we’ve kind of gone through the ranks together, so it’s quite nice that it’s come to this, and she’s now my head coach and I’m playing for her.“

“It’s so great, especially Bristol as well, backing her from such a young age. I love how Bristol are very loyal and committed to one person and help them grow.”

The Robins were relegated from the Barclays Women’s Super League at the end of the 2023/24 season following a difficult campaign in the top flight. As they prepare to make their mark on the Barclays Women’s Championship once again, Bristol City are now tasked with replacing their boss just with only two weeks to go until the competition’s commencement.

The forward also praised Smith’s composed coaching style, an attribute which saw her side flourish throughout their promotion-winning 2022/23 Barclays Women’s Championship season.

“She’s very calm and collected as well, and I think it replicates with us on the pitch. When things aren’t going right, we don’t panic, we don’t get on each other- we try and find a solution and that’s all down to Lauren as well.”

The players will now have to fight to hold onto Smith’s commended self-possession as they enter a new chapter of their story, in more ways than one.

Up through the ranks at Bristol

Woolley praised Bristol City’s ability to produce young players, noting how impressive it is: “If you look at the record of who’s come through Bristol and how we’ve sold them on and everything.”

Having risen through the age groups with the Robins herself, the striker discussed how it feels to be stepping onto the pitch for her childhood club now, expressing passionately “It’s great. Especially when I get to do the foundation stuff and get to see the academy kids, I always look down towards them and say to them things like – that was me one day, it’s not out of reach and you can make it if you work hard.”

Bristol City will now be playing at Ashton Gate permanently, and Woolley beamed when talking about the move, saying “My family are there. It just hits differently!”

“It’s going to become like our little fortress and hopefully if we get more fans down there, it creates a more of an atmosphere.”

Having struggled to pick up points on home turf last season, Woolley highlighted the priority of getting a win at Ashton Gate this time around. “The fans need it. It’s been a long time.“ she said. Moreover, the player showed her appreciation for the supporters, gushing “The fans, especially ours, have been incredible. I think we’ve got over 12,000 for the Arsenal game, and it is honestly like an extra player.”

One step forward, two steps back

Woolley spent half a season on loan at Reading FC last year, and shared her thoughts on the club’s women’s team dropping to tier five after a failed ownership takeover.

“I’ve seen it first-hand. And from going to Bristol to Reading, I realised it was such a shock and a culture change. But it just proves that women’s football still needs to come a long way, and like half of the teams aren’t as lucky as the others, and it can change within an instant.”

Looking eagerly ahead to the clean slate the new season has to offer, Woolley drew attention to the fact that improvements still need to be made in order to sustainably champion women’s football.

“I think just because we’re women in football it doesn’t mean we get treated any differently and we shouldn’t get treated any differently. It’s our jobs at the end of the day. It’s people’s lives, people’s money. And some had to leave and go work ‘normal jobs’, so I say, just to pay the bills.”

Highlighting the discrepancies between different clubs in the top two tiers of women’s football in England, the young but experienced player pointed out the complexity of the situation and its ties to the men’s game.

“There’s definitely still loads of areas that need sorting out. We’re quite fortunate that we’ve got the backing of the men’s side as well – so do a couple of other clubs – but I know it’s not the case for every club in the Championship and it’s quite tough for some teams as well.”

Praising the resilience of players at struggling clubs much like Reading FC, Woolley stated “The players there do very well for what they have. But we know at Bristol we’re very grateful for what we have – the facilities, the backing, the money. But we understand that it’s not the same for other clubs.”