Doncaster Rovers Belles are delighted to confirm the appointments of Sam Winch and Alexandre Brito Nogueira as the club’s new management team.
Sam will take on the role of manager, working alongside Alexandre, who has been appointed head coach.
Both men were at Cantley Park on Tuesday evening to meet with the squad and existing backroom staff and are keen to get to work on preparations for the new FAWNL Division One North campaign.
“The Belles are a huge club with a massive history so it’s a great opportunity and a prestigious position for me to take on,” Sam said. “It was time for me to get back into management and the Belles just fit the bill for so many reasons.
“The prospects for the club that we’ve spoken about just made me super excited for what is to come.”
UEFA A Licence coach Sam has previously managed Nottingham Forest Women, followed by a spell as assistant manager at Leicester City. The 35-year-old has worked in the academies of Burton Albion and Nottingham Forest and was most recently was at Basford United as men’s head coach and women’s chairman.
Experienced Alexandre has most recently acted as lead international coach for Chelsea, delivering on projects across Europe.
He said: “This is a club that has done so much for female football in England so it is an absolute privilege to join and add a small piece to the huge history of the Belles.
“I want to help try to build some more memories and help the club grow even more. It was a no-brainer for me and I could not say no to such a massive challenge.”
The 39-year-old has previously worked in the women’s game as lead coach for the Aston Villa RTC and managed Tamworth FC and Macclesfield Town. The Portuguese has also coached the England Deaf Futsal team and worked in the Stoke City Academy.
Interim Belles strategic lead Chris Wood said: “I am really pleased to welcome Sam and Alex as we begin an exciting new era at the club.
“We have a determination to honour the storied history of this fantastic club by driving forward with new standards that will help us climb back up the women’s football pyramid.
“In Sam and Alex, I feel we have a management team primed to do that. They are two different coaches but I’m confident they will forge an excellent working relationship that will see their respective skills complement each other.
"There were many strong candidates, and we took opinions from across all parts of the club in making our decision.
"Club founder Sheila Edmunds was at the interviews and gave her guidance while we also canvased opinions from players, who provided some valuable insight. But there was strong agreement and alignment around the roles that they can contribute to.
“Sam will oversee all football matters at senior level while Alex will focus on coaching the players. It was great to see them getting straight to work with the players earlier this week.
“There is plenty of hard work to be done over the next few weeks to finalise a squad that can achieve our goal of promotion but the plans both Sam and Alex have presented so far have been very encouraging.
“This is a very exciting time for the Belles as we head into a new division with fresh focus and a collective commitment to move forward as one.”