Burnley Women target professional status following ALK takeover

Burnley Women has been reintegrated into the club by new owner Alan Pace.

Pace, the former preside of MLS outfit Real Salt Lake, has set the women’s side the aim of earning promotion to the FA Women’s Championship within four years.

The Clarets’ women’s side was previously operated by Burnley FC in the Community, with the team enjoying success on the field in recent years.

Burnley earned a place to the third tier, the Northern Premier League, following back-to-back promotions.

“Burnley is an inclusive club and this announcement signals our intent to put women’s football at the very heart of it,” he said.

“Over the coming seasons, we will fully support and invest in our new women’s football strategy, with the ambition to gain promotion to the FA Women’s Championship within four years and ultimately become a full-time professional outfit.”

Manager Matt Bee added: “This is exciting for all aspirational young footballers in Burnley, with the club demonstrating real ambition within the women’s game and a commitment to invest in infrastructure and development over the coming seasons.”

As part of Pace’s plans to professionalise the women’s team, the side will now share Barnfield Training Centre, which is used by Sean Dyche’s Premier League squad.

The club to be fair has been venturing down these roads for a while

– Sean Dyche

“To be fair they’re active, they want to make a difference,” Dyche said. “It’s a difficult time to really get your hands-on things.

“The club to be fair has been venturing down these roads for a while, opening up different avenues and different thoughts on where the club can go and it seems to me (the new owners) want to grip it and run with and make them happen a bit quicker.

“The first one is the women’s team, it’s a great step for the club as a whole and there are number of things they want to be dynamic with while of course sitting back to learn about the club and the real way that it runs.”

American group ALK Capital completed their takeover in Lancashire in January, ending months of speculation about the club’s future.

The Women’s National League is currently on hold due to the coronavirus lockdown in England.