Lincolnshire FA's Head of Football Development, Steph Powell, has written an open letter to the grassroots football community of Lincolnshire who she's had the pleasure of working with for the last four seasons. 

"I will be leaving the County FA after just over four seasons at the Organisation. I joined Lincolnshire FA as the Women & Girls’ Development Officer in 2019 and since have taken roles as Senior Football Development Officer and most recently, Head of Football Development.

I am excited to have been offered the opportunity to become a National Development Manager with the Football Association.

Throughout my time I am really proud to have worked on projects like the inception and the development of the Lincolnshire Women & Girls’ Football League, undertaking the role of the Strategic Lead for Inclusion in our Organisation seeing us achieve two Levels of the Equality Standard for Sport, creating Leadership Programmes for young females within schools, universities and colleges to develop the next generation of young female leaders, supported the development of our latest strategy and most importantly, found great privilege and pleasure in leading a fantastic Development Team across all Pathways. 

It has been fantastic to see increased player numbers, improving football environments and a plethora of programmes and a growing number of fantastic people moving our game forwards in the County within that time. Football in Lincolnshire is certainly heading in the right direction, and it has been great to be a small part of that.  

The opportunities presented to me by Nick (Hanson), Adam (Thurston) and the Board and the experiences that we have shared over the last four years of working together have been second to none. I will always value the trust placed in me to take on more responsibility, learn more about the football and the business landscape and the initiatives that have allowed me to develop into a national role. 

Lincolnshire Football will always hold a very special place with me and is an area that I hope to continue to contribute to on both a local and national level and continue to see thrive under the leadership of Nick, Jonathan Van-Tam and Jake Park’s Management of the Development Team.  

My last working day will be Tuesday 12th September and I am committed to ensuring that up to and beyond that point that I leave the Team and the landscape in the best place possible to move forwards and I hope to stay in touch with all of the fantastic clubs and partners that I have worked with over time."

The Lincolnshire FA team would like to congratulate Steph on her exciting new role at The FA and know that this role is not only something she will excel in, but also a role she more than deserves after four years of exceptional work with us. 

Nick Hanson, CEO of Lincolnshire FA, said: "In her four years with the Association, Steph has had a massive impact firstly on the women and girls game and latterly on facility development. The game in Lincolnshire is in a much stronger position due to Steph’s passion and commitment. Everyone at Lincolnshire FA would like to wish Steph the absolute best in her new role with the national FA."

Jake Park, Football Development Manager at Lincolnshire FA, said: "For the past four years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Steph who has been a brilliant colleague and line manager. Steph is incredibly passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable in regards to her work which is evident through the projects she has delivered, but she is also a really good person who cares about the development of the people around her. Steph has made a meaningful and long-lasting impact on football in Lincolnshire, and I believe that should be the aim for anyone working for Lincolnshire Football Association. I wish Steph nothing but the best for this exciting, and very much deserved, next chapter in her career."

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