Aston Villa manager Carla Ward to step down at end of season after 'hardest decision'

Aston Villa Women have confirmed that manager Carla Ward will step down from her post at the end of the season.

Ward joined Villa from Birmingham City in 2021 and has since helped the club consolidate their place as an established Women's Super League (WSL) outfit. In her first season in charge, Carla led the team to a ninth-place finish before recording a fifth-place finish - Villa's best ever league position - in 2022/23, while also reaching the semi-finals of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in the club's history.

This season has been more challenging for the Villans, who currently sit in seventh place with two WSL games remaining. During Ward's tenure, the club has recruited national and international stars of the game including Lionesses Rachel Daly, Lucy Staniforth and Jordan Nobbs plus Scotland captain Rachel Corsie. Eleven academy graduates have also made first-team debuts during her time in charge.

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“To step down from my post here at Aston Villa has been the hardest decision of my managerial career, but I know it is the right one for my family and I," Ward said in a statement on Friday. “Managing a great club like Aston Villa has been a full-throttle job and I have always given the role 100 per cent dedication.

"However, I now believe it is the right time for me to prioritise the other important things - such as my daughter and the rest of my family life. I am immensely grateful to Monchi and Damian Vidagany who tried so hard to encourage me to stay in the role, but I know it is the right time to step down after our last game of the season.”

Villa's president of football operations, Monchi, said: “Carla came to us a few weeks ago and spoke of her plan to step down. We have had extensive dialogue with her to see if there was anything we could do to persuade her to stay, but she is adamant that she wants to take a break from the game.

“Therefore, on behalf of everybody at Aston Villa, I want to place on record our grateful thanks to Carla for everything she has achieved with us and wish her well for the future.”

Director of football operations, Damian Vidagany, added: “In my opinion, Carla is one of the best managers in women’s football and we are sad to see here go. I would like to wish her all the best for the future.”

The club have confirmed an update on the manager's position will be issued in due course.