Gateshead College women’s football team joins elite national league with Gateshead FC
The Gateshead College women’s football team has joined an elite national league.
Gateshead College’s women’s football team has secured a place in the top tier of youth football outside of the professional academy system thanks to a landmark tie-up with Gateshead FC.
The partnership means that the team will now play under the Gateshead FC banner, with the women’s first team being rebranded as Gateshead FC U21 Academy from the 2025/26 season.
Players will wear the club’s official training kit and match kits, as well as undergoing training in a professional-standard environment that is designed to prepare them for professional football.
The team’s place in the National Football Youth League (NFYL) North East Championship will mark a major step up for the team - with the league being the highest standard available to college sides and serves as a national platform for top female talent.
In order to enter the NFYL, teams must be affiliates with a professional club, prompting the partnership between Gateshead College and Gateshead FC.
Speaking after the partnership announcement, Codie Nichols, Gateshead College Women’s, said: “This is a huge moment for us.
“The partnership with Gateshead FC creates a clear route into the women’s game at a senior level and gives our players the chance to develop in a high-performance environment week in, week out.”
The partnership has strengthened the North East’s player development pathway, giving young athletes access to high-level competition, advanced coaching and the support structures needed to succeed both on and off the pitch.
For players who have ambitions of reaching the senior women’s game, the NFYL can act as a crucial stepping stone.
Bernard McWilliams, the Chairman at Gateshead FC, said: “We are delighted to partner with Gateshead College to include the female under 21s team now playing under the GFC banner within the NFYL.
“This only goes to show the importance we place on the development of women's football and will go to strengthen our senior ladies team as well as introduce a pathway for our Girls Youth Team Fram Gateshead FC Elite Youth academy.”
Gateshead College expects the standard of its 2025/26 intake to match the demands of the league, with players set to face strong opposition and a more tactical, technically challenging style of football.
For more details about women’s football at Gateshead College, visit: https://www.gateshead.ac.uk/sports-academies/womens-football-academy/.
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