David Hopkinson has outlined his ambitious plans to transform Newcastle United into a global powerhouse.
Newcastle United Women manager Tanya Oxtoby has backed David Hopkinson to deliver on his bold ambitions at the club.
And in a telling message to The Gazette, the Aussie insisted “competing for trophies on the biggest stage” was why she joined the Magpies. Newcastle head to the Stadium of Light this weekend aiming to lift the city after the men’s team lost the Tyne-Wear derby last Sunday.
Three points against the Black Cats would give Newcastle a major boost in their chase for WSL promotion. With four games remaining, the Lasses sit just as many points off an automatic promotion place.
Tanya Oxtoby backs David Hopkinson message
Reaching the WSL would undoubtedly be a watershed moment for the women’s team. On takeover day in October 2021, the Lasses had not officially been under the Newcastle United banner and were a branch of the club’s foundation.
They played in the fourth tier, with players working full-time jobs and basic necessities like training gear a privilege. Newcastle are now within touching distance of reaching Amanda Staveley’s goal of becoming a WSL side.
As for the men, eyebrows have raised in recent times when new CEO Hopkinson speaks about ambition. He has promised to propel the Magpies into global superstardom by 2030 - but the on-field evidence suggests differently.
When asked about the club’s ambition and what her message has been from the top, women’s coach Oxtoby told The Gazette: “We want to be competing for the biggest trophies on the biggest stage and it was the reason I took this job was the alignment.
“I want to be able to be in an environment where the women's team is supported, where there's ambition and there's drive and we've certainly got alignment with that. From my perspective, I've seen nothing but actions that speak to that so we need to match that in terms of the way we go about things.
“But as I said earlier, we're on a journey too so it's not going to happen overnight. There'll be a few bumps along the way and we just need to navigate those and continue to push on.”
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