Forest Green hire female manager to replace Duncan Ferguson in first for English football

Forest Green Rovers have appointed Hannah Dingley as their new interim manager to succeed Everton legend Duncan Ferguson, who left the Gloucestershire outfit earlier on Tuesday. It will mark the first time in history that a female manager will take charge of a team in the top four leagues of English football in a groundbreaking move by Forest Green owner Dale Vince.

Dingley took training at Forest Green on Tuesday morning as Ferguson was finalising his exit after just six months in charge of the club. She is expected to continue leading their pre-season preparations until a permanent successor is found, with the search for a new boss in progress behind the scenes.

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"It will come in sooner than you think," she said. "The success that the Lionesses are having, that Emma Hayes is having at Chelsea. There are others, really good female coaches out there who I have more than faith in would be more than capable of coaching at a men's level.

"It's been a privilege to work with Dunc these last few months and this was a very difficult decision to make," said Forest Green owner Vince in a statement. "I'm grateful to Dunc for joining us in such difficult circumstances and for all of his hard work at the club.