“A credit to the club.” - Bristol City boss praises Women’s team as they continue title pursuit

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson says that Lauren Smith and her team are a credit to the football club.

In the week where women were celebrated for their achievements on International Women’s Day, the men’s boss was happy to put praise on the influential figure leading her own team into battle.

Lauren Smith, who was appointed as manager last summer, has her team second in the FA Women’s Championship.

With the Women’s side based at the High Performance Centre, both for training and for matches, Pearson has been a supporter of the Women’s game, attending a few of their matches.

He has also exchanged a few discussions with Smith, whilst overseeing a few of their training sessions, building in to a one club mantra.

“They’ve been brilliant, I watch them work as well,” he said.

“I watch them around the building and the way they operate as their own operation around the club.

“They’re very, very slick. Lauren does a great job and Grace Williams and they do a fantastic job and the girls are a credit to the football club.”

City were relegated from the FA Women’s Super League last year, missing out on the riches of a new groundbreaking television deal on the BBC and Sky Sports.

A massive overhaul of the squad took place in the summer with their better players remaining in the top flight with different teams with Smith tasked with recruiting a squad capable of challenging.

They are seven points off league leaders Liverpool, managed by former Vixens boss Matt Beard, who they play at Ashton Gate at the start of April.

Up next for Smith’s side is a home match against second from bottom Watford with a win a must if they are to continue any hope of an immediate response to their relegation last year.

Pearson said: “I’m very pleased for them that they’re doing so well because based on what their starting point was, based on relegation last year, the change of management.

“I know Lauren worked in the academy before for a long period of time and in a way Grace (Williams) was in the Welsh FA.

“We’ve got really good know-how within the setup and on top of that, what’s really key to this is the club have made a conscious decision to give the women’s team the support that they should get.

“And that is they are the senior team of Bristol City and quite rightly they are getting the level of respect they should do. It’s good for them. I think they’re doing great.”