Durham Women are delighted to announce the appointment of Willie Kirk as the club’s new Head Coach.
Kirk joins the Blues after recently leaving Swedish top flight side Djurgardens, having also managed Linkoping in the Damallsvenskan.
The 48-year-old began his managerial career at Hibernian in 2010, leading the side to both the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup during his tenure.
He scooped the Scottish Women’s Football Manager of the Year prize in 2013 before joining Bristol City in 2015.
Kirk guided the Robins to promotion back to the Women’s Super League at the first attempt before back-to-back midtable finishes in the top flight.
A move to Manchester United as assistant manager followed in 2018 before he was appointed Everton head coach later that year – going on to lead the Toffees to an FA Cup final during his three-year spell on Merseyside.
Kirk then joined Leicester City in 2022, initially as Director of Football before moving into the Head Coach role.
Since leaving the Foxes in 2024, Kirk has managed Linkoping and Djurgardens in Sweden’s top division.
Speaking after agreeing to become Durham’s new Head Coach, Kirk said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Durham Women FC.
“From my very first conversations with Dawn, Lee and Mark, it was clear that there is a genuine ambition to continue moving the club forward, and that really resonated with me.
“Durham has established itself as a respected club with strong values and a clear identity, and I’m excited by the opportunity to work with the players and staff to build on those foundations.
“I believe in creating an environment where people are challenged, supported and driven to improve every day, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the group and beginning that journey together.
“I can’t wait to get started and meet the supporters as we prepare for the new season.”
Dawn Hepple, Director of Durham Women FC, said: “After a thorough recruitment process, we’re delighted to appoint Willie as our new Head Coach.
“We were overwhelmed with the volume and quality of applicants who came from across the globe, showing the fantastic appeal the club and the league has.
“Throughout the process, Willie’s experience in the game, his ability to build and lead high-performance teams and his understanding of the club shone through.
“He has managed in the Swedish top flight over the last two seasons, adding some additional experience to his already impressive CV, and we look forward to him bringing the insight gained from there to Durham.”
Lee Sanders, Director of Durham Women FC, added: “We’re delighted to have Willie coaching the first-team.
“His experience and track record of success in developing top players speaks for itself.
“After what has been a difficult period, it’s fantastic to give some really positive news such as this to the fans, staff and players.”
