After winning the double in their highly successful EMWRFL campaign, Sheffield FC Women manager Graham Abercrombie has given his side one clear message ahead of the upcoming National League season.
The 2024/25 campaign saw Sheffield FC Women bounce back from their disappointing season prior, which saw them crash out of the National League.
In a highly competitive EMWRFL season, The World’s First Football CLub would have some stiff competition, notably going toe-to-toe with the likes of Chesterfield Ladies, and Rotherham United Women, the latter of which Graham Abercrombie’s side would face in a feisty League Cup Final tie.
Abercrombie joined The Club shortly after the start of the season, and was able to help them to a famous league win, whilst tying down an impeccable run, both home and away.
The Sheffield FC boss has wasted no time to discuss the upcoming season, though, as speaking to the club’s media, Abercrombie made one thing abruptly clear when discussing recruitment and the goal for the next campaign.
What Graham Abercrombie said when discussing Sheffield FC Women’s recruitment plans
Despite an impeccable campaign, which ended with a fantastic League Cup win against Adam Rawlings’ Rotherham United, Abercrombie has no plans to settle with the current crop of players, emphasising that they need ‘competition for places’.
“Absolutely. There’s no doubt about it,” said Abercrombie when asked about whether he will be adding to his ranks this summer. “We’ve got to ensure that we get the best out of each other because of that competition, and that’s only going to happen if we bring in quality that’s better than what we’ve already got.
“So we’re not going to just take numbers for the sake [of it]. We’re not going to look at anybody who doesn’t add to what we’ve got, but we will be looking at people who can contribute.Good people, selfless, open minded, grafters, self-motivated, really willing to go out there and have some some, get some game craft, really understand what the game’s about, some football intelligence.
“You’ve got all those things to come and play for, right. And that’s what we’ll be looking for. We’ve got some targets.”
Graham Abercrombie makes Sheffield FC Women 2025/26 aim abruptly clear
After discussing recruitment, attention turned towards the ambitions for the club in the 2025/26 campaign.
Promotion from the EMWRFL means that Sheffield FC will play in the National League next season, but whether it will be the North or Midlands league remains to be decided.
“We must win the league. That’s the aim – win the league,” said Abercrombie. “You know, we’ll come as high as we can, having done our best. Left no stone unturned. So if we do that and we finish sixth or seventh, but we’ve done our best, there’s no shame in that.
“You can live with that. Our aim absolutely is to win the league. We’re entering the league to win it. And that’s, again, not an entitlement by any stretch of the imagination. Whatever league we go in, we’re not sure which division will be in yet, but whichever one we are in, it will be tough. It will be very tough.
“When you’re a champion, you don’t know what you see when you’ve beaten everybody around you. And we can keep going, so that’s the plan. The goal is to jump again if we can sooner rather than later. So next season is the target to get up and have a decent FA Cup run of a decent running cup.
“Competitions are available to us, but the priority is the league always. That number one spot.”
The last time Sheffield FC found themselves in the National League was the 2023/24 season, which saw them finish in the relegation zone after picking up 15 points in 22 games. Abercrombie will no doubt use this as motivation as he looks to bring The World’s First back to their glory years.
