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The pros and cons of reserve management – a chat with Sheffield Wednesday Ladies coach Danny Shackleton
Lewis Railton

Reserve coaching is often an untapped subject, it brings up a catalogue of challenges, including an ever-changing squad and liaising with first team officials. Sheffield Wednesday Ladies Reserves manager Danny Shackleton gives us insight into his role.

This season saw the emergence of Sheffield Wednesday Ladies Reserves, with the Owlesses looking to bridge the gap between their sizable youth set-up and the first team.

Sheffield Wednesday Ladies, as a club, were on the up, having bounced back to the regional leagues after being relegated to the Sheffield & Hallamshire Women’s and Girls League. A season of consolidation in the North East Regional South Division is plenty to shout about in S6, but they also endured success in their newly-formed reserve side.

Headed by manager Danny Shackleton, the reserve side came into fruition in the off-season ahead of the 2024/25 campaign. After he became aware of the opening at the club, it was an opportunity he simply couldn’t turn down.

“Initially I was contacted by my brother Chris and he explained the situation,” said Shackleton. “I think he’d spoken with Dave Higgins about the role and Chris felt I would be a good addition.

“Although not in the ladies game, I’d had quite a bit of experience in managerial and coaching roles previously.

“So after a few weeks of pestering from Chris, I met with Dave and had a chat about things. His vision was to form a competitive and established reserve team that could provide a pathway for the younger age groups and also give players experience and confidence. In time, these players would benefit the future of the club by establishing themselves as players within the first team. 

“The main draw to joining the club was working with Chris. He’s one of my closest mates as well as my brother and it was a good way to bond further through our love of the game. 

“Secondly, it was a newly reformed reserve team playing in a really competitive league and that was sure to be a big challenge in itself. So I decided to take on the role as I felt that I was more than capable of ticking the boxes set out.”

Joining the team alongside Danny was his brother, Chris Shackleton, as well as fellow coach Marshall Scott.

“Chris is hugely passionate about the game, Marshall is passionate about Sheffield Wednesday and I take my roles seriously. I’m pretty demanding and I do set standards fairly high, but achievable. 

“It’s been enlightening. We’ve had our moments, but overall, it’s been successful. 

“It’s been stressful no doubt but I don’t regret going through the season with them as part of the management team.”

Forming an entirely new squad, with many players having never played with each other could spark, could have led to the team struggling to gel, but Shackleton saw the positive side of it.

When asking if it was difficult having a recently put-together squad, Shackleton said: “I believe that was the key to it all. An entirely new side that had no pressure expectation to achieve anything. A raw set of players that wanted to learn and enjoy playing. 

“Getting to know the players and them getting to know us was always the biggest challenge. 

“Also them getting to know one another. Once I developed an understanding of players individually, what made them tick, what gave them a boost, what sort of thing sent them into their shell, it was a bit easier to strategise in a way they understood and could learn with. Some players were quicker to learn and apply than others.”

Forming a relationship with Sheffield Wednesday Ladies first team

Of course, reserve management has its drawbacks, having been lower than the Sheffield Wednesday Ladies first team on the pecking order.

“I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. It had its obstacles by means of trying to establish the right way to bridge the players between reserves and first team. 

“Being the newest addition to the club and at senior level team, creating a good link between the junior section and first team was always our priority. We worked at it. 

“Each team had its own challenges individually. 

“I do feel that at times, it was made to seem like we (reserves) were holding players back from moving up to the first team, but that was never the case. It’s always been a player’s decision if they’ve been asked to step up to the first team, momentarily or permanently, if it’s something they wanted to do. 

“Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but it was always left to the player to make that choice without feeling pressured into it. 

“There were not many players in the reserve squad that had experienced senior competition and although they ended the season very well, the maturity wasn’t there. The time hasn’t been sufficient for all of them to adapt fully, but they will. That’s not something you can coach or teach a player, it comes in time. Sometimes at an earlier age and other times, much later in adulthood. 

“I’ve always looked at the fact we have a team full of the club players and there’s no doubt that some of them would step up, but I don’t see that as us losing players, I see it as we are providing players. Providing good players that can move into our first team and continue to play well. 

“We work with them, we coach them, we get to understand them and then we try to give them the tools to go and be successful higher up. I want as many of the players I’ve worked with as possible to do that.”