Former City Ladies boss will lead side's bid to join Women's Super League...
Former Coventry City Ladies boss Paul Cudby has been selected as the man to lead Coventry City Ladies' bid to become members of the Women's Super League.
Family and work commitments are the reasons behind Cudby's decision to stand down as manager of the Sky Blues back in October after leading the club through its most successful era.
Cudby, who was replaced by Chris Holloway, guided the club to the top flight of English football after securing back-to-back promotions from the Midland Combination League.
And now he has been handed the task of leading the club's bid to join the Super League after the FA opened the application process for all women’s football clubs to apply to enter the league from 2014 onwards.
"There has always been the ambition to take the club forward by every means possible, in every area on and off the pitch," said Cudby.
“I've decided to help because it's something I'm still so passionate about.
“I had a vision when I started at Coventry that we would become one of the top 20 clubs in the country by 2013. As things stand, we are there now.
“With the evolution of the WSL, to maintain that, we need to be in the WSL.
"Being part of the Super League has always been part of the longer term goals; the extension of the WSL has brought the goals forward. It presents an amazing opportunity for the club as a whole.
"From my perspective it's difficult to imagine that some clubs currently playing in the Premier League (whether that's National or regional divisions) will survive in their current form if they don't become part of the WSL.
"From our perspective at Coventry City Ladies FC we're focusing all of our time and attention on preparing the best possible bid that we can submit by the end of February."
The FA is looking to launch a second division for the WSL, which means up to 20 clubs will be selected to participate instead of the eight that already compete.
But Cudby has hinted that the main stumbling block in the process would be financial support.
"If people in Coventry and Warwickshire are passionate about their city, have the desire to see the Olympic legacy continued, and feel the need for local females to compete on a national level, then this is the time to get involved," Cudby added.
"We can, with time and help, provide females with the chance to go from kicking a ball for the first time instead of hanging round on street corners, to join our youth set up, progress into the senior teams, and possibly even represent their country.
"If the city comes together to support the club, we could achieve anything.
"We don't need Russian billionaires, not yet anyway, what we need is established business people within Coventry coming together, investing in the club, working with all of us and combining our collective experiences to make this successful.
“Through being part of the WSL, it will give us the chance to be an active part of the community and give something to the people of Coventry.”