Remi Allen might appear to be a young head coach at just 33 years old after retiring from playing at the conclusion of last season, but her appointment at Southampton is a well-deserved opportunity that she had been striving for throughout her career. From her early days coaching in Leicester’s youth setup as a teenager over 15 years ago, Allen has been dedicated to her craft.
She embraced coaching roles at every club she represented, with her pandemic-interrupted second stint at Leicester being the sole instance in her career when she wasn’t both coaching and playing. When she received the news, she was nearly 8,000 miles away from home.
Allen was on her honeymoon in Bali with her wife, Carly Davies, the head coach of Nottingham Forest, about to go out for dinner when she received the confirmation of her new role at the Championship side, leading to “a little extra glass of wine” on that memorable evening.
Since assuming the role in July, she has been navigating the “whirlwind” of relocating, alternating between hotels and Airbnbs while searching for a permanent residence and enjoying the outstanding facilities at the club’s Staplewood training ground.
“I am extremely grateful to Southampton for having faith in me,” she shares. “People might see that I was a player and now I’m suddenly a head coach, but a significant amount of groundwork laid the foundation for this,” she adds.
“During my first time at Leicester, I served as captain of the senior team, and Rehanne Skinner [now at West Ham] was the manager. She was the one who awakened my passion for coaching, encouraging me to work with the under-10s in the RTC [Regional Talent Club].”
“I take great pride in my journey. I’ve worked with every age group, not just at the elite levels. I’ve delved into a lot of analytical work along the way, always preparing for the moment I decided to retire from playing.”
Allen’s playing career included significant stints at clubs like Aston Villa and Reading, as well as two periods with Birmingham, where she reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. She was recognized as a tenacious midfielder, or as she humorously puts it: “a nasty aggressive player – I know that’s what you’re thinking – so there could be a slight edge to our playing style,” she remarks while discussing her aspirations for an attractive, passing style of football. Only a few players have made more appearances in the WSL.
Most recently, Allen led the Championship side London City Lionesses temporarily at the end of last season, winning her first three matches, earning a manager of the month award and helping them steer comfortably clear of relegation. She expresses her “immense gratitude” for that experience.
In the previous season, while playing in the Championship for Birmingham, she was also part of the coaching team for the England Under-23s as a participant in the FA’s elite coach programme aimed at developing female coaches.
This summer, in the WSL and Championship, seven clubs brought in new first-team managers or head coaches, with Allen being the only British woman appointed. All four new WSL managers hailed from abroad, and eight out of twelve managers in the division are male, with three being British.
Currently, there are two British women managing in the top tier: Skinner and Laura Kaminski of Crystal Palace, while the majority of WSL clubs tend to recruit foreign coaches. However, the landscape is different in the 11-club Championship, where female head coaches are slightly in the majority, with six all being British.
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Among those six coaches, Allen is one of four who are 35 or younger, alongside Bristol City’s Lauren Smith, promoted Newcastle’s Becky Langley, and Birmingham’s Amy Merricks. Allen believes this is significant for the future. “It’s not merely about being female or British and ‘You should get a job’ – that’s not the case at all,” she states.
“Competence is essential. However, I’ve collaborated with some incredible English coaches, and I do think they often go unnoticed. To foster growth in the women’s game, we must invest in our female coaches.
“Pushing in that direction is incredibly crucial, and it’s something Southampton has embraced. I owe a great deal to them, and I am committed to doing everything I can to show my appreciation.”
Southampton’s “coaches of tomorrow” initiative has been providing funding for free coaching certifications aimed at grassroots women and girls. At the senior level, the former England great Marieanne Spacey-Cale had been leading the team for six years, guiding the club up the competitive ladder until she transitioned to an upstairs role in April, ultimately bringing Allen in. Spacey-Cale’s successful tenure means Allen inherits a team that finished fourth last season, just seven points shy of the sole promotion spot, securing 13 wins out of 22 matches.
“It’s an exhilarating time to be involved with Southampton,” Allen states. “We aim to advance, grow, and develop. It’s a club I’ve always held in high regard as a player. They approach things correctly, focusing on steady yet meaningful progress. I feel a strong alignment in our values and principles, making this a perfect move for me. I can’t wait to engage with the fans.
“This season in the Championship may be the most fiercely competitive yet, and that’s precisely how we want it. It’s fantastic for women’s football. It becomes less enjoyable when one team dominates, leaving everyone else behind. We have around five or six teams committed to pushing for promotion.”
