Inside Kelly Simmons’ storied career at the FA
Upfront - A Women's Football Podcast
Stak Production
4.8 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 8 May 2025
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Joining us today is someone who’s been instrumental in reshaping and driving the women’s game forward in England: Kelly Simmons OBE! From putting the WSL on the map to championing investment in grassroots pathways - and everything in between - Kelly’s 30-year career at the FA has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Kelly reflects on her journey, the highs and lows along the way and whether she’d do anything differently if she was starting out again. Plus, she gives her thoughts on why WSL relegation shouldn’t - and probably won’t - be scrapped, tells us why the exclusion of the women’s game from the Independent Football Regulator is a huge missed opportunity and gives her take on the FA’s controversial decision to ban transgender women from playing women’s football.
Kelly is speaking at a Fair Game conference later this month. For more details and to get tickets, click here.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to Out Front. I'm Chloe Morgan. And I'm Rachel O'Sullivan. Today we are delighted to be joined by one of the most influential figures in women's sport in England, none other than Kelly Simmons. |
| 0:14.3 | As the former director of the women's professional game at the FA, Kelly has been instrumental in transforming the women's football pyramid from overseeing |
| 0:22.1 | the launch of the WSL and championing investment in grassroots pathways. |
| 0:26.1 | Kelly's leadership and vision has been crucial in laying the foundations for a more professional |
| 0:30.2 | and sustainable game and has paved the way for future generations. |
| 0:34.5 | Today we'll be diving into her journey, the challenges and triumphs of reshaping the game |
| 0:38.4 | and what she sees as the next big steps for women's football. Let's get straight into it. |
| 0:48.3 | Welcome to the pod, Kelly. Thank you so much for joining us today. I know you've got such a busy |
| 0:52.9 | schedule. You're here there and everywhere. |
| 0:55.2 | I know you're feeling a little bit under the weather, |
| 0:56.7 | but we're so happy that you've managed to join us. |
| 0:59.0 | And we've got you for the next 40 minutes to really deep dive your journey into women's football. |
| 1:04.1 | I'd absolutely love to start from the very beginning. |
| 1:07.3 | So last year you stepped down from your role at the F8 after 30 years at the helm, |
| 1:12.2 | taking women's football from pretty much not in the greatest places to where it is today, |
| 1:17.7 | which is obviously in such a strong position. Can you take us back to when you first got involved |
| 1:23.1 | in football? What was it that made you stay in the game for such a long period of time? |
| 1:27.6 | Well, I wasn't allowed to play as a girl. |
| 1:29.0 | I think that's one of my big drivers, really, for wanting to make sure that this generation |
| 1:33.9 | had better opportunities. |
| 1:35.7 | My brother played football and cricket. |
| 1:37.9 | They were the two sports I wanted to play. |
... |
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