Lauren Smith has signed a new three-year deal as head coach of of Bristol City Women.

The Newtown raised coach has a long affinity with the Robins having begun her coaching journey with its academy in 2010 before progressing through the age groups to become women’s first team assistant coach.

After seven successful years, she departed for the Wales national team to assist head coach Jayne Ludlow before taking up the same role at Tottenham Hotspur Women at the beginning of 2021.

Smith returned to the Robins in June 2021 and her crowning moment came in April 2023 as she guided Bristol City back to the Barclays Women’s Super League, securing the FA Women’s Championship title in front of more than 7,000 fans at Ashton Gate.

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“I’m so pleased to sign a new deal,” said Smith.

“The club really invested in me and gave me a chance to be a manager when I hadn’t done it before, and hopefully over the last couple of years I’ve proved that it was the right thing to do.

“I look back really fondly on my two seasons in charge so far and all the changes we’ve seen in that time. We started with very few players on a contract and it’s amazing to see how much we’ve progressed on and off the pitch, developing into a really professional side with genuine ambition.”

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Gavin Marshall, chief executive of the Bristol Sport Group, said: “Our main priority this summer was to agree a new contract with Lauren and we’re really delighted to announce that she has agreed a new three-year deal.

“Lauren has done a fantastic job as head coach over the past two years and we’re really looking forward to her leading the team into the WSL this season.”