Casey Stoney Named Head Coach of Manchester United's Professional Women's Team

Manchester United have announced former England defender Casey Stoney will be the first head coach of the club's new women's team as they prepare for their inaugural season.

The Red Devils will compete in the women's format for the first time this term, and the 36-year-old spoke of her delight to become the first United women's head coach, per the club's official website:

“I am delighted to have joined Manchester United. This [sic] is the biggest club in the world. The fact that we are going to have a women's team and I'm going to be able to introduce that from scratch, to build a team, build a philosophy, with the biggest club in the world, means that, for me, there is no more exciting opportunity.

My ultimate aim is to grow this team so that every little girl growing up dreams of playing for Manchester United when she's older, because they're the most successful team in women's football.

Stoney made 130 appearances for England and played for Chelsea and Liverpool, along with two stints at Arsenal.

Stoney last played for Liverpool before hanging up her boots earlier this year, and the versatile defender has been handed a big opportunity to launch her managerial career.

She took to Twitter upon confirmation of her appointment at Old Trafford and further expressed her satisfaction, confirming she would also step down from her role as an assistant in the England women's set-up:

Manchester United Women will compete in the 2018-19 FA Women's Championship—the second tier of English women's football below the Super League—after following the lead of their Premier League peers and establishing a ladies team.

The English heavyweights posted footage of Stoney settling into her new digs as she prepares for her first full-time managerial role:

Stoney previously served Chelsea as player-manager briefly in 2009, when she also had a hand in recommending Matt Beard to take over in the west London boss role.

The size of this task is far greater in scale, however, and Stoney holds a prestigious place as the first chief to lead Manchester United Women.