STRINGER SEIZES COMMUNITY COACHING OPPORTUNITY WITH BOTH HANDS

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Women’s team midfielder works with BFCitC’s U16 girls team

2026-05-14T09:00:00.000Z

STRINGER SEIZES COMMUNITY COACHING OPPORTUNITY WITH BOTH HANDS

Women’s team midfielder works with BFCitC’s U16 girls team

2026-05-14T09:00:00.000Z

Women’s team midfielder works with BFCitC’s U16 girls team

Strengthening the connection between Burnley Football Club and its community programmes has been a key focus of the Club’s female pathway.

For Abbey-Leigh Stringer, the 2025/26 season has been a valuable learning experience both on and off the pitch.

The midfielder, who has more than 100 Women’s Super League appearances to her name, has been using that experience to help coach Burnley FC in the Community’s U16 girls team.

That work has been a vital part of her journey towards earning a UEFA B coaching qualification, with Stringer keen to plan for life after hanging up her boots.

“I want to go into coaching when I finish playing, because I love football so much,” she said.

“I’m not getting any younger now, so I’m starting to make sure that I get all the relevant qualifications to try and set me up nicely.

“This season I’ve been working with the U16s girls and their coaches, Andy Ellis and Glen Taylor.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a natural coach, but they have been a really good group to work with.

“At first the girls were perhaps a little bit intimidated, but after a couple of weeks, I felt really comfortable there.

“In terms of that, I couldn’t have asked for a better team or mentor, and that’s really helped me.”

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The aim is to create meaningful links between Burnley FC Women and the BFCitC U16s programme, helping players learn alongside those who have competed at the highest level.

Stringer had previously completed her UEFA C license when she was at West Ham United, before spending a year in the United States with DC Power.

Upon returning to England and signing for the Clarets last summer, the 31-year-old knew that learning was something she wanted to pick back up.

Despite being on loan at fellow tier three side Loughborough Lightning in the second half of 2025/26, the midfielder has continued to coach the teenagers twice a week.

Often when players begin coaching, they start to look at the game through a different lens. As Stringer explains, that’s something she’s been keen to do as part of her education.

“When I did my UEFA C I started to get that feeling as well, but in meetings now I’m starting to ask Ross (Wallace – Interim Head Coach) and Ash (Vickers – Assistant Coach) questions about certain stuff," she continued.

“It really intrigues me, and I’m always asking ‘why are you doing that for?’.

“Even on the training pitch I’d watch how they would coach, because everybody has a different style.

“That’s really opened my eyes up to how hard it is, because when you’re a player, you sometimes think that anybody can coach!

“I now take more stuff on, especially when I’m playing, from a tactical point of view.

“Once you get that experience in, and you learn from different people, it’s made me realise that this is something that I do definitely want to go into.”

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Rebecca Aldred, Female Development Manager at Burnley FC in the Community, explained: “Having Abbey-Leigh involved is a brilliant example of the link between the football club and the community.

“The impact of visible role models is huge, and when they can train alongside someone who’s played at the top level, it’s a ‘see it to believe it’ moment that raises belief and aspiration.

“Just as importantly, we want to make sure we’re looking after female players on and off the pitch and creating the right environment for them to develop as footballers and as people.”

Burnley Women have played a number of their matches at Turf Moor this season, including the final day victory over Stoke City that secured promotion to WSL2.

Stringer was in attendance that day alongside the U16s girls team she has been coaching, who had the opportunity to watch the action up close and personal as the ball team.

“It was great to see them all and give them a hug,” Stringer continued.

“One of the girls, Immy, plays for Halifax in our league too – and she came on against us at Turf Moor.

“That was really nice to see somebody that I’d been coaching play first team football too.

“Both of those were really special moments and I’ll be really sad whenever I have to leave them.”