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Carly Williams: Pre-season in a women's first team
Video recording. Brentford head coach Carly Williams talks to Elite Soccer technical director Ben Bartlett about her experiences of managing pre-season in a women’s first team
Recorded 23 June 2026
About Carly
(correct at time of recording)
Carly Williams began her coaching career coaching her son’s grassroots teams. When her son, was signed to an academy, Williams made her own move, into the girls’ game.
Whilst working on various projects in Essex, including developing a girls’ team for Basildon District, Williams became a cover coach at Arsenal Women’s Academy.
Coaching across the younger age groups, from u10s upwards, ultimately led to a full-time role at the club, coaching the u21s and becoming academy player care lead, the first role of its kind for a girls’ academy in the UK.
Williams spent over seven years at Arsenal before taking on the head coach role at Brentford FC Women in August 2025.
In her first season in charge, The Bees’ first in the fifth tier, Williams led the team to a third-place finish in the London and South East Premier Division, six points adrift of champions Dartford, with the best return in the league, and to two cup semi-finals.
She is also England Schools u15 team manager, and, as part of the England Elite Coach Programme, has worked with the England women’s u17s squad. She is an English FA coach mentor and tutor.
Also a qualified radiographer and teacher, Williams is due to complete her UEFA A Licence in 2026.
As a player, Williams represented Tottenham Hotspur and Enfield Town.
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