Ipswich Town Women are a part-time outfit. Ross Halls takes a look at what jobs the players do alongside trying to secure promotion to the second-tier.
In the summer of 2021, Ipswich Town gave out professional contracts to members of the women's team for the first time.
The Tractor Girls train three times week at Playford Road, but that's not enough for them to make a living.
Town winger Sophie Peskett was the first player to sign a contract and currently works as a climbing instructor in Ipswich and is studying Sports and Exercise science at University of Suffolk.
The club's record goalscorer, Natasha Thomas, has seen the club progress on and off the pitch. She once played in front of crowds of just 30, with the AGL Arena in Felixstowe now regularly attracting 500.
Thomas has scored 142 goals in 191 games for the Blues, but works as a personal trainer and is a trustee for the club's Foundation. Midfielder Bonnie Horwood also is a personal trainer.
Captain Blue Wilson is studying to be an accountant. Other players continuing their education alongside football include Leah Mitchell and Evie Williams, who are both at St Joseph's College in Ipswich.
Many of the players travel from across East Anglia. Lucy O’Brien lives in Cambridgeshire and works at the services there, while goalkeeper Laura Hartley is based in Norwich, works on a farm and coaches in football.
Midfielder Kyra Robertson and defender Maria Boswell both signed professional contracts last summer. They work as at a construction company and in marketing respectively.
Defender Megan Wearing has had a impressive year from becoming a mainstay in the first team to signing her first contract this summer and captaining Scotland at U19 level. She works at a Outdoor Activities company and coaches in primary schools.
Midfielder Eloise King works as a football coach in Suffolk, while forward Holly Turner is a PE teacher. Turner was close to becoming a full-time player in the summer of 2021, but saw a move to Women's Championship side London City Lionesses fall through after she suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.
Full-back Summer Hughes is studying at University of East Anglian, while fellow full-back Maisy Barker recently graduated with a first class degree.
Lenna Gunning-Williams and Poppy Soper, who are on season-long loans from Tottenham and Charlton respectively, and Ruby Doe, who is signed on a dual-registration from Arsenal, are all full-time pros.
The Tractor Girls have full-time staff in manager Joe Sheehan, head of performance Nicola Stolworthy and goalkeeping coach Paul Walker to make sure they have the best coaching and preparations for games.
The WSL was established in 2011, but only went fully professional in 2018. Ipswich are currently third in the FA National Southern Premier Division table and have ambitions to go full-time in the future.
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