‘It can be the best season we’ve ever had’ – Newcastle United boss Langley reflects at halfway point

Newcastle United head coach Becky Langley says that she has been impressed with her side’s start to life in the Barclays Women’s Championship and that The Magpies can still enjoy their best-ever season if they can iron out the fine margins.

The Tyneside club entered the Christmas break in seventh position in the league table, however, Newcastle United have a game-in-hand and are only five points from the summit.

Reflecting on her side’s performances in the first half of the season in a Newcastle United press conference, head coach Langley said that she has been happy with the progress made and that it’s in The Magpies’ own hands to achieve even more in 2025.

“I think we’ve done well,” Langley said. “We’re five points off the top of the table [with a game-in-hand] and it’s a real positive that we are in touching distance. There’s frustration at some of the games where we’ve dropped points, there were some small margins; the game against Charlton springs to mind, the fixture against Durham at home and London City away. I was disappointed with the performance at Bristol City.

“It’s a little bit frustrating because our league position could be so much higher. If we could have seen the Charlton and London City games out, we could’ve been in the top-three. On the other hand, we beat top of the table Birmingham, took three points off Sunderland at The Stadium of Light, so to be competing with teams like that [is positive]. We have to remind ourselves that Sunderland finished third last season, Charlton finished second and we’ve out-competed those two side in games. 

“It’s been a really good start but I think it can be the best season we’ve ever had if we want it to be and continue to move forward positively in the second half of the season.”

Going on to briefly discuss areas of improvement, Langley said that her side need to keep working hard and aim to implement their game plans intelligently against opponents in the second half of the season.

She said “We are so positive that we are actually complaining that we’ve not seen out games against quality sides like Charlton and others. As I said, the margins are so small, so we have to keep showing that we are growing as a team. I think we are but it’s just that opponents are tough. We’ve just got to out-smart and out-work the opponents for sure.”

Newcastle United’s progress in the final weeks before Christmas was not helped by injuries to some key players. Langley provided fitness updates on a couple of her players.

She said “I think Elysia [Boddy] will be returning pretty soon. It was a low-level groin strain which we are delighted about because we didn’t want to lose her for a while. She will be back soon which is good.

“There are a few other injuries in the background which is disappointing. It was frustrating for Sophie Haywood to pick another injury up, we’ve got Furney [Rachel Furness] who obviously brings a lot of experience to the team; we’ve definitely missed her in the last few games that we’ve played. Those games where we haven’t quite seen the win out are games where she would’ve contributed positively, we could have really done with her. Hopefully, she will come back early in the New Year and we can go from there.”

Newcastle United return to action after the Christmas break with an Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie against Nottingham Forest or Burnley at Kingston Park on Sunday 12 January 2025.