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Ipswich Town confirmed that former Women’s manager and Professional Game Academy Manager Joe Sheehan has left the club to join Charlton Athletic Women as their Assistant Manager. His departure wraps up a nine-year association with the club, which during his time played a transformative role in the development of women’s football in Suffolk. He first arrived at Ipswich in 2017 to become the lead of the Girls Academy Pathway before being appointed the Women’s first team manager in February 2019. Across the next seven years, he became one of the most influential figures in the modern history of the Women’s team Two Promotions and a Professional Era During his reign as First Team manager, he guided Town to two promotions into the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 for the first time. He oversaw the club’s transition to a fully professional environment; his leadership helped establish a clear identity, a competitive culture and a pathway that has since produced several standout players. He stepped down from his managerial role in January and moved into leading the launch of the club’s new Professional Game Academy Structure, a project he helped shape and deliver as part of Ipswich’s long-term commitment to women’s football. Club Thanks Sheehan for His Service The Club thanks Sheehan for all his hard work over the past nine years at the club, and he leaves with the gratitude of everyone at the club. “Everyone at Town would like to thank Joe for his work and dedication during his nine years at the club and wish him the best of luck for the future.” The impact he left has been felt across multiple departments from the youth to senior football, and his work has helped lay the foundations for the club’s continued growth in the women’s game. Sheehan Reflects on His Time at Town In a message that he shared both on his LinkedIn and Twitter pages, he expressed pride in what was achieved during his time at Ipswich and spoke warmly about the players and staff as well as the supporters. He also highlighted the privilege of helping build a pathway that now provides opportunities for young female footballers to progress into the professional game. He also thanked colleagues for their trust and collaboration while noting that the club’s progress was the result of collective effort and shared ambition. New Challenge at Charlton Athletic Women He now begins a new chapter as Assistant Manager at Charlton Athletic Women, who continue to strengthen their coaching team ahead of the upcoming season in the Women’s Super League. His experience in development, culture-building and high-performance environments is expected to be a key role in Charlton’s ambitions.