Carla Ward resigns as Birmingham City Women head coach

Carla Ward has resigned as Birmingham City Women manager after leading the WSL club to an unlikely escape from relegation.

The 37-year-old took over a squad with just eight senior players available in August with the challenge of keeping Birmingham up despite having the smallest budget in the division.

Ward was often only able to name just two or three substitutes during a difficult campaign which saw the Blues go into their final match of the season with relegation still a possibility and just one player on the bench, goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse.

The club had already been hit with a one-point deduction in the days leading up to the game for fielding an ineligible player, but avoided relegation by finishing 11th, two points above the drop.

"When I walked through the door last August, with the opportunity to manage in the BFAWSL for the first time, I couldn't have predicted what the next year would look like. It's been some journey and one I'm immensely proud of," said Ward, who will leave at the end of the season.

Ward's campaign was made more difficult by off-field issues, with Birmingham players having complained to the club's board over a lack of support for them compared to that given to the men's team, prompting an FA investigation.

The complaints were reported to include players earning less than the minimum wage, delays over treatment for injured players, a lack of access to the training-ground gym and changing rooms, and travel arrangements for away fixtures.

She added: "This year will live with me forever, from our first league win at Reading, to reaching the FA Cup semi-final and the late goals that secured our safety.

"All fantastic memories that have been made possible by this unbelievable group of players, and ultimately we achieved what many people said we couldn't."

Ward will see out the season as manager and will be in the dugout for her side's FA Cup fifth round clash with Southampton on Sunday.

Four WSL clubs now searching for managers

Birmingham are the fourth WSL club that will be looking for a new boss after Manchester United's Casey Stoney and Arsenal's Joe Montemurro stepped down, while Aston Villa parted company with manager Marcus Bignot and head coach Gemma Davies.

Earlier on Friday, Sky Sports News learned Eni Aluko is leaving her role as sporting director of Aston Villa Women.

She is expected to take a job with a high-profile women's club before the start of the new season.

An announcement of Aluko's next club is not expected for a couple of weeks yet.