Southampton director of women's football Marieanne Spacey-Cale will step down this year after eight years with the club. She has been a significant figure in the women's setup since 2018, playing a key role in developing the programme and serving as first-team coach during back-to-back promotions in 2021 and 2022 that led to WSL 2.

Spacey-Cale, who became director of football in 2024, expressed her sadness at leaving. Her departure comes as Southampton reportedly plans to "significantly cut" investment in the women's team. This follows new licensing criteria for top-tier women's clubs, which has led to scaled-back plans at several teams unable to meet the demands. The club's men's team also faced criticism after the "Spygate" scandal.