Wolves fan has her eyes on making it in the football boardroom

Georgina Slawinski has had an obsession with football from an early age, so much so she is determined to make it her career.

The 21-year-old from Perton has been accepted into the prestigious Football Business Academy (FBA) which she hopes will provide her with the platform to go into the boardroom, either at a football club or a governing body.

The FBA aims to equip students with the necessary business skills to propel them into a career in the game.

Georgina says the dream would be one day to have a place in the Wolves boardroom, even if, as a lifelong Wolves fan, she admits to being a little uncertain about mixing business with pleasure.

That's a dilemma for another day. Right now there is an exciting path ahead of her and the former Codsall High School pupil says the fact she is a woman makes her even more determined to make it in the beautiful game.

Attitudes are beginning to shift in football, which has always been a male-dominated sport. Female pundits are seen more regularly on the BBC and Sky Sports, while the women's World Cup was given prominent airtime on prime-time TV this summer.

Georgina says she takes inspiration from the likes of Jacqui Oatley, the Wolverhampton-born sports presenter who was the first woman commentator on Match of the Day, and player-turned-pundit Alex Scott who have acted as female trailblazers in football.

And if she is to achieve her dream of having a career in football she is in the right place to do it. The student was accepted for a place at FBA after taking a sports, business and coaching course which was taught at none other than Wembley Stadium.

She was then granted a Women in Football Scholarship to help pay for her course after passionately putting forward her case during an interview-style process.

The FBA describes itself as an "ambitious educational institution dedicated to the football industry" and included for students will be glamorous trips to conferences in Geneva and Miami.

Georgina, who will take part in an intensive one-year course featuring mostly online modules, said: "Ideally I want to see more women in senior management roles. If it's as a managing director, chief executive or even starting my own business I want to get involved and make a positive difference.

"I'd like to be involved in a senior management role, whether it is a football club or association. I just want to get into the football industry."

Modules on the FBA course include global history of football and financial strategy of football.

Asked to think of an uncompromising, strong woman in football and Karren Brady would come into mind for most, the former Birmingham City managing director now at West Ham, who has become known to a wider audience from her place in Alan Sugar's boardroom on BBC's The Apprentice.

Georgina said: "There are many more opportunities coming about now. The Women in Football Scholarship is part of the Women in Football pledge aimed at changing and improving opportunities for women in the industry.

"It's so empowering as a woman. Women are starting to get more and more opportunities and I hope we can see ever-growing improvements at all levels.

"Jacqui Oatley is a Wolves fan. These people as role models, like Alex Scott. Years ago we didn't have them. Now they are part of the process.

"The scholarship covers 50 per cent of the course fees. The course is quite costly but with the scholarship I'm one stop closer to getting into my dream career. Without the scholarship it would have been very difficult so I'm grateful to Women in Football.

"I'm one of the youngest to have been accepted for the Football Business Academy. It's a huge honour."