Landmark move made for Wolves Women

The boss has been with the club since January 2018 and has balanced his Wolves role alongside his job as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force, as well as a member of the coaching staff for the UK Armed Forces women’s team.

McNamara has recently been promoted from Corporal to Sergeant and he has now been awarded Elite Athlete status, meaning he will now take charge of Wolves on a full-time basis. It is also the first time a service person in the force has been granted this status for a coaching role.

Under McNamara's guidance, Wolves Women have enjoyed a successful six-and-a-half years in which they have narrowly missed out on promotion to the Championship.

Academy manager for operations, Laura Nicholls, said: “It’s fantastic for Dan first and foremost, and for the RAF to be so supportive for him to come across into our environment full-time. It’s something he deserves after everything he’s given the club over the last few years.

“From a football club perspective, it’s gives us an opportunity to continue to enhance and develop our programme, and make sure that the offer we give the female players is really bespoke. Dan being full-time gives us the opportunity to do that.

“It’s a commitment from the club, Dan and the RAF to try and develop him. The Armed Forces are always looking for what’s post a serviceman’s career, so they look to try and support their servicemen to develop in other areas.

"Dan’s committed so much to the football perspective, both here at Wolves and with the RAF, and he’s now been afforded the opportunity to bring his contract to us, so it’s a really good partnership. He’ll continue to support and work with the RAF, but it also gives us the opportunity to have him full-time in the building.”

For McNamara, it is a 'dream come true' as he embarks on a huge next step in his career.

He said: “It’s amazing for me. The RAF has been my life for the last 15 years and if you’d have asked me 15 years ago if I’d have the opportunity I’ve got now, I’d have said absolutely not and that it’s unheard of.

“To be the first coach to go into this elite athlete scheme and to get the opportunities that I have had is amazing from my point of view.

“The RAF have played a huge part in my coaching journey so far – not just with opportunities, but also the values they’ve instilled in me.

“It’s a dream come true and I’ve got a lot of people to thank for that – family, friends and the Airforce. None of it would be possible without any of what the RAF are doing for me over the next two to three years and hopefully I can repay all of those different individuals with some good performances, good knowledge to go back to the Airforce and stronger relationships between Wolves, the RAF in general, plus the local RAF Cosford.

“We can open up some opportunities for different ideas, different recruitment strategies and much more. It's a really exciting time and I’m looking forward to playing my part in it.”