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31st January 2024
07:27am GMT
Lucy Clark has made history after being appointed as manager of Sutton United's new women's team manager.
Clark is the first transgender manager in the top five tiers of the women's game in England.
This isn't the first time she's made history either, having been the first trans referee in England when she officiated matches in the women's third tier.
The 51-year-old joins a Sutton side fighting relegation in the London and South Regional Women's Premier Division.
In her first interview with the club after her appointment, Clark revealed she had been a lifelong Sutton fan and would often manager them in computer games.
"To actually actively be involved in this role is just amazing. So I'm living the dream, loving it," she said.
The club said it was "great to have a lifelong U's fan on board."
Clark first coached a team at the age of 16, and has plied her trade with non-league men's teams in Essex, earning her a UEFA B coaching licence.
Speaking about how her time as a referee could help her managerial career, she told BBC Sport: "The plan was just to do some refereeing to have a look at players before I got back into managing, but obviously the refereeing went well and I had some fabulous times.
"And I think that has helped, I have refereed in the women's game for many years so I have seen many clubs and how they do things.
"I set up TRUK [a trans-inclusive amateur football team], which got me back in the dressing room as a manager, and made me think it was time. I got the bug of being a manager again."
Clark's tenure didn't get off to a great start results-wise, as her side were beaten 3-1 by league leaders Fulham on Sunday.
The result leaves United ninth in the 12-team league, six points clear of the drop zone.
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