The Manageress: An Update.

Donna Powell in charge of Fisher Athletic.

Earlier in the week I scribbled about Donna Powell and her temporary gig as manger(ess) of non-league Fisher Athletic of the Blue Square South division. Alas the fairy tale ending we all hoped for was not to be and her reign was short lived with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Eastleigh on Wednesday evening. However, Donna may have a future in football after all.

Ms. Powell, age 27, was not expecting miracles. She took charge of a team who had lost their last ten games. Eastleigh however, are third in the table. A 2-1 defeat at the hands of a worthy opponent showed some stones on the lass. According to Fisher's chairman, the second half performance was the best he'd seen this season:

I was delighted by the players' response in the second half. I feared for us at half-time and thought it was only a matter of time before Eastleigh ran away with it but the team's response was fantastic and they put in one of our best performances of the season after half-time.

Powell enjoyed her stint as the gaffer so much that she wants in on a full-time basis. She is currently taking her coaching badges and says she is desperate to succeed in football:

I enjoyed it very much and the boys played really well - they battled hard and obviously Eastleigh are third in the league. I just congratulate them for getting a goal back and not losing big scores. They lost 2-1, but well done to them.

Not everyone is keen for Donna to be part of Fisher Athletic in the future. Ms. Powell told the BBC after the game...

It was a bit tougher than what I expected but it was good. It was tougher from the fans more than anything else. They were shouting "stay in the kitchen," but I've never been in a kitchen and I'll never go into a kitchen.

I have a feeling we will be hearing more from Donna Powell in the future. Good luck girl!

-Bigus.

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A Woman's Touch

It's been a while since women battled so bravely to discard the wooden spoon for a leg on the corporate ladder. Women have rights! They can vote, they can be the boss, they can drive the car, they can run the line, they can speak their cute little minds damn it, so why shouldn't a woman manage a football team? Tonight one will.... But not everyone is happy about it.

Fisher Athletic will take on Eastleigh in the Blue Square South division tonight, and Fisher turnstile operator Donna Powell will manage the first team. That's right... I said Donna (that's a birds name) Powell will manage the first team. 27-year-old Ms. Powell will take the reigns for one night only. Why? Because she raised 500 pounds for the debt-stricken club and her reward is to manage the team!

It's not exactly like my mother taking over, Ms. Powell knows her stuff. She currently manages a boys under-11 side. As she explained:

I am no shrinking violet and do not suffer fools lightly. I'll be picking the team and they'll be playing my way, none of this long ball nonsense - we'll be passing the ball on the floor, playing the game the right way. Sure, I'll be nervous - I realise there's a difference between kids' football and the Conference South but I see it as football is football no matter how old they are - and I know my stuff.

You go girl! Regular boss and hoofball merchant (apparently) Dave Mehmet better watch out, his job could be on the line. Fisher press officer Joe Arif stated:

If Donna can turn things round, then who knows - maybe there's a permanent position in future. It's a great opportunity and Donna knows it, she's already attended a few training sessions and was introduced to the squad a couple of weeks ago.

But not everyone is keen on Donna's new gig. Eastleigh director of football Dave Malone thinks Donna should not be allowed near the mainly manly managerial duties of the footy world, but not because he is sexist:

It devalues the league. I'm not particularly happy about it, simply because we've got to concentrate our minds on getting three points from the game. I think what they've done is unprofessional, Fisher have done it for financial reasons, and I can partly understand that, but I don't think being manager of a Blue Square South team is a saleable commodity.

Lets be honest. She can't do any worse. Fisher have lost their last TEN games and sit one lonely point off the bottom of the table. I will update you on Donna's big game tomorrow.

-Bigus

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