Credit- Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Neil Redfearn has extended his contract as Sheffield United Women’s manager following a successful season for the team.

After finishing fourth in the FA Women’s Championship, and with an FA Cup fifth round tie still to play, Redfearn has committed his future to the club until 2023.

He said: “I think we’ve made really good strides this season, the girls have been absolutely fantastic and they’ve applied themselves really well. We’ve got big plans to try and move forward and get the club into the top flight- that’s the big aim.

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“We’ve got the chance to build something that means something here- all the staff are looking forward to it, it’s a good place to be.”

Redfearn’s side was built on strong defensive foundations, finishing the season with the joint-best away record alongside eventual champions Leicester City.

Goalkeeper Fran Kitching kept the joint-most clean sheets in the division, a testament not only to her individual quality, but also to United’s imposing backline.

This solidity did not come at the expense of excitement at the other end of the pitch. Katie Wilkinson, who has been a goalscoring revelation since arriving in Sheffield from the London Bees in 2019, finished as the league’s top scorer with an impressive return of 19 goals.

However, Redfearn stressed that these individual accolades were won through teamwork as much as talent.

“As a collective, those records and that recognition runs right through the team. You need your teammates to help you keep clean sheets, to help you score- these records mean we’re doing things right here.”

Redfearn also hinted that, across his next two years in the dugout, he hopes to further integrate United’s youth prospects into the first team.

“The young players are key- they’ve got massive amounts of ability and they will shape the future, they will develop and become long-lasting parts of this team.”

SUFC Women’s FA Cup tie away at Tottenham Hotspur will take place on 16 May.