Durham Women have named Willie Kirk as head coach following his departure from Swedish top-flight side Djurgårdens.
Kirk also recently managed Linköping in the Damallsvenskan, after leaving Leicester City in 2024.
He began his managerial career at Hibernian, guiding the team to both the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup, and earning the SWF Manager of the Year award in 2013 before moving to Bristol City in 2015.
Kirk led the Robins to promotion to the WSL, followed by consecutive midtable finishes in the top division.
He joined Manchester United as assistant manager in 2018, before taking over as Everton head coach later that year, leading the Toffees to an FA Cup final.
Kirk told durhamwfc.co.uk: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Durham Women FC.
“From my very first conversations with Dawn [Hepple], Lee [Sanders] and Mark [Donnelly], it was clear that there is a genuine ambition to continue moving the club forward, and that really resonated with me.
“Durham has established itself as a respected club with strong values and a clear identity, and I’m excited by the opportunity to work with the players and staff to build on those foundations.”
Dawn Hepple, Director of Durham Women FC, said: “We were overwhelmed with the volume and quality of applicants who came from across the globe, showing the fantastic appeal the club and the league has.
“Throughout the process, Willie’s experience in the game, his ability to build and lead high-performance teams and his understanding of the club shone through.
“He has managed in the Swedish top flight over the last two seasons, adding some additional experience to his already impressive CV, and we look forward to him bringing the insight gained from there to Durham.”
Lee Sanders, Director of Durham Women FC, added: “We’re delighted to have Willie coaching the first-team.
“His experience and track record of success in developing top players speaks for itself.
“After what has been a difficult period, it’s fantastic to give some really positive news such as this to the fans, staff and players.”
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