Flo Allen is set to be appointed as the new general manager of Norwich City Women.
The 22-year-old, who retired from professional football in April due to a long-term hip injury, is set to take up the post and will oversee the day-to-day running of the Canaries.
It is understood Allen’s appointment is imminent, with the club hoping to step up the running of the women’s team after it was officially integrated into Norwich City earlier this season.
Shaun Howes is the current head coach of the side, with Allen expected to work alongside him going forward.
Allen is originally from Norfolk but left the county aged 16 to pursue a professional career in the women’s game. She signed with Bristol City in January ahead of the Super League season.
An England international at various youth levels, Allen is now set to take up the reins at Norwich who completed a great escape to stay in the FA Women’s National League Division 1 South East last season.
City’s women team play their home matches at the Nest and play in the fourth tier.
Last week, a new strategic direction was unveiled for City’s women side including no longer fielding a reserve side, instead using the competitive fixture and training schedule of the Foundation’s F&E programme for 16-19-year-olds to prepare players for the first team environment.
That coincides with an announcement from the FA last month that unveiled a new Women’s National League strategy to strengthen the third and fourth-tiers of women’s football in England, aiming to advance the quality of those levels.
Allen played alongside fellow Norfolk-born footballer Aimee Palmer at Bristol City, who described her as a trailblazer for girls in the county hoping to make it professional after her retirement was confirmed.
"We started playing together in the under-10s at Norwich, I think I was about seven and she was slightly older then me. We progressed through the age groups together until the under-16s as Flo then made the move to Bristol which I looked at and thought 'that's what I want to do'.
"I then came to Bristol to follow in her footsteps as I have always looked up to her because she was the first Norwich player to be involved in the England setup,” she told Bristol City’s channels. “She has always been a role model to me as she has paved the way not just for me but for people back home as well.
"I have no doubt she'll smash whatever she puts her heart into because when she's got her mind set on something that's it, she's doing it. I wish her the best in whatever she does. Throughout her career she has met so many people along the way and I always say the people that you meet in football are the family that you have forever - she has that with all of us players."
Norwich City were approached for comment.
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