A Darlington teenager has landed her “dream job” – going round schools to encourage girls to play football. PETER BARRON reports
IT’S a chilly, dark winter’s evening, but the vibrant artificial turf pitches are swarming with girls and women playing football under the spotlights.
Eighteen-year-old Tamasin Vincent smiles contentedly as she watches the hive of activity at Darlington’s Eastbourne Sports Complex – because encouraging the growth of women’s football is her full-time job.
This is training night for FC Darlington Locomotives, a bespoke football club for girls and women, launched five years ago, and going from strength to strength.
Tamasin was a member of the first Locomotives team to be established in the summer of 2021. Now, she’s employed full-time by the enlightened grass roots club, with a mission to go into schools and community venues, promoting the beautiful game among girls and women.
Tamasin was taken on as a Coach Activator Apprentice in September, 2024. She qualified with a distinction last November, and that has led to a permanent 30-hours-a-week contract.
“Football’s my life, so I’m lucky to be doing my dream job,” she says.
FC Darlington Locomotives is quite a success story. With a name chosen to reflect the town’s railway heritage, its popularity has rocketed.
The club was launched by former semi-professional footballer Nathan Beadle, with the support of his mum and dad, Linda and Paul.
Nathan, who played in the Northern League for Washington, Crook, Willington, and Durham City, started coaching when he suffered a back injury.
A PE co-ordinator for nine years, he now works for health and wellbeing charity, Rise North East, and launched the Locomotives in July 2021 after identifying “a clear need” for a local club for girls and women amid the surge in interest inspired by the Lionesses.
The club started with 126 members and now has 453 girls and women, with 19 teams and three recreational centres at the Eastbourne complex.
The full-time appointment of Tamasin is part of the club’s development, and Nathan has no doubt about the impact she’s making.
“It’s already proved a massive success – the demand is clearly there from schools and other venues, and it's growing all the time,” he says.
After leaving Longfield Academy, Tamasin decided that college wasn’t right for her and applied for an outward-bound apprenticeship.
When that fell through, Nathan and his wife, Shona, swiftly stepped in with a plan for her to start working as an apprentice for the Locomotives.
“We knew Tamasin from playing for the Locomotives right from the start, and she'd also shown commitment by helping out with summer camps, so it just seemed the perfect match,” says Nathan.
Tamasin has grasped that opportunity with both feet, and clearly loves her job. “The club is just like a big family, so I was buzzing when Nathan and Shona came up with the apprenticeship. I couldn’t believe it, and I can’t thank them enough,” she says.
So far, 11 primary schools use Tamasin’s services, and discussions are underway to expand her role into secondary schools.
“I get such a kick out of seeing girls develop from hardly being able to kick a ball to being ready to play in a team...it's a great feeling,” adds Tamasin.
“There are definitely more girls than ever wanting to play football, and I’ve also seen a shift in boys being more supportive.”
Her work includes coaching girls at breakfast clubs, lunchtime clubs, and after-school clubs, with her schedule including two visits a week to her old primary school, Reid Street.
"It adds massive value to have Tamasin come into the school," says Reid Street Primary's PE Lead, Stuart Banks.
"As a former pupil here, she understands the school. We don't have a playing field, so she uses the playground and the hall, and is a great role model.
"Before she started, we had low take-up from girls for the after-school clubs, but it's brilliant now."
Reid Street has a team made up of pupils from Years 5 and 6, and Tamasin also runs a development session for Key Stage 1 children. When sessions for Years 1 and 2 were advertised to parents, more than 30 girls responded to say they wanted to take part.
Tamasin clearly has a strong rapport with the pupils – guiding them with both passion and patience as they practise dribbling and passing on the wooden floor of the school hall.
Nine-year-old Ember Smith is among those taking part at Red Street. "I liked football before but didn't play much until I heard about the after-school club. I thought it would be fun – and it is," she explains.
"Tamasin is good at showing us how to do things. I couldn't do any keepy-ups before, but now I can do five, and I'd like to play for The Lionesses one day!"
In addition to her paid role, Tamasin also coaches the Locomotives Under-7s team, and plays for the Ladies' Team – alongside her mum, Jackie.
It's a real family affair because Tamasin's 12-year-old sister also plays for one of the Locomotives' junior teams.
Jackie, a primary school catering manager, started as a spectator, watching her daughters from the sidelines, but Tamasin coaxed her into joining in, and now they're team-mates.
"I liked football when I was a kid but there weren't the same opportunities for girls back then, so I'm fulfilling my ambitions through Tamasin," says Jackie, who plays a match every weekend and trains two nights a week.
"Football has always been Tamasin's life. Even when she was little, we couldn't go for a walk unless she had a ball at her feet.
"When I play with her in the team, it feels amazing. We sometimes shout at each other when things go wrong on the pitch, but we have a laugh as well. She's such a a brilliant communicator, whether it's little ones or older women, and wins everyone's respect.
"She can also see tactical changes that are needed in a match before anyone else, and I'm so proud of her. She's got a career in football and she's given me a new lease of life at the same time."
So what are Tamasin's goals for the future?
"I want to manage a ladies' – or men's – team one day, and take it as far as I can," she replies.
For Tamasin Vincent – player, coach, and professional promoter of women's football – this is just the kick-off.
