Last updated on .From the section Women's Football

Melanie Reay helped Sunderland Ladies win WSL 2 in 2014

Melanie Reay has been appointed head coach of Sunderland Ladies after Carlton Fairweather agreed to leave the Women's Super League One side.

Reay has been promoted from her previous position as assistant coach at the north-east club.

She is a former striker at Sunderland and has spent nearly 20 years as a player and then a coach.

Fairweather had been in charge for two years and led the side to seventh in WSL 1 last season.

"It is a great honour for me to manage this special club," she said.

"We have some great young players coming through and hopefully they can make their mark on the team which already has a host of good, experienced players. We will be looking to consolidate and improve together."