Twelve-year ban for ‘misogynistic’ women’s coach

A former women’s football coach has been banned from the sport for 12 years after bombarding players and a member of staff with explicit images and suggesting they have sex.

Ex-Sutton Coldfield Town Women’s boss Ryan Hamilton used social media platforms Snapchat and WhatsApp to send pictures of his genitals as well as videos of himself masturbating, while telling the women directly that he wanted to have sex in places such as the changing room.

It was also said he adopted a “verbally aggressive and bullying management style”, which saw him “belittling and humiliating” people to the point they no longer wished to play for the fourth-tier side.

The details emerged in a Football Association document published following a misconduct hearing which took place last month.

The FA’s regulatory commission said Hamilton, who denied acting inappropriately, had “shown no introspection, contrition or remorse” and “seems to have absolutely no insight into the effect of his conduct”.

Five women, including four players, came forward to report his behaviour to the Birmingham County FA in October 2024 with what was described as “credible and compelling evidence” covering a two-year period.

It was found Hamilton, who left the club in November 2024, sent a colleague photographs of his penis via Snapchat while also using words to the effect of “you must be good company at night” followed by a wink emoji.

Going on to outline further incidents, the panel said one woman, referred to as Player A, was kissed in her car by Hamilton at the end of a club presentation evening.

And several times during meetings regarding football matters, he used words to the effect of he would “turn her straight” if he slept with her.

Having also sent topless photographs to her, during one coaching session he referred to wanting a “threesome” with her and a team-mate.

Before one particular game, Hamilton messaged her on Snapchat with words to the effect that if she were to “score the winner” he would have sex with her in the club office.

Hamilton was found to have acted improperly against a second player, known as Player B, by inviting her into the changing room to sit next to him and asking her to put her arm around his waist while they were alone.

He was also found to have sent “numerous” explicit images to her including videos of him masturbating.

A third footballer, Player C, was told she could wear jogging bottoms to training because “she had a nice bum”.

She was also sent explicit images via social media and subjected to approaches along the lines of “let me sleep with you” and “our sex would be good”.

The fourth player to come forward, Player D, submitted evidence that Hamilton made reference to wanting sex and then attending training where nobody would know.

The panel was told Hamilton’s “constantly overtly sexual behaviour” made the women uncomfortable but they “feared repercussions” if they raised complaints, such as not being picked for the team.

One said she was so “scared” she got to the point of being “ready to quit football and give up”.

When interviewed by the FA, Hamilton ended the meeting part-way through and thereafter “failed to engage”.

Panel chair Jane Bickerstaff KC said he had given little more than “bare denials” to the complaints that had been put to him up to that point.

In her findings, she described Hamilton as having been in a “position of trust” with “power and responsibility over the players”, but warned he had misused it “in a misogynistic and sexually inappropriate” way.

Noting he had shown no understanding of the effect of his actions, she said: “The closest he has come is to say that he is ‘not proud of’ his behaviour.”

Meanwhile, a document he submitted for the panel’s consideration “put forward no real mitigation” and “read more like an admission of the charges”.

The panel found 23 of 24 charges of improper conduct proven, concluding unanimously that “the only appropriate sanction” was an immediate suspension from all football-related activity.

Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women’s Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women’s Super League and beyond on the Women’s Football Weekly feed