This Week’s Feature Player: Michele Adams MBE
Michele Adams MBE stands as a towering figure in the history of women’s football in Wales. Her influence on the sport spans over four decades, during which she has played, coached, and led the charge in shaping the women’s game in Wales. As a former Wales international, Cardiff City Ladies manager, and now chairwoman of Gwalia United, Adams’s legacy is deeply intertwined with the evolution of women’s football in the country. Her MBE award for services to girls’ and women’s football is not just a personal triumph—it’s a testament to the decades of dedication and resilience that have paved the way for today’s successes.
Michele’s own journey began in 1973 when, at just 15 years old, she made her debut for Wales, and she went on to become one of the few players from that era still playing when the Football Association of Wales (FAW) officially took over the women’s game in 1993. Michele also holds the honour of being the first captain of the Wales women’s team under the FAW’s management—a significant milestone in Welsh football history.
The defining moment for Welsh women’s football came in 1992, when Adams, along with fellow former internationals Karen Jones and Laura McAllister, approached Alun Evans, the late general secretary of the Football Association of Wales (FAW). Their goal was straightforward but groundbreaking: they lobbied for official recognition of the women’s game in Wales. The meeting was a watershed moment. It led to the formation of an official national women’s team, giving Welsh women’s football a formal platform to grow and compete internationally. Adams and her teammates’ persistence paid off, and their efforts laid the foundation for future generations of female footballers in Wales.
Adams’s contributions didn’t stop with her playing career. Her coaching career is equally remarkable. As manager of Cardiff City Ladies—now Gwalia United—she led the team to a record 12 Welsh Cup victories and two runners-up finishes. Under her leadership, the team also climbed through various divisions and leagues to reach the FA Premier League on two separate occasions, establishing Cardiff City Ladies as one of the top 12 teams in the UK—a remarkable achievement for a Welsh club.
Her influence extended to the national stage as well. Michele coached the Welsh Under-19 international team for over ten years, helping to develop some of Wales’s most prominent footballing talents, including Jess Fishlock, Gwennan Harries, Kayleigh Barton, Katie Sherwood, Amie Lea, Charlotte Miller, Caroline Cooper, and Nia Jones. Her ability to spot and nurture talent has been one of her greatest strengths.
In addition to her success with Gwalia United and the Welsh youth teams, Michele also served as assistant manager to Sue Lopez at senior level and managed the Welsh women’s five-a-side team. Her coaching credentials extended even further as the manager of the British Civil Service Women’s team, underscoring her far-reaching impact on the women’s game.
Adams’s impact on Welsh women’s football extends far beyond the pitch. Having earned 28 caps for Wales during her playing career and given over 40 years of service to the sport, Adams remains a central figure in the Welsh football community. Her dedication and leadership have shaped the opportunities available to the next generation of female footballers in Wales.
The conversation around women’s football in Wales has shifted, thanks in no small part to Adams’s efforts. When we see Rhian Wilkinson’s Wales compete at the highest level in Switzerland over the summer, it’s important to remember that once the very notion of women’s football was seen as a fringe activity. Now, it is a respected and celebrated part of Welsh sporting culture.
Michele Adams MBE has not only witnessed this transformation—she has been instrumental in driving it forward.
