A number of experienced players are among those released by manager Carly Davies following Nottingham Forest’s second double-winning season in three years.

The Reds, who secured promotion to the Women’s Championship with a comfortable, City Ground win, on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign, have announced the release of a dozen players following the expirations of their respective contracts.

Amongst those released are attacking midfielder, Sophie Domingo, herself a double, double-winner with the club, following three seasons in the Garibaldi, Holly Manders after two seasons with the club, along with the experience of Kate Longhurst, a two-time WSL winner with Liverpool, and Naomi Bedeau, a two-time Northern Premier Division champion.

There’s also been the release of several, younger players, including former Leicester City shot-stopper, Holly Mears, who, at 19-years-old, has plenty of time to forge a name for herself.

So, who has been released following the announcement on Saturday 3 May; alphabetically, the players that have come to the ends of their respective contracts are as follows –

NAOMI BEDEAU A two-time Northern Premier Division champion, Bedeau, a defender, has plenty of experience following spells at the likes of Ipswich Town, Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Newcastle United. She helped the Magpies win the Northern Premier in 2024, and in 2025, played three times as Forest did the same.

MEGAN BELL A Northern Ireland international midfielder, Bell joined Forest from Glasgow Rangers in January this year having already won several titles both in her homeland (with Linfield) and in Scotland, adding one in England for good measure; she made seven appearances this past season.

MILLIE CHANDARANA A well-travelled midfielder, Chandarana was a key component of the double-winners, scoring five goals in thirty appearances this season. She joined the Reds last summer following spells abroad, arriving from Blackburn Rovers.

SOPHIE DOMINGO A much-established attacking midfielder, Domingo joined the Reds, in the summer of 2022, from East Midlands rivals, Derby County, and has gone on to win a double-double with Forest. This past season she scored fourteen goals in twenty-eight appearances for the club, taking her tally to thirty-four in eighty-three over the past three campaigns.

BRIDGET GALLOWAY A north-east born striker, Galloway has made the most of limited chances in the Garibaldi, scoring ten goals in her nineteen appearances following her summer move, along with Bedeau, from Newcastle. She has also played for Sunderland and Durham.

JESSICA HENNESSY Irish defender, Hennessy has already been playing for a number of years, her previous club being League of Ireland Premier side, Shamrock Rovers, before moving to the East Midlands late last year. During her spell with Forest, she made nine appearances.

ALICE KEITLEY A 21-year-old midfielder, Keitley initially joined the Reds on a dual registration loan for the 2023/24 season, making that permanent last season. Chances for the midfielders have however been restricted.

KATE LONGHURST A veteran of the women’s game, Longhurst has been plying her trade for over two decades now, with Forest having been her eighth club during that period. An England Youth international, Longhurst lifted the WSL, twice, with Liverpool, and is also a two-time Fa Cup runner-up, adding double-winner with the Northern Premier Division League and Cup this past season. With the Reds of Nottingham, Longhurst scored twice in thirty appearances during a productive campaign.

HOLLY MANDERS A youthful midfielder, Manders’ playing experience prior to arriving at Forest in the summer od 2023, saw her turn out for both Middlesbrough, and Durham, over the previous six campaigns. During the season just finished she scored six goals in twenty games, taking her tally for the Reds to twenty-two in forty-eight outings.

HOLLY MEARS A young shot-stopper, Mears only turned 19 earlier this year, having signed for the Reds, on a dual-registration loan, at the start of 2024, from another East Midlands club, Leicester City. Unfortunately for her, chances have been slim due to the irrepressible form of the Reds’ number one, Emily Batty – but time is certainly on the youngsters’ side to make an impression elsewhere.

AMY SIMS A midfielder who was perhaps seen as a coup for the Reds at the time of her signing; Sims was a top-scorer, and captain, at East Midlands rivals, Derby County, before switching allegiance last summer. This season though has seen just the one goal, in twenty-eight appearances, but finished it with a trophy double. She still has plenty to give.

HOLLY TURNER An experienced forward with experience playing in the South, Turner joined the Reds from Hashtag United, with whom she had two spells, soring plenty of goals. In Nottingham though she’s had little opportunity to shine with the former Ipswich Town and Billericay player making just six appearances for the Garibaldi.

The release of the above dozen players, it certainly frees a lot of space in the squad as manager Davies plots an assault on next seasons Women’s Championship; of those departing, eight come from the midfield engine, with both Domingo and Manders sizeable boots to fill.

There’ll also be the need for an experienced goalkeeper to challenge Emily Batty between the sticks, along with one or two more defenders and forwards, Reds fans are in for an interesting summer to say the least.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @NFFCWomen Sophie Domingo one of the twelve released by Forest.