The arrival of Nigerian international Ini Umotong at Lewes is just the start of an exciting few months for the club who have ambitions to break into the Women's Super League, become full-time and set up an academy.

Lewes were boosted by a six-figure investment sum from fashion brand Lyle & Scott in December - a deal which is initially set to run until summer 2021 - and it has helped the women's team "realise our ambitions" and feel "a little bit more secure" financially, says general manager Maggie Murphy.

Umotong, 26, is just one of several players Lewes hopes to attract in the January transfer window as they chase their ambitions to become a full-time WSL side.

The former Brighton striker was named in Nigeria's 23-player squad for the 2015 World Cup in Canada. She has made seven international appearances in total and scored 11 goals in 46 appearances for the Seagulls.

Community-owned side Lewes currently sit sixth in the Championship with four wins from their opening 11 games.
'Investment is important validation'

Umotong said it was the "opportunities on and off the field" which drew her to Lewes and she will work part-time alongside Murphy to learn about the business side of the club - something she hopes to go into after football.

"Lewes is known for its integrity and its morals in equality. When I came in I felt that straight away," she told BBC Sport.

"Everything they are trying to achieve - the ambition and where they want to be - really excites me. Anything I can do on the field, whether that be scoring or assisting, I hope I can do.

"I will also get a feel of how the club is run, the sustainability of the football club and more about women's football in general because I'm really passionate about that. It's what I want to go into afterwards - the growth and sustainability of women's football."

Murphy, who said she is "delighted" the club were able to attract Umotong, believes the latest investment is "important validation" for the work Lewes have done in developing "a club personality and culture".

"The investment has allowed us to raise the level of our ambition in this transfer window," she added. "We're delighted to be bringing Ini on board.

"It's been no secret that a small community-owned club like Lewes struggles financially and the pandemic has not been easy at all so that investment in the middle of it has allowed us to feel a little bit more secure in where we are now and also in helping us realise our ambitions."

Lyle & Scott's brand director Ben Gunn said they believed "Lewes is a beacon in the sporting world" and their investment was "not just about handing over a cheque".

"They genuinely really excited us. We didn't just want to sponsor Lewes but to help them tell their story," he added. "So many businesses have suffered in the last 12 months and particularly in women's football so that was why we were so keen to support the club."
'Excited to see where we go next'

With new investment and an attractive recruitment model, Lewes are now looking at the next steps and that includes becoming a full-time set-up in the summer, as well as the introduction of an academy.

"Over the summer we are going to try and do things a little differently," said Murphy. "We are going to move to more of a full-time training model.

"I think that's a really important step forward for us. It's something we have been wanting to do for a long time.

"We also want to be able to establish a solid academy team and invest in our young players that are coming through the ranks. We want to focus on their development as players and as people so we're already working with schools and universities.

"One sponsor won't be able to make that happen but we hope to prove that with a tiny bit of investment, we can move a mile. I'm so excited to see where we can go next."