MANAGER Benson Miyoba believes that Woking Women are “operating at a level way above tier six in terms of behaviour and commitment” and is proud of the way they have conducted themselves this season.

In just under a year, Miyoba, pictured, and his team have harnessed local interest in women’s football, created an under-12 side and been proactive in promoting Woking FC in the wider community.

Miyoba’s own journey in football began when he was eight years old, playing village football in Essex and “scoring lots of goals”. He went on to play semi-professional football and gained his coaching badges but, in his early 20s, he decided to walk away from the game.

Instead, he channelled his energy into building a career away from football. But then, 15 years later, he reached a point where he felt he needed to take a step back and reassess his life.

Miyoba told the News & Mail: “When I stepped away from football, which was obviously such a large part of my life, I had this big void which I filled with status and material things – and that became my life.”

So, aged 37, Miyoba decided he had to change something – and it was at this point that he rediscovered football. He said: “It was the obvious thing, so my first step was to get back into the game through scouting as it was an opportunity to be around football without much commitment. Quite quickly, I realised that sitting with an iPad in a stand wasn’t for me.

“I enjoyed the football, but I didn’t enjoy the lack of personal connection and I felt like I needed to be working with people.”

He reached out to 20 football managers regarding opportunities at their clubs. But only one – Paul Barnes, who was boss of Guildford City – had such an opening.

Miyoba said: “I went to Guildford City as a cone carrier for Barnesy and then they gradually let me get involved in the strength and conditioning, the mindset stuff and a few coaching drills.

“Then I caught wind that they wanted to set up a women’s team and I said to the chief executive ‘I’ll do it’.”

With the help of assistant manager Chanelle de Souza initially, and later head coach Frankie Paul, Miyoba set up a team from scratch.

Miyoba said: “We set up Guildford City Women at the beginning of last season. By December, we were hitting some phenomenal results with a very young team.

“Then a conversation came about with John Monday [chief executive of Cardinals in the Community] at Woking, who said there was an opportunity coming up to lead the women and girls’ pathway.

“I knew of Woking. It was a football club I respected. When I spoke to my dad and said I was going to Woking, he was excited – and when I presented what I was aiming to achieve personally in the game and what I thought Woking Women could achieve, it all aligned.

“I’ve now got the opportunity to work with a group of players who have bought into my vision that they can potentially be playing National League football in a couple of years and into the fact that they’re role models to the under-12 team that Anthony Murray set up.

“It’s beautiful to see and an honour and a privilege, so I don’t need the material things because this is much more satisfying.”

* HISTORY will be made when Woking Women take on Kent side Dartford in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup third qualifying round on Sunday.

It is the first time the Cards have reached this stage of the competition. Last year, they were beaten by Walton Casuals in the second qualifier.

This weekend’s game kicks-off at 2pm and is being played at Sheerwater’s Eastwood Centre home. Entry is free, but tickets must be booked in advance – see Woking’s social media for details.