Towera parts ways with Scottish side
Malawian netball star Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda is hunting for a new team as her Scottish club Strathclyde Sirens will not be part of the United Kingdom Vitality Netball Super League transformation.
The goal defender, nick-named ‘Tobby’, said in an interview that she will not renew her contract, ending a three-year romance with the Glasgow-based outfit, which finished second from the bottom last season.
Said the Malawi Queens captain: “The league is undergoing major restructuring to make it more competitive and professional and, as such, Sirens announced that they will not be able to meet the new requirements financially.
“So, as it is, I will have to look for a new team.”
The 2021 Vitality Super League Players’ Player-of-the-Season, said she is optimistic of securing a new club.
“There have been enquiries from a few teams already, but nothing concrete yet as the signing window has just opened,” said the 33-year-old.
A statement released by the club on its withdrawal partly reads: “Strathclyde Sirens are desperately disappointed to confirm that the Sirens won’t be competing in England Netball’s new Netball Super League from 2025.
“The Sirens fully support England Netball’s vision for creating the best professional netball league in the world, but the additional demands and costs for running a professional franchise were beyond our ability and resources at this time, needing to find at least an additional £500 000 [about K1.16 billion] each year.”
Among others, the restructuring of the UK top-flight netball has seen four teams pulling out, the others being Towera’s former club Severn Stars, Team Bath which ex-Queens captain Caro Mtukule once played for, and Surrey Storm.
Towera’s compatriot Joyce Mvula’s team Leeds Rhinos has been confirmed as one of the teams that will stay put in the top league, having met the new conditions.
The league has also been trimmed from 10 to eight teams and two new teams, Birmingham Panthers and Nottingham Forest, have been taken on board.
Towera represented Malawi at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and at the 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023 Netball World Cups.
