burnley football club girls & ladies · 2016-09-27 · the club our proud history burnley fc...
TRANSCRIPT
Burnley Football Club Girls & Ladies
Season 2015/16 Presentation Evening
7:00pm Friday 6th May 2015James Hargreaves Stand Turf Moor Burnley
The Club
Our Proud History
Burnley FC Girls and Ladies was founded by John Lister in 1995. The club initially consisted of 15 ladies, who trained in the old sports barn at Turf Moor and played their home games at their Gawthorpe training facility. This year the club had ten teams: a development squad; junior teams aged from 9 to 16; and for open ages a first team and senior development squad.
When our teams kicked off the 2015/16 season, the club celebrated its 20th consecutive year of play. We also achieved another landmark, getting our very own entry on Wikipedia! But if you want to know more about our club, check out the website. It contains everything you need to know and is regularly updated with news items, match reports and picture galleries.
Your Committee
These are the people who devote a considerable amount of their own time to make sure that all the behind the scenes matters are taken care of so that our managers and coaches are able to help you, or your daughters, to play competitive football in a safe environment.
If there is an issue you would like to raise, however small, or you have an idea about how to take the club forward, please get in touch, we’re here to listen and help.
Position Name Contact No.
Chairman Kris Jones 07775 185 329
Vice Chair Bryan Tunstill 07940 128 731
Club Secretary John Halton 07786 241 933
Treasurer and Sponsorship & Events Officer
Catherine McCartney 07738 754 980
Joint Treasurer and Membership Secretary
Justine Lee 07584 664 373
Child Welfare Officer Joanna Bennett 07954 138 694
Development Officer Joanne Butterworth 07954 138 694
Open Age Teams Secretary Martin Smith 07719 359 044
Fixtures Secretary Danny McCartney 07914 668 029
Order of Events
Our Presentation Evening is the highlight of the season for many of our players. We kindly ask that if you must talk during the presentation of medals, you do so QUIETLY so that those who want to hear what is being said can do so.
7:15pm Chairman’s Welcome by Kris Jones
7:20pm Presentation of Special Achievement Awards by Tim Milne‐Redhead
7:30pm Presentation of Team Medals and Individual Player Trophies with Special Guest
Players Player of the Year Managers Player of the Year
Achievement Award
8:15pm BREAK
8:30pm Raffle / Auction with Mick Preston
9:00pm Disco with DJ Wilko
11:00pm End of Proceedings
Don’t forget our ANNUAL FUNDAY! Please come along and join in our celebrations.
TRAIN WITH THE FIRST TEAM
PLAY SMALL SIDED-GAMES
WATCH “MATCH OF THE DAY”
The event will finish with our annual ‘friendly’ match between the Open Age Squad and the Coaching Staff!
Can our ladies avenge last year’s 4‐2 defeat?
@ Barden Athletics Track, Burnley, BB10 1JQ
Welcome To Our Special Guest
Bertie Bee
With Burnley pushing for promotion to the Premiership and an important game at Charlton Athletic tomorrow, Burnley Football Club has been unable to send a player to this evening’s event.
However, club mascot Bertie Bee has kindly agreed to pop along to entertain our younger guests for an hour, whilst the older players mess with their mobile phones or retire to the bar.
No one is quite sure when Bertie first buzzed his way out of the old Bee Hole End, but he seems to have been around for ages. Over the years he has entertained fans with his cheeky antics, but also managed to court a bit of controversy.
He famously escaped punishment in October 2013 when the Football League decided not to take any action against him after he was sent off during the Championship clash against QPR. Bertie had the crowd in stitches when just 15 minutes into the game (a 2‐0 win by the way), he attempted to hand a pair of glasses to the assistant referee (see above). Unfortunately, the referee failed to see the funny side of things. Far from merely being sent down the tunnel or into the stands, Bertie was next found behind bars in a makeshift 'jail', much to the amusement of his Twitter followers.
This incident was not the first time Bertie had made the headlines. In March 2002, with the Clarets leading 2‐0 against local rivals Preston North End, a streaker emerged from the Jimmy McIlroy Stand and made his way down the pitch towards the Preston fans. When he reached the penalty box at the Cricket Field End he turned away from the visiting fans and bent over to display the score‐line … on his bottom!!!
Nobody on the pitch did anything about it and the police and stewards were slow to react. So the streaker turned and set off back towards his seat. He wasn’t far off making it either when Bertie stepped in with a perfectly timed rugby tackle.
The streaker was escorted from the ground, and subsequently banned for life, whilst Bertie did a lap of honour bowing to the crowd as he walked round the perimeter of the pitch.
A Word From The Chairman Dear all,
Welcome to tonight’s presentation evening. I hope you all have a great time.
Many of you will not know me, as I only joined the club last year, taking over as First Team Manager in June. Prior to joining Burnley FC Girls & Ladies I had been the assistant manager and goalkeeping coach at Aberystwyth Town Ladies from 2008‐13. Our club hosted the first ever game in the Welsh Women’s Premier League in 2009. From 2010, I also managed the clubs third team. In 2013 I took a break from football before moving to Burnley.
On behalf of everyone at the club I would like to put on record our sincere thanks to Tim Milne‐Redhead who has been the Chairman for the last four years. Under his leadership our club has changed beyond all recognition, becoming one of the leading clubs in the country devoted to girls and ladies football. Thanks also to his wife Yvonne who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to pull together articles for our regular features in the Burnley Express and Burnley FC match day programme.
It is my task to help build on these recent successes, whilst not forgetting that the overriding priority for our club is to provide a safe and secure environment in which girls and women of all ages and abilities can play and enjoy football. With over 160 registered players from the age of five and upwards, I think we can claim to be succeeding.
We organise this event every year as a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the club’s success over the last 12 months. Most of all we are here to thank all our players for their efforts this past season. Whilst we honour those girls who have been chosen to receive the Players’ Player of the Year; the Manager's Player of the Year or the Achievement Award, each and every girl has played an important role in her team’s success in 2015/16.
Speaking of success, special mention this year must go to our U10s who achieved the league and cup double for the second year in succession; our U16s who made it through to the West Lancashire Girls Football League Cup Final (where they lost narrowly to Preston North End) and beat arch rivals Blackburn CSC in the Lancashire County FA Cup Final; and our U15s who, at the time of writing, look likely to win the North Valley League title.
All of this would, of course, not be possible without our sponsors, so a huge thank you to them. Thank you also to Burnley FC, who have once again let us have this room free of charge this evening. I’d also like to put on record our thanks to Bertie Bee for agreeing to be our special guest tonight.
Since England claimed third place in the World Cup last summer, with a 1‐0 win over Germany, interest in the ladies game has grown significantly, especially in the younger age groups. So we hope that with your help, our club will continue to go from strength to strength in the years ahead.
Many thanks.
Kris Jones Chairman Burnley FC Girls & Ladies
Junior Development Squad & U9s Manager
Darren Sturrock (NOT pictured)
Coach
David Haigh
Hannah Scott
Secretary
Emma Clegg Romao
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Jessica Anderson Chloe Nicholas Jessica Spencer
Isabella Coniglio Gemma Roberts Elizabeth Sturrock
Riley DuToit Ellie Romao Eva Thornton
Harriet Goodwin Melissa Sahin
Freya‐Louise Haigh Maya Smith
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2015/16 Season Review Before the season started, for reasons beyond the clubs control, the remaining players in our Junior Development Squad were left without a manager and only one coach to look after them. To fill the void the club appointed Danny McCartney as the new manager and I stepped up to coach alongside Hannah Scott, a player from our First Team.
Over the summer we recruited a number of new girls, with the help of a grant from Burnley FC in the Community. Whilst many of our players were under eight years old at the start of training, it quickly became clear that they had a great deal of potential. So for the first time ever, despite their tender years, the club decided to enter a team in the Under 9s Girls Division of the North Valley & Burnley Unity Youth Football League.
Our first few matches went really well and we knocked‐up a few wins along the way. After a couple of months Danny took over our Under 13s team and I decided to step‐up and take on the role of Team Manager. Whilst I had experience coaching in grassroots football, I had never managed a team before. Ideally I needed another coach to help out at training and was fortunate that one of the player’s parents, David Haigh, was happy to step forward. It has been a real eye‐opener learning everything that is required to run a successful team. Management has proved to be a highly rewarding experience and overall I think the parents would agree that the transition has gone fairly smoothly.
Weather permitting, the team takes to the field each Sunday morning. With the winter back log of games we still have 10 matches left to play at the time of writing. The girls have acquitted themselves well against older opposition, showing so much enthusiasm and team spirit in games and never giving up before the final whistle has blown. At this point in the season we already have seven wins under our belt, so there is much to be proud of.
Training is enjoyable, playing fun games like crabs and tag to get the girls warmed up. It can be a little chaotic at times, but we have seen improvement in the girls week after week.
I would like to say a massive thank you to our sponsors Jay‐Care and all the parents. Without your support and dedication over the last year the team wouldn't be where it is now.
Darren Sturrock Junior Development Squad and U9s Manager
U10s
Manager Mick Preston
CoachAdela Rodriguez
Secretary Kathryn Halton
Playing Squad
1. Isobel Halton (GK) 6. Pippa Ousby 10. Zaiba Ishaque
2. Megan Rodriguez 7. Amy Roberts 11. Madison Larnach
3. Jorja Finegan (C) 8. Lois Delaney 12. Taylor Hutchison
4. Katie Tasker 9. Olivia Ainsworth‐McCoskery
‐ Katie Horn
5. Jaden Hutchinson ‐ Marissa Toft
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2015/16 Season Review Preparation in May and June was good, but having lost three players to our ‘friends’ down the road, we were short on numbers. New players signed in the summer, and quickly began to get used to our style of play. My target for the season was to improve enough to compete with the ‘bigger teams’ in the league and hopefully qualify for the Champions League stage – the Cup hadn’t entered my mind!
At the time of writing the final destiny of this fantastic team remains unclear. Two more wins against a very strong Academy Juniors side would see them complete the league and cup double for the second consecutive season! Although two wins would be nice, nothing in this league is guaranteed. This season has been the best standard of Under 10s football I have seen, with the Top 5 teams capable of beating each other on their day. They would all give a Centre of Excellence team a run for their money. Deep down the outcome of the final two games is probably important to me; but it’s not ‘life‐changing’ for the girls. Their steady improvement throughout the season has been a joy to behold, and in the latter stages they were beating teams who had comfortably beaten them the first time around.
There were promising signs in the heavy defeats at Preston and Blackpool early in the season. A lot of hard work needed to be done, but if the girls listened I knew they could compete. And listen they did. At times Adela and I asked them to do things in matches that were well beyond their years, but they performed their tasks admirably. We turned an 8‐2 defeat against Preston in our opening game, into a 4‐3 win in the League Cup just a few weeks later. A 3‐2 loss away to Lostock Hall became a 2‐1 victory to us when they visited the new Prairie Sports Village. Most impressive was our turnaround against Blackpool. After a comprehensive 9‐3 defeat early in the season, we beat them 3‐0 in the end‐of–season Champions League game – yes we qualified.
The team has been unbeaten from October to April. Our success has required dedication, commitment and hard work from everyone involved – not just the players and coaches. I recognise and fully appreciate the important roles played by our team secretary, parents, relatives and sponsor Sweet Dreams. We are all happy to do ‘our bit’ for the girls and are reaping the value of all pulling in the same direction each and every week; so thank‐you for that.
It wouldn’t be me unless I ended on a controversial note! Last year murmurs from former members of our club suggested that the Under 9s Clarets had won the league and cup double against easy opposition, and that we would not have it so easy when the so called ‘bigger teams’ entered the league. Undeterred, the final line of my season summary said “Bring on the big guns.” They duly arrived in the form of Preston North End, Blackpool and Wigan Athletic, but ended the season firing blanks!
Bring on the ‘bigger guns’ in 2016/17!
Mick Preston U10s Clarets Team Manager
Editor’s Note: The U10s won their final two games against Academy Juniors to complete the league and cup double for the second consecutive season. Well done girls.
Under 11s
Manager Bryan Tunstill
CoachMichelle Martin Jo Butterworth
Secretary Jo Butterworth
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Zahra Ahmad Demi Lee Guest Madison McCartney
Mia Blezard Claire Hattersley Shanelle Roberts
Lucy Butterworth Zoe Hattersley Charlotte Saunders
Lucy Clegg Chloe Kennedy Jodie Smith
Grace Connor Josie Lee Mollie Tunstill
Kaitlyn Gallery (GK) Holly Martin
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2015/16 Season Review
Early season optimism this year was high, after a fine pre‐season where the girls excelled in the summer tournaments.
After an opening day win away at Town Green it soon become apparent that it was going to be a tough season for the girls. Our first home game was against Preston North End. They clearly have something in the water in Preston as their players towered over our girls and dominated the match from start to finish. Following this game we had a tough game away to Wigan Athletic. The only thing I can say about this game is please remember to feed your kids before a match!
We finally got back to winning ways at the end of September with a home win against Burscough Dynamo, with Mollie netting a hat trick and the impressive Madison scoring twice. At this point I thought the team was ready to kick on. How wrong I was. Six straight defeats followed and I could feel the pressure from the side‐lines. In my dreams, pitchforks and banners saying sack the manager could be seen at every game. When parents started taking coaching into their own hands away to St Helens Town I had to make a stance. But despite offering the job of organising training, sending constant texts out to parents and liaising with the opposition ahead of each game, no one wanted the job. I sought inspiration and after a long hard look into the mirror I realised I’m not the ‘special one’ just the ‘normal one’!
In the second half of the season, things started to improve. We began to win games again and secured a big scalp by beating a very good Academy Juniors side in what was our most complete performance of the season. Finally everyone was happy again.
All jokes apart … I have loved every second of this season. The girls – despite the results – have always had a smile on their face. They never cease to amaze me. We have a great team spirit here and the future is definitely bright. We don’t place any undue pressure or expectations on our girls. We just want them to learn from their own mistakes and have fun playing football. After all that’s why we are all here isn’t it?
A massive thank you to my coaching team this season. Both Jo and Michelle deserve recognition for their hard work. Without them I clearly would have had a meltdown by now!
And also a massive thanks to our sponsors Autoshine Professional Valeting & Detailing Specialist, who kindly sponsored the wonderful kits for our girls this season.
Thank you all.
Bryan Tunstill U11s Team Manager
Under 12s
Manager Martin Bourke
CoachJames Wright
Secretary Clare Pegg
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Mollie Beneduce Niamh Horsfield Sophie Riley
Caitlin Bourke Olivia Ingham Ellie Stuart
Kinga Cierniak Chloe Latham Ellie Stuttard
Madison Fisher Katie Miller (GK) Georgia Tattersall
Charley Gill Emma Morton Lauren Terry
Rosie Hetherington Holly Pegg
Faith Hitchon Sophia Redjab
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2015/16 Season Review
The girls have experienced a tough season playing against some very good teams across Lancashire and Merseyside.
We started well with a good win against Academy Juniors and fought out a tough match against Town Green.
Our next home game was a cup tie against Academy Juniors and we invited Victor our sponsor from McDonalds Restaurants to come down and watch the game. He kindly supplied the half time refreshments!
The girls were playing some good football and we matched most of the teams we played. But the weather didn't help this year and we didn’t play any games for a six week period either side of Christmas. This didn’t help the momentum of the team.
It's fair to say that overall we have found it hard in the league this year. The spirit and determination shown by the girls has been First Class and they have never given up. James and I could not have asked for any more.
Next season we have taken the decision to transfer to North Valley & Burnley Unity Youth Football League. This will mean less travelling, but we will need to be up bright and early on a Sunday morning!
I would like to thank all the parents who continue to support the girls week in and week. I would also like to thank Claire Pegg who has tirelessly collected the money for the referee at each game and sent the Team S0heets into the league.
Finally a huge thank‐you to Victor and McDonald's Restaurants for their support of our team.
We look forward to next season and the new challenge ahead.
Martin Bourke U12s Team Manager
U12s vs Blackpool (October 2015)
U12s vs Blackpool (October 2015)
Under 13s
Manager Danny McCartney
CoachTaylor Gregson
Secretary Sarah Hutchison
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Alyssa Mae Ahearne Elle Goss Grace Turner
Rebecca Campbell Megan Horan Annabelle Uttley
Kira Carrington Trinity Hutchison Abigail Wilson
Tigana Gent Phoebe Johnstone Grace Winder (GK)
Kerry Gibbins Grace Mills
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2015/16 Season Review
To say the team had a turbulent start to last season would be an understatement. First they lost the services of their popular long‐serving manager and coach. Then their replacements bailed‐out after just four games. Despite all this the girls kept up their high spirits, winning three of their opening games and earning a credible draw away to favourites Preston North End.
I was fortunate enough to join the Under 13s at the end of October and offer a bit of stability. And what a season it has become!
Our first ever meeting was on a cold Saturday morning for the home match against high flying Crosby Stuart. With only seven players available on the day the girls pulled off the impossible and walked away with a 6‐2 victory.
The girls have experienced both ups and downs during the season. The low point was being knocked out of the league cup by Preston North End before Christmas; the high point an amazing comeback from being 5‐1 down at the break against the same team in our league encounter to secure a 7‐5 victory at the final whistle!
Throughout the remainder of the season the team has grown. Not only have new players helped to boost the ranks, but all the players have shown masses of improvement game after game. For our team to have finished at the top end of the table is an amazing achievement for the girls under the circumstances.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents and players for accepting me into their team and taking me under their wing. It wouldn’t be fair of me not to mention the contribution of coach Taylor Gregson, who is also a defender with our First Team. Currently coaching in the United States she has been a fantastic role model for our girls and we look forward to her return next season.
Thank you to our sponsors Calico Homes who do a great job in our community providing social and affordable housing.
I’m already looking forward to the 2016/17 Season where we can hopefully achieve bigger and better things together.
Have a fantastic evening and I shall look forward to seeing you all during our summer tournaments.
Danny McCartney U13s Team Manager
Under 14s
Manager Tim Milne‐Redhead
CoachIrvine Holtom
Secretary Tim Milne‐Redhead
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Rebecca Aggett Sanah Mehdi Hannah Sheldon
Libby Bleasdale Cara Milne‐Redhead Also played in 2015/16:
Chloe Broughton Amy Moorhouse Tabitha Connolly (GK)
Isobelle Drinkwater Molly Partington‐Carpenter
Amy Foley
Lucy Holtom Ellie Moorhouse
Lucy Kerr Millie Schofield Tara Walker
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2015/16 Season Review
The 2015/16 season has been a mixed bag for the Under 14s. We look likely to finish in a disappointing mid‐table position in the League, but we have also shown what we’re capable of by reaching two Cup semi‐finals.
We started the season with a squad of 17 players, but numbers have fallen away, and we have often struggled to find nine available players. This has seen us struggle for consistency, and for League points.
Despite the season being disrupted by many postponements, we achieved a run of five successive wins for the first time in this squad’s history. The winning run included two thumping away wins in November; 6‐0 at Hesketh Colts and 10‐1 at Dynamo Rangers.
We’ve had our best ever season in Cup competitions. Our County Cup run saw us put in an excellent away performance to beat Cadley, who play their football in an Under 15s league, 3‐0. This win earned us a quarter‐final tie against St Annes. Poor weather meant 10 postponements before we finally played, with a convincing 9‐2 win taking us through to a semi‐final against PNE, which we narrowly lost.
We also reached the semi‐final of the League Cup, where we faced Blackpool. With just nine players available the odds were against us, but the team battled hard and showed great spirit, despite missing out on a place in the final.
Three of our players were chosen to be part of the Lancashire School’s Under 14s squad. Millie Schofield, Chloe Broughton and Cara Milne‐Redhead have helped the team to reach the English Trophy final, where they will face Essex. We wish them and the rest of the squad every success and hope that the Red Roses will bring the Trophy back to Lancashire.
Thanks to all of the girls (and their parents) for their efforts this season. There has been a lot of travelling, too many late postponements and some very poor weather, but the girls have always played in the right spirit, with smiles on their faces. Everyone connected with the Under 14s wishes Molly Partington‐Carpenter a speedy recovery from her broken collar bone, suffered in our hard‐fought win against Fillies.
As I’m standing down as Under 14’s Manager, I would like to take this chance to thank our Coach, Irvine Holtom, for his support throughout the six seasons that we have worked together. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him, he has played a key role in the players’ development and he has been a great friend.
Tim Milne‐Redhead U14s Team Manager
Under 15s
Manager Gaz Lord
CoachJoe Robinson
Secretary Gaz Lord
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Safah Amir Jade Foster Kayleigh Lyall (GK)
Gabrielle Barker Jessica Greenwood Olivia Moffit
Chloe Blackburn Claire Hermansen Bronte Polvani
Madeline Blackburn Indi Hickey Karina Rydzynska
Emily Casey Kendall Kelly
Amy Edmondson (C) Rebecca Lingard
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2015/16 Season Review
After finishing last season with improved confidence, performance levels and league position, we went on what would hopefully be a trophy hunt in the summer competitions.
This resulted in two tournament victories. The first was in Cheshire, where we had an unbeaten record and no goals against. Our second success was winning the “English International Super Cup” held at the Wythenshawe Sports Complex in Manchester, with an unbelievable performance in the final. We started the match with just ten players against Manchester, who were three‐time champions. Then, just ten minutes into the game, whilst scoring the opening goal, Maddie was injured. Down to nine players against a team that had already beaten us in the earlier group stages, we knew we were up against it. But the girls stuck to their tasks and courageously went on to win 4‐1 and lift the trophy.
The team faced a difficult choice in pre‐season. We had slowly built up a squad to support 11‐a‐side football. But the West Lancashire Girls Football League took the decision that their U15s Division would play 9‐a‐side games in the 2015/16 Season. To make matters worse, Blackpool, Blackburn CSC, Wigan Athletic and Preston North End planned to move‐up to play in the U16s Division, which played 11‐a‐side games. This left the level of competition in the U15s Division much weaker than anticipated. Luckily, the North Valley & Burnley Unity Youth Football League agreed that in their U15s Division, if both teams agreed in advance to play 11‐a‐side games they could do so. So we changed leagues!
After a difficult start to the season, we quickly bounced back, and now find ourselves in a league winning position. If the team wins its remaining games, the league title will be ours.
I think the change in management and coaching structure has been a bit of a culture shock for many of the U15s players. But to play well and compete for titles you have to work hard at training and rest on the bench, not on the pitch. All the girls have responded extremely well to the challenges we have set them and we are now seeing the best from the team. Looking forwards, there is quality within our ranks and healthy competition for places. Whilst this provides plenty of optimism for the future it creates incredibly difficult decisions as to who will take home the individual trophies tonight.
A massive well done to all the girls and huge thanks to all the parents for their help and support, especially on match days. I hope they have enjoyed watching the girls performances improve as much as Joe and I have throughout the season.
Gaz Lord U15s Team Manager
Under 16s
Manager Simon Waring
CoachBeth Waring
Secretary ‐
Playing Squad Listed Alphabetically
Lauren Birks Sam Lyons Georgia Payton
Daisy Child Ella Mills (GK) Georgia Pilling
Leonah Ellis Emily Nguyen Evie Priestley
Emily Gibbins (GK) Angelika Parker Reuben‐Leigh Troth (C)
Megan Johnson Ellie Parker Ellie Waring
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2015/16 Season Review
This has been a really exciting season for the Under 16s.
Several new teams entered the league this season. Many were the best teams from the Under 15s age group playing up a year in order to play 11‐a‐side rather than 9‐a‐side football. This made the league far more interesting and much more competitive.
As in previous years, over the summer we lost some players to Academy teams. But we retained a very strong core of loyal players and the team re‐shaped. Our league results were below what we have come to expect. In part this was due to the stronger teams involved in the league, but we also lost some key games by narrow margins that we should’ve won.
Our Cup form, was, however something else! We beat the two top teams in the league on our way to the finals of the Lancashire FA County Cup and the West Lancashire Girls Football League Cup.
We defeated Preston North End Blue in the semi‐final of the County Cup, whilst Preston North End White were our victims in the League Cup quarter‐final. These victories meant that over the course of the season we had beaten every other team at least once, which was truly a measure of what we are capable of on our day.
Unfortunately Preston North End Blue gained their revenge on us in the League Cup Final, held at Victoria Park in Burscough, when they beat us 2‐0 in a very close game.
The following week we played Blackburn CSC for the right to bring home the prestigious County Cup. The final, played at the Lancashire FA Ground in Leyland, was a magnificent occasion for the girls and turned out to be a really exciting game for the supporters.
Both teams were evenly matched, but there is no doubt that we created the most chances. Eventually our persistence was rewarded and we won 1‐0 with a late penalty from Georgia Payton.
These girls have now made club history by winning the County Cup at U14 and U16 level – a fantastic achievement. Well done to the whole squad!
Thanks to the parents of our players for their commitment and support. Thanks also to Beth who has helped me coach the girls and now leaves to go to University. Finally I would also like to express my gratitude to our kit sponsors Inside Spa.
Next year will be a new challenge when we move up again to play in what will be a high quality U18 Youth League.
Simon Waring U16s Team Manager
Senior Development Squad
Manager Martin Heys
CoachPaul McGladdery
Open Age SecretaryMartin Smith
Open Age Playing Squad
Bryony Bancroft 3 Grace Byrne 3 Elizabeth Hamer 1
Natalie Bell 1 Claire Collins 1 Rebecca Hayton 3
Abbie Blackett 3 Paula Duffy 1 Phoebe Hindle 3
Karly Bland (GK) 3 Emilie Forrest 2 Jo Holt (C) 3
Jade Brindle 2 Sarah Greenhalgh 1 Holly Hunter 1
Grace Bullock 3 Taylor Gregson 1 Simone Keating 3
Laura Burrows 2 Kathryn Halligan 1 Katie Long 3
Shirt Sponsor
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Burnley FC Ladies
Manager Kris Jones
CoachMichael Flannery
Physio Jack Hindle
Listed Alphabetically
Amy Melvin 2 Alice Routledge 2 Emma White 1
Ella Mills 2 Hannah Scott 3
Ria Montgomery 2 Rebecca Sidley 1
Emma Namba 3 Lora Speak (C) 2 Key
Katy O’Hara 2 Sophie Ullah 3 1 Burnley FC Ladies
2 Senior Development Squad
3 Registered to play for both Open Age teams
Ami Phelan 2 Sophie Valentine (GK) 3
Joanna Rohman 1 Justine Wallace 1
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2015/16 Season Review: Senior Development SquadAfter gaining promotion to the Lancashire FA Women’s Division One last season, a number of changes took place over the summer. Long‐term players Sophie Greenwood and Hannah Till departed to play college football in America. Katie Long and Bryony Bancroft started University, ruling them out of most games. New Manager Martin Heys came on board and had high hopes after a solid pre‐season.
The season itself got off to the perfect start, with a 3‐0 win away at an established Bolton Wanderers side. However, the league proved to be very unpredictable with all the teams showing that, on their day, anybody could beat anybody. In the following weeks, the SDS fell to defeats against Barrowford Celtic and then Penwortham Ladies, before hammering Bolton Wanderers 13‐0 in their biggest win of the season.
Former Under 16s player Ria Montgomery, who had shone in the early part of the season, was poached by Blackburn Rovers. Fellow youngsters Alice Routledge and Amy Melvin impressed more with each game as they gained in confidence.
The season then became very stop/start, as teams postponed fixtures seemingly at will. This left the SDS with just three games to play between October and January. In the first of these they avenged their earlier defeat to Barrowford Celtic, but were then beaten at home by Morecambe before gaining a credible draw with Blackburn CSC ahead of the enforced "winter break".
In the New Year, with the addition of Abbie Blackett and a new 3‐5‐2 formation, the team beat Blackburn CSC, but followed‐up that excellent result with a narrow defeat at home to Penwortham Ladies. When the return game with Morecambe was abandoned after 49 minutes, due to a serious knee injury which ended the season for Laura Burrows, the SDS were playing for pride, with only the League Cup left to compete for. In the cup, the SDS beat Penwortham Town 5‐2 before being knocked out at the quarter‐final stage by old adversaries Blackburn CSC.
The SDS then travelled to Morecambe looking to get back to winning ways, but once again came unstuck on their travels. With the final away game of the season against second placed Southport Shoreline looming, it was time for the players to prove what they were made of. And they did it in style. Led by Captain Lora Speak, the team put in their best performance of the season. The win was well‐deserved and capped off with a first half hat‐trick from Hannah Wood. Her first in Burnley colours.
At the time of writing there are still two games left to play, but overall a mid‐table finish, in a new league, with a very young squad is a great achievement. The SDS will look to build on their league position next season!
Martin Heys SDS Team Manager
2015/16 Season Review: Burnley FC Ladies After an outstanding start to the 2015/16 season, Burnley Ladies First Team suffered a mid‐season wobble followed by a late‐season slump.
During September and October, the lady Clarets won their opening five matches in the North West Women’s Regional Premier League, scoring 27 goals whilst conceding only five. This sequence included emphatic away wins of 8‐1 and 6‐1 at Northwich and Blackpool respectively. Alas, this blistering form could not be sustained, with November witnessing two draws and an early cup exit at Penrith.
The opening months of 2016 brought another convincing victory over Northwich, followed by the first league defeat of the season, a 4‐1 reverse against close rivals Bolton Wanderers. Three wins on the bounce in late February/early March rekindled optimism, but a subsequent downturn in form and confidence has led to a succession of surprising defeats against Manchester Stingers, Accrington and Wigan Athletic.
At the time of writing, with three games still remaining, fourth place appears to be the best finish that Burnley can hope for. More than respectable, but hugely disappointing given the talent within the squad.
Despite the inconsistent results, a couple of players deserve a special mention for their performance levels throughout the season. The reliable Paula Duffy has ably supported skipper, Jo Holt, in the centre of the Burnley backline, quietly carrying out her defensive duties in a way that can often go unnoticed. At the other end of the pitch, Liz Hamer has repeatedly tormented opposition defenders with her energy and wing trickery.
But the achievements of a football club are not only linked to league position and success on the field. Influential first‐team centre‐half (and stand‐in keeper) Taylor Gregson devoted a chunk of her spare time to coaching the U13s team. Her commitment was rewarded when she secured a post coaching in the United States for three‐months. Unfortunately this achievement rendered her unavailable for selection from March onwards.
Another First Team member heading across the North Atlantic to develop her footballing skills is our gifted left winger Natalie Bell. She recently signed‐up for a four‐year football scholarship at Queen’s University in Charlotte, North Carolina. During her time in the States she will train three times per day and play two matches each week, whilst also studying for a psychology degree.
So the 2015/16 campaign represents a mixed bag of success and disappointment, with outstanding examples of personal development running parallel with collective underachievement on the field. Nonetheless, a fourth‐place finish should provide a springboard from which this talented group of players can go on to challenge for promotion next season.
Gary Sidley
A Season of Opportunity Even though Burnley FC Girls & Ladies does not benefit from Academy status, the quality of the football being played by our girls has not gone un‐noticed in the last 12 months.
Seven of our girls have been selected to represent Lancashire Schools U14s Girls in 2015/16. The youngest player to be called‐up is striker Grace Mills from the U13s. Blessed Trinity student, Millie Schofield, is one of three players from the U14s to be selected. She is joined by midfielder Cara Milne‐Redhead and right‐back Chloe Broughton. Cara started playing with Clitheroe Wolves at just four years old, and is currently in her fifth season with the Clarets. Chloe had a brief
spell training at the Blackburn Rovers’ Centre of Excellence, before seeing the light and switching her allegiance to Burnley. Three players from our U15s were also selected – Amy Edmondson and Chloe Blackburn are both in Year 9 at Bowland High School, whilst Jessica Greenwood lives in Bacup and attends Whitworth High School.
The Lancashire Schools’ Under 14s team is managed by Michael Nadal, who is a Development Officer with the Lancashire FA. Since the girls’ teams were set up five years ago they have competed in 12 finals and won eight trophies. And this season has continued that success with the girls reaching the final for the fourth year in succession, where they will meet Essex.
Several girls were invited to attend the Girls Player Development Centre at the Lancashire FA in Leyland. This works with grassroots football clubs and schools across the County to provide a high quality training programme for talented female players. It links into the FA Female Player’s Pathway, which is the first step on the journey to representing England as a full international.
At the end of last season Sophie Greenwood and Hannah Till received full scholarships to play football for Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, USA. At the end of this season Natalie Bell will follow in their footsteps when she journeys across the Atlantic to play for Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina. According to the University website she will be “joining a program that is coming off of its most successful year since entering the South Atlantic Conference”. And as you read this Taylor Gregson a player with our First Team and an Assistant Coach with our U13s will be coaching young female footballers in New Jersey.
Action Replay
From our youngest players, taking their first steps in football (right), to our oldest players [sorry ladies], who for much of the season looked like achieving their highest ever finish (below), this has been a great season for Burnley FC Girls & Ladies.
A huge thank‐you to Yvonne Milne‐Redhead who has pulled together, or written, most of the articles that appear in the sports section of the Friday edition of the Burnley Express and each edition of the Burnley FC match day programme (left). It’s not easy to keep coming up with new stories every week. But thanks to Yvonne’s efforts the profile of our club has never been higher in the local media. Sadly Yvonne will be leaving us in the off‐season, so if you’re up for a challenge, please get in touch.
First Team vs Penrith (September 2015)
Photo courtesy of JP Smith Photography
U9s vs Haslingden (September 2015)
Photo Gallery
A selection of some of the best action shots taken during the 2015/16 Season; together with our Under 11s, winners of the early season ‘selfie’ competition.
U10s vs Preston North End (March 2016)
First Team vs Curzon Ashton (March 2016)U12s vs Blackpool (October 2015)
First Team vs Penrith (September 2015)
Photo courtesy of JP Smith Photography
Photo Gallery
All Photos on this page – SDS vs Southport Shoreline (April 2016)
Thank you to the following companies who have kindly provided prizes for tonight’s raffle:
Our Valued Supporters
U10s Team Sponsor With over 600 branches across the country, Jewson is the UK's leading supplier of sustainable timber and building materials. The first Jewson branch opened in 1836 and for 180 years has been supplying building materials and supporting the trade.
U13s Team Sponsor Yorkshire Bank was established by Colonel Edward Ackroyd of Halifax in 1859. Based in Leeds it was originally known as the West Riding Penny Savings Bank. Today Yorkshire Bank has 182 retail branches, a strong personal customer base and a nationwide business banking capability.
Presentation Evening Supporter We're a family owned trophy shop, established in 1978. We offer a full range of trophies and awards for every occasion, in glass, wood, resins (sports figures), and our own unique range of trophies and corporate awards in Westmorland Green Slate and other natural stones.
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Playing
If you or a friend would be interested in playing for one of our teams, please get in touch. We’re an FA Charter Standard Community Club open to everyone, so new players don’t need to complete trials to join us. Just come along to one of our training sessions or give us a call and we will put you in touch with the relevant team manager.
Sponsorship
Running a not for profit club of this size is an expensive operation. Unlike many other women’s teams affiliated with a Premier League or Football League club, Burnley FC Girls & Ladies does not receive its playing or training kits free of charge. Like all other ‘grassroots clubs’ we pay to hire pitches, buy our own equipment and take out insurance cover on our players.
Securing sponsorship is vital so that our club can keep player subscriptions as low as possible. As an all‐inclusive club, this is vitally important, as it allows girls from families with low incomes an equal opportunity to play the game they love at the highest level possible.
If you are interested in helping the club to promote women’s football in Burnley, we have a number of sponsorship opportunities available:
Full club sponsorship Please contact the Club Treasurer
Front of Shirt £600 per team
Rear of Shirt £200 per team
Player Sponsorship £100 per season
Match balls £250 per season
Website sponsor £750 per season
Training Kit £1,500 all teams
Coaches kit £750 all teams
More details of all the fully tax deductible sponsorship deals we have to offer are in the club’s sponsorship pack, which can be found in the downloads section of the club website.
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