Joanne Day, Birkenhead Player-Manager, celebrates her team’s North West League Division 1 South title.
Birkenhead have had their best season in the North West League, winning promotion to the Premier Division. The 2013/14 season has seen an undefeated Birkenhead become proud winners of Division 1 South, which they currently lead by a massive 20-point margin.
The final league game, which was led by Captains Kate Anderson and Emma Jones, ended in a 5-0 victory for the champions over Mossley Hll Reserves as Nadine Sword scored a remarkable four goals and Charlotte Cloy the other.
Birkenhead, formerly Wirral Ladies, have been playing in the North West League for 20 years. Over the past 12 years the women’s team have been able to sustain their league position due to the development of the girls’ section at the club, which this term has produced an influx of young players coming through the ranks into the women’s team.
Such growth is key to the development of our women’s team and an opportunity for young players to continue to play the beautiful game. Some players have gained their coaching qualifications and now coach the younger teams. This is what it’s all about, giving back and helping young players develop their knowledge and skills of football.
The team, who have been renamed a few times since 1994, were delighted to come under the umbrella of Birkenhead Youth Club in 2010. The club supports the girls’ and women’s teams and we have access to their fantastic facilities, particularly the new 3G Astroturf that teams take great pleasure in training on.
The squad of 20 players has a good balance of youth and more experienced players, which has been fundamental to the excellent season so far. Now the league is secured, our next task is to focus on the League Plate. We are in the Quarter Finals away at Kendal Town FC, which will be played on Sunday 6th April.
Looking forward to next season, Birkenhead is aiming to expand further for our youth players with an U-18 girls’ development team to encourage young players to continue playing and gain experience of 11-a-side football in preparation for playing in the open age women’s team. The club is also aiming to start over with a young team (U-10 girls), which will be run by qualified Coach Chelsey Hodgin, a senior player who started with the club as a young player herself.
I am a very proud Player-Manager and excited to be in the Premier Division next season!
If anyone is interested in playing girls’ or women’s football at Birkenhead, visit www.birkenheadyouthclub.co.uk.
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
