Match the match Tommy Wheeldon heads up new team in charge of Exeter City Ladies

Former Everton player and Exeter City coach Tommy Wheeldon is heading up the new team in charge of Exeter City Ladies for upcoming season.

Falmouth Town and then coached for Exeter City and Swindon Town. Wheeldon, who is a highly experienced and well-respected UEFA A licence coach, played professional football for Everton for three years in the late 1970s and then joined Torquay United before playing for Saltash United and

Wheeldon, said: “This is a fantastic project to get involved with and we want to spark off girls and women’s football in the area. We watched the Women’s World Cup out in Canada last year and thought that the English team were fantastic so we have come back into the area and knowing Julian Tagg and Jamie Vittles we want to get involved in the Exeter City Ladies Football Club.

“This is a great project for all girls to become involved not just because of what we can achieve in the short term but also in the long term because we have great contacts in the USA and Canada.” 

He added: “We want energetic girls who really want to play at the highest possible level and we are happy to help them to achieve this by starting with Exeter City Ladies. We know that it is going to take two to three years, but we want to make a start and create a culture of girls football locally where as well as being successful on the field they enjoy themselves socially and feel part of the club.”

Wheeldon will be joined by Chris Heayns, who is well-known in local footballing circles and has masterminded the successful development of girls football at King’s College, and Maxine Coupe who has enjoyed a long playing career as a goalkeeper with Exeter City Ladies.

Exeter City chairman Julian Tagg, said: “This is an exciting new development and the Exeter City board are totally supportive of the new management team that has been put in place and will do all they can to help to ensure that Exeter City Ladies are successful both this season and into the future.”

In order to support the continued development Tagg is also the chairman of a newly formed group which looks to address all aspects of female football, across all age groups and abilities in the greater Exeter area.

“The board is delighted to be able offer the ladies the use of the facilities at the Clifford Hill Training Ground for their training sessions and pre-season home matches, and providing the dates fit, we would like to invite the team to use St James Park for their cup games.”

The new chairman of the Exeter City Ladies is Terry Schofield, a great supporter of football at all levels across the south west.

He said: “I am really delighted to be appointed as the new chairman of Exeter City Ladies Football Club.

“I think that the club has huge potential and will offer a lot of opportunities to girls playing football right across the south west and with the new team that we have in charge I think that the future is really bright.”

Terry added: “We do have a new sponsor for the home shirt which will be announced soon but anyone expressing an interest in sponsoring the club in anyway should contact me by email  

Training is on Tuesday evening between 7pm and 8.30pm at the Clifford Hill Training Ground.

WOMEN'S FOOTBALL

by Dave Potham (Sunday Independant)

Exeter capture ten players as they prepare for new season

PREMIER League South West outfit Exeter City, under manager Adam Grove, have been busy in the off- season recruiting no fewer than ten new players for the upcoming season.

Lucie-Marie Waddon, Lauryn ProctorMillie Pearce Courtney Butt, Emily Toogood, Kate Finch, Hollie Stone, Bronwyn CousinsDani Skinner, Manfy Sharpe and Grace Perkins have all signed for Grove's squad ahead of the new season.

The new recruits have joined from all around the West Country including North Devon, Taunton, Tiverton, Swindon and Exeterparticularly through the Exeter College link, as well as a good number from the King's College squad.

Their first pre-season game is on Tuesday against Marine Academy Plymouth before they take on Bideford on TuesdayAugust 16.

They open their League campaign away at St Nicholas on Sunday, August 21st then on Sunday, September 4 they travel to London to play Enfield in the Premier League Cup. After that it is off to Plymouth Argyle for the Devon derby on Wednesday, September 14 before their first home match against Southampton Saints on Sunday, September 18. EXETER City coaches Tommy Wheeldon and Judith Kitson were hosted at Manchester City Ladies earlier this week. The two attended at the invitation of the SuperLeague One leaders and formed some excellent links. Exeter City Ladies first game in FA WAPL Division One South West is on August 21 when they travel to face St Nicholas in Bristol.

Exeter City LFC 0 Alphington LFC 0:

Match report By Richard Walsh.

Encouraging start for new-look team

A new look Exeter City Ladies side gave a good account of themselves on their first outing together but in the end had to be content with a goalless draw against Alphington.  City manager Adam Grove who took over the reins earlier in the summer fielded a strong team, for the friendly at the Cliff Hill training ground on Tuesday, that included Nicky Lipscombe in goal; defenders, Dani Skinner, Beth Beale, Karolayne and Kayane Alencar; midfielders, Courteney Butt and Lucie Waddon, with front runners Hollie Stone, Sarah Hill and Kate Finch behind striker Millie Pearce.
 
The home side made a bright start and enjoyed some good spells of possession dominating centre field. Skinner and Beale played well together in defence and provided the team with patience and solidity at the back, well supported by the experienced Lipscombe in goal.
 
The first chance fell to City when Pearce sprinted through and placed a good shot to the keeper’s left calling for an outstanding finger tip save.  The hosts then created another chance following a great build up which started with Lipscombe and involved Beale who found Butt in the centre of the field. The hard working Alencar sisters ensured the Alphington's defence were made to work  and it was Karolayne who, fed by Butt, played a low cross into the 18 yard box however the chance fell just out of reach.
 
Halfway through the first half hard-working Pearce’s bright start came to an abrupt end when she suffered a broken wrist and was substituted.
 
Manfy Sharpe came on as a replacement and put in a fine display of skill and judgement showing grit and determination chasing second balls and putting Alphington under constant pressure in the centre of the park.
 
The visitors best chance of the first half came when they were awarded a free kick 40 yards out, which was well struck and clipped the top of the cross bar with Lipscombe covering.
 
Finch and Stone showed great awareness and one touch play with their off the ball movement but Alphington defended well to keep it 0-0 at the break.
 
In the second half the visitors struggled to cope with the pace of City and several chances were created by the Alencar sisters on the wings and only timing and match sharpness prevented a goal.
 
Later in the game a couple of chances fell to Hill who found the target but with the keeper beaten struck the bottom of the post to leave the score at 0-0.
 
Not the win the players wanted but at the whistle there was a feeling of quiet content in the City camp with what was a very promising first game for the new squad
 
Afterwards City manager Grove said: “The girls played very well together for the first time and created the most chances. They showed some real maturity in dealing with an Alphington team that was much more experienced.”
 
However the new City management team are not sitting back with Chris Heayns working on more signings to bring the squad to a full compliment.
 
The Director of Football said: “We have a few player's away at the moment and have also been approached by players across the region who have heard of our plans and our player centred approach. The existing players are our best ambassadors and the positive message is getting out so players want to be a part of what is happening.”
 
He added: “Once the First XI squad is fully settled the next stage will be a U15/16 development squad to train alongside the seniors and provide opportunities for all young female footballers to be part of the new ECFC ladies experience.”
 
Exeter City's next game is against Bideford Town at home on the evening of Tuesday, August 16, at the same venue kick off 6.30pm and next month they will be unveiling a new shirt sponsor.

Pictured in the teams photo above are (back row, left to right): Dani Skinner, Beth Beale, Manfy Sharpe, Lucie Waddon, Charlotte Smith (trialist), Nicky Lipscomb, Sam Burnham, Emily Toogood, Courtney Butt. Front row:  Millie Pearce, Bronwyn Cousins, Kayane Alencar, Karolayne Alencar, Sarah Hill (trialist), Kate Finch, Hollie Stone.