CITY LADIES TEAM

Exeter City have launched a new ladies football team to compete in the Westward Developments Devon Women's LeagueAnd Exeter City Ladies Centre of Excellence (COE), as they will be known, have their eyes set on a promotion place this term. City Ladies COE was set up by the Grecians in the summer to replace the now defunct Exeter City Ladies team, who competed in the Premier DivisionFive of that side left to play for Cullompton Rangers at the end of last season and City will now start afresh, utilising their centre of excellence players in Division 2. Steve McClear, Exeter City Ladies COE manager, said: "It's important that people know that Exeter City still have a ladies team - we are very much still here." He said the club decided to set up the new team in order to benefit from their own coaching of female academy players. "We were training players at the Centre of Excellence but other teams have been benefiting from it. Now we've decided to set up our own team and we'll get the benefit of their training," he explained.

Last season's City COE under-16s players will make up majority of the team for the coming Division 2 campaign. "With the quality we've got we should be pushing for promotion this season," McClear said"I don't want to put too much pressure on the players though and the main thing is that they are enjoying themselves" He said the new team has the full support of Exeter City's board, adding"Kevin Hack and Julian Tagg are fully supportive of our team."

In the summer of 2006, the team had bee controversially "taken over" to form a new club (Cullompton Rangers Ladies).Exeter City were determined to keep a Ladies team, therefore a City Ladies Centre of Excellence was set up by the Grecians to replace the now defunct Exeter City Ladies team. The team were supported by Exeter City Supporters Trust (the clubs owners) who sponsored them by purchasing a brand new kit for the 2006/07, and in the development and maintenance of teams official website.

The Grecians had to start in the second division of the Westward Development League. Home games were to be played at St George V playing fields, off the Topsham Road. The manager Steve McClear said "It was important that people know the Exeter City still have a ladies team".

The Squad 

Exeter City's COE under 16's made up the majority of the squad.

The squad included :-
Siobhan Aslett, Hannah Cox, Lola Sanchez, Kellie Hall, Emma Jones, Jodie Mills, Jenny Brasher, Sophie Anderson, Naomi Wilkins, Gabby Stoneman, Emma Mingo.