WOLVES - WOLVES V LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING
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WOLVES WOLVES V LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING SUNDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2022
COVER STAR:
SUMMER HOLMES
Good afternoon all.
Welcome to our fantastic new home ground here at The
MANAGER
DAN McNAMARA
CONTENTS New Bucks Head. Firstly, I would like to thank all the staff at
Bucks Head including Luke who have done their upmost to
3 Dan McNamara
make the transition across to Telford as smooth as possible.
4 Anna Price The facilities are first class, and we now play at one of, if
not the finest stadium within the Women’s National League “we now play at
one of, if not the
5 Tom Warren which is a great privilege for the players and staff.
6 Destiney Toussaint
I also extend that welcome to Issy and her staff and players
8
10
Helen Dermody
The History Girls
who are today’s opponents. After a difficult start to the new
campaign, I am sure they are raring to get going today to finest stadium
WE ARE
kick start their season. After an excellent second half of last
13 Loughborough Lightning season, they have proved they can beat anyone on their day
so we must fully focus if we are to get the points today. within the
Women’s National
14 Stat Pack
After a really difficult summer I have been delighted to be
PROGRAMME TEAM back in the dugout for the opening game of the season.
WOLVES
Mike Capewell, Jenny Wilkes, James Orotayo,
Ed Martin, Tony Leighton, Megan Garbutt,
Jack Thomas, Synaxis Design Consultancy
It’s been a really disjointed pre-season for various reasons
but the players’ application and commitment has been
excellent. After the disappointment of the play-off and
League...”
the extension of our season well into May, we knew how
Printed by
kazoostore.co.uk mentally tough the opening few games would be. The
players have risen to that challenge and 7/9 points after
three very tough away days is a tremendous effort from the
players. The Mentality Monsters are back and ready to go
again.
Finally, I would like to place on record a personal thanks to
all the staff for their application during my time away. A
personal thanks goes to Karl Milgate whose time with the
club will be coming to an end in the coming weeks. Karl has
been superb in his dedication and commitment to giving
the players all they needed whilst I was away. Delivering the
County Cup trophy to the club for the first time in years and
representing the club to the highest standards in one of our
most successful seasons to date. I hope Karl can look back
on his time here with pride and feel a sense of achievement.
Thanks for everything mate.
print solutions So, for the first of hopefully many times over the coming
years here at The New Bucks Head, let’s hear you get behind
the girls and start to make this a fortress like we all did at
Castlecroft.
Thanks for your support and let’s make some more
memories together.
Proud supporters of Wolves Women #DaretoDreamContinued
Macca
kazooprint.co.uk
sales@kazooprint.co.uk 01543 366 411
Unit 14 Cedars Business Centre, Avon Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 1QJ
CAPTAIN RESERVES MANAGER Good afternoon everyone.
Here we go again! I think that probably sums
ANNA PRICE TOM WARREN up our collective feelings ahead of another new
season, the reserves included. Every pre-season
naturally brings along a period of transition with
“With the success of “Pre-season has players moving on, some new faces, and players
making the transition from the RTC into my
group. However, for us our goals for the season
last season it was been positive
remain the same:- to support Macca and the
firsts in any way we can, support the progression
of players into the first-team setup and finally
really important It’s a big welcome from all of us to
AFC Telford. with some really
to be as competitive as we can within our own
fixture programme. Looking back on last season
to keep the squad
I’m confident we ticked all those boxes but this
competitive
year it’s a clean slate and time to do it again.
We can’t wait to play in front of our fans for
together to continue
our first home game of the season. It has been With the successes of last season, it was obvious
games.”
a tough start, three away games, against very we were going to have teams in Tiers 3 and 4
tough opposition. However, we have stuck interested in our group so we had some long
to build on what we
together and to have seven points out of nine, conversations with individuals on what’s best for
we have got to be proud of. their careers in the game. Some of those have led
to retention and others to allowing them to move
had achieved.” With the success of last season, it was really
important to keep the squad together to
continue to build on what we had achieved.
on and go and play first-team football elsewhere.
We’ve said farewell and good luck to Kenzie
Haydn-Jones, Emily Turner, Sophie Perkins, Thea
We have also had three great signings this Clearkin, Dani Staley, Izzy Redding and Chantelle
pre-season with Destiney Toussaint joining us Teare. A special mention to Lauren Riley who has
from Coventry United, Lizzie Bennett-Steele left on slightly different terms to go and study
from Stoke and Marianne Taho from MK Dons. and play football on a scholarship in Florida. All
This has added to the strength and depth of of them are great characters and players so I
the squad, and it is as competitive as ever, wish them all the best.
which only pushes us as players to be the best
we can be. With the outgoings means some great
opportunities for new players. We have Liv
A special mention goes to Castlecroft, our Bellamy, Erin Griffiths and Skye Owen progressing
previous ground. It will always be a special from the RTC along with Abby Dadson and Jess
place for us as players. What we achieved there Wallace who have joined from West Ham.
last season and the support we had will never
be forgotten, however what a ground to now Pre-season has been positive with some really
be playing at. We are excited to make new competitive games along with the majority of
memories at AFC Telford and we hope you the squad having a prolonged period of training
continue to join us in our quest for that. and playing with the firsts which is fantastic for
their development.
We all hope you enjoy the game and as always Good luck to Macca, his staff and players for
thank you for coming to support us. today’s game. Thanks for reading.
Anna Price Tom
Destiney Toussaint was announced as Wolves Women’s first signing this
summer. The 33-year-old is a hardworking right-winger with a plethora of
experience in the FA Women’s Championship with Birmingham City and
I will run all Coventry United.
day and I see
myself as a Following Wolves’ agonising ending to last
season Toussaint will look to add to the
How would people describe you?
“I’m quite an outgoing person, I like to lead
bit of a ball impressive, attacking talent in the squad and when leadership is needed, I’m not shy in
carrier for has already settled in well with the players. speaking up but also I have my moments
where I get in the zone and I like to just
the team. “I feel I’ve started to gel with the team and
the club as a whole has been very welcoming.
be in my own space for a few minutes.”
I think we’ve had a good and strong pre- Any pre-game rituals?
season and hopefully, we can take the good “Before every game, I tie my shoelaces and I
things we’ve been doing into the league.” get out there but no matter what, no matter
how tight or perfectly tied they are, I always
What was it that stood out to you with Wolves? have this thing where I want to undo them and
“The club direction. I’ve heard nothing but retie them one more time before we kick off.”
good things about the club, I followed their
journey for the last couple of seasons and I How will you use your experience at a
think they’ve been doing really well. I think the higher level to benefit the other girls?
set-up is great and it’s a club that cares about “I want to bring my experience and share
their players. They have a great community my knowledge with the team and the
and are united and a family club and I think younger ones especially and hopefully I
they’re going to go from strength to strength can bring that little added extra from what
and I see a bright future ahead for them.” I’ve learnt from playing football for years at
a higher level and help raise the standard
Have you had time to explore the city yet? even more at the level that we’re at.”
“Not yet no. I don’t know the city too well but
I have been to my first men’s game and that What will you bring to the
had an electric atmosphere. I loved that and team as a wide player?
really enjoyed it and hopefully, we can see some “I’m a player that’ll be nonstop working. I will
of the fans down at the women’s games.” run all day and I see myself as a bit of a ball
carrier for the team. I like to get forward, I’m
DESTINEY TOUSSAINT
How welcoming have the girls been? quite direct but also, I’m not shy of defending.
“They’ve been very welcoming. I know a Hopefully, I can be for people like Maz
few of them from playing at previous clubs [Gauntlett] and Amber [Hughes] a striker’s best
but I seem to fit in well and get on with friend, putting the ball in the danger areas
everyone. We’re a close-knit team and and hopefully getting a few goals myself.”
hopefully, that can benefit us on the pitch.”
Any personal goals for this season?
Is there anyone you’ve got on “The team goal is to win the league first and
well the most with? foremost. Get ourselves in the playoff and
“Mazzy G. She thinks she’s funny so I kind hopefully go into the Championship. I know
of go along with it and let her have the that’s a long way off but why not have the
THE INTERVIEW
laugh but she knows who the real funny mentality from the start. If you believe it, you
person is. I’ve known Maz for a really can achieve it. And for me it’s just being a
long time and we get on really well.” team player. Hopefully I can contribute to the
team and add onto the excellent talent we
already have and hopefully bring some goals.”
Thanks to Tom Alston.
DERMODY
10
Sharp-shooting midfielder Helen Dermody was described as a “coup signing”
when manager Dan McNamara brought her to Wolves in the summer of 2021.
the away matches were on parks pitches,” notes “Then one of the men in the pub challenged
Spilsbury, “ a lot of them without a blade of grass. me to a contest and I beat him. Then they
said they were waiting for the bee’s knees of
“We once had to change in a barn, on another drinkers to come in from his work shift and he’d
occasion in somebody’s bedroom and more challenge me – and I beat him as well! I don’t
than once in a mini-bus as we were travelling, know how I did it and it was a one-off, but it
and with people on the streets staring in at us was an unforgettable night for all the girls.”
and wondering what the heck was going on.”
Back to football and switching to the West
Away days may have been a bit hairy but did not Midlands League in the 1988/89 season,
prevent Wolves Ladies from having a fine first Wolverhampton ended their first campaign as
The history girls
season – they won promotion to the league’s top Division Two champions. Twelve months later,
division, won the Vice-President’s Cup and reached as Division One runners-up, they were invited to
the semi-finals of the Midland Ladies’ Cup. join what was to become the National Women’s
by Tony Leighton League in its inaugural season of 1991/92.
The following season saw them playing on Set up by the Women’s Football Association,
their new home pitch, basing themselves at this was the first nationwide league for women’s
the excellent Wednesbury Tube sports ground football and stipulations such as stadium
and in the process changing the club’s name to facilities and adequate financial resources had
Wolverhampton Wednesbury Tube Ladies 1979 Wolverhampton Wednesbury Tube Ladies. to be met by teams wanting to take part.
Back row - L-R: Jay Adams, Tracy Gibbons, Jackie Powell, Jane Hill, Linda Reynolds, Carol Waddington, Gill Spilsury, Fay
Smith. Front row: Lesley Dayus, Hilary Kent, Jackie Pickup, Jill Shinton, Val Hickman, Yvonne Addison.
“Jane and me both worked at the Tube,” says Pickup. Wolverhampton’s response was a watershed
“We didn’t (as a club) have enough money to pay for moment in the club’s history. “We needed more
In front of a packed Wembley five weeks ago, England’s Euro 2022 final victory the use of a pitch for matches so the Tube facilities money than we had to meet all the requirements,”
were the ideal solution. The pitch and pavilion we says Hill, “so we contacted Wolves and were offered
over Germany sparked mass celebrations around the country and accelerated used were first class – so good that they were used a meeting with (vice-president) Rachael Heyhoe-
the already rapidly paced momentum in the growth of women’s football. for a (Women’s) FA Cup semi-final one season.” Flint and (club chairman) Jonathan Hayward.
Big rewards lie ahead for today’s professional when I was 18. I saw an advert in the Express The team now had their first formal manager in Les “They asked us in that first meeting to come up
female players. But as the Lionesses celebrated & Star asking if there were any girls interested Bryan and were faring well in the league while in Cup with a business plan, which we did, and in the next
their triumph, several of them paid tribute in playing football – and I definitely was! competitions were taking on stronger opponents – meeting with them we showed them our plans
to the pioneers who had laid the pathway some of them, like Cheshire side Foden’s, too strong. to start Under-12, Under-14 and Intermediate
to the unprecedented boom: pioneers like “I couldn’t go to the first session, but when I went teams to encourage young girls in the area to
Wolves Women founder members Jane to the next one the bloke who was organising “They had five international players in their side play football and to strengthen us as a club.
Hill, Jackie Pickup and Gill Spilsbury. it had disappeared. He had left the girls with a and were far too good for us,” remembers Hill,
strip though, so a few of us including Gill and who was in goal that day. “I must have saved “They gave us £10,000, which we had to spread
You may not have heard of this football-mad Jackie started playing together regularly. at least 20 shots, but they still hammered over several seasons but it meant we could
trio, and none of the Lionesses are likely to us 8-1 and could have scored more.”
join the new league. We were put into the
know their names either. But without them, “Girls like Jill Shinton and Linda Reynolds, who (second tier) Division One North and started
and many like spirits around the country became important players for us, were also part Salutary days such as that one were few and far
between as the team matured and improved, using Bilston Town as our home ground.”
following the 1971 lifting of the FA’s 50-year of that first group but there were only about
women’s football ban, the game would not seven of us to start with so we used to play three enjoying good FA Cup runs that took them
now be in such a vibrantly healthy state. or four-a-side matches between ourselves. as far as the quarter-finals via long trips to That initial tie-up with Wolves was followed
face clubs such as Brighton and Dartford. by another landmark in 1993, not just for the
It was in 1975 that the Wolves-to-be club was “By 1975/76 though, we had enough players burgeoning club but also for women’s football as
formed under its original title of Heathfield to enter a league, so changed our name They also enjoyed their time off the pitch, forging a whole with the Football Association taking over
Rovers, named as such simply because Heathfield to Wolverhampton Ladies – not that I friendships that are still strong today through fun the running of the game from the Women’s FA.
School was just down the road from the parks knew at that point that a women’s football occasions like Spilsbury’s infamous hen night.
pitch on which the team played its early matches. league existed until I saw one mentioned As that changeover was taking effect Wolverhampton
in a Saturday morning TV programme!” The long throw specialist, whose mighty hurls Ladies were making their final name-change,
Sat around a pub table poring through pictures into the penalty area led to a good number of officially becoming part of Wolverhampton
and press cuttings from those early days, Hill The Midland Women’s Football League consisted goals, was also – unbeknownst even to herself Wanderers FC and celebrating by winning
recalls: “It was in 1974 when we first came mainly of clubs in the Eastern half of the area – a specialist of an entirely different kind. “We Division One North in the 1993/94 campaign.
together, but it had all started a year earlier, – and with a varying degree of facilities. “All were in a pub and I was challenged to drink a
yard of ale,” she says, “and I managed it ok.
TODAY’S OPPONENTS
LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING
Vice President’s Cup
winning team 1975/76
Back row - L-R: Jean McAleice, Irene Austin, Jane
Hill. Front row: Jan Turley, Val Hickman, Jackie
Pickup, June Pierce, Joyce Pattison, Yvonne
Addison, Gill Spilsbury, Tina Gallagher. Missing
from photo: Elaine Stanley, Jill Shinton, Fay Smith,
Gill Ashford.
But playing in what was now branded the FA Reaching the semi-professional Championship
Women’s Premier League, after their hard earned is now the aim for a team that these
promotion, proved too mighty a task for Wolves. days is completely integrated into the
Wolverhampton Wanderers family.
Facing line-ups packed with international
players – among them Arsenal, Liverpool The women’s section, including the club’s Academy,
and Doncaster Belles – a first season finish in shares the men’s Premier League team’s top class
the bottom-but-one place was followed with
Compton training ground facilities – including
1995/96’s bottom spot and relegation.
sports science, analysis and physiotherapy
“It was too early for us to go up,” says Pickup. “The
– as part of the Wolves ‘one club’ ethos.
second season especially was very, very difficult.
But we had some great experiences over those two
And with a new home ground this term, Telford FC’s
seasons, like playing against Arsenal at Highbury.
excellent 5,500 capacity New Buck’s Head, all is
set fair for Wolves to make progress in parallel with
“They smashed us, but after the game (England
the expanding horizons of the women’s game.
striker) Marieanne Spacey popped her head
round our dressing room door and gave us some
Looking ahead to what she hopes will be a bright
complimentary remarks which was nice.”
future for the club which she helped to form and did Lightning are the youngest team in the FA Women’s The Foxes and the university had enjoyed a long-term
so much for in its first two decades, Hill says: “It’s Premier League, however, they do have history in the relationship until formally merging in the summer
Since that 95/96 relegation season Wolves
great to see the way the game has grown, how the competition. The team was formed in the summer of of 2021 to become Loughborough Lightning under
have never reached the top flight, though they
players are getting the recognition they deserve 2021 through the merging of Loughborough Foxes Head Coach Issy Martin, taking over the Foxes’
came mighty close when finishing second in
and how so many young girls are playing football. and Loughborough University who had both featured Northern Division place.
the Northern Division – and so missing out
in the league over the past years.
on the one available promotion place – in the The 2021/22 season was a difficult one for them,
“Back in our day there were so many girls who
2001/02 campaign under the management of Loughborough Foxes were formed back in 1999 and ending in 10th place and narrowly avoiding
couldn’t afford the subs to play for a team or
former Aston Villa captain Denis Mortimer. worked their way through the local leagues before relegation. It was a tough start up until Christmas
had parents who couldn’t afford to drive them
all around the Midlands to play in matches. reaching the Premier League in 2014. They captured with the team only picking up a total of four points
Fortunes have ebbed and flowed in the 20 years the Midlands Division One title that first season but ahead of the break.
We lost a number of players like that.
since, particularly in the last decade with the found the Northern Division the following term rather
club promoted three times and relegated twice, more difficult and suffered relegation. However, they They found their form in the new year though,
“It’s such a different and much better story today;
managers James Astle, Tim Dudding and Dan quickly regained a spot in the third tier where they producing some fantastic performances and results
but for all that I wouldn’t swap the time I had in
McNamara leading successful campaigns. remained. to ensure they retained their Tier 3 status for the
football for the world – I just loved every minute.”
2022/23 season, finishing on a total of 23 points.
Elevation to the FA Championship agonisingly Meanwhile, Loughborough University team had Lightning have made some key signings over the
evaded McNamara’s side last season, when the been active for several years, playing in the British summer to develop the squad as well as welcoming
the Northern Premier Division was won but – once Universities and Colleges Sports League. Their players Director of Football, Rebecca Sawiuk.
were also encouraged to play outside of their studies
again with only one promotion place up for grabs
for other teams.
– they lost out to Southern Division champions
Southampton through a 1-0 play-off defeat. Thanks to Tony Leighton.
FIXTURES, RESULTS
& LINE-UPS 2022/23 LEAGUE TABLE 2022/23
Lizzie Bennett-Steele
Destiney Toussaint
Summer Holmes
Pos Team P W D L GD PTS
Helen Dermody
Marianne Taho
Amber Hughes
Maz Gauntlett
Tammi George
Anna Morphet
Katie Johnson
Laura Cooper
Lowri Walker
Beth Merrick
Bec Thomas
Emma Cross
(FAC) – Emirates FA Cup
Shan Turner
1 Wolves 3 2 1 0 10 7
Amy Dicken
Ria Elsmore
Home fixtures in CAPS
Kelly Darby
Anna Price
Ellie Butler
Jade Cross
(CC) – Carabao Cup
Own goal l l l l l Used substitute
Ali Miller
^
n – Yellow card
l Unused substitute l1Goal scored 2 Nottingham Forest 2 2 0 0 8 6
n – Red card
3 Burnley 2 2 0 0 2 6
RES POS ATT REF 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 28 30
August 4 West Bromwich Albion 3 2 0 1 -2 6
21 Liverpool Feds 1-1 6 180 Z Ahmed l l l l l l l ll
l
l l
l1 l l l l l l 5 Huddersfield Town 2 1 0 1 1 3
28 Huddersfield Town 5-0 3 89 B Brighton l l l l l l
l1 l
l1 l1 l
l l1 l1 l l
l l ll
l
30 Stoke City 5-0 1 225 M Korpal l l l l l
l l 1
l l l
l l1 l l l l l1 l 1
l l 1
l 6 Stoke City 3 1 0 2 -3 3
September 7 Liverpool Feds 2 0 2 0 0 2
4 LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING 8 Brighouse Town 1 0 1 0 0 1
11 Northampton Town
(FAWNLC Determining Round) 9 Derby County 2 0 1 1 -1 1
18 Nottingham Forest
25 AFC Fylde
10 AFC Fylde 2 0 1 1 -2 1
11 Loughborough Lightning 2 0 0 2 -6 0
October
2 BURNLEY 12 Boldmere St Michaels 2 0 0 2 -7 0
9 BOLDMERE ST MICHAEL’S
12 WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Last updated prior to Wednesday 31st evening games.
23 Derby County
November
6 BRIGHOUSE TOWN
January OTHER LEAGUE FIXTURES
8 LIVERPOOL FEDS
29 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Burnley vs Huddersfield
February Derby County vs Boldmere St Michaels
5 Loughborough Lightning
12 NOTTINGHAM FOREST Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool Feds
22 STOKE CITY
Stoke City vs Brighouse Town
March
5 AFC FYLDE West Bromwich Albion vs AFC Fylde
15 West Bromwich Albion
19 Burnley
April
2 Boldmere St Michael’s
16
30
DERBY COUNTY
Brighouse Town
YOUR SUPPORT IS
GREATLY APPRECIATED
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 28 30
WOLVES LOUGHBOROUGH
LIGHTNING
Manager Dan McNamara Manager Issy Martin
1. Shan Turner 1. Kiya Webb 1.
2. Laura Cooper 2. Lauren Taft 2.
3. Anna Morphet 3. Abbey Hateley 3.
4. Anna Price 4. Laura Steele 4.
5. Emma Cross 5. Grace Walters 5.
6. Ria Elsmore 6. Emily Sharpe 6.
7. Tammi George 7. Kate Middleton 7.
8. Maz Gauntlett 8. Kayleigh Hines 8.
9. Jade Cross 9. Nicky Russell 9.
10. Helen Dermody 10. Chloe Young 10.
11. Amber Hughes 11. Sophia Bonser 11.
13. Bec Thomas 12. Anna Renken 12.
14. Amy Dicken 13. Monique Robinson 13.
15. Kelly Darby 14. Melissa Turton-Burrell 14.
16. Summer Holmes 15. Harriet Petley 15.
17. Katie Johnson 17. Jessica Richarson 17.
19. Ali Miller 18. Ella Powell 18.
20. Lowri Walker 19. Emily Gunn 19.
21. Destiney Toussaint 20. Georgia Stevens 20.
23. Lizzie Bennett-Steele 21. Sophia Poor 21.
24. Ellie Butler 22. Olivia Edwards 22.
28. Beth Merrick 23. Ciara Albas-Martin 23.
30. Marianne Taho 24. Doris Greenwood 24.
25. Ella Smith 25.
NEXT AT THE NEW BUCKS HEAD
Burnley Women
Sunday 2nd October 2022 | Kick-off 2pm
FA Women’s National League
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