8th July 2017
A new pathway for girls’ and ladies’ football in Gloucestershire was rubber stamped on Thursday 6 July by the head of UK women’s football.
Baroness Sue Campbell gave the seal of approval to Cheltenham Town Ladies FC amalgamation with the Cheltenham Spa FC youth teams at a special ceremony at Jury’s Hotel in Cheltenham.
From next season there will be a clear path for girls to play from under 8 through to senior level with the one club.
Cheltenham Town Ladies FC will retain it’s identity and be enhanced with a youth section at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18 level.
It is also likely that a third full ladies side will be created. Whilst much of the detail is still to be finalised, work starts now and Chairman Andy Liddle is convinced this will benefit the girls and ladies game in the town hugely.
Liddle said “For many years now, we have been signposting girls interested in playing the game at under 16 level to Spa, who have a great youth set up. As girls grow and develop their skills, many then seek to play adult football at a higher level, and many with Cheltenham Town Ladies. It therefore makes sense to create one bigger club, where pathways are clear, and where the focus at all levels is only on development”.
Girls and Ladies football development office for Gloucestershire Alexis Lunn-Gadd has been overseeing talks, and commented: “The merger of the two clubs will ensure a pathway from youth female football starting at U8s right through to adult football with the Cheltenham Town’s first team in the FA Women’s Premier League. This can only be a positive move for football in Cheltenham in terms of growing and retaining teams and creating opportunitues for girls and women women of any age to play football in the area.
Liddle concluded; “I am delighted with the work our Vice Chair Ian Purvis has undertaken on this merger, and with Spa chairman Gary Goodhall’s outlook, which is purely about developing female footballers”.
