Women's Football News
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 In the Northern half of the F.A.Women's Cup, we have drawn the tie between Newcastle Medics and Gateshead Rutherford Ravens as the one to follow.Newcastle Medics were formed in late 2005, intially by Ryan Clark and Jonathan Womack, who were in the final year at Newcastle University Medical School and realised that the institution had a men's football team (which they had played for for five years and coached for two years) but no women's team, which they set about establishing. The club was then, and always has been, financed by the players; every year a club registration fee is set and all money received from this goes towards all costs for the upcoming season. It can be tight at times! The club was set up with the aim of "football for all", predominantly for ladies new to the game. Open "taster" training sessions were held, covering the basics of football and, after a couple of months, they played their first eleven-a-side game, losing heavily. They played friendlies up until August 2006, when they became founder members of the Northumberland Women's League. Since its inception the club has performed better each year, finishing bottom of the league in 2006-07, but securing a higher league placing in each season since. James Fisher stepped into Jonathan Womack's shoes and the club has continued to go from strength to strength. In 2008-09 they were able to expand and incorporate a reserve team, in total giving them a registered squad of approximately 35 players. The first team achieved its higher ever finish, gaining the club a place in the top division as the league structure was reformatted. This season the club has "downsized" again as lots of players have graduated, significantly depleting the squad, and all the players will once again be pulling together as one in order to further surpass expectations! Managers Ryan Clark and James Fisher are both 26 years old and have been involved with Newcastle Medics Football since the age of 18. Coaches are Peter Coyne and Vincent Holden while Donna Kelly, a strong commanding centre half, has been the club captain since its inception. The club plays at Benfield Centre for Sporting Excellence in Walkergate, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Rutherford Ravens was the first women's side in Gateshead when they were formed in 2001 and they entered the Northern League, finishing in fifth position in their first season. Team stalwarts Donna Finlay and Julie Earnshaw played in that first season and are still with the club, with Finlay approaching 200 club appearances. The Ravens play their home games at Rutherford AFC's Farnacres ground, based in Lobley Hill, Gateshead. Current manager Sara Coxon is assisted by John Brown. This season is the first in which the team has entered the F.A.Women's Cup. The team now competes in the Durham County Women's League, finishing in third place last season. The Ravens warmed up for their first F.A.Women's Cup game with a 15-0 home win against Lumley last weekend. Rutherford AFC is the oldest club in the region, having been formed in 1878 and having a full playing history since that date. The club is currently undergoing a £1.4m ground development at their site involving new changing facilities, clubhouse and a third generation training facility. They are the only club in the Borough of Gateshead to offer football to boys, girls, men and women. They also have an over-40s team, a deaf team as well as forming the first women's side in the borough. Players can now join the club from the age of five years and play for decades before concentrating on coaching, managing, refereeing etc. Although the club has an extensive honours list, they also pride themselves on their fair play record and have won many honours for their attitude to playing the game over the years. Newcastle Medics (from): Suzanne Falconer, Rebecca Cross, Lucy Bloor, Miriam Langseth, Rebecca Poole, Fiona Price, Beth Lambourne, Charlotte Foley, Rachel Hodgson, Elizabeth Hodgson, Steph Clutterbuck, Emily Tate, Sarah Richardson, Polly Chadwick, Shelley Meikle, Hannah Taylor, Ros Lawley. Gateshead Rutherford Ravens (from): Donna Finlay, Julie Earnshaw, Katherine Coxon, Cath Fishwick, Amy Richardson, Charlotte Walton, Amy Kelly, Nichola Brown, Ashleigh Waters, Kerrie Moorhead, Nicola Fell, Sara Coxon, Kirsty Williams, Mandy Archer, Kirsty Finlayson, Hayley English, Pauline McGarrie, Amy Dobson, Joanne Levey, Catherine Tonge, Vicky Benton, Tracy Moore.
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