York City Ladies to Play At BC

[footyfan]

YORK City Ladies could play at Bootham Crescent next season following a meeting with Minstermen finance director Terry Doyle.

And City's growing commitment towards ladies' football is also illustrated by the decision to host two under-19 internationals at Bootham Crescent in September.

Two matches in the UEFA Under-19 Ladies Championships qualifying round involving Wales, Romania, England and Bulgaria will take place in York on September 28 and September 30.

The club are hoping to stage the York City Ladies team's FA Cup games during 2004/2005 and are also considering plans to make the Wigginton Road training base their permanent home venue.

City's ladies currently play on Knavesmire but will need better facilities if they are to stay within the National League structure beyond next season.

Doyle met with City Ladies' manager Steve Thornton and captain Abbi Webster and said afterwards: "We are co-operating with the ladies to identify whether it would be possible for them to play their home games at Wigginton Road and, providing planning issues are overcome, that could be possible.

"In the interim period, we have agreed that the ladies' team can use Bootham Crescent next season for any FA Cup games because, in any case, after the first two rounds they need to play somewhere that is enclosed.

"There's also the possibility of another game at Bootham for fund-raising opportunities. The talks we have had were very productive and it was good to meet the individuals involved.

"We are very keen, from a community point of view, to embrace York City Ladies and make them feel a part of the football club. There's been a relationship for a number of years but this has been very informal. We would like to strengthen that bond and to ensure we maintain it."

City's ladies will parade the North Riding County Cup, which they won this season, at the club's Open Day on Sunday, July 25.

They will also play a six-a-side match on the Bootham Crescent pitch.

City have previously made a donation of £500 to the ladies' team as part of the Nationwide Supporters of Tomorrow initiative.

Ladies' skipper Webster welcomed the move to forge closer links with the football club, saying: "It's a good step forward for us because the more profile we can get the better it is for the club and for the game.

"We will enter the FA Cup for the second time next season and hopefully, depending on how the men's fixtures fall, we will be able to play our games in the competition there. We're also hoping to play one or two league matches there as well.

"It would also be a massive boost if we were to move to Wigginton Road permanently. The facilities and pitches there are so good."

The ladies' team are also looking for new players of all standards for next season with beginners welcome.

Webster added: "We've got a big squad but we run a reserve team as well and we always welcome new players aged 14 and over."
_________________
KFC Member