ISSUE NO.
001
EDITOR
Caught Light Photography
CO-CHAIRMAN
Nigel Corner and Paul Howard
WOMEN’S FIRST TEAM MANAGER
Mike Bligh
ASSISTANT MANAGER
James Strudwick
HEAD OF WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT
Emily Crispin
WOMEN’S UNDER 18 MANAGER
Martin Howliston
WORK WITH US
We’re always looking for volunteers to work with either the men’s or women’s teams. Get in touch to find out more.
KNARESBOROUGH TOWN AFC
WEB
Manse Lane, Knaresborough HG5 8LF www.knaresboroughtownafc.com
It’s been an amazing three years...wait! What!??? Yes, three years into this new project.
When I got that initial message asking if I’d come and have a chat about something that Nigel Corner was working on, I knew it would be football related.
Long-ish story short, I agreed to help create the the visible side of a new team, Knaresborough Town Women; joining many familiar faces working together to create something...I’m not sure which word to use next.
Every team will tell you that they have something special, with a special group of players...and that is true.
Is the word successful? Well undoubtably, Boro’ have been successful by anyone’s yardstick. Back-to-back-to-back promotions; but successful doesn’t go far enough.
So what can I use instead of special and successful?
...to create something exceptional. Yes, that’s it!
Over the three years, it’s been a real pleasure to work with this team and watch them grow as a force in the league. Let’s see what challenges the Premier League poses going forward.
BEING THE BEST WE CAN
Pre season seems to come round quicker every season and this season it was no different. The players all returned from their breaks with renew3d energy and an attitude to be as fit as possible for the firth coming campaign. This pre season was slightly different as we had the added pleasure of welcoming our very first group of under 18
players to train alongside and with the first team.
This created a fantastic dynamic, the under 18’s brought new energy, hunger and an attitude to play without fear, it seemed to raise the intensity of the sessions and provide pleasant surprises for the on looking coaching staff.
“WE ONLY WON ONE OF THE FOUR PRESEASON GAMES...”
2024: A SEASON REVIEW
The pre season games offered a good insight to which players could and would challenge for first team spots over the coming season and the games did not disappoint.
All preseason games were chosen on purpose, to test the players to the max whilst also enabling us to have a look at few of the up and coming under 18’s coming through.
Needless to say preseason went well.
That said, anyone watching the pre season games may not of thought so as we only won one of the four pre season games, had that been the season, I may have been facing the sack (Said with a smile).
Pre season had come to an end, turn over of players was very
low and with the addition of a couple of astute signings we were ready for our division one campaign.
The new players added quality and professionalism to the group, football is more than just being about ability. The person is vitally important to maintain a positive dressing room and a respectful relationship.
First game of the season was Golcar away…
The opening game of the season is always a bench mark of what to expect at the new level, there are normally still a few players away on holiday (for both sides) and the team is normally one that presents opportunity to put a case forward for the players to be starting games on a regular basis, the game did not disappoint.
Two organised, committed and hard working teams took to the field that day and as far as opening games go, this was a fixture that screamed, welcome to division one!!
It was a tight and cagey affair with a few moments of quality which made the difference, it was the first half time team talk where we have had to give the players a shake, there was a feel that we
where still in div two where we won games and never needed to change gear, Golcar was a very different feel and we need to get tighter, quicker and be organised out of possession rather than being reactive.
The players responded really well and we managed to come away with a vital away day win that would add untold value at the end of the season.
Golcar were superb, this game shaped what was to come, the expectations demanded by the new level was a welcomed challenge and we knew from that point, we, as a team, had finally got the challenges we had so badly craved for and more importantly, the players knew the levels we had to perform to, which would ensure our pre season target of promotion would be realised.
The remaining games came and went with us winning our next 11 games (league and cup) before a huge six pointer game against league leaders Thackley came to Manse Lane.
We knew what ever happened on this day would not decide where the league title went or confirm who was going to be promoted but it would give 5he team that won an advantage
leading into the business end of the season.
After a cagey first half with the teams going in level at the break, Thackley ran out 4-1 winners in the second half with some good finishes, despite our positive play, the game was turned on moments which defined the game. Disappointed but not down, the players knew we would get a second opportunity to put the result right later in the season.
The squad as any was tested throughout the season with absences and injury’s and it was time to see if the jigsaw of the squad could fit even when players where missing.
With the addition of a couple of the under 18’s within the season (Jenny Crossley, Lily Perry, Poppy Johnson) the squad depth was a credit to the club, credit to the youth coaching staff and they never let the first team down and
more importantly, the players did not look out of place in the first team and division one.
With the support of the first team squad, all playing for each other and the badge, the youth where welcomed throughout and they where called upon when required.
After Christmas, it was cup game after cup game which was a distraction from the league campaign but also gave those teams not in the cup competition to put points on the board and saw us drop down to third in the league table.
This was a test of the players mentality and added an extra pressure knowing we couldn’t afford to drop points when we returned to league action.
The cup runs (league and county) were fantastic challenges which pitted ourselves against five or six teams from levels above and the players performed superbly.
The league cup campaign saw
us knock out three teams from the premier league, exiting at the semi final (narrowly 1-0) stage against Wyke who finished runners up the premier league and our county cup campaign saw us bow out in the semi final stage against the eventual winners Leeds United who player three leagues above us (current standing).
I’m very proud of the performances in both completions, it should give us a confidence boost knowing we can compete at the level above with the squad of players we currently have at the club. The experience playing against Leeds will be one for the memory banks, holding Leeds to 1-0 at half time, conceding after one minute in the second half made our game plan more difficult and with us chasing the game, Leeds quality shone through as they ran out 4-0 winners.
As we returned to the league after our cup exploits, we returned to play Thackley on a blustery and wet day, we knew if we where to achieve promotion, a minimum result would be a draw and that’s exactly what the team achieved. The only winner that day was the weather.
The remaining games came thick and fast and we notched up win after win and achieved our pre season goal of promotion to the highest league in our West Yorkshire standing.
Special mentions to Emily Crispin who is more than just a leader on the pitch, Sarah Parkes is more than a supporting act, Chloe Hickson who’s development has been a joy to be a small part off, Cass Lane who has so much ability and potential, Jess Flynn rolls Royce springs to mind and Ellis Baxter who has embraced her first season in open age football without looking back.
There’s so many others who bring it week in and week out, you are all incredible.
For a team that has been together since the season 2022 and achieving promotion every season we have competed in so far, is a phenomenal story.
I’m so proud of every player (past and present) that has represented the club, every staff member (past and present) who has contributed to our journey and to all of the support staff who give there time to create
“ACHIEVING PROMOTION EVERY SEASON WE HAVE COMPETED IN...”
and environment for the players to thrive in.
Without all this, we potentially wouldn’t of reached these heights in the time we currently have.
We are now ready for a break, recharge and go again.
Next season is a new chapter, a chance to create further history and add to the existing
legacy we have made.
Let’s continue to build and grow, these girls can play.
Mike Bligh has been the manager of Knaresborough Town Women since they were formed in 2022 and has overseen three consecutive promotions, winning two titles.
JAMES STRUDWICK
Well!
What a season 24/25 has been for the Knaresborough Town Women’s team, not to mention the u18’s as well.
What seemed like so long ago now, preseason started with lots of promise. From a physical performance point-of-view, our first team players had returned from the offseason in great condition, which meant we could spend more time on football and less time on conditioning drills. The testing battery showed that we were heading in the right direction, and the utilisation of the GPS devices highlighted which metrics we needed to focus on for improvement leading into division one.
Thinking back to the preseason, there were some young talented players from the u18’s showing their ability alongside our experienced first team players. It was very clear from the first minute that there were some who impressed and caught the eye of myself, Mike and Emily.
We spoke at length about these players having an opportunity this season to get some first team football, and we haven’t looked back on that decision. The likes of Jenny, Lilly, Poppy, and Bella all feature regularly for us this season, it’s safe to say that they slotted in perfectly. The development
and maturity in their game for their ages is beyond what we could have hoped for, it was a pleasure to watch them improve week on week when training with the first team.
It has been a season of highs and lows, the biggest celebration of course came in our away game at Ackworth, as our 2-0 victory all but secured promotion to
the premier league and confirmed back-back-back promotions. A 15-0 win away from home in the final game of the season pushed our leading goal scorer into contention for the league’s Golden Boot award.
A penalty shoot-out in the cup quarter-final, with Maria being our hero and succeeding into the semi-final. Not to mention, the semi-final league cup game against Leeds United (A), albeit they are a side who possess a lot of quality and rightly so given the division and resources available to them, this was a game I was very proud to see our girls play.
I could not be prouder of the squad, the club, the management, and everyone else involved at Knaresborough Town. To obtain back-back-back promotions is an accomplishment that should not be dismissed, the way which they have gone about doing so, keeping the core of the squad the same and focusing on investing into the younger players rather than looking at external transfers.
It has been a pleasure to be involved over the last 18 months, as a performance coach, my objectives were different to that of the coaching staff. I wanted to make sure the vast majority of the squad were in a position to play their best football against the
best teams, this came through injury prevention which the players bought into and found beneficial.
Followed by fitness conditioning and repeat-sprint-ability, highlighting areas for improvement and areas of strength, matchday activation and mobility to ensure that the players are performance ready.
I am very grateful to Mike, Nigel, Ged and Emily for allowing me to come in and put these measures in place, I have received so much support from them. I would like to wish everyone at Knaresborough Town all the best for the future.
For myself, the end of one season embarks the beginning of a new one across a different sport in Rugby League. This year I will be working with the York Valkyrie in the Betfred Women’s Super League, hoping to support them in their pursuit of their third grand final win.
I will continue to support everyone at Knaresborough Town in whatever capacity I can, I will always support from the sidelines when I am able to. Thankfully the club has found a new coach in Farron who will look to support Mike in my absence, and the u18’s are in very good hands with Martin, Jie and Michael.
“PRESEASON
Well what a season 24/25 has been. Ending the 23/24 season on a high being crowned winners and also achieving our second promotion after been a team for 2 years I think we all expected big things and set high standards.
Joining a new league with a higher standard of opposition, we knew we could hold our own but how successful we would really be, I don’t think anyone could predict that. As captain going into the new season I knew with the quality around me and the togetherness we had that we could 100% fight for one of the spots at the top of the table.
It would prove to be a big ask to achieve promotion again, we couldn’t go back to back to back could we?
We started out the season on a high, by beating Golcar away from home who would be one of the teams we would go head to head with in a 3 way tie to fight for promotion.
Highs and lows followed as the season progressed, more highs than lows I will state.
But with success must come failure, that came in some of our very few defeats of the season. With those defeats came never ending lessons, what to do in future situations, how to prep better, the list goes on, and in truth I think failure makes you all that much more successful in the long run.
There were many highs this season, such as having our newly formed u18s team who also had a very successful season achieveing second place in their league. Along with this came amazing opportunities for some of those players to feature and make senior debuts, the likes of Bella, Jenny, Lilly and Poppy all contributed important minutes to the team and helped us along to achieving promotion.
Another successful season and for the third time in our short history, we achieved promotion to the West Riding Premier League.
I am so grateful for the players around me, coaching staff and the staff behind the scenes who make this team and also this club what it is. We have something very special, and now our attention goes into preparation for pre-season and the new season to come, which will be our most challenging yet.
After winning the Yorkshire League Cup in the final game of last season – pre-season could not come quick enough for our special ladies.
The taste of success ensured all the players returned hungry and motivated with the team goal to have our best ever league finish in the team’s history.
Knaresborough Town make no mistake is a club going places – and as part of that journey we aim to challenge players to improve and compete at the highest level.
Having had success all over Yorkshire over the previous seasons our next step was to provide a pathway to ladies football for all these talented young players.
Having done our research across all the major leagues through Yorkshire we decided to compete at the higher Under 18’s age group level in the West Yorkshire top division.
This was always going to be a big test noting a large proportion of the team was playing 2 years above their age level – but it was a challenge the girls were excited to take on.
Pre-season training gave the girls a taste for their next steps in their own pathway as we work very closely with the successful Ladies First Team and highly experienced coaches.
The girls were welcomed with open arms and really flourished training alongside some amazing role models from the Ladies game in Yorkshire.
Sessions were lively, enjoyable and creative - giving the girls the opportunity of progressing into the senior set up – should they put in the hard work through the season.
As we approached the big kick off – we seemed to start having a period of bad luck with key players getting injuries just at the wrong moment – some in friendlies but also others in school activities which left the squad thin in numbers.
As a result, the start to the season was certainly a shock to the system – the step up in age groups brought an enhanced level of physicality and skill to contend with – and the lack of options on the bench to allow tactical changes became challenging noting the quality of opposition in the league.
Three defeats in four games left us in the bottom three of the table licking our wounds – some harsh lessons learned against some talented sides.
Despite this as a squad & coaching team we never stopped believing – one thing I had learned over the last 10 years with these girls was that they never give up.
“THE TASTE OF SUCCESS ENSURED THAT ALL PLAYERS RETURNED HUNGRY AND MOTIVATED”
A hard fought 3-2 win at home provided the spring board to an unbelievable run – 10 wins on the bounce and goals aplenty slowly allowing us to climb the table.
You could see the confidence flowing through the team and some of the football really was a joy to watch – the hard work in training was transmitting to the pitch.
A final victory at home against Woodkirk Valley ensured we secured the runners up spot in the league – another medal for the girl’s collection and the goal reached our best finish ever in the top-flight.
The season was over in the blink of an eye – but with an awesome ending too for our ladies team who also secured second spot and promotion to the Premier League.
It was a proud moment for us a club – and for us in the Under 18’s set up too with three members of our squad progressing and playing competitive action through the season for both sides.
We are now ready to recharge the batteries, rest and heal before we take on our next challenge over in the York and District League.
As a club we are excited for what lies ahead and look forward to playing our small part in the growth of the girls/women’s game in Yorkshire – if you want to play a part too why not come and join us for the adventures ahead you won’t regret it.
What can we say that hasn’t already been said at least once since the creation of our astonishing women’s section.
This season has seen a third straight promotion, or as has become fashionable courtesy of our friends at Wrexham, back to back to back promotions.
It is very hard to believe that the women’s section is still in its infancy at just 3 years old.
Not only have they had a third successive promotion they also reached the semi final of the league cup beating several teams from the league above enroute.
That wasn’t the only cup semi final to be played having reached the semi finals of the west riding county cup where we played away against Leeds United.
The U18 team came runners up in their league again a wonderful achievement in their first season, they also provided the first team with several players who stepped up admirably and will be looking at cementing their places in the squad next season, maybe they already have.
When we created the womens section it was with a 5 year plan to reach the West Yorkshire premier league and then build again from there, well we’ve achieved that two years ahead of schedule, so we will be sitting down very soon to discuss the next steps, I can’t tell you too much about how that will look, but what I can tell you is that it’ll be exciting and will be well worth being apart of, whether that be a player, volunteer or supporter you will be afforded a very warm welcome.
Whatever the future plan is, with people like Ged Maloney, Mike Bligh, James Strudwick and Emily Crispin spearheading it, I wouldn’t bet against us, would you?
D1 18/05/25 Hepworth United 0-15 Knaresborough Town
D1 08/05/25 Ackworth Girls 0-2 Knaresborough Town
D1 27/04/25 Knaresborough Town 6-0 Huddersfield Amateur Firsts
D1 22/04/25 Knaresborough Town 4-0 Republica Internationale
D1 13/04/25 Knaresborough Town 4-0 Bradford City U23
LC 06/04/25 Wyke Wanderers 1-0 Knaresborough Town
CC 03/04/25 Leeds United Women FC WFC First 4-0 Knaresborough Town
CC 16/03/25 Knaresborough Town 3-1 Forge Way Firsts
LC 02/03/25 Leeds Medics & Dentists 1-1 (Pens 4-5) Knaresborough Town
D1 23/02/25 Thackley 0-0 Knaresborough Town
CC 16/02/25 Harrogate Railway Firsts 0-3 Knaresborough Town
D1 09/02/25 Leeds Hyde Park Firsts 0-4 Knaresborough Town
LC 02/02/25 Eccleshill United 2-3 Knaresborough Town
CC 19/01/25 Knaresborough Town 3-0 Farsley Celtic
D1 01/12/24 Knaresborough Town 1-4
As I put this publication to bed... my thoughts wander back over my three years at Knaresborough Town Women.
From that first training session in late summer 2022; not knowing how many players would turn up, or if I would recognise any of them from other teams in the area.
On that warm summer’s evening, there were a few faces I knew, but many that I didn’t. It was time for me to learn new names...
Over the past three seasons, the team has had a remarkably low turnover rate, and I’ve got to know most of the players.
This group of players are at different stages of their footballing journey... some just starting out and others coming to an end of their playing time.
What they all have in common, is a true love of the game and a talent that they shouldn’t take for granted.
1972 saw England Women take on Scotland in their first official international match, paving the way for future generations of women and girls to take part in the beautiful game - creating a legacy.
It’s a word that is used a lot, but it isn’t something that is just in the past;
today’s decisions and actions are a living legacy for tomorrow, the next day, and onwards.
Women’s football doesn’t have a hundred years of investment behind it...it has 53 years at most, and being totally honest...it really only has around a decade.
The female footballing landscape still needs nurturing, guiding, and investing in. Today’s football clubs need to treat women and girl’s teams equally with their men’s set up.
Open the cafe and bar on matchdays; acknowledge their teams on social media and website; and embrace those teams as part of the club.
July sees the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Finals taking place in Switzerland, and if the England team continues on with the success that they’ve had over the past ten years...it will inspire other women and girls to take up football.
Those new players will look to their schools and local clubs for teams to join. So please be ready for the renewed interest and influx of new faces.
Be prepared, like myself, to welcome new players and learn new names. Your club will grow and that living legacy will be added to.
