Palace Women v Southampton matchday programme 2324 publication

2023/24

women

sun 19 nov 2023 14:00 kick-off

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03

palace √ SOUTHAMPTON sUN 19 nov | 14:00

WELCOME TO SELHURST PARK After a remarkable start to 2023/24, Crystal Palace Women return to Selhurst Park this afternoon – and with a record 2,500 tickets already taken up at the time of going to print, we’re all set for a stunning atmosphere in SE25.

With the Eagles going into today’s game just a point off the top of the Championship table, every point – and every supporter getting behind the team – will count this afternoon.

We thank you for being in

attendance and ask you to be loud, be proud, and be Palace.

You can find head coach Laura Kamiski’s thoughts on page 5, as well as those of captain Aimee Everett on page 7; a full guide to Palace’s 2023/24 season and players from page 9 onwards; and an introduction to our visitors today, Southampton, on page 17.

If you’re inspired by today’s match, you can also find out more about players, news and upcoming matches – including how to purchase tickets – at cpfc.co.uk/palace-women.

Following today’s game,

Palace Women’s next home fixture is against Watford at our regular home – the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton – on Wednesday, 22nd November (19:15 GMT kick-off). Tickets are now available via cpfc.co.uk.

Palace for Life Foundation, meanwhile, continue to provide free football sessions for young girls and women in south London, aiming to inspire them to engage with football, develop fundamental skills, and create a lifelong love of the game.

You can find out more about these sessions by visiting the Foundation’s website.

On this day 19 Nov 2020 Scan here for our new service which allows a quick, easy, and anonymous (at reporters’ discretion) reporting of safeguarding concerns.

A chilly Thursday night saw Palace put six past London Bees in Bromley. The Bees even went ahead after eight minutes, but goals from Coral Haines, Bianca Baptiste (2), Cherelle Khassal, Amy Taylor and an own-goal helped the Eagles advance from their League Cup group on goal difference.

BRIEFING

04

Head coach

05

Good afternoon everybody, and a very warm welcome to Selhurst Park for our exciting Women’s Championship match against Southampton.

I

’d like to take this opportunity to welcome Marieanne and her Southampton team to SE25 today.

They have made a strong start to this season and they’re an impressive, well-organised side, so we’re looking forward to a great game of football.

What a brilliant occasion this promises to be. We’ve been working hard towards this: it’s a big day for the group, as well as a little change for us not being at Sutton, but I know the girls will take this day in their stride and look forward to a good game.

We go into today’s game following back-to-back wins against Watford and Lewes. Those six points give us a lot of confidence – but like I’ve said before, we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. A lot of people will be really pleased with where we are in the table this season, but we’re taking it one game at a time.

I’m really proud of the way the players performed against Lewes in our 3-2 win. I thought the way they came back from 1-0 down – a situation which we haven’t been in often this season – was a really pleasing reaction.

That period after half-time, when there were some strong messages

delivered, was when we started to change the game, so I’m really proud of the group and the determination and the grit that they showed to turn the match around. Sometimes there are things you can’t coach on the grass – and that’s when your environment, your culture and the togetherness of your group takes over.

We’ve got some fantastic players, so we have to make sure that we prepare well, we keep our feet on the ground, but we also keep moving forwards We also scored three good goals, which shows we give the players great freedom within the structure.

It’s so good when you’ve got a variety of goalscorers. Obviously Hughesy is known as our main threat – and as Head coach

a No. 9, that’s what we want – but it’s important to see other people are getting in and around the 18-yard box and showing their technical ability.

We have to recognise that Southampton are a fantastic side, so we’ve made sure that we’ve prepared throughout the week and aren’t getting carried away with ourselves.

It’s one job at a time for us, and I’ve got a group that really understand and buy into that.

We’ve got some fantastic players, so we have to make sure that we prepare well, we keep our feet on the ground, but we also keep moving forwards. We want to show that we can perform against good sides. That’s where we want to be – so we feel ready for this game.

I understand we’re expecting a record crowd for Palace Women at Selhurst Park today, which is fantastic. Certainly, the players have felt your support in Sutton so far this season – I know I have as well – and you’ve made it a brilliant place to call home. Hopefully, we can make you proud this afternoon.

Enjoy the game!

Laura

06

captain

07

Good afternoon everybody, and welcome to what should be a fantastic occasion at Selhurst Park today, playing against great opposition in Southampton.

W

e’re delighted to learn that a record crowd is expected in SE25 this afternoon. It’s brilliant to think so many of you will be there backing us and supporting us, and it will be a real honour to lead the team out at Selhurst Park for the very first time as captain.

I’m in my third season with Crystal Palace now, so it’s been a huge honour to take the armband, especially at my age. It’s been wonderful to see how well the team have started the season – but we’re still just taking it week by week, session by session, game by game at the moment. I think that’s where we’ve really done well in our performances.

We’ve added plenty of new faces to the club since our last match here a year ago, but I think the togetherness of this group is clearly showing, on and off the pitch. All the girls are getting on great, and that really shows in not only the performances they’re putting in for each other out there, but the number of different goalscorers we’ve seen so far this season.

From game one to now, we’ve grown as a squad. Our style of play has improved each game, and that’s all we can ask for. Obviously, we’re a footballing team and a nice one to play in. It’s been really enjoyable for us under Laura and her coaching team, and hopefully that’s been the same for you watching as well.

Those performances have had wider recognition, of course, and I’d like to congratulate Annabel

it’s a hugely exciting occasion for all of us – so today, we’re looking to do you proud Blanchard on winning the cinch Player of the Month vote for October.

Scoring back-to-back home hattricks is no mean feat, but it’s the confidence with which Annabel – and all of our attackers – are playing at the moment that I’ve loved seeing as captain.

I’d also like to congratulate Araya Dennis for winning Championship Goal of the Month. captain

I’m sure doing so with a brilliant goal against Charlton Athletic at the Valley, even in an eventual defeat, will mean a lot to every Palace supporter!

I’m really proud of how we’ve bounced back from that game, which was our first loss of the season.

We’ve since won 3-0 away at Watford and 3-2 at home to Lewes – two tough fixtures, but matches in which we showed great spirit to respond, come through and get the full six points. I don’t think we could have asked for anything more than that.

Obviously that gives us good momentum going today’s game, which is a hugely exciting occasion for all of us – so today, we’re looking to do you proud.

We’ve all loved playing in front of you this season. We’re unbeaten at home so far, and you’ve made Sutton feel like a home to me and everyone else in the dressing room. I’m sure you’ll do the same at Selhurst today.

Thank you for your support.

Enjoy the game!

Aimee

THERE’S ALWAYS A HOME FOR THE EAGLES

OFFICIAL PARTNER OF CRYSTAL PALACE WOMEN

SALES • LETTINGS • MANAGEMENT

0208 650 1000 beckenham@winkworth.co.uk 141 High St, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1BX

The squad

Back row: Chico Lyons (Physical Performance Coach); Andrew Shafik (Team Doctor); Isiah Goddard-Joseph (Sports Therapist); Andrew Greene (Sports Scientist); Nick Wiltshire (Kit Manager); Leigh Nicol (Player Liaison Officer)

Front row: Alexia Potter; Shauna Guyatt; Annabel Blanchard; Lia Cataldo; Fliss Gibbons; Annabel Johnson; Laura Kaminski (Head Coach); Adam Jeffrey (Assistant Coach); Aimee Everett (Captain); Kirsten Reilly; Shanade Hopcroft; Lucy Watson; Anna Filbey; Isabella Sibley

Middle row: Daniel Matraszek (Lead Goalkeeper Coach); Polly Doran; Paige Bailey-Gayle; Keira Barry; Araya Dennis; Demi Lambourne; Natalia Negri; Chloe Arthur; Hayley Nolan; Molly Sharpe; Elise Hughes; Ellie Noble; Joe Tupper (Goalkeeper Coach)

09

10

Crystal Palace’s bold new era has been met with a bright start, as the summer rang in a new Head of Women’s Football, Grace Williams; a new head coach in Laura Kaminski; a new home ground in Sutton; and a new captain in Aimee Everett.

At the risk of inducing the programme writer’s curse, therefore, if there’s one thing we can expect from today’s match, it is entertainment.

The Eagles are comfortably the top scorers in the Women’s Championship, scoring 31 goals in just nine league games – a total 14 clear of the next-best scorers: today’s opponents at Selhurst Park.

They have also enjoyed the division’s best home form, unbeaten – and scoring 19 times – in four matches in south London. In Sutton, Palace recorded their biggest-ever

THIS season pos

pts

3

20

rd

Top Scorer Elise Hughes (9) Most assists Fliss Gibbons (4)

eagles

crystal palace women victory in September – a 9-1 win over Durham – and also put six past London City Lionesses.

Forward players have enjoyed remarkable form, with Annabel Blanchard winning Championship Player of the Month after back-toback home hat-tricks and Wales international Elise Hughes netting ten in ten in all competitions.

A first defeat of the season against Charlton last month has swiftly been answered with back-toback wins meaning Palace sit third, one point off the Championship summit with a game in hand.

Kaminski has preached the need for her players not to look too far forward, and all within her camp remain focused and grounded – but the Eagles have given supporters every reason to be characteristically vociferous, at Selhurst Park today.

head coach laura kaminski Awarded Championship Manager of the Month after a flying start to her Palace tenure, head coach Kaminski’s impressive coaching career spans over 15 years, including five at the Football Association, where she led England U19s. She also spent three seasons as assistant at Tottenham, whom she helped gain promotion to the top-flight for the very first time. crystal palace

11

Starting xi

3-2 PALACE √ LEWES SUN 12 NOV / VBS COMMUNITY STADIUM

12

08

09

14

21

04

24

15

06

20

30

subs

30

D. Lambourne

13

N. Negri

20

P. Doran

02

A. Johnson

06

A. Everett

03

F. Gibbons

15

H. Nolan

07

I. Sibley

12

L. Cataldo

17

A. Potter

24

S. Hopcroft

05

A. FilbeY

04

C. Arthur

11

K. Reilly

21

S. GuyatT

12

A. Dennis

14

P. Bailey-Gayle

09

E. Hughes

08

M. Sharpe

goal cards

subs

pos res

oppo

Recent matches

BOOT IN BOTH CAMPS Rianna Dean -

Former England U21s forward Dean arrived at Palace in July 2022, but injury prevented her from debuting until February.

She joined Southampton in the summer and has scored twice in six league games.

1-1

6-1

3-2

0-3

3-2

N/A

4

4

4

3RD

th

th

Captain - Aimee Everett Everett joined from Leicester in summer 2021 and was named Palace’s Player of the Season in her first year. She is comfortable playing in either defence or midfield, and recently made her 50th Palace appearance in the 3-0 win over Watford.

crystal palace

th

12

30 01 13 Fran Kitching

Demi Lambourne

Natalia Negri

pos

goalkeeper

pos

goalkeeper

nat

england

nat

england

age

25

age

19

02 06 Annabel Johnson

goalkeeper england age

27

23/24 apps/ clean sheets

3/1

joined

2023

from

pos

defender

nat age

Aimee Everett pos

defender

england

nat

ENGLAND

30

age

22

03

Loan signing Lambourne helped Leicester go from the Championship to the Super League in 2021. She won Players’ Player of the Season the following year as the Foxes stayed in the top-flight.

fliss gibbons pos

defender

nat

ENGLAND

age

29

Gibbons’ long career in football saw her win Brighton’s Player of the Year award as they were promoted in 2015. The former England youth international sits second in the Championship assists table (four).

crystal palace

13

15 11

Kirsten Reilly pos

midfielder

nat

scotland

age

28

Back in English football for a second spell after returning to Scotland to play for Rangers, midfielder Reilly is in her second season with Palace and recently won the cinch Player of the Month award for September.

07 12

Hayley Nolan

Isabella Sibley

DEFENDER Republic of Ireland age

26

23/24 apps/ goals

10/1

joined

2023

from Republic of Ireland international Nolan grew up playing Gaelic football alongside her burgeoning football career. She scored in Palace’s 9-1 victory against Durham in September and has won three caps for her country.

Lia Cataldo

pos

defender

pos

defender

nat age

ENGLAND

nat

england

24

age

22

pos

DEFENDER

pos

midfielder

nat

Australia

nat

scotland

age

22

age

28

20 04 polly doran

Chloe Arthur

crystal palace

08

14

Molly Sharpe pos

forward

nat

england

age

25

21

Sharpe moved to the United States early in her career, combining studies in Miami with a growing footballing reputation. She returned to England via Durham, before joining Palace in summer 2021.

05 16 Anna Filbey

Shauna Guyatt

Ellie Noble

pos

MIDFIELDER

nat age

MIDFIELDER

pos

MIDFIELDER

wales

nat

england

24

age

24

17 24 Alexia Potter

Shanade Hopcroft

pos

MIDFIELDER

pos

midfielder

nat

england

nat

england

age

17

age

26

crystal palace

england age

18

23/24 apps/ goals

10/1

joined

2022

from A childhood Palace fan, Guyatt’s career has taken off in south London, earning her international recognition and the captaincy at youth level with England. She joined from Chelsea’s academy in 2022.

15

14 19 09 Paige Bailey-Gayle

Keira Barry

pos

forward

pos

FORWARD

nat

jamaica

nat

england

age

22

age

18

22 25 Araya Dennis

Lucy Watson

pos

FORWARD

nat age

FORWARD

pos

FORWARD

england

nat

england

17

age

20

10

Elise Hughes

Annabel Blanchard pos

FORWARD

nat

england

age

22

A double award-winner with Championship Player and Goal of the Month for September, also scoring consecutive home hat-tricks, Blanchard’s form has been nothing short of sensational this season.

crystal palace

wales age

22

23/24 apps/ goals

10/10

joined

2022

from Wales international Hughes has been unstoppable up-front for Palace this season, scoring four times against Durham and taking her tally to double figures with a recent brace against Watford.

16

southampton Southampton Women ushered in a new era in the summer of 2022, winning promotion to the Barclays Women’s Championship for the first time after defeating Wolves in the National League Play-off final.

Led by Marieanne Spacey-Cale MBE, the Saints entered English football’s second-tier and performed admirably last season, finishing sixth in the table.

Smart recruitment over the summer and a decent start to this season, with six wins from their first 10 games, have only added to the sense of a red and white revolution.

Southampton’s roots can be traced back to Saints Girls & Ladies, a local club affiliated with the men’s team in 1995 and absorbed in 2001, but whose funding was withdrawn after Southampton men were relegated from the top-flight for the

THIS season pos

pts

4th

18 Top Scorer

S. Pharoah (4) Most assists L. Kendall / M. Pike / K. Wilkinson (2)

saints

17

first time in 27 years in 2005.

Recognising the need for a professional women’s team in the region, Southampton formed academy sides in 2016 and, a year later, a senior team.

In March 2018, the Saints applied to leap from local leagues to the Championship, but West Ham and Manchester United were chosen ahead of them. That summer, English football legend Spacey-Cale was appointed to spearhead their charge, duly delivering a flawless league record and a domestic double in her first season at the helm.

Progress delayed further by the pandemic, it was not until 2021 that Southampton entered the National League – but glory in the play-offs two seasons ago, and further on-field progress since, suggest the Saints will only continue to march on.

Manager Marieanne Spacey-Cale Inducted into the English Football Hall of the Fame in 2009, Spacey-Cale won numerous trophies as a player, including a domestic treble with Fulham. She was England’s assistant manager as the Lionesses finished third at the 2015 FIFA World Cup, and won all 18 league games, and a domestic double, in her first season in charge of the Saints (2018/19). southampton

Crystal Palace Women have made an excellent start to their 2023/24 campaign.

Catch up with the season so far in our comprehensive Stat Zone...

Home fixture Away fixture Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first)

fixtures & results

individual stats

AUGUST Sun 27

Name Reading

D 1-1

SEPTEMBER

Apps

Goals

Chloe ARTHUR

7

0

Sun 3

Birmingham City

W 2-1

Paige BAILEY-GAYLE

7

0

Sun 10

Durham

W 9-1

Sun 17

Sunderland

D 1-1

Keira BARRY

0

0

Annabel BLANCHARD

8

7

Blackburn Rovers

W 4-0

Lia CATALDO

5

0

OCTOBER Sun 8

Wed 11 Lewes

D 1-1

Sun 15

London City Lionesses

W 6-1

Sun 22

Charlton Athletic

L 2-3

NOVEMBER Sun 5

Watford

W 3-0

Sun 12

Lewes

W 3-2

Sun 19

Southampton

Wed 22 Watford

Araya DENNIS

8

2

Polly DORAN

8

1

Aimee EVERETT

9

1

Anna FILBEY

10

1

Fliss GIBBONS

6

0

Lexi Potter scored her first professional goal as Palace Women defeated Lewes 3-2 in their last outing.

Shauna GUYATT

10

1

Shanade HOPCROFT

10

3

Elise HUGHES

10

10

pos CLUB P W D

L

F

Annabel JOHNSON

2

0

1

CHA

10 6

3

1

14 7

7 21

Fran KITCHING

0

0

2

SUN

10 6

3

1

12 5

7 21

FEBRUARY

Demi LAMBOURNE

3

0

3

CRY

9

6

2

1

31 10 21 20

Sun 4

Southampton

8

0

4

SOU

10 6

0

4 17 11

6 18

Sun 18

Natalia NEGRI

Blackburn Rovers

Ellie NOBLE

0

0

5

BIR

10 5

2

3 17 9

8 17

6

BLA

10 5

0

5

7

DUR

10 4

2

4 10 17 -7 14

8

LON

10 3

2

5 10 16 -6 11

9

SHU

9

1

5 10 13 -3 10

DECEMBER Sun 17

Reading

JANUARY Sun 21

London City Lionesses

Wed 24 London City Lionesses Sun 28

Charlton Athletic

MARCH

league table

A GD Pts

8 13 -5 15

Sun 3

Birmingham City

Hayley NOLAN

10

1

Sun 17

Sheffield United

Sun 24

Watford

Lexi POTTER

5

1

Sun 31

Durham

Kirsten REILLY

9

0

Molly SHARPE

10

4

10 REA

10 2

4

4

Isabella SIBLEY

1

0

11

WAT

10

1

2

7 10 21 -11 5

Lucy WATSON

3

0

12 LEW

10

1

1

8

APRIL Sun 21

Lewes

Sun 28

Sunderland

TBC

Sheffield United

fixtures, results & stats

3

9 14 -5 9

5 17 -12 4

19

Crystal palace f.c.

Fran KITCHING (GK) Annabel JOHNSON Fliss GIBBONS Chloe ARTHUR Anna FILBEY Aimee EVERETT Isabella SIBLEY Molly SHARPE Elise HUGHES Annabel BLANCHARD Kirsten REILLY Lia CATALDO Natalia NEGRI (GK) Paige BAILEY-GAYLE Hayley NOLAN Ellie NOBLE Lexi POTTER Keira BARRY Polly DORAN Shauna GUYATT Araya DENNIS Shanade HOPCROFT Lucy WATSON Demi LAMBOURNE (GK) Annis-Clara WRIGHT (GK)

southampton women 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 25 30 31

J. Busby J. Kings K. Allen F. Eade

1

Kayla RENDELL(GK)

2

Ella MORRIS

3

Milly MOTT

4

Lucia KENDALL

5

Rosie PARNELL

6

Laura RAFFERTY

7

Lexi LLOYD-SMITH

8

Chloe PEPLOW

9

Katie WILKINSON

10

Rianna DEAN

11

Megan WYNNE

12

Sophia PHAROAH

14

Molly PIKE

16

Emma THOMPSON

17

Emily KRAFT

18

Izzy MILNE

19

Alice GRIFFITHS

20

Atlanta PRIMUS

21

Jemma PURFIELD

22

Beth HOWARD (GK)

23

Megan COLLETT

24

Paige PEAKE