CAMBRIDGE UTD NORWICH CITY OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME CAMBRIDGE UTD VS NORWICH CITY | THE ABBEY STADIUM SUN 21 AUG | KICK OFF: 14:00 VS CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETSMATCH Item No. 399337 SPORT, Size - 91x90 mm - Transfer VAND intelligent membranes logo, farver og farvegengivelseplacering.pådinskærm.ogplacering.indenfor24timerforatundgå forsinkelse produktionen.
I believe the Euro’s were a pivotal moment for the Women’s game and our decision to form the new Cambridge United Women’s Board and integrate the team into the Club was well timed. The structural changes, which fully tie the Women’s Team into the Football Club, will help increase the profile of the Women’s Team. Women’s and Girl’s football has a huge impact in the community and we very much want to ensure that Cambridge United is at the forefront of innovation and inspiration to local Girls and Women who love the game. I would like to acknowledge and thank all those people who have been involved and have supported the Women’s team and for your continued support. Looking forward, I believe the Club is in a great position to help the team develop and grow, inspire the next generation and with the recent grant of an Emerging Talent Centre license we will have a full pathway to develop talented players for the future. It has been a very busy summer for everyone involved as we have strengthened the squad, improved access to better facilities and readied for the start of the season and our first of four games this season at the Abbey!
Welcome everyone to today’s game and a warm welcome to our visiting supporters from Norwich. What a time to be involved in Women’s football on the back of a fantastic Euro’s and the Lionesses finally bringing it home! It was a great tournament and I was very lucky to experience the Final at Wembley - the atmosphere and joy at the game was something special. Now I hope we can create some special memories and inspire the next generation here at the Abbey!
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Finally, I would like to offer a very special thank you to all our sponsors, including Intelligent Membranes who are our shirt sponsor for this Iseason.hopeyou have a great day - thanks again for your support and enjoy the game!
Jenny Horsfield
score hatcommsatrickstrategyprmarketingproudtosponsor#CUWFCscore@cofinitive.comwith
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On the subject of the Development team, we recently said goodbye to Leon Holden who has decided to take a break after many years at the club. Leon has overseen the Development team for a few seasons and has helped some of our youngest players find the next level of their game and push into the First Team. I would like to thank Leon for all his hard work and commitment to the club over a prolonged period. I hope you all have a great day here at the Abbey and look forward to what should be another great occasion. Enjoy the game.
NOTES Darren Marjoram
This afternoon we welcome Shaun Howes and Norwich City to the Abbey Stadium for this opening fixture of the season. It is fantastic to be back at the Abbey again in what is a real statement from the club. To be playing the opening game of the season at our home ground is something that we all realise the significance of and shows the backing for the Women’s team. And following on from a very successful summer for England as they became European Champions on home soil, we hope a swell of interest in the Women’s game will see more people going to watch their local club, and for us particularly Cambridge United Women. I would also like to thank Intelligent Membranes for their amazing support as they become our front of shirt sponsor for both home and away kits this season. Adam, Alex and all the team at Intelligent Membranes have shown fantastic support for the team and for our vision of female football at the club. We are incredibly lucky to have them on-board. I would also like to thank each player sponsor for their kind and generous support. Without people prepared to help our players in this way, things would be very different. So onto today and what will be a tough opening test against Norwich City. They finished last season in really good form to avoid relegation and will no doubt be looking to progress from that. They like to play good football, as do we, and so I am sure this will be an entertaining game. We are all looking forward to not just the game but also to inspiring the next generation. Hopefully there will be a few girls in the crowd today that in future will be out on the pitch in the famous Amber and Black colours.
We have a few new signings that we have made over the summer, including Sammy Edgar from Royston, Cesca Partridge from Northampton Town and Sarah Wiltshire from Watford. They have all slotted in seamlessly and have already shown in pre-season how much they will bring to the team. Sarah’s experience at the very top level at the likes of Watford, Spurs and Yeovil, not to mention internationally with Wales, will be invaluable to the other players as well. Not only do we have new signings but I have seen a real determination from the players retained from last season. We have also seen some talented youngsters come through from the Development team too, so the future looks promising.
MANAGER’S
Dream Holiday: Maldives Biggest Achievement: Just bought my first house Favourite Film: Step Brothers One thing we don’t know about you: I travelled around the world at the age of 18 on my own
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Name: Sarah Wiltshire Age: 31 Position: Attacker Previous Club/s: Arsenal, Watford, Yeovil, Man City, Tottenham Favourite Food: Pizza & Chocolate Footballing Hero: Son Heung-min
Name: Sammy Edgar Age: 28 Position: Defensive Midfielder Previous Club/s: Royston Favourite Food: Spaghetti Carbonara Footballing Hero: Ellen White Three new faces have joined the Cambridge United squad so far this summer… Find out all about them as we welcome them to the Club!Dream Holiday: USA Biggest Achievement: Winning promotion to the WSL with Yeovil Favourite Film: A Walk to Remember One thing we don’t know about you: I have the number 7 tattooed on my arm, representing my birthday7th July - and my footballing number.
NEW SIGNINGS
Dream Holiday: The Maldives Biggest Achievement: Signing for Cambridge United Favourite Film: Billy Elliott One thing we don’t know about you: I have a small birthmark on my right hand that looks like the outline of Italy Q&A
Name: Francesca Victoria Partridge Age: 24 Position: Striker Previous Club/s: Northampton Town Favourite Food: Prawn, pesto pasta with garlic bread Footballing Hero: Sam Kerr
Thisseason.season sees seven new signings to the squad, following the return of some familiar faces and specially selected individuals brought in to further the squad’s talent.
OPPOSITION
Last year saw the club formally integrate into the men’s first team under the guidance of executive director Zoe Ward. This strategic move saw overall operation and control of the Norwich City Women teams brought in-house with the aim of driving further development and progress in this area.
Norwich City Women were formed in 1998 when local rivals Norwich Ladies and Norwich Racers joined forces. The former team are still the only Norwich side to have lifted the FA Cup trophy, which was won in 1986 after a dramatic last-gasp winner against the favourites, Doncaster Belles.
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The Canaries have plenty of silverware to their name, including six Norfolk County Cup trophies, last won in 2021 after a 7-0 final win over Mulbarton Belles.
The club were particularly proud to follow the 2022 Women’s Euros coverage, especially of Norfolk-born Lauren Hemp, who started her youth footballing career under the guidance of Norwich City Girls Centre of Excellence. Last season became an unexpected survival campaign for Norwich City, despite the hard work and dedication that went into every game. Safety was eventually secured for Shaun Howes’ side after an important win over AFC Wimbledon in the penultimate game of the
Norwich City
Box-to-box midfielder Rebecca Russell is second on the list of the summer signings, who joins Norwich from newly promoted Wymondham AnotherTown.
L-R: Olivia Cook, Alice Parker, Rebecca Russell, Ceri Flye, Naomi Cooper, Hope Armstrong, Katie Knights
familiar face who joins the side this season is goalkeeper Hope Armstrong. The 20-year-old re-joins the side after a spell away from Wroxham alongside Alice Parker. Naomi Cooper, 27, also joins the team from The Yachtsmen. The defender has also previously progressed through our player pathway system.
8 CAMBRIDGE UTD VS NORWICH CITY Meet the NEW CANARIES
Katie Knights, 23, signed for the club from Wymondham Town, champions of the Eastern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division last season. The combative central midfielder is another participant of Norwich’s player pathway system. Also joining the Canaries this season is forward Olivia Cook from Waveney. The 17-year-old plays with versatility and can play anywhere across the front line. The final new signing of the season is number 24 Ceri Flye. At 19 years old, she was a regular feature in fellow South East Division One side Cambridge City. Flye will play in defence for the Canaries this season.
It was a summer of new signings for Norwich City Women as they welcomed on board seven new additions for the 2022/23 season.
After a roller-coaster 2021/22 season, finishing in eighth place, two points above the drop zone, City look to strengthen the side for the new challenge in the FAWNL South East Division One. Alice Parker makes her return to the Canaries side after a season-long spell at Wroxham FC. The 20-year-old defender will once again sport her number four shirt, having previously progressed through the player pathway.
I watch videos of 5-year-old Lexie (daughter of new U’s signing Sarah Wiltshire) running round with young boys and girls scoring goals for fun and without a care in the world, with a huge smile on my face and I think back to what that looked like for me at that age.
This is the best picture I can paint of the advancements that have been made in the game and I truly believe it is ready to explode. If we can take away all the barriers that existed when I was growing up and offer young girls the same opportunities that young boys get, get ready to watch them shine. We can then look forward to events like this summer becoming the norm and seeing young children’s shirts bearing the names of their favourite players, both male and That’sfemale.thegoal and it’s so important we maintain the current energy to together push the women’s game to places we have only dreamed of.
Fast forward 500 games and 21 years to when I hung up my boots. We are now training twice a week on a fully floodlit 3G surfaces, playing games at the Abbey Stadium, have off-season fitness plans with nutritional advice, our kit and footballs are provided free of charge, we have fully paid sponsors and the support of the club of which we share our name.
Women’s football has had its moment and it has given us all renewed energy to keep going and make a significant impact for those just making their first baby steps in the game.
For those of us who have been involved in the women’s game for longer they we care to mention, it feels like a real shift in the climate.
I began playing organised football at 10 years old for my local club and was the only girl at any age group. I never played against another side with any girls then either. As a teenager, my brother and I started and ran our own side just to give me the chance to play competitive football - my school wouldn’t allow a girl’s football team as it was too dangerous! It was only when I went to university that things were starting to look very different. There were proper women’s sides with women’s football competition though even then we were displaced from our pitches when the men’s side were ready to play. I moved to Cambridge in 2000 and joined the club that is now Cambridge United Women. We trained once a week in the evening under a couple of weak floodlights, we fished the balls that had gone astray during the session from the river using corner flag poles, we played on the local recreation ground, put up our own nets and paid for kit, travel and match fees to cover costs of Theofficials.county
www.cambridge-united.co.uk 9 LIZ PAMPLIN
I’ve been asked many times how I felt watching England finally end the years of hurt by lifting that major trophy and the overriding emotion is excitement for what’s to come.
women’s side played in the men’s kit from the season - before that was way too big - and socks that needed to be stretched out to fit over shin pads as they had shrunk through so many washes!
10 CAMBRIDGE UTD VS NORWICH CITY PLAYER SPONSORS Sponsored by BOLLIE AND BEAR Sponsored by JENNY HORSFIELD Sponsored by JENNY HORSFIELD Sponsored by MM WEALTH Sponsored by PERFORMANCEPACKAGING Sponsored by JB ENGINEERINGDATA Sponsored by SPONSOR TBA Sponsored by EJ & RE CLARK 19. Abi Davies 18. Francesca Partridge 1. Lauren Webb 12. Sammy Edgar 11. Ella Marden 15. Grace Waygood 2. Abbi Griffin 4. Gisela Otten 21. Niamh Day 14. Lauren Rouse Megan Chandler 7. Sarah Wiltshire 20. Tash Collins 8. Alysha Stojko-Down 6. Rachel Kosky3. Carrie Bennett 17. Grace Camfield 10. Harley Jean Simpson9. Ruth Fox Sponsored by DARREN GILHAM Sponsored by MM WEALTH Sponsored by AMBER BELLES Sponsored by JB ENGINEERINGDATA Sponsored by SHAUN GRADY Sponsored by JB ENGINEERINGDATA Sponsored by EJ & RE CLARK Sponsored by PAUL BARRY Sponsored by GODRIC SMITH Sponsored by AMBER BELLES Sponsored by LONGSTANTON FC Interested in sponsoring a player? Email commercial@cambridge-united.co.uk
Well, what a July for Women’s football! As a photographer, it can be difficult to get accreditation for a tournament like the Euros with a limited number of places and a lot of interest. Sometimes luck is on your side and this time it was on mine.
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THETHROUGHLENS
When it comes to the job though, nothing changes. You have to think of all the ‘what if’ scenarios - what if there is no power, what if there is no WiFi and what if you don’t get a good spot pitchside. For the final at Wembley, I was one of the 80 photographers granted a spot by UEFA. Kick off was at 5pm and despite me arriving in good time at 12.30, there was already a line of over 60 photographers, some of whom had been there since 9am. By 2pm we were allowed to check in, shown to the press room, given a briefing and then allowed out pitchside. I am in my spot, unpacked and set up by 3.30pm when the fans begin to gradually fill the stadium. By kick-off, the buzz around the stadium is incredible. Everywhere you look there are families enjoying themselves together and German supporters mixing with England fans, all enjoying the wonderful game of football together. There was no trouble, just true supporters of the game cheering on their respective teams. It is well documented what happened in the game and to be honest, whilst you are in the thick of the action, it flies by you and you don’t really get a chance to soak it in. It was wonderful to catch the post-match celebrations – you know that these are moments that will live forever and go down in Onhistory.the train back, I edit more pictures and send off to the news desks and agencies before arriving home at 12.20am. I was lucky enough to see many of my photographs used across different publications in the following days on what was the best and biggest event I have covered. The one that stands out though is the now iconic image of Chloe Kelly celebrating her winning goal.
I have followed and taken photographs of the Women’s game for many years now so this was a special month for me personally. I can often be found taking snaps at WSL games but the Euro’s was something different entirely. The atmosphere, the enthusiasm and the size of the crowds was unmatched to anything else I have experienced.
It is difficult right now to accurately analyse the impact that the tournament has had on the game in this country, but it does feel like a watershed moment. There is more and more coverage in newspapers, online, on radio and on television than ever before and with the new season just getting underway; it feels like the Women’s game has real momentum behind it. Here on a local level, I hope that the people of Cambridge and the surrounding areas show their support for the U’s who are making great strides themselves. I know I am looking forward to seeing how they get on and snapping some photos throughout the season.
Kevin Hodgson Bar Hill resident, Abbey Stadium regular and keen photographer Kevin Hodgson discusses his experience at Women’s Euros Final
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CRISP Girls Programme Manager
I have now worked and played for Cambridge United for nearly five years and what a journey it has been! I started to play football around the age of 7 years old when I eventually joined my local boys’ team at Brampton Spartans. Although I was the only girl on the team, I flourished under the challenge of playing against the boys, which my parents have told me was a relief as there were no girls’ teams available at that time.
Hello everyone and welcome to the Abbey Stadium for the opening match of the season. Let me introduce myself, my name is Charlotte Crisp and I am the club’s Girls Programme Manager and Head of Youth Development. Alongside working full time at the club, I also have the privilege of playing for the Women’s team.
CHARLOTTE
Adding the ETC programme to our female player pathway will allow us to not only aim to find and develop the next National League or Women’s Super League players, but support the FA in finding and creating the next generation of TrialsLionesses.forall of our girls programmes are currently taking place and details for these can be found at www.cuyd.co.uk. I am extremely excited for the new season and cannot wait to get started!
Now for the exciting news. Earlier this month it was announced that have been successful in gaining an Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) licence. Gaining this licence is a huge achievement for the club, which Cambridgeshire as a county should benefit from as well as it will allow us to expand and provide a further professional opportunity to local talented female footballers.
My journey within female football started when I was scouted by my Postman. He was Director of the Rushden and Diamonds Girls’ Centre of Excellence and provided me with my first step into a female only team. It was at Rushden where I first met and played with now current England Women’s captain Leah Williamson. After this first step I then went on to play for Cambridge United COE, Arsenal COE and then gained a football scholarship to play and study at Bristol City. I left home at the age of 16 to continue living my dream of playing football alongside still gaining my Aftereducation.asuccessful
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If you are reading this and feel inspired to get involved within the club in some capacity, whether as a player, coach, volunteer, sponsor or any other role, please get in contact and together we can aim to continue the growth and progression of sport and the football club.
Finally, it leaves me to say good luck to the girls and come on United! “Our Girls Centres aims to help develop players as holistic footballers and support individuals through their journey. They involve at least an hour of training per week, fixtures, high quality FA coaching and club experiences like being mascots and ball girls.”
two years at Bristol I went to the University of Birmingham to study sport, physical education and coaching science where I played for the First Team in the BUCS league. After gaining my degree, I then returned home to Cambridgeshire and started working and playing for CUFC/CUWFC. I started working within the club’s schools programme and as a causal coach for their Girls Development Centre. Since then I have developed and progressed through a number of positions and into the key roles I now hold. I am so grateful for the opportunities I received as I am fully aware that this hasn’t always been the case. A main part of my role is the organisation and delivery of our Girls Development and Elite Centres. We currently host our GDC at six venues around Cambridgeshire and host our GEC at one top class venue. These centres are open to girls aged between 8-16 who have a passion and talent for football. Our Girls Centres aims to help develop players as holistic footballers and support individuals through their journey. They involve at least an hour of training per week, fixtures, high quality FA coaching and club experiences like being mascots and ball girls. Players within our GDC and GEC are not prevented from playing for any other team, club or centre. We also offer a scholarship education programme for girls aged 16+ and we have great success in the progression of players having over 15 girls make it through our pathway so far and into the Women’s team.
CAMBRIDGE UTD VS NORWICH CITY FIXTURES 30/04/2323/04/2316/04/2309/04/2302/04/2326/03/2319/03/2315/03/2312/03/2305/03/2326/02/2322/02/2319/02/2312/02/2305/02/2329/01/2322/01/2315/01/2308/01/2318/12/2211/12/2204/12/2227/11/2220/11/2213/11/2206/11/2230/10/2223/10/2216/10/2212/10/2209/10/2202/10/2225/09/2218/09/2211/09/2204/09/2231/08/2228/08/2221/08/22 2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm7.45pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm7.45pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm7.45pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm2.00pm7.45pm2.00pm2.00pm Norwich City Ashford ActoniansAFCLondonCheshamWymondhamHounslowCambridgeHashtagQPRAshfordNorwichActoniansAFCWymondhamLondonCheshamHounslowHashtagQPRCambridgeTownCityUnitedUnitedSeawardWimbledonCityTownUtdCityUtdSeawardWimbledon Home (Abbey Stadium) Away (Ashford Town FC) Away (Ely City FC) Home Away (Aveley FC) Away (Hanworth Villa FC) Home Away (Wadham Lodge) Away (The FDC) Home Away (Rectory Park) Away (The Nest – NCFC) Home Away (Hanwell Town FC) Home Home (Abbey Stadium) HomeHome Away (The Meadow) Home Away (Plough Lane) Home (Abbey Stadium) FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 League Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 County Cup FA Cup 3R Qual League Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 FA Cup 1st Round County Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 (FA 2nd) League Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 (FA 3rd) County Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 County Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 (FA 4th) FA WNL SE DIV1 County Cup FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 FA WNL SE DIV1 DATE KO OPPOSITION HOME/AWAY COMPETITION All U’s fans are encouraged to show their support for Cambridge United Women with tickets available for home games at both St Neots and The Abbey Stadium. Season Ticket Holders for the Men’s team can access home games for free upon showing their Season Ticket Card at the turnstiles. SHOW SUPPORT!YOUR 14
TEAM SHEET MATCH OFFICIALS Referee: Sam Anderson Assistants: Simon Curtis, Jack Coupar Copyright © 2022 Hashtag Digital Media Ltd, All rights reserved CAMBRIDGE UNITED HEAD COACH: Darren Marjoram NORWICH CITY FC HEAD COACH: Shaun Howes BRYONY KATECERIOLIVIAELLAHOLLYLEILAHBETTYFREYAJESSKATIENAOMIKATHRYNHOPEROSIEREBECCANATASHAELLIEMILLIEMEGANANNAKATIEALICESUMMERCHARDONNAYWILLIAMSJOHNSTONWARDPARKERLEELARKINSTODDDAVISSSMITHSNELLINGRUSSELLGEORGEARMSTRONGSTANLEYCOOPERKNIGHTSHARPERSYMONDSBOOKERGOODINGWILLIAMSGAMBELLCOOKFLYEPARSONSLAUREN WEBB ABBI SUNNYELSIELIBBYNIAMHTASHABIFRANCESCAGRACEALBANYGRACELAURENSAMMYELLAHARLEYRUTHALYSHASARAHRACHELKAYLEIGH-ANNEGISELACARRIEGRIFFINBENNETTOTTENBURTKOSKYWILTSHIRESTOJKO-DOWNFOXJEANSIMPSONMARDENEDGARROUSEWAYGOODHODGSONCAMFIELDPARTRIDGEDAVIESCOLLINSDAYFRASERBARKERMCGREGOR 252423222120191817161514131211109876543212423222120191817161514121110987654321
