It is with a heavy heart that I announce I will no longer be producing The Round-Up that has become a staple of Women’s Football East over the past three seasons. Always knew that there would become a point where the amount of time I could give to it and the number of teams in the East would become too great. The COVID outbreak bringing it to an abrupt end last season and with a good sized increase in new sides entering the county leagues seeing a total of 3 new divisions created increasing from 15 to 18, now seems like the best time to call it a day. 160 sides to try and cover last season 176 this time around and that will only grow, which is fantastic. The women’s game getting stronger and stronger is brilliant.
Women’s Football East will continue of course not going anywhere, love attending matches at all levels and that will continue. The match reports and social media coverage, will bring all the news and info I can. Many clubs write their own match reports now and I will endeavour to share as many of them with you as possible, some great writers out there. As for league round-ups if anyone wants a try and cover a league I’d certainly encourage it and maybe help by giving it a platform to be shown to a wider audience. Won’t rule out a return as you never know but it was called ‘The Round-Up’ for a reason because finding the information was a round-up in itself. One of the reasons Women’s Football East was created was to try and bring it altogether. Coverage has improved no end social media is one area where women’s football is often leading the way. Part of me feels like I’m letting people down but I have to accept I can’t give the time needed to cover every single team very single week.
Best of luck to all for the coming season will nevertheless be keeping a close eye on the various league battles plenty of exciting action out there and will offer my thoughts throughout the season in other ways and hope to get to see as much football as I can.
Has been a while since I’ve updated the website and King’s Lynn Town Ladies and Histon Ladies have gotten to hog all the action with my last match report of the season. A new season fast approaching less than a week away now! Feel far from prepared and still lots to do.
Therefore perhaps an explanation for my lack of progress although I suspect most of you are aware have seen it via other social media channels the news that my father, David sadly passed away in June a real blow was extremely close to him and coming so soon after the loss of his partner of 25 years, Rita at the start of the year too.
Time needed to grieve and sort his affairs the football put on the back burner for a while had to be done I’m sure you will understand. My health suffering in that time too, but thankfully taking a turn for the better. Back now though and despite being well behind the pace I am slowly getting my mojo back a few pre season friendlies to wet the appetite helping. The match reports will return fast approaching 400 and I am as nervous about writing the next one as I was my first. Love them however and can’t wait to get around the leagues helping to promote the game once again.
Am part of an extraordinary and wonderful community and proud of the role I have within it. Excited for the new season more new sides the game continuing to grow, perhaps too fast in some areas but on the whole in the right direction. Some very interesting and exciting transfers this summer will be intriguing watching it all unfold.
Wishing everyone all the best for the new season and hope to see as many of you play as I can throughout.
I hope you’ve had an enjoyable rest during the close season. I know it was one I most definitely needed and am glad to say got. All rested and recharged and ready for the new season that lays ahead. Another one full of highs and lows and excitement and intrigue no doubt as the months unfold. Hopefully without the dreadful wet winter we experienced last season.
The whole restructure of the FAWSL with the new Championship replacing the 2nd tier of the women’s game the effects rippling down through into the FAWPL which is to become the FAWNL from this season. The FA Women’s National League, the Southern Premier and South East Division One the starting point for the coverage on Women’s Football East with the regional and county leagues also continuing to be covered. Won’t ignore the new Championship or the FAWSL itself it’s just that I know my limits.
Challenges lay ahead for the women’s game as we begin the new season new sides will enter whilst some old familiar names will disappear, the quality will continue to improve and with it the action on display will endeavour to get to as many games as I can and bring you all the action in the weekly Round-Ups.
Inactive on the website for a while, now comes a period of disruption as I update league tables and fixtures will get it done as quickly as I can and alot of that will depend on when the county FA’s put out their info so bare with me if you’re not seeing what you want it’ll be along soon enough and of course you can always follow the twitter feed @WF_East for all the latest goings on across the East.
Heres to another great season and I wish everyone the best of luck.
Welcome to this our second newsletter of this season. In this edition we cover:
Constitution 2017/18 & Cup Draw
Referees
FA Women’s Conference
Funding- Charter Standard
But first. Many congratulations to all clubs that are doing well in their county cup competitions and those that have had a good run in the FA Cup. Pride of place must go to Harlow Town who have reached the second round proper of the competition. We do wish Harlow every success; a great game with right result!
Constitution
Really good news that all clubs appear to have settled back into the “3 Division” framework and we do hope you’re enjoying the games and competition. So how are first division teams finding it? Be very interested to know.
Disappointed that we have now lost 3 teams, 2 from the Premier Division would you believe and Offley & Stopsley from the first Division South. We did seek help from County FAs to try and recruit more players, but at this level in the game most players that want to play are already signed up, so it’s all a bit difficult. There’s no doubt that having a continuous supply of fresh players coming through a youth set up is the way to go.
It’s also interesting to have a look at the number of players registered for each team over the last couple of seasons and the number that have dropped by the wayside and compare this with the number recruited. You can do this through looking at Full-time, so check it out for your club and ask yourself, “Are we bringing through sufficient players to cover those that move on?” Worth thinking about talking to your County FA development team perhaps.
Fixtures
As with the last few seasons, we reach into November and think we’re doing well; up with the league schedule and the cup rounds. But then, the weather kicks off and come the end of February we wonder how we’ll get all the games in. So if the weather does start to take a grip then do fight back and try and get your games played; but without any health and safety issues mind you. Think about doing a deal with a local all-weather pitch facility. Try setting something up as a fall back now, you then get priority access and a better deal.
Now the exciting bit, the cup draw!
League Cup
Round 3 to be played on 10th December 2017
Match 1
Wymondham
V
Writtle
Match 2
Royston
V
Colney Heath
Match 3
Ipswich Development
V
Billericay
Match 4
Kings Lynn
V
Acle
Match 5
Harlow
V
Brentwood
Match 6
Cambridge City
V
Bedford
Bye
AFC Dunstable
Bye
AFC Sudbury
League Plate
Round 1 to be played on 10th December 2017
Match 1
Histon
v
Ipswich Wanderers
Round 2, Date to be arranged
Cambridge United Reserves
v
Hutton
Winners of Match 1
v
Hertford
Bishops Stortford
v
Hoddesdon
Stevenage Reserves
v
Little Thurrock Dynamos
We do hope you enjoy these games and wish you all every success!
Referees
Our project of working with County FAs to appoint referees to clubs in their county for home matches has continued successfully.
But, do always check out with the appointed referee that they know: where they are going, kick off time and match details (Cup or League). And do make sure you get conformation from them that they are going to do the game. Also, thinking about it, be good to give them your mobile contact details, and, always get their mobile number in case of an emergency.
Many thanks also for feedback you’re providing on the performance of our referees. Don’t forget the standard marking process is:
Marking range
Description
91 – 100
Excellent
81 – 90
Very Good
71 – 80
Good
61 – 70
Acceptable
Below 60
Unacceptable
So there it is, don’t go giving referees silly marks, up or down and don’t forget to use the form if you’re going to mark the referee down.
FA Women’s Conference
Peter and Jim recently attended a meeting of the Women’s Conference that included some discussion on the structure of the women’s pyramid.
The FA have reviewed the upper end of the pyramid and some restructure agreed that will be put in place over the next few seasons and now they have commissioned some work to start reviewing regional and county levels in the game.
So during the upcoming months do be thinking about the structure at our regional level in the pyramid and how you think improvements can be made to help current clubs and attract more teams and clubs into the game at our level.
It looks like the FA will be running some roadshows, one of which maybe at a meeting of ours, and we’re sure your ideas will add considerable value to the process.
Funding- Charter Standard
Earlier this season we were able to provide match balls and bibs for those in technical areas and we do hope you’re making good use of these.
We were able to do this through a partnership with Nike, but chiefly through financial support provided by the FA.
To access FA support we produce a Development Plan that’s agreed with the FA and this year we’ve again submitted our plan and we meet with the FA at the end of November for them to consider our proposals.
Again, we’ve included footballs for all our clubs and in fact we’ve already received a £1000 administration grant from them towards our ongoing costs through this plan.
An expectation from the FA is that all of our clubs achieve Charter Standard status so please help us help you by maintaining your Charter Standard accreditation.
Don’t forget we still have funding available to support emergency first aid qualification, to better ensure match day health & safety, and to cover the cost of any physio support your players may need. Contact our Treasurer, John Bacon, for details.
As we prepare for a new season of women’s football, now is the perfect time to introduce a change of my own. Have been thinking about it for some time how to streamline my coverage of women’s football. My coverage of the game began with the Supporting Women’s Football Blog soon after the news regarding the rebranding of WSL side Lincoln Ladies. For 3 and a half season’s I have used it to help promote the women’s game up and down the country mostly writing match reports from the games I attend and even now it continues to grow. Soon after I came up with the idea for Women’s Football East a website designed to help in the promotion of women’s football in the East of England where I am based.
At first I wanted it to stand on it’s own not cover the WSL at all as there wasn’t the WSL presence in the region. Only Watford Ladies based in Hertfordshire and Arsenal Women who play in Hertfordshire. As I started to cover more and more games in the region began writing the weekly Round-Up’s whilst also using the match reports featured on the Supporting Women’s Football Blog. The Women’s Football East side of thing’s has grown even more rapidly however have been thinking for a while about combining both if the match reports are going to end up here anyway why not publish them here in the first place.
Now is the best time I’ve had a break away from the game. With Tottenham Hotspur Ladies and Brighton & Hove Albion WFC both joining the WSL in the last two season’s I feel Women’s Football East is ready to take over from the Supporting Women’s Football Blog. Is a wrench to give up the SWF Blog especially as I know it is still growing after all I’ve not posted anything for 2 months yet views remain high have a new following from the Netherlands and France as interest in the game is peaking in that part of Europe due to the Women’s Euros.
Everything will almost stay the same the match reports and blog posts will continue as before just appear here instead of there. Women’s Football East is growing fast too and I need to spend more time on it suffered a little last season so stream lining thing’s will ultimately improve coverage for the whole of the region with the odd match further away dotted in between. Also find that Google’s blogspot platform and the wordpress based one I use for Women’s Football East are not always compatible which means the match reports don’t transfer as smoothly as I’d like familiar with both now going straight to wordpress will improve the quality of the match reports on here.
The image at the top of the page (show below) will highlight where the Supporting Women’s Football Blog has gone but in time it will all be part of Women’s Football East. Won’t close the SWF Blog down however as there are plenty of memories on there from the past 3 and half years 290 match reports alone and you’ll still be able to access those. Match report 291 will be the 1st to be written up exclusively for Women’s Football East, finally began my season in Norfolk today with a trip to The Walks to watch King’s Lynn Town Ladies take on Milton Keynes Dons Ladies and will bring you the action some time over the next 24 hours it was good to be back.
It’s a small change but I’ll miss the SWF Blog but I know bringing it together with Women’s Football East will ultimately better my coverage of the game well all love. Plenty more to come.
Hello everyone hoping you’re all rested and recharged after a few weeks off? Although unlike me I see alot of you have kept on playing, can’t get enough can you? Just a quick post time to start preparing for a new season and will be updating and hopefully improving the website over the coming few weeks have decided to keep the site active during this time so you will slowly see the changes as they start to develop. Don’t think there will be to much disruption but I apologise in advance if it goes cock-eyed whilst I’m updating getting excited for the new season and I know there’s going to be several new sides competing next season and in some cases an extra league too. Will keep you updated about all as it comes in.
