Leafield Athletic Away
This week, we are travelling to Castle Vale Stadium, ready to face the new-look Leafield Athletic side. Here are some key bits of information to get to know the opposition...
Results so far
After a busy pre-season and time of restructuring and rebuilding of the team on and off the pitch, Leafield kicked off their season strong with a 2-1 win away against Northampton Town. They then went on to win against Barnsley, taking the 3-1 win. However, they come to heads with us off the back of two defeats in a row. In the FAWNL League Cup determining round, they suffered a 7-0 loss against Rugby Borough, who stand top of the Northern Division in the tier above. Last week in the league, they lost again against the well-established Loughborough Lightning who will be undoubtedly chasing the league title this season. For the time being, Leafield sits in fourth place under Loughborough, Peterborough United and Northampton Town.
Leafield ended last season in ninth, after struggling in the first half of the season they managed to stay clear of relegation, with three points separating them from Sheffield who were the second team out of two to be relegated into the regional leagues. This campaign, Tezgel has spoken about how she is aiming for the top end of the table, with Leafield having had three successive seasons ending ninth in the league.
What pre-season looked like
At last season's end, after a tough campaign, Sarah Jackson and James Tolley stepped down from First Team Manager and Coach. Jackson stepped down after taking the role in October 2023 and earning herself the FAWNL Manager of the Month Award last April. In their statement on social media, the club credited her for steering the club to Tier 4 safety. Tolley followed suit, after joining the club last January, to take an opportunity overseas.
Both individuals played an important part in securing their successors, with former Stourbridge WFC Assistant Manager, Tash Tezgel joining the Solihull outfit as First Team Head Coach. The newly appointed Head Coach is keen to build on the foundations from the second half of last season and has already made big changes with a focus on creating a safe and professional player environment.
Along with a change in backroom staff, the grounds we will visit this Sunday, Castle Vale Stadium, is Leafield’s new training and home game facility that they now share with Castle Vale Town FC.
Summer signings
After retaining several players, Tezgel recruited excellently, bolstering her squad heavily ahead of the new era she is embarking on. Tezgel brought with her a handful of former Stourbridge players including striker Jess Lowe who scored in her first appearance for the club in their first game of the season. 20-year-old Hannah Fishwick also made her mark with the team as the former Glassgirl, who came through Birmingham City’s Academy, scored against Boldmere during pre-season and in Leafield’s game against Barnsley.
The Head Coach has brought in further experience, with more players who have Tier 3 and 4 knowledge such as those who have come from promoted Sporting Khalsa and Wolves. She also adds young players who have come through the youth stages of clubs like Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Defender Abi Cowie also joins after a season spent on loan at Nottingham Forest from Championship side, Birmingham City.
Another notable new player would be Hayley Crackle who signed from West Bromwich. The defender has previous experience playing for Coventry United and Aston Villa. Among other potential threats, the former WBA midfielder and retained signing, Evie Gallop is off to a great start, scoring in every league game so far, including a hat trick against Barnsley.