The Phoenix Faithful - Llfcsc

Well done to the U15's a very respectable runners up in the league cup

Massive congratulations to the U16's on a successful defense of the League Cup with an extra time 3-2 win over Castleford White Rose

We are currently looking at dates and venues for the AGM which will depend on people wishing to attend so please register your interest here it will be on or before 17 June so please be sincere in your interest as we have big news and changes ahead and don't want just 3 committee members in attendance

This afternoon chairman Breno got a chance to speak to incoming Leeds Ladies chairman Lee Townend & get his thoughts on the next chapter in the club's history

BD : Welcome back to Leeds Ladies Lee in your new role as chairman how are you finding the transition?
LT : Difficult but progressive

BD : We know from your previous spells at the club youth has always been a big focus, is that something you are looking to expand on as chairman?
LT : Oh yeah without a doubt our main aim is to progress the youth development side all the way through to seniors. Nothings changed in that respect the main thing for us at the moment is we’ve got junior players that have progressed up to senior football and we want to carry on that tradition of pushing them through.

BD : We saw a certain tweet this week from Mr Radrizanni that sent the local support into a frenzy is that any of your doing?
LT : No not at the moment, but obviously we welcome any opportunity to talk to them if they want to come in & have a chat we are welcome to all kinds of things. In my eyes it’s a positive thing womens football needs to be back with Leeds United we would love that link back with the club theres no two ways about it. As it stands there has been no official approach but by all means lets sit down & talk about it.

BD : There has been a bit of a fixture break at the moment when are we likely to see the girls back in action?
LT : With other teams cup commitments I believe the seniors are back in about a fortnight just as Leeds United come back from their international break we’ve got a bit of an extended one of our own. However we have a bit of a charity event going on this Sunday the Leeds Ladies U16’s will be taking on Thackley Lightning Boys U13’s. I will also be making my refereeing debut in that match proving I’ve still got involvement with the youth team.

BD : Well thanks a lot for taking the time to speak to us Lee & best of luck for the future.
LT : No problem Bren & our door is always open if you want to come see the charity match this Sunday it’s an 11:00 kick off at Temple Newsham.

Club statement Following a varied season on and off the field; a break away from the vision which was laid out at the beginning and broken promises, it was decided that an EGM would be called to decide upon the f…

In what is a new weekly feature we will be sitting down with various members of the Leeds Ladies team with interviews from various members of the staff, players, fans & from committee members here at Faithful HQ first up Adam lost the facepaint & donned his glasses as he harnessed his inner Paxman with Leeds Ladies chairman Gary Cooper.

Adam : Thank you for joining me for this interview after bit of a disappointing first half of the season following a great start pre-season, 2 league wins and an absolute fantastic performance against Guiseley, are you feeling a bit more confident now going in to the Chester-Le-Street game that we can go there bring all 3 points back?

Gary : Yeah very disappointing first half of season things haven't gone as well as we thought they would do after a great pre-season we just didn't seem to click at all especially going into Christmas, but the start of 2017 as been a totally different story especially in defeat against Guiseley when you have there manager and players come up to us and say we didn't deserve to lose that game. I like to think we can finish season off well taking the momentum into next season. It's important ending the season well as it is important to start a season well, you start a holiday for he girls and go into pre-season and trials hopefully we will end the season with smiles on there faces.

Adam : So what are they doing differently in training I see a far more confident team than the one I saw in the first few months?

Gary : Well that one's a question for Lewis ha ha, I'm barely in training but decent performances at the start of the year has helped. Let's not beat around the bush we have some quality players Helen Wagstaff coming back from the states with her attitude and experience has been immense and it rubs off on people. She brings the best out of the players I mean Carly Hoyle is the prime example of that I'm not sure Carly realises what a quality player she really is. In pre-season along side Waggi she looked like a world be**er, earlier in the season we took a couple of hammerings while Waggi was in the states Carly seemed to suffer from that. The work for her in midfield she struggled a lot she looked like she was trying to do the work of 4 or 5 players, she looked isolated don't know if it was the system or not but since Waggi come back she looks a different player.

Adam ; So last but not least what is your score predition going into the Chester-Le-Street game & what is your message to over the thousand people reading on the Phoenix Supporters page that will be reading this interview?

Gary : Well first part of the question is the most ridiculous question I have ever been asked ha ha it's quite obviously going to be 4-1 to Leeds. Second part thank you, thank you for showing a interest, thank you for acknowledging that we are Leeds and are trying to be the best Leeds we can be for the girls in this great city and in the county. Lastly if you never been to a women's game before, you have never seen these girls put on the white shirt whether 13 to 14 in the juniors, to 25 & 26 in the seniors please come and see them I guarantee you the passion these girls show you wont be disappointed they wont let you down & you will go away thinking bloody hell that is special.

A New Year A New Start

Leeds Ladies started 2017 with an away trip to bottom of the table Mossley Hill looking to bounce back from the away defeat to Crewe before the Christmas break. Leeds welcomed back club captain Helen Wagstaff after fulfilling contractual duties. In a scrappy openi9ng 15 minutes much of the play was concentrated in the middle of the park with a Harriet Jakeman shot from distance going wide being the only noteworthy chance. Mossley Hill broke forward on the 19th minute and shot from just from the edge of the area which looped over Routledge giving the home side a 1-0 lead. Leeds came back fighting & it took just 6 minutes to be back on level terms, Arrianne Parnham squared a ball to the feet of Monika Estere her shot was saved & the rebound fell to a grateful Jakeman who smashed the ball home for 1-1. On the 32nd minute Leeds almost took the lead when a defence splitting pass from Jakeman put through Parnham she once again crossed along the floor this time to the feet of Demi Pringle who forced a great save from the Mossley keeper. Leeds went in at halftime 2-1 down though when an uncharacteristic clearance from Routledge fell to the Mossley striker & she slotted home thankfully.

Whatever head coach Lewis Atkinson said at halftime must have worked because just 3 minutes in Leeds got their second equaliser, once again Pringle who surely can’t be far away from her first league goal had a great shot saved from the keeper but halftime substitute Simona Petkova who had only landed in the country 12 hours ago was there to put Leeds back on level terms. From that moment on not even the whistle happy ref could stop Leeds Petkova and Jakeman both combining on multiple occasions to only be thwarted by the Mossley keeper, sadly for Mossley their keepers heroics could only keep Leeds at bay for so long. On the hour mark one of the best free flowing moves I’ve seen in my time watching Leeds Ladies ended when a peach of a cross from Jakeman found the head of Greek superstar Veatriki Sarri who met the ball and headed home for 3-2.

It wasn’t all joy for Leeds though as Leeds were turned down a penalty coach Atkinson after much “deliberating” with the referee was given his marching orders leaving Lee Townend in control from the dugout. Undeterred Leeds continued to pile on the pressure with Sarri twice shooting wide then on the 81st minute found herself on the end of a Parnham cross with enough time to take a touch & slot home right footed to give Leeds a 2 goal cushion making the score 4-2. The icing on the cake came in stoppage time when a half cleared Leeds corner fell to Jakeman on the edge of the box & her shot met the underside of the bar making it 5-2 Leeds & sent the fans home happy.

Leeds will look to build on this now & in the second half especially showed glimpses of how great this team can be. On the sideline there was much debate between the Phoenix Faithful on the player of the match with usual contenders Jakeman, Pedersen & Maxtead in contention alongside Routledge who recovered to make 3 worldie second half saves they finally settled on Wagstaff a great performance shoring up the midfield with some exquisite touches & a great range of passing. Next up its back over to the west coast & a trip to Blackpool for the Phoenix Faithful lets just hope this season we are talking about on the field events rather than scuffles & fan arguments.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

That's right the big guy himself will be joining us at Garforth next week for the game with Blackpool so bring along your little Balloonigans for a great day and there may even be presents

Tough loss today for the ladies at least we don't have Hull again this season anyway supporter's player of the match is our very own Wolverine Harriet Jackman (that one's intentional)

Thanks to a very generous donation from Phoenix Faithful member and the fan everybody loves Adam Beck we here at Faithful HQ are pleased to announce the sponsorship of Leeds Ladies captain Jodie Hunter.

30.10.2016