We want to come home Town set to make move, says Liddle
CHELTENHAM Town Ladies are looking to move back home for next season, says chairman Andy Liddle.
The Robins have been playing at Cirencester Town’s Corinium Stadium since the start of the 2021/22 season, but have been struggling to bring in a crowd outside of Cheltenham.
“When we made the decision to move out of Cheltenham our attendances dropped,” Liddle said.
“We don’t have that much support out here in Cirencester and we’re looking to move back home, or closer to home next year.
“There are two options right now that we’re speaking to, but I can’t reveal which ones right now.
“I’d be happy with either but there are some things that need to come off between now and the summer, particularly with one of them, but if that came off it would be a fantastic facility.”
Cheltenham are enjoying life in the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier, following their promotion last season.
They won their opening two games of the season against Plymouth Argyle and Billericay Town and are sitting in sixth place.
“If you told me we’d have six points from six having just been promoted I’d have definitely taken that, but I’d never have forecasted it,” said Liddle. “But I was absolutely chuffed to bits for the club.”
Life in the new division hasn’t been complete plain sailing though, with losses against Watford, MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon
With a smaller budget than most of the other teams in the league, Cheltenham have done well to compete without having full-time players and elite level facilities.
Despite the lack of resources, the Robins are determined to be a success and have aims to continue improving without risking the future of the club.
“We’ve got a sustainability model here where we’re not looking to kick on massively in one year,” Liddle said. “We need to do it in a sustainable fashion.
“We’re about making slow, steady, sustainable progress both on and off the pitch.”
Against Bridgwater United on Tuesday evening, Tom Davies’ side drew 1-1 after Emily Owen put them in the lead from the penalty spot on the hour mark, only for Bridgwater to score a late leveller thanks to a fine strike from Laura Holden.
Elsewhere, Abbeymead Rovers Ladies are here to stay despite a turbulent last 12 months, according to club secretary and centre-back Jodie Tester.
The Gloucester club failed to fulfil five of their 14 Gloucestershire County Women’s League Division One fixtures last season and were initially left off the list of teams signed up for 2022/23 before later reappearing.
Rovers belatedly opened their new Division One campaign with a 6-0 defeat at Dursley on Sunday, but Tester, the club’s de facto manager and selfconfessed “dogsbody of everything”, is upbeat about the season ahead.
“We’re feeling positive now,” she said. “Last year there were a number of factors that led to us cancelling games. We started the season really well, but then we got a lot of long-term injuries added to work commitments and pregnancies, which all depleted our squad.
“This season we have recruited a lot of younger players who don’t have the same number of commitments, so hopefully we will be able to sustain ourselves during the season.”
Abbeymead competed well at Dursley, although they conceded a virtually unstoppable opener to teenager Amalie Gray inside 15 seconds.
Gray, in her first start in senior football, went on to complete a hat-trick, while Morgan Tayler scored twice and Phoebe Booth added a sixth.
Goalkeeper Hayley Gaston also thwarted the hosts numerous times, while opposite number Steph Hill denied the visitors a late consolation.
Tester added: “I’m really happy with our performance. We haven’t played any friendlies coming into this, and we’re still bedding in new players, so overall I’m really pleased. I think we played some good football at times, but there are a lot of areas to work on.
“Our team philosophy is very much ‘Let’s turn up and have fun.’ As I said, we’re feeling positive and we’re not going anywhere.”
Abbeymead would always welcome new players to training on Thursday nights. For information contact Jodie Tester on todie.jester@gmail.com.
Bishop’s Cleeve came from behind to beat 10-player Tuffley 2-1 at Kayte Lane.
Tuffley led at half-time through Chloe Taylor despite having Megan Hamblett sent off, but Jess Stirling and Annabel Jones hit back late on.
Zoe Foster and Abigail Hughes struck in Bristol Rovers Development’s 2-0 win at Cheltenham Saracens, while Longwell Green gave a walkover to Bristol & West.
In Division Two, Gloucester City Development won 4-2 at Cirencester thanks to a Kate Ambrey double, Katie Williams and an own goal, while Tigers goalkeeper Cat Harding saved a penalty.
Longlevens lost 5-3 to Bradley Stoke despite goals from Lauren Mills, Olivia Kosylowicz and Lucy Skelding, while Rachel Larner scored the consolation goal as City of Gloucester went down 7-1 at Whitchurch.
Kingswood beat Andoversford 3-0 in Division Three, while Mitcheldean and Winchcombe drew 0-0, Southmead defeated Bristol Ladies Union 4-0, and SGS Olveston Reserves triumphed 10-0 at Downend 3rds. Ashton Keynes again conceded, this time to Stoke Lane.