Haverhill Rovers chairman Ryan Churcher labels reforming women’s team a ‘big priority’

Haverhill Rovers chairman Ryan Churcher has stated that reforming a women’s team is a ‘big priority’ for the club and that they are building the foundations for there to be a successful side in the coming years.

The New Croft outfit last had a women’s team in 2022/23, but they resigned from the Eastern Region Women’s League Division One North on April 27 last year.

Two days after their exit, the side released an official statement via social media admitting they felt the fight from the players ‘was not replicated by the club’ – stating they did not ‘feel valued by the club for the effort and dedication’ they put in.

Chairman Churcher was not involved with Rovers at that time, and is determined to make sure the club ‘promote’ and ‘support’ the women’s game.

The club have recently hosted open training sessions for an under-18s side – coached by George Florey – and are hoping to add some more players to the squad so they can field an under-18s team, or potentially a senior team, next season.

For anyone interested in playing for a Rovers Under-18s or senior team in the upcoming campaign, email loisbalfour@thenewcroft.co.uk.

Rovers currently have six girls’ sides and the chairman admitted he feels the club are ‘failing them’ because there is no pathway for the players into senior football with them. But that is set to change.

“It’s a big priority for the club to get a women’s senior team in place,” said Churcher.

“We feel as a club the best approach is to take it slowly and make sure we’ve got the foundations right for a successful women’s team going forward. We don’t want it to fall apart again and it be a bit ‘one year we have one, one year we don’t’.

“We really want to build the women’s game and the girls’ game. Lois Balfour (football development manager at The New Croft) from the facility is really driving that and really pushing it, she’s been invaluable to be honest. She’s been working with George (Florey) and the other youth sections to bring this side together.

“It’s as important as the first team for the men, it’s an equal parity. It’s something we need to promote, we need to get behind and just support.”

Rovers recently announced the expansion of the men’s side of the club with the creations of a reserve and under-23s team, and Churcher hopes this will be the case for the women’s teams in the future – stating that the club has the ‘facilities’, ‘people’ and ‘passion’ to make it happen.

Elsewhere at the club, IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances) have renewed their sponsorship with the men’s first team, signing a new two-year deal that will take them to 25 years of supporting The New Croft outfit, alongside JR Crane Services who will again sponsor Rovers next term.

It has also been confirmed that Haverhill Car Exchange will be next season’s first-team shirt sponsors.

The New Croft Foundation is recruiting a new full-time football development officer. For more information and to apply, email peterbetts@thenewcroft.co.uk or phone 07539 229114.