02
Jun
Saltergate Schools to play in national football final at Premier League ground
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A Harrogate school’s girls football team is to play in the final of a national tournament at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ ground.
Saltergate Schools will play in the Premier League Primary Stars Under-11 national final at Molineux Stadium on June 12.
The team has already been crowned North Yorkshire county champions in Richmond and northern champions in Newcastle.
Those successes earned them a place on one of English football’s biggest youth stages.
Since February, the team has competed in five tournaments, winning four and scoring over 60 goals, while playing at venues including Rossett School, Newcastle University, and the Liverpool Football Academy. They have lost just three matches and conceded only 10 goals.
Along the way, the girls have seen the Premier League trophy, toured St James’ Park in Newcastle and received specialist training from Future Lionesses and the Harrogate Town Community Foundation.
Councillor Monika Slater, a Liberal Democrat who represents Bilton Grange and New Park on North Yorkshire Council, has allocated funding from her locality budget to pay for the girls’ travel.
The 90 councillors on North Yorkshire Council each receive £5,000 each year to spend on community projects. The sum was reduced this year from £10,000 to save £450,000.
Cllr Slater said:
When I was growing up, girls’ sport was hockey and netball, which were great fun but not something you could play with your friends outside of PE lessons. Seeing girls embracing football is fantastic as it is an activity they can do together with just a ball and an open space.
The Saltergate Schools girls' team have done so well to get through to the National Finals and I hope they really enjoy the sense of occasion as much as the competition itself.
Lisa Tremble, the team coach and PE lead at Saltergate Schools said:
We continue to see persistent barriers in girls’ and women’s sports today, whether it’s limited access to pitches for training and games, financial pressures on low-income families, or transport issues that make it difficult for girls to attend events. However, thanks to the generosity of people like Cllr Slater, the dedication of school staff fighting for girls’ right to play, and the tireless commitment of grassroots coaches, these barriers are beginning to fall. Just like our football girls, I believe we could be watching future Lionesses playing on our school fields. It’s a privilege to be part of their journey, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”
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