AFC Stoneham has seen a huge growth in female participation recently with the club growing from 3 female teams four years ago to 24 teams for season 2023/24. We aim to maintain this growth further and replicate the structure we have put in place for boys over the last few years into our ever growing number of girls teams.

We are creating a structure within where girls can join our club at a young age and develop through a clearly defined player pathway into our ladies first team following the ethos we already have in place within the male side of the club.

This growth includes a new development squad which aims to support our U16 - U19 players make the transition into a good level of senior women’s football and eventually into our first team who have just gained promotion to the Womens National Pyramid .

Our U16 squad had a superb first season in the Junior Premier League going unbeaten all season to be crowned champions whilst reaching the final of the JPL National competition narrowly losing to Harringay having beaten West Ham United in the semi final. The girls also won the Hampshire Cup beating AFC Bournemouth 3-0 having started their campaign with victories over Watford and Ipswich Town before drawing with Tottenham Hotspurs in a pre-season tournament.

Our player pathway is starting to bare fruit, in addition another very important part of our pathway is having teams in every age group of the Hampshire Girls league whilst all girls have the opportunity to progress to senior football with our club.

Our youngest girls can join our FA Wildcats Centre at 4 years of age held on a Monday evening and then join age group teams when old enough. Alternatively, older players and teams can join our club at all age groups.

We were very proud to be able to give 50 of our young female players the opportunity of a lifetime at the 2022 EUFA Womens Championships as flag bearers and mascots at all three games held at St Marys stadium including the Northern Ireland v England game in front of 32000 fans. An experience the girls will never forget!

The success and development of our Girls and Ladies teams has given the club further momentum to grow female football at AFC Stoneham whilst realising our overall goals and ambitions.

The club is extremely keen to hear from any female players wishing to join AFC Stoneham and contact details for each team are shown below. Alternatively please do contact chairman@afcstoneham for further details.