It is a momentous day for women's football. England Lionesses are poised to play a World Cup Final v Spain and nearer home Middlesbrough Women begin a new chapter as part of the Boro. Hopefully celebrating a World Cup win this afternoon Middlesbrough Women play a home derby against Norton and Stockton Ancients in the WPL Division One.
We celebrate with an interview with two of last season's local talent pool; leading scorer Jess Dawson and promising youngster Armani Maxwell give their reaction to joining the Boro set up.
The game takes place at the home of Stockton Town FC on Bishopton Road, next to Stockton Sixth Form. Kick off 3pm. Admission just £5.
Fmttm talks to Jess Dawson leading scorer and Armani Maxwell.
Q: What was it like to take part in a full press conference launch at Hurworth?
JD: Yes, its great. A massive opportunity. Today is probably one of the biggest days in the history of women's football for Middlesbrough. Merging as a football club together. I am really excited for the opportunity that is to come.
Q: I have seen you playing at Stockton. What will it be like running out at the Riverside as well?
AM: It will be surreal. I have been there watching the men play and coming out it will feel like a dream come true.
Q: And is it great to part of that as well?
JD: Yes to even be part of it rather than just watching it and to actually be a part of it of it as a club as players and to go out with the girls, they are a cracking bunch of friends, never mind team mates and to have that opportunity to go out at the Riverside would be immense.
Q: And to use the changing rooms and the training facilities at Hurworth..
JD: Yes, everything. You know the facilities here. I have never seen anything like it. I didn't know because we have never had the involvement with the men. Here the facilities are unbelievable.
AM: And it is only going to help us get better as well.
Q: In terms of your development as players and especially the youngsters coming through this is surely going to be massive isn't it?
JD: Absolutely. And if anything it will just grow confidence in the females game and all the young girls coming through who come to us every Sunday on a match day and they absolutely love it don't they. And hopefully today this will give them confidence that hopefully they can be where we are if not better in many years to come because obviously they are a lot younger than us. This is a special day not just for us as players, but managers, coaches, sponsors and all the effort that has been put in last season. Nothing goes unnoticed with the efforts from last season and all the hard work that Ben (Fisher) and Susannah(Fisher) have done for the club to get us where we are today. Obviously we are forever grateful as players.
AM: Definitely.
Q: Former Middlesbrough Women junior and England star Beth Mead is now a mentor at Teesside University isn't she?
AM: I am currently on the Beth Mead scholarship and it is mentoring by her and it is a really good opportunity for myself to be a part of.
Q: From the past the path was if you were lucky you could get a scholarship in USA but now there is a prospect in future of making a career here at Middlesbrough.
JD: Absolutely and what Beth Mead has done as a platform for women's football is immense but to give younger girls like Armani and all the younger girls that are a similar age or younger the possibility and the opportunity to do the scholarship without Beth's hard work and dedication that would never have happened and so we have got her to thank and she is enjoying it and am sure Armani will make the most of that scholarship.
AM: Definitely, yes.
Q: Since the Euros, the women international players are now household names. Going into schools, boys and girls must know their names as well as men. That must make a big difference.
AM: it has definitely grown now especially since the Euros.
JD: I think the Euros was a massive lift. I have never had an opportunity like this when I was younger and hopefully if anything it is exciting for the young prospects and youth coming through to grow the women's game. Why shouldn't it be as big as the men's. It is all about having that confidence, hard work and determination and hopefully that is what we can do this season and attract players in and give confidence to the young ones coming through.
Q: It must be exciting to be at the start of something?
JD: Absolutely. Surreal to be honest. It is one of those moments where you think it won't happen to us and it has...
AM: Yes, definitely.
JD: We need to just grasp that and take it in both hands and put in all the hard work and dedication and not just as players but for the managers and for the club itself.
Q: I look forward to seeing you both next season playing for Boro.
JD/AM: Cheers thank you very much, we look forward to it as well.
We celebrate with an interview with two of last season's local talent pool; leading scorer Jess Dawson and promising youngster Armani Maxwell give their reaction to joining the Boro set up.
The game takes place at the home of Stockton Town FC on Bishopton Road, next to Stockton Sixth Form. Kick off 3pm. Admission just £5.
Fmttm talks to Jess Dawson leading scorer and Armani Maxwell.
Q: What was it like to take part in a full press conference launch at Hurworth?
JD: Yes, its great. A massive opportunity. Today is probably one of the biggest days in the history of women's football for Middlesbrough. Merging as a football club together. I am really excited for the opportunity that is to come.
Q: I have seen you playing at Stockton. What will it be like running out at the Riverside as well?
AM: It will be surreal. I have been there watching the men play and coming out it will feel like a dream come true.
Q: And is it great to part of that as well?
JD: Yes to even be part of it rather than just watching it and to actually be a part of it of it as a club as players and to go out with the girls, they are a cracking bunch of friends, never mind team mates and to have that opportunity to go out at the Riverside would be immense.
Q: And to use the changing rooms and the training facilities at Hurworth..
JD: Yes, everything. You know the facilities here. I have never seen anything like it. I didn't know because we have never had the involvement with the men. Here the facilities are unbelievable.
AM: And it is only going to help us get better as well.
Q: In terms of your development as players and especially the youngsters coming through this is surely going to be massive isn't it?
JD: Absolutely. And if anything it will just grow confidence in the females game and all the young girls coming through who come to us every Sunday on a match day and they absolutely love it don't they. And hopefully today this will give them confidence that hopefully they can be where we are if not better in many years to come because obviously they are a lot younger than us. This is a special day not just for us as players, but managers, coaches, sponsors and all the effort that has been put in last season. Nothing goes unnoticed with the efforts from last season and all the hard work that Ben (Fisher) and Susannah(Fisher) have done for the club to get us where we are today. Obviously we are forever grateful as players.
AM: Definitely.
Q: Former Middlesbrough Women junior and England star Beth Mead is now a mentor at Teesside University isn't she?
AM: I am currently on the Beth Mead scholarship and it is mentoring by her and it is a really good opportunity for myself to be a part of.
Q: From the past the path was if you were lucky you could get a scholarship in USA but now there is a prospect in future of making a career here at Middlesbrough.
JD: Absolutely and what Beth Mead has done as a platform for women's football is immense but to give younger girls like Armani and all the younger girls that are a similar age or younger the possibility and the opportunity to do the scholarship without Beth's hard work and dedication that would never have happened and so we have got her to thank and she is enjoying it and am sure Armani will make the most of that scholarship.
AM: Definitely, yes.
Q: Since the Euros, the women international players are now household names. Going into schools, boys and girls must know their names as well as men. That must make a big difference.
AM: it has definitely grown now especially since the Euros.
JD: I think the Euros was a massive lift. I have never had an opportunity like this when I was younger and hopefully if anything it is exciting for the young prospects and youth coming through to grow the women's game. Why shouldn't it be as big as the men's. It is all about having that confidence, hard work and determination and hopefully that is what we can do this season and attract players in and give confidence to the young ones coming through.
Q: It must be exciting to be at the start of something?
JD: Absolutely. Surreal to be honest. It is one of those moments where you think it won't happen to us and it has...
AM: Yes, definitely.
JD: We need to just grasp that and take it in both hands and put in all the hard work and dedication and not just as players but for the managers and for the club itself.
Q: I look forward to seeing you both next season playing for Boro.
JD/AM: Cheers thank you very much, we look forward to it as well.