Birmingham & Ladies F.C to be Rebranded as Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C.

Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C., founded in 1998, who compete in the Women’s National League Division 1 Midlands (4th Tier), have consolidated their formal partnership with Boldmere St Michaels F.C., and as of the 2020/2021 Season, will be officially recognised as Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C.

At the start of the 2019/2020 Season, Birmingham & West Midlands F.C entered a partnership with Boldmere St Michaels F.C., which saw the club change their training and home games venue from Castle Vale to the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground, home of Boldmere F.C. More importantly, the partnership granted Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C with much needed additional off-pitch support, which has reinforced the clubs aspirations to become more sustainable and begin to expand.

The decision to merge Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C with Boldmere St Michaels F.C., provides much needed club stability, sustainability and all-round support. Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C now go from being a single entity club, to the Senior Women’s side of a club that boasts an incredible 67 teams.

- Helen Carver, who was General Manager of Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C since it was established in 1998 said ‘Boldmere St Michaels F.C., have a long history of positive community spirited football… We have had a fantastic season building the partnership in readiness for this name change, and its readiness to continue to progress and develop the women’s and girls’ football as Boldmere St Michaels F.C.‘ (A full quote from Helen Carver can be read at the bottom of this article)

The merging of the two clubs will also see more player benefits for Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C. As of the 2020/2021 season, all first team players will have ‘free subs’; use of the brand new changing facilities at Boldmere on home match-days; free gym access at the Boldmere club house; and all their matches recorded through ‘Veo’ which is newly installed at the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground, for which weekly match analysis sessions will be run from.

- Alan Parsons Current President of Boldmere St Michaels F.C said ‘Another string to the bow of our famous football club as we formally welcome the Boldmere St Michaels Women’s team to Church Road. I personally played the last embers of my non-league career here at Boldmere, little realising that over thirty years later I would still be involved and active within the club. I hope that our Women have such an enjoyable time like I have had, and look forward to their presence and influence at Boldmere St Michaels F.C.’

History of the Club

The club started in 1998 as Birmingham University Ladies. It began with a group of students (from the University of Birmingham) who wanted to play football and socialise. The club developed and began playing within the Birmingham County Leagues. After players left the University of Birmingham, the club continued as Birmingham Athletic LFC. In 2011 the club took the decision to develop further and begin a partnership with . This was extremely successful and saw the club gain back to back promotions and then eventual promotion in 2014 to the FA Women’s National League (Tier 4). It was at this time the club made the decision to move away from the Police partnership in order to develop and evolve as a Tier 4 club. In 2017, the club began a partnership with the University of Birmingham, returning to its routes. The club benefitted by having exclusive access to the University coaching staff, University players, and University training facilities. 2018 and 2019 saw the club develop hugely both on and off the pitch, achieving top 3 finishes. 2020 will be an exciting year for Boldmere St Michaels WFC!

- Marcus Webber, Current Manager of Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C., said ‘The successful merging of Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C and Boldmere St Michaels F.C., is a hugely positive forwards step for both clubs. Both parties have a real drive to be successful in the Women’s game, at both first team level, and youth levels. As a club, we now have a really strong platform to improve our first team, develop the players at our club, and ultimately, grow the club as whole.’

Club Aspirations

Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C will be looking to build upon their past 2 seasons of relative success where they have finished in third and second positions respectively in the Women’s National League Division 1 Midlands (Tier 4) and push for a promotion. Boldmere has aspirations to become a Championship Club within the next ten years.

Continuing on, Boldmere will be looking to build a full Women’s Football pathway. Since the merging of the two clubs, great strides have already been taken to expand and develop the Women’s Football pathway at Boldmere St Michaels F.C., and heading into the 2020/2021 Season, in addition to the Women’s First Team and Under 18’s Team (established at the beginning of the 2019/2020 season), Boldmere will be establishing an Under 16’s side, as well as running a BTEC Football Programme in partnership with College (BMET). Not only does this add to the sustainability of the Women’s section at Boldmere, but it also provides more playing opportunities at the club, as well as coaching opportunities, which first team players, Alex Liddiard, Rhiannon Travers, and Shan Turner will be taking up.

- Rob Mallaband, Current Chairperson of Boldmere St Michaels F.C said ‘Boldmere St Michaels F.C., has a long and proud history in the Men’s senior game. A few years ago, the club defined a new and exciting vision that would evolve the club into becoming a community club; offering our fantastic facilities to all ages across the Men and Women’s game, and this is fast becoming a reality. We are proud to welcome our Women’s team to the family club and have high aspirations for both the Women and Men’s senior teams. This is a great day in the history of Boldmere St Michaels F.C.

Social Media Accounts (Note, these accounts will be live from Tuesday 26th May at 5pm)

Facebook – Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C

Twitter - @Boldmere_WFC

Instagram - @Boldmere_WFC

Sign-Up to Club Trials

If you as a player are interested in joining Boldmere St Michaels on the next section of their journey, please click on the below link and complete the form. The coaching team will then be in touch with you in due course regarding trials. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FEA8xpl7NBHECbOlTgSflVB3NeVygmby-tnKOQk2Xq0

If you have any questions regarding trials, please email [email protected]

Sponsorship Opportunities

If anyone would like to sponsor any of our teams or our senior players, please contact [email protected] for further details.

Full Quote from Helen Carver (club secretary of Birmingham & West Midlands Ladies F.C. between 1998 and 2020)

I wholeheartedly welcome this fantastic news! Women’s football is developing at a fast pace which is brilliant for our game and our club, however with that comes greater expectations and a need to build further resilience to ensure our club can maintain the requirements and professionalism the FA expect of us. Our club has always prided ourselves on our professionalism, honesty, and integrity, and a determination to progress and evolve both on and off the pitch. As a single entity club, we have always achieved and that’s through sheer hard work, and thousands of volunteering hours spent developing and growing the club, as well as maintaining a community spirit and a welcoming professional approach to training and match days. As the game evolves, and to ensure our club survives and evolves with the FA, it’s absolutely vital that this name change occurred. We are immensely proud to rename ourselves. Boldmere St Michaels have a long history of positive community spirited football with development of players at the heart of what they achieve. We have had a fantastic season building the partnership in readiness for this name change and in readiness to continue to progress and develop women’s and girls’ football as Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Dave Travers, who has been incredibly supportive and offered numerous volunteering hours to build this partnership over the season, and prepare for the name change to Boldmere St Michaels Women F.C. I’d also like to thank all the clubs coaches and staff who continue to go above and beyond to ensure we achieve the very best we can on and off the pitch, especially manager Marcus Webber who is an inspiration. His drive, ambition, reliability and overall commitment and attention to detail has greatly supported the club continue to achieve great things and continue to develop players, and the clubs as a whole. Thankyou.