A Harrogate based children’s football club has launched an urgent appeal for a young female coach.

Pannal Ash Panthers under fourteens girls' football squad has been looking for a suitable candidate for more than 18 months.

The squad members have asked for a female coach closer to their age range, ideally between seventeen and twenty-five years old.

Chris Makin, head coach at Pannal Ash Junior Football Club said:

The number of girls playing football has seen a huge rise following England’s UEFA Women's Euro 2022 win.

At Pannal Ash FC, the girl’s section has grown rapidly over the last five years, with around 110 more girls from ages five to eighteen joining.

According to Mr Makin, the Lionesses are icons to the girls playing at Pannal Ash.

He believes a young, sports-minded female coach, like those playing for England’s women’s team, would “inspire and empower” the squad’s players.

The district has spawned its own football superstar, Rachael Daly, who won the 2022-2023 Women's Super League Golden Boot and recently opened a café in Killinghall named after her.

The club has made many efforts to find a suitable match but have been unsuccessful.

Mr Makin told the Stray Ferret:

Throughout the search, many potential candidates were contacted. However, the club was met with few responses, as well as several last-minute cancellations and no-shows.

The team will continue to look for a coach who is more representative of its members and hopes to find the right match soon.

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