2024/25 season review part 2

JANUARY-FEBUARAY 

We started of the year with some great news the Neve Herron signed a contract extension which will keep her at Blues until 2027

Then we had some devasting news that Lily Agg would miss the remainder of the season when she suffered an ACL injury a huge blow for the girls and the fans.

The girls in royal blue started of the year on the pitch with a comfortable win over Portsmouth winning 1-3 with a great goal from Ellie Mason Ava Baker got the ball rolling in her first start for the club chasing down the goalkeeper to make it 0-1 for the girls and Cho finished it of in the 86th minute.

A week later the blues first home game of the new year ended up in a 1-3 defeat to Stephen Kirby’s Bristol City side who got there first win over the Blues with Jamie-Lee Napier killing the game of in the 47th minute and fully deserved their victory.

On the 30th of January Blues added to the squad when there brought in Shannon Cooke on loan from West Ham and an unbelievable signing when there brought in Emily Van Egmond on a two-and-a-half-year deal after her realise from NWSL side San Diego Wave a statement of intended by the club.

New on loan signing was straight into the team when we went up to Wearside to face Sunderland and came away with a 0–1 win thanks to Lee Geum-Min 7th minute strike got us the win, but it did come at a cost when Lucy Thomas was substitute of in the first half and she would miss the remainder of the season.

On the 12th of February Ellie Mason received a double celebration when she was awarded both player of the month and goal of the month with her goal against Portsmouth .

Blues were back at StAndrews@KnightheadPark on the 16th of February when there won a hard-fought battle over Ash Thompsons Sheffield United side the goal of the game was out of this world when centre back Shannon Cooke picked out the top corner from more than 40 yards out a strike that Cooke would have been proud of.

MARCH-APRIL

Blues were back on the road at the beginning of March when there went to Ewood Park to face Simon Parker’s Blackburn Rovers side and Blues come out on top with a Lucy Quinn brace in the first half to get Blues all three points and getting a sixth away win in a row.

Then on the 6th of March Shannon Cooke won goal of the month and player of the month and also Amy Merricks won Manager of the month making it a hat trick of awards.

Then on Friday the 14th of March we strength are Goalkeeping line of the announcement of United States world cup winner Adrinna Franch she signed a contract to the end of the season.

Blues were back at home on the 16th of March and took all three points against Southampton with a controversial Simone Magill penalty in the 8th minute and a Choe Yuri header from a cross from Rebecca Holloway in the first half got Blues the win with Chole Peplow getting the consolation goal for the saints.

Blues ended their winning run away from home when we came up against Karen Hills Charlton Athletic side Lee Geum-Min gave the blues the lead but a Mel Filis goal in the 91st minute gave the Addick’s a deserve point.

Also when the senior team won’t playing the blues women’s under 21 side won the PGA Cup beating Leicester City 3-4 with goals from a brace from Millie Pullen Lucy Powis & Emily Fitzpatrick got the girls over the line a wonderful afternoon for captain Layla Banaras who lifted the trophy into the air who has been at blues since the age of eight.

Blues were final back at home on the 20th of April when we played Durham one of our bogey sides, but final Amy got her first win over the wildcats coming from behind from a Mollie Lambert goal in the 23rd minute with Simone Magill getting a brace and a first goal in blue for Emily Van Egmond got us the three points.

Blues last away game was a tough one when we went up to the northeast to face Newcastle United Blues took the lead when Simone Magill got away from the Newcastle defence and header over the toon goalkeeper to give the girls in royal blue the lead but the toon came on stronger in the second half and get a brilliant header from Rachel Furness in the 56th minute. The game ended 1-1 but the lionesses also draw with Durham, so it was going to be a final day showdown to see who goes into the WSL.

On the 28th of April Amy Merricks received the FWA Midlands Women’s Manager Of The Year.

A day later one of our heroes Louise Quinn announced that she will call time on her career a fantastic ambassador for the club on and off the pitch. And we will miss you big Lou.

MAY

So, it comes down to this 90 minutes of football Infront of a record of almost 9,000 fans and also making history has the first championship game ever broadcasted on Sky Sports for a winner takes all. But Blues couldn’t get over the line coming from 2-0 down from goals from the lionesses a wonderful strike from the championship golden boot winner Isobel Goodwin just after half time and there doubled the league with a free header from a corner for Chantelle Boye-Hiorkah and it was a uphill struggle from then on  but blues fought back from a Emily Van Egmound goal from close range and a fantastic volley from Cho So-Hyun to bring it level and on another day we could have had a penalty in stoppage time  but the referee Stacey Fullick’s waved it away and it was too little to late has the lionesses gain promotion to the WSL and the devastation on the blues players was hard to see.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE SEASON

Yes, the season ended up in disappointment, but I defiantly think we are going in the right direction with a head coach in Amy has got the respect of the players and the majority of the fans including and you can see what it means to her after her pre match interview after the lionesses game  I think we are in safe hands and if she is given the time this club can be successful again. Compare it to 23/24 season when finished fifth and ten points of the winners Crystal Palace who we will be playing next season. So, Amy has done wonders in some expects but like she said her job is to get this club back into the WSL and also you have to put into account that she has been working under previous gaffers’ squad and hasn’t had the opportunity to bring in her squad and in the summer she will get that opportunity has the club has announced that 12 players have left the club with players such has Fuso Pennock Lawley Devlin Yuri and Cho leaving the club personally I would have kept super Jade Pennock cause like I said a thousand times her record in this league is unreal and I think it could be a huge mistake letting someone of her calibre leaving and strengthen another team hopefully not in the WSL 2 and also people like Gemma Lawley who has contribute this season especially the game against the Lionesses back in November and of course Charlie Devlin who can turn a came just like that  but we have the just Amy and to be fair we were one goal away from getting there and I believe in her to get it right. And yes, it won’t be called the Championship next year it will be WSL 2 and with there opening video which looked like nothing to do with the WSL 2 apart from one all two teams from the league it looks like the higharched needs to improve on that especially the teams that have come up in Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town need to get some sort of exposure and with teams like Newcastle United Durham Palace and Charlton the WSL2 will be stronger then ever and I cant wait.

MY AWARDS OF THE SEASON 

Player Of The Season Rebecca Holloway

Young Player Of The Season Neve Herron 

Goal Of The Season Shannon Cooke against Sheffield United 

Performance Of The Season winning 1-2 to the Lionesses back in November

PEOPLE TO THANK & A THANK YOU FROM ME

As we draw on a close on the season, I need to thank some people who have helped me with support and getting shirts done like Barry Ross from the Birmingham City Women Supporters Group which hopefully we be announced in due course with the Maddy Cusack Foundation and we have got another shirt which Craig will announced in Due Course too. Lee Malin from Garrison Coffee thanks for the hot chocolates and Bovril for me and my dad and hope you like the chocolate’s. Laura Burton who has brought her photos to life with my blogs and means so much to me and has become a huge friend and supporter of mine. Also of course people from the Tilton talk show like Craig and Chris and been huge supporters from day one when I’m doing my blogs for the girls in royal blue. And of course, the people from the Birmingham City Women’s OSC like Stacey Mason Claire Barrett and Craig Hadley .

And of course, the fans who have support me this season it means the world and I cant wait for the 2025-26 season.

KRO STEPHEN GILL