AS restrictions begin to be lifted and the FA releases guidance on how teams can resume some form of socially-distanced training, Cornwall’s highest-ranked women’s club, Callington Town Ladies, are planning ahead for the 2020/21 campaign.

The job of their first-team manager Adam McPherson has been to secure his squad for the next season, and he seems to have 100 per cent commitment from his players, with all of the squad members who were competing in the games before lockdown stating their intentions to stay at Ginsters Marshfield Park.

On maintaining his current squad, McPherson said: ‘It’s always the most important thing for me – checking in with existing players before even thinking about bringing in new ones.

‘The good news is, having spoken with them all individually, each of them were emphatic about their wish to stay and how much they love the team.

‘We did finish up last season with a somewhat smaller squad than I’d like, however, so bringing in two or three new players is important.

‘Then there is a slightly wider recruitment for the second team as well, so we can ensure they are as effective as they were last season in competing within the Cornwall League but also helping push players through to the first-team squad too.’

One young player who caught the eye in the second team last season was 17-year-old Katlyn Bentley.

The diminutive, yet tenacious and pacey full-back, put in a number of excellent displays. So much so that her abilities were catching the attention of South West Regional league sides.

Bentley has turned down two approaches from separate clubs in the SWRWFL Premier Division in order to stay at Callington and compete for a place in the first team.

McPherson continued: ‘It’s important that players learn and develop within the second team, which is well placed for that, and then, when the time is right, we give them chances to make the step-up.

‘Katlyn is one of the players who has potential and, with the right characters and senior players around her, she’ll hopefully keep improving and learning within a higher league.

‘She trained with the first team a number of times last season and always held her own. The plan was always for her to have a solid season with the second team, as it was her first within the adult game.

‘Now, as with any young player, it’s about her being patient with herself whilst also taking on board as much as she can when her chances come along.

‘She will hopefully offer us something different in an attacking sense, too, as she likes to get forward when the opportunity presents itself.’

Bentley, along with some of her team-mates from both the first and second teams, put boots on and took part in some socially-distanced training for the first time this summer recently, too.

With the help of the club’s male first-team manager/goalkeeper Sam Borthwick and their new coach Ross James, they led an informal session for any CTLFC players who wished to take part.

Official pre-season for CTLFC does not have a confirmed start date as yet, with full-contact training and game-play still not permitted within the FA’s COVID-19 guidelines.

McPherson concluded: ‘With the men’s first team having started back with some training in smaller groups, Borths (Sam) offered to stay on and do an extra hour for the female players too, so as you might expect, a fair few jumped at the chance of getting a ball at their feet again.

‘Between the two sides, we had 17 players turn up for a kind of initial pre, pre-season session.

‘We’ll continue with those on Tuesdays for now, until we get confirmation that training in a more normal sense can resume.

‘But it means at least we can start to work on the basics and some fitness again too.’

The club are on the look-out for new signings in both of their squads, so any interested players should search for the ‘Callington LFC’ Facebook page and send the club a message on there. Alternatively, female players aged 16+ can email [email protected] for more information about joining.

by Dave Potham