Ten Wrexham AFC Women stars sign first semi-pro contracts

Wrexham AFC say they are “delighted” to announce the first ten Wrexham AFC Women players to have signed semi-professional contracts, as the Club gears up for its first season in the Genero Adran Premier.

Following the successful application for a Tier 1 Licence, and subsequent promotion to the top flight – earned via a 1-0 win against Briton Ferry Llansawel in April’s play-off final – the Club was able to realise its ambition of becoming semi-pro.

This makes Wrexham the first Club in North Wales to have a semi-professional women’s football set-up, and they are “delighted to confirm the first ten players to have signed these historic contracts”.

• Genero Adran North Player of the Season and Top Goalscorer Rosie Hughes has signed a two-year contract, as has former Wales Under-17 international and Wrexham AFC Women’s title-winning Adran U19s North captain Lili Jones.
• Rebecca Pritchard, who scored the winning goal against Briton Ferry Llansawel, joins Del Morgan – whose goalkeeping heroics that day were key to Wrexham’s victory – and Phoebe Davies in signing one-year deals, having all represented the original Wrexham Ladies in the top flight in the middle of the last decade.
• Genero Adran North Young Player of the Season, Amber Lightfoot, and Wrexham AFC Women’s Players’ Player of the Season, Erin Lovett have also signed their first, one-year semi-pro contracts with the Football Club.
• Katie Sharp – who headed in the stoppage-time goal away to Connah’s Quay Nomads that put Wrexham on the brink of the Genero Adran North title – has also signed on for the 2023/24 season.
• Goalscorer at the Racecourse Ground on the final day of the season, in front of the FAW-record crowd of 9,511 supporters, TJ Dickens, is also signed up.
• Mari Gibbard, who signed from Llandudno in February to successfully bolster Wrexham’s promotion charge, completes the list.

On the new contracts, Wrexham AFC Women’s manager, Steve Dale, said: “We are delighted to have our first players signed up to semi-professional contracts, after the role they played in our promotion last season.

“These players have proved their ability on the biggest stages we’ve played on, and we are delighted that they have signed up to become Wrexham AFC Women’s first semi-professional players.

“The preparation has already begun behind the scenes for our first season back in the top flight, and this is an important step as we look to finalise the squad for the challenges that lie ahead.

“Each of the players have been a credit to the Football Club, on and off the pitch, and I am delighted to be able to continue working with them as we look forward to this next chapter together.”

Head of Women’s Football Operations, Gemma Owen, said: “We are proud to be able to announce the first ten players to have signed semi-professional contracts with the Football Club.

“This is an historic moment, not just for the Football Club but for women’s football in North Wales, and shows just what young girls in our region can aspire to.

“All ten players signed up so far have proved themselves on and off the pitch, not just as fine footballers but as great role models too, and are fitting pioneers.”

Wrexham AFC Women – semi-professional contracts
Del Morgan (Goalkeeper, 27)
Phoebe Davies (Defender, 28)
Erin Lovett (Defender, 20)
Katie Sharp (Defender, 28)
Lili Jones (Defender/Midfielder, 17)
TJ Dickens (Midfielder, 26)
Mari Gibbard (Midfielder, 26)
Rebecca Pritchard (Winger, 26)
Amber Lightfoot (Winger/Striker, 20)
Rosie Hughes (Striker, 27)