Guernsey FC Women v Wimborne Town - Sunday 31 August, 2pm (Victoria Park)
‘I’m just really grateful for the opportunity,’ said the 35-year-old, who started playing island football 20 years ago.
‘When the club was set up in 2023, this was always the aim, so for it to be happening now, it’s going to be a really exciting season.’
It comes 14 years after GFC’s men embarked on their UK journey and will see the Green Lionesses pitting themselves against 11 other sides in the Southern Region Women’s Football League Division One South, at tier six of the women’s game.
‘In our first season we did a couple of UK cup games, then last season the Jersey league, and it really tested our squad depth and prepared us for this season – we’ve come on massively,’ said Bougourd.
As well as seeing a host of talented young players come to the fore in that time, the rapid progress made in women’s football locally has also attracted some more experienced heads back to the game, including former Muratti goalscorer Roch Mullen, who is included in manager Anna Gauvain’s 16-strong squad this weekend.
Elsewhere, Calleigh Hedley will once again be the one to watch going forward as she looks to pick up where she left off last season, when her two goals saw Guernsey win the first Women’s Muratti at the new home of island football.
There is also a return for young Heidi Dawber, who takes her place in the squad after suffering two leg breaks in a year.
‘I think it might take a couple of fixtures to figure out where we fit into the league and what our targets will be for the end of the season,’ said Guernsey’s skipper.
‘But it’s just going to be playing those competitive fixtures, hopefully getting better and better as the season goes on, playing against quality teams to make us better individually and as a group.’
Guernsey FC Women squad for Sunday
Steph Batiste, Vicki Rang, Scarlett Kenneally, Aimee Ogier, Scarlett Gallagher, Elise Le Lacheur, Donna Gallienne, Candice Bougourd, Heidi Dawber, Amy Dallamore, Codie Le Flem, Adrienne Leech, Chloe Ingrouille, Calleigh Hedley, Rochelle Mullen, Emily McCartney.
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