The history of Exeter City LFC can be traced back to 1997
when a brand new ladies team was formed as Elmore Eagles LFC.
The newly formed team, based in Tiverton, had to enter into
the lowest Division, which was then the Third Division of
the South West Women's Football League. The team "blitzed"
the first season, completing the treble of league, Devon Cup
and the Pat Sowden Cup.
Promotion into the Second Division was quickly followed by
promotion into the First Division and onto the Premier. During
this time the team also picked up several more cup runners
up, and cup wins.
In 2001 Exeter City FC were looking to form a women's team,
and having heard of Elmore's success they contacted the Club
and asked if they would be interested in becoming Exeter City
Ladies FC. The girls jumped at the chance and so Exeter
City Ladies Football Club was born.
The first season as Exeter City LFC was very successful,
with the team gaining promotion to the South West Combination
Women's League.
The Club's first season at this level was hard, with the
team struggling to find its feet, but the girls managed to
find their form nearing the end of the season and avoided
relegation.
With a couple of disappointing results at the end of the
next season, the team was finally relegated back to the South
West Women's Football League, Premier Division.
In the summer of 2006, the team were controversially "taken
over" by Newton Abbot Ladies to form a new club (Cullompton
Rangers Ladies).
Exeter City FC were determined to keep a Ladies team, so
City Ladies COE was set up by the Grecians to replace
the now defunct Exeter City Ladies team.
City started afresh, utilising their centre of excellence
players in Division 2 of the Westward Developments Devon Women's
League, playing their home games at St. George V Playing Fields,
off Topsham Road.
Steve McClear, Exeter City Ladies COE manager, said: "It's
important that people know that Exeter City still have a ladies
team - we are very much still here."
The club decided to set up the new team in order to benefit
from their own coaching of female academy players.
City's COE under-16s players made up the majority of the
squad at the start of their first campaign. |
Devon
Women's League Cup Winners 2007
South
West Women's Football League, Premier Division Runners Up
1999/2000