Middlesbrough Star Returns to Home to Ladies 1st Team!!

As the 26/27 Season looms large, Whitehaven AFC Ladies are delighted to announce their first signing of the summer, as Ellie May Callander re-signs to the club from Middlesbrough FC.

The electric playmaker makes her return after a couple of years away from the club playing at the North East giant. Ellie had a really successful period at Middlesbrough, winning the Reserve Northern Division in her first season against top opposition including Newcastle United Development, Liverpool Feds and Leeds United Reserves, and she also reached the County Cup Final. Ellie played a full role in the team making 19 appearances and netting 3 goals in that season.

Her second season at the club reached new heights as again she played 19 games and doubled her goals, netting 6. However, as well as a respectable third place finish in a highly competitive league, she would help the team reach the prestigious National Cup Final at St George’s Park where they would face a powerful Queens Park Rangers side and would be triumphant, winning at the home of English Football.

Ellie described her time at Middlesbrough “My time at Middlesbrough was amazing. All the girls were lovely, coaches were good and helped me grow. First season I was there we won the League and we got to the County Cup Final against York City First Team, unfortunately we didn’t win that but it was a massive achievement and amazing atmosphere to play at the Riverside Stadium.

My second season at Middlesbrough was even better, we had new people come in what made the team stronger and we even got to go and play at St George’s Park for the National Cup Final which we won that against QPR, it was an amazing day and we celebrated so much.

Ellie May dazzles the crowd at the Riverside Stadium

Playing at Middlesbrough had improved me as a player, playing in different positions and playing against quality teams made it a lot better and think more about the game.”

Ellie had previously played at Whitehaven AFC and was a product of the award winning Pathway in a very successful side through the ages, and she stepped up to the Women’s First Team between her youth games to make 5 appearances and score 2 goals as she helped the team gain promotion in their first season as a new Ladies 1st Team. In her first full season as a 1st Team player she would be a key player in the teams second promotion in two years as she made 20 appearances, scoring 6 goals before heading off to Middlesbrough.

Ellie not only returns to the club looking to help bring success to the Ladies but also serves as a powerful message to all our young Lionesses at the club who start as Ellie did. A 6/7yr old player and stayed with the club throughout her pathway journey, being part of a successful team, winning leagues, county cups and having an invincible season, and she has resched some great heights further afield and now returns as a symbol of what our Pathway can and does produce if the player, as Ellie is, hard working, dedicated, resilient and technically fantastic!!

Ellie May as a youth player at the Annual Cumberland FA Festival

Returning home to her club she said “It’s my home town team, I’ve always played for Whitehaven Amateurs since I was young and I’ve always said if I wasn’t playing away from my home town that I’d come back to Whitehaven as all the girls are amazing and the coaches are amazing”

The Ladies have big ambitions for next season, as they look to make a push for promotion to Regional Level Tier 6 football and Ellie is already showing she has come in to help the team achieve them goals “I think the team is looking really good and I want to achieve big things, winning the league is my goal at start of the season and if we could push for a cup as well that would be great”

We caught up with First Team Manager Rob Campbell on Ellie’s arrival “I think when I spoke to Ellie it was one of the easiest and best conversations of the summer. I’ve kept in touch with Ellie while she’s been away in Middlesbrough and always was great hearing how well she’d be doing. She was a superstar here as a youth player and showcased her talents in her first period with the ladies first team. I think to attract a player of Ellie’s talent is a real indicator of what we want to achieve going forward. She will give us real energy but also good football intelligence and she fits perfectly to the way we want to play, and I think all that will help us raise standards even further this year.

Last season the mindset was different, we were a new team in unknown territory in the league for many of the players, but they rose to the challenge, stuck together and finished the season really strongly in the league and reached the County Cup Final. Next season is definitely an exciting challenge ahead for us as we now have gained so much experience in our first year together. We have reinforced and added quality to our coaching set up and Ellie is the first of a number of new signings both from our Pathway and beyond that I believe will give us a great opportunity of success and reach Regional football at this club for the first time in 16yrs.”