Ben Gilby reports on a major new signing for Helston AFC Women – which is a clear statement of the club’s aims to play at a higher level sooner rather than later…
Today is transfer deadline day for registering players to compete in the Cornwall Women’s Football League and Helston Athletic Women have secured the major signing of 29 year-old central midfielder Keri-Ann Moxom from Callington Town.
Helston manager Paul Parfitt said: “I am pleased to have made this key signing in such a timely manner. Keri-Ann played for Helston then progressed to Callington as they were two leagues higher and matched her ambitions. She now sees that ambition is at Helston with the squad I have built since joining the club last year and I am finally pleased to be able to work with her after four years of watching her play and admiring her ability. She is a fantastic individual and a big name player in the Cornish women’s game – her mum used to play for Arsenal Ladies when she was younger also.”
“It is testament to the current squad and our team ambitions that Keri-Ann has decided to leave Callington and join a team currently two leagues below. Keri-Ann is a fantastic player and a big personality both on and off the pitch, we have had a very successful start to life as Helston Women and I am further impressed that Keri-Ann is joining us now to help us obtain further success and silverware and be part of that journey.”
“That commitment alongside all our existing players who want exactly the same success and put the work in every week bodes for a very exciting time for women’s football at the club and in West Cornwall in particular.”
“We are focussed on building on our early development and the thought of being able to add Keri-Ann to a midfield already boasting Dani White, Kim Yould, Georgia Lane, Alice Rae and so on offers superb and unrivalled options for me as the manager.”
“It is our desire at Helston to field both a First Team and Development Team next season and capturing the signature of Keri-Ann Moxom alongside our other most recent addition; Eve-Charlotte Moore from Bideford/Illogan combined with optimising the youth talent coming through at the club shows our intention not only to field two teams but to field two competitive teams capable of challenging for silverware on all levels.”
“Whilst Keri-Ann represents our ambitions on the pitch, off the pitch with the Development side we are also mentoring two existing squad members who will take Player/Coach roles next season.”
Speaking about her move back to Helston, Keri-Ann Moxom said:
“It will be nice to be back playing with some of the girls I really grew up playing football with and I would love for my Mum to watch me again as she used to watch me every weekend, but since playing further away she hasn’t been able to support me. I look forward to helping the team getting to the level they deserve to be at.”
“The decisive factors in joining Helston is the aim to win promotion to the South-West Women’s Football League and being much closer to home. I want keep playing the best football I can for as long as I can! I would love to see promotion once if not twice and definitely some silverware.”
“Of course there are a few friendly faces which I am looking forward to be back working with as it were, but I just love how the club is run in general, it definitely aided in my decision to make the move.”
Keri-Ann also shared the details of her footballing journey up to now: “I started playing for my first team when I was twelve years-old for Falmouth United. I used to play with the boys a lot on our estate, and it was one of my friend’s dads who used to coach Falmouth Boys, he invited me to training and introduced me to their girls’ team. My Mum used to give up a lot of her time to drive me to training sessions, sometimes three times a week when I played at county/regional level. I managed to be selected for England U15s when I just turned 15, and I remember my Mum taking so much time off work and paying for travel so that I could attend camps and sessions all over the country.”
Keri-Ann’s mother hasn’t just had a major role on her career due to her transporting her all over the country for football – her influence comes from her own footballing career.
“She used to play for Arsenal Ladies when she was younger and has always been my number one fan. I owe everything to her really, as well as the many coaches I had between the ages of 14-24.”
Keri-Ann’s arrival at Helston has created great excitement as the club chairman Paul Hendy highlights: “Very occasionally you know one of your managers has secured the signing of a very talented and special player. Upon hearing Keri was again going to play for Helston was one of those moments. She returns to a squad which is full of potential with an exciting season on the horizon”.
At Impetus we’ll be following Helston’s progress when their matches re-start in the very near future.
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