Portsmouth Women brutally axe 10 players from title-winning squad
Portsmouth Women have this weekend announced the departures of 10 of their title-winning squad when their contracts expire this summer.
The club announced its women’s team retained list on the official Portsmouth FC website [25 May], which also confirmed seven members of the squad are in contract negotiations, whilst a further seven remain under contract heading into Pompey’s first Women’s Championship campaign.
The Blues stormed to the National League southern title this season under Jay Sadler, with 20 wins from a possible 22.
“Kelci Bowers, Leeta Rutherford, Evie Gane, Tierney Scott, Dani Lane, Jess Smith, Mia Adaway, Ella Wild, Ali Hall and Mia Smith are all set to depart,” the club site reported.
Portsmouth Women turn new leaf on playing squad
With Portsmouth entering a semi-pro phase ahead of this season following welcome investment from the Tornante Company, the transition of the playing staff was always going to be fairly heavy.
However, a number of departures will be saddening for ardent fans of Sadler’s side – most notably that of Lane, who leaves having amassed 95 appearances for the Blues, netting 28 goals and filling in impeccably at centre-half during the latter months of this year’s title charge.
Girls who have progressed since childhood or represented their hometown club are also departing, such as Leeta Rutherford and Mia Adaway, as recruitment gets underway ahead of Pompey’s bid to establish themselves as a Championship outfit.
The club just last week launched season tickets on sale for the women’s team at Westleigh Park for 2024-25, and announced public trials would be taking place during the summer for the women’s U23 side as the club taps into the local community – an exciting era all round.
In other Portsmouth news, Rich Hughes has made an admission about a potential U21 side for Pompey.
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