Blackpool FC Community Trust column: Honouring this season's leading lights in Blackpool's ETC

ETCs are part of the England Lioness Talent Pathway and aim to develop girls to play at the most elite levels of the female game.

They increase and diversify the talent pool, giving more girls than ever the opportunity to take their first steps towards playing professional football and following the example of the Lionesses.

It has been an incredibly successful season for Blackpool with most of our age groups playing an unbeaten season, picking up wins over local ETCs including Manchester United and Liverpool.

We are extremely proud that five players have been highlighted to be monitored for the England Lioness Talent Pathway.

In addition to this, a further seven players have been offered places with Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Andy Aspinall, Blackpool’s ETC manager, said: “Our role as an ETC is to improve individuals to help them play at the highest levels of the female game.

“The fact that our players are in such demand by Women’s Super League clubs, and national teams, is testament to the hard work put in by our players and staff.”

To mark such a fantastic season of achievements, we held an end-of-season celebration in the Matthews Hospitality Suite at Bloomfield Road.

The winners at each age group were as follows:

Under-10s

Player of the Season: Lucy Rukin

Players’ Player of the Season: Imogen Britton-Birchall

‘Progress’ Award: Mali-Rae Dean

Under-12s

Player of the Season: Ava Adams

Players’ Player of the Season: Ainsley Cross

‘Progress’ Award: Charlotte Billington

Under-14s

Player of the Season: Maycee Atkinson

Players’ Player of the Season: Freya Taylor

‘Progress’ Award: Amelia Roberts

Under-16s

Player of the Season: Ella Beadsmoore

Players’ Player of the Season: Ella Beadsmoore

‘Progress’ Award: Hannah Asquith

Goalkeeper of the Season: Sophie Rogers

Player of the Season: Freya Taylor

We hope everyone had a fantastic night as we are now looking forward to improving our squads with a full month of trials in the summer – and then seeing everyone for the start of the new season in September.