The Birmingham-born attacker joins the Wildcats after spending a goal-laden five-year spell in America with Western Illinois University.

Andrews netted 34 times during her spell in the States and left the Leathernecks as the highest scorer in the history of their Women’s Soccer programme.

The pacy forward, who can play anywhere across the frontline, also spent a spell with Tormenta FC in the USL W League – scoring 19 times as the side won the national competition.

That form earned Andrews the USL W League’s Player of the Year and Golden Boot Awards, while seeing the player draw admiring glances from a number of clubs.

And it’s at Durham where the striker will continue her career as she puts pen to paper on a professional contract ahead of the new Barclays Women’s Championship season.

Speaking after signing her deal, Andrews said: “It’s unreal to be here.

“It’s a dream come true and I just can’t wait to get started.

“I’ve worked all my life for this. I went a different route to most players, so to finally get here – I’m absolutely over the moon.

“I’m very fast and a very passionate person. I love scoring goals too.

“I’m so excited to play in front of the fans too. I’ve heard a lot about them and I can’t wait to meet them all and make them happy.”

Amy will wear the number nine shirt at Maiden Castle.

The deal remains subject to international clearance.

With thanks to Durham Women

The 25-year-old makes the move to Maiden Castle after leaving Birmingham City and adds an exciting new option to the Wildcats’ forward line.

A prolific scorer throughout her career, Ryan-Doyle broke through at Peamount United in her native Ireland before making the move to UCD Waves.

After 11 goals in her one season with the Waves, the forward made her return to Peamount United and netted 42 times during a goal-laden spell at Greenogue.

That fine form caught the eye of many and Ryan-Doyle was handed a senior Republic of Ireland call-up for their trip to face the USA in August 2019 – just months after the American side had lifted the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

And it wasn’t long before the Barclays Women’s Super League clubs came calling, with the striker joining Birmingham City in 2021.

Ryan-Doyle has spent the last two years at St Andrew’s and also spent time on loan with Coventry United last term – where she netted twice in just four games.

And now, the former Irish youth international is ready to embark on her new chapter at Maiden Castle.

“I’m really excited to be here,” she said.

“It’s a really exciting season for me and I’m ready to get started now with Durham.

“I’m a forward and I like to score goals. I work hard and will always do whatever I can for the team.”

“I also know the fanbase here are great – they get big numbers home and away – so I’m excited to see that too.”

Eleanor will wear number 22 for Durham.

With thanks to Durham Women

It is a ground-breaking agreement that represents Nike’s continued commitment to Women’s Football.

The synergies and ambitions of both organisations to continue to break down barriers for female athletes were clear from the start of discussions.

Alongside getting ‘best in class’ apparel for the players, Nike & Durham Women will look to support local community projects with more girls playing football and chasing the ultimate dream.

The agreement, which begins for the 2023/24 season, will be serviced by industry experts KitKing and their new female-focused brand KitQueen.

As part of the new deal, Nike will be the exclusive providers of all Durham Women’s match kits and training wear at all age groups – while there will be a replica provision for supporters.

It is the latest strong brand partnership agreed by the club as they continue their preparations for the 2023/24 Barclays Women’s Championship season, which kicks-off on the final weekend of August.

Commenting on the exciting agreement, Mark Donnelly of Durham Women said: “We’re absolutely delighted to begin this partnership with Nike.

“To have one of the leading brands in the world approach us and want to work with us for the long-term is a real testament to our continued growth and presence in the women’s game.

“We can’t wait for this partnership to grow and develop, and we know our fans will love the new kits that we will be revealing with Nike soon.”

Parisha Patel, Chief Consumer Officer at Kitking and Co-Founder of KitQueen, added: “The partnership with Nike and Durham Women FC through KitQueen is a great example of how we are working with Nike to enhance the profile and experience of Her team sports through teamwear that supports, engages, and drives performance of female athletes on and off the pitch.”

The design of Durham Women’s 2023/24 Nike home kit has been confirmed and will be revealed in the coming weeks.

To find out more about Durham Women, visit durhamwfc.co.uk.

With thanks to Durham Women FC

The Peterlee-based business will see their logo feature on the front of our away shirt for the 2022/23 season.

Our new away shirt, which is again produced by Hummel, will be worn for the first time at London City Lionesses on September 25.

Clear Climate are one of the UK’s leading renewable energy & air conditioning specialists, providing expertise to clients in both the commercial and residential markets with some high profile clients – including Hilton Hotels, Amazon and Network Rail.

Clear Climate have now agreed to partner with Durham ahead of the new Barclays Women’s Championship campaign.

In addition to the presence on the away kit, Clear Climate will also benefit from ground boards at Maiden Castle and a presence on our social media – while the club will also run the ‘Clear Climate Cup’ during the 2022/23 season, with junior teams from across the region set to be invited to compete.

And company director Lee Peachey is excited for what the partnership will hold.

“As a local County Durham business, the opportunity for myself and fellow director Andy Smith to get involved as a major sponsor and partner of Durham Women was an absolute no-brainer,” he explained.

“To be able to help this team on their journey to hopefully becoming a successful Barclays Women’s Super League team is something we are really proud of.

“This isn’t just going to be great for the area but also for future generations of young ladies wanting to become professional footballers. You only have to look at what England’s Lionesses have done over recent weeks, showing the whole country how it feels to be English and win a major trophy, but to also do it with class and grace was amazing to watch.

“We are fully behind Durham Women, and we hope this is the start of a great partnership.”

Durham Women’s Lee Sanders added: “It’s always exciting when new brands and businesses want to get involved with the club.

“It’s a reflection on all the hard work everyone has done and continues to do at the club – staff, players and the fans that attend – that large local businesses want to get involved.

“It’s fantastic that Lee, Andy and their company want to be part of it and we’re really looking forward to working with them.”

To find out more about Clear Climate, visit clearclimate.co.uk.

The midfielder has spent her entire senior career with the club and will now embark on an exciting new chapter as a full-time professional player.

Hepple has been a near ever-present since Durham entered the elite of women’s football in 2014 – and indeed, her next competitive appearance will be her 200th for the club.

The 25-year-old has also netted 84 times for the club, which have included a number of memorable strikes, with her last five seasons all yielding a double figure goal return.

And with the 2022/23 Barclays Women’s Championship campaign now on the horizon, Hepple is relishing the opportunity ahead.

“I’m over the moon,” she said.

“Going to a professional model is really exciting – it’s amazing, to think where we were when we first started, it was a million miles away from here.

“I’m really lucky to be part of this team and this club is growing every year.

“The intensity and standard of training that the coaches are demanding of us is the best it’s ever been,” she continued.

“Hopefully that will show this year.

“We’ve got such a good team. We do every year, but I think we’ve got a bit extra this year.

“We’ve got some new  signings too so that can only be positive for us.”

Hepple could feature in the season opener against Sunderland on Sunday, August 21 – with the game set to be played in front of a sell-out crowd.

The last few tickets are still available HERE – and the midfielder is looking forward to being reunited with the Durham faithful.

“Our fanbase grows year on year, and we have people following us around the country which is crazy to think about,” she said.

“We need them every game at Maiden Castle – and I can’t wait to see them all on Sunday.”

With thanks to Durham Women FC

The Bowburn-based firm will see their logo featured proudly on the reverse of Durham’s home and away kits during the 2022/23 season after agreeing to become the club’s latest partner.

Katem are a family-managed logistics and warehousing company who have been based in County Durham since their inception – although their distinctive vehicles travel across Europe thanks to their wide range of work.

They have now been in operation for nearly 30 years and employ a large number of people from the local community, as they remain committed to providing a sustainable business in the heart of Durham. Katem also have women at the heart of their business, with the company name derived from Kate and Emily – daughters of the founders who work in the company today.

And it’s that focus that has seen Katem agree to partner with Durham Women ahead of the new Barclays Women’s Championship campaign.

In addition to their logo featuring on both shirts this season, Katem will also have a major presence at Maiden Castle with some striking ground boards – designed by Catherine Boland – and will also see their logo feature on our social media graphics.

To launch the partnership, Durham Women’s first-team squad visited Katem’s headquarters in Bowburn to meet with staff and see first hand the work the local firm carry out on a daily basis.

Commenting on the partnership, Katem’s chairwoman Clare Davison said: ‘’Females are at the heart of our business and at the heart of our community.

“It is an honour to be able to be a part of Durham WFC’s incredible journey.  It feels like there is now a fantastic opportunity to support a game and a movement for equality and empowering women within sport and the community.

“We can’t wait to be supporting the team and we wish them all the best for the coming season.’’

Durham Women’s Lee Sanders added: “It’s testament to not only how well the club is doing locally, but how women’s football is doing generally in the country, that big local businesses like Katem Logistics have a passion to get involved with ourselves and the sport.

“We can’t thank Clare, John, Katie, Emily, Matty and James enough for the support and it’s vitally important that we grow and maintain our partnerships within the local community.”

To find out more about Katem Logistics, visit www.katem.co.uk.

With thanks to Durham Women FC

The midfielder, who was recently named in Northern Ireland’s squad for the UEFA Women’s European Championships, will also take up a coaching role in the club’s new Barclays WSL Academy team.

Robson originally joined Durham in 2016 after a spell with Sunderland and has been a regular in the squad ever since.

She has racked-up 137 appearances for the club, with 27 of those coming last season, and has scored 17 times.

The last campaign was a memorable one for Robson, who topped-off qualifying for Euro 2022 with her country with winning the coveted North East Football Writers’ Award for 2021.

And with her focus now on the future, Robson is relishing the chance to continue her journey with Durham, as the club transition to a full-time training model.

“There was no other option really, I never thought about moving away from Durham” she said.

“The last five years have been amazing and this is an opportunity that I’d never give up.

“Since we’ve been little girls, all we’ve ever wanted to do is be full-time footballers – and we’re so happy that our club that we love is offering that.”

In addition to her playing role, Robson will also assist in coaching our new Academy team ahead of their entry into the Barclays WSL Academy League.

And having gained her UEFA B Licence earlier this year, the 35-year-old is looking forward to further developing her coaching.

“Whenever I thought about coaching, all I ever wanted to do was coach high performance girls,” she admitted.

“I never thought I’d get that opportunity in the North East, so when I was offered the role I couldn’t say no.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the team can compete against some of the best sides in the country.

“We’ve got some of the best talent in the North East and it’s a really good opportunity for them to show it.”

Lee Sanders added: “Sarah has been such an important part of the squad and the transformation of the team over the last six years since she signed for the club.

“She has tremendous experience in the league and has been extremely fortunate to have the experiences that she’s had recently with Northern Ireland and will get at the upcoming European Championships.

“It’s great for players like Sarah that they are finally getting an opportunity to train in a full-time environment – which is something that a lot of the players at the club have worked hard for over previous seasons.

“But equally as exciting for her personally and the club is that she gets to pass on all her knowledge to the next crop of talented young players that we have here, as she begins a new phase of her football career in coaching our Barclays WSL Academy team.”

With thanks to Durham Women

The friendly will act as the Wildcats’ final warm-up game ahead of the 2021/22 season and will also be the first time that supporters will enter the club’s home ground at Maiden Castle – as they watch the side for the first time since February 2020.

The game will be the first time that two sides have played publicly and will give Durham fans a first in-person look at the side following a successful 2020/21 campaign, in which the club finished second in the competitive FA Women’s Championship.

Lee Sanders’ side have already undergone a gruelling pre-season schedule including a number of competitive friendlies, and will now complete their preparations with what is sure to be a fascinating North East derby.

TICKET DETAILS

Due to this being the first test event held at the ground, tickets for the game will be limited in number and so supporters are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance HERE.

Please note that Sister Club and RTC discounts will not be applied for this fixture.

Tickets are priced at the following rates:

Adults – £7
Students – £5
Children (U16) – £3

A small number of tickets will be available on the day of the game but these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis following the turnstiles opening at 11am. Cash, card and contactless payments will be accepted.

We do, however, strongly advise supporters to purchase in advance to avoid disappointment.

Courtesy of Durham Women

Ejupi began her career at Charlton Athletic before moving to Nottingham Forest and later top tier side Notts County.

But it was her move to Aston Villa in 2017 where Ejupi really began to catch the eye with a string of fine performances for the Villains.

She then rejoined Charlton for the 2018/19 season, scoring 13 times in just 18 games for the Addicks during a successful campaign.

A switch to London City then followed, where Ejupi continued to shine in the FA Women’s Championship.

The striker has also received international recognition with Albania, and comes to Durham looking to contribute to another successful season.

“It feels good to be here,” said Ejupi, after putting pen to paper.

“I’ve always had tough games against Durham and it’s a team that I’ve spoken to for a few years. It feels good to finally be here.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe in the team. Durham have proved themselves for the last few seasons and I only want to build on that and be part of it.

“I think it’s going to be a really tough year for everyone, but the competition is exciting.”

After landing the striker, manager Sanders said: “Liz is a player who we’ve always had a tough time against whenever she’s been in the opposition team.

“I first saw her at Notts County in the development set-up and then moved on to Aston Villa where she had a good spell and then did similarly well at Charlton.

“She’s been a little bit unfortunate with injuries at London City but is a player I always felt would fit in with us.

“It’s a strange thing to say, but she plays and carries herself like a Durham player, and I’m really excited to see what she can do with this squad of players.

“We purposely haven’t had a high turnover of players and we never usually do, and hopefully that shows in some continuity of the success we’ve had in recent years.

“There are a couple of key areas we needed to strengthen in and I think this was one, and hopefully Liz will be the player to come in and help us.

“She’s good in the air and on the ground, and enjoys assisting as well as scoring goals.

“Her work-rate is high and if the coaching staff and myself can get the best out of her and the other players, then hopefully we will add some more goals next season.”

Courtesy of Durham Women FC

The defender has become a key part of the side since her arrival in 2017, making key contributions in both boxes.

As well as forming part of the side who recorded the joint-best defensive record in the FA Women’s Championship last season, Hill also chipped in with some vital goals at key moments.

And the Scot is also closing in on making her 100th appearance for the club having cemented her place in the club’s backline after spells with Rangers and Old Dominion University in the past.

Commenting on her decision to continue her time at Maiden Castle, Hill said: “I’m really excited. We had a really positive season last year and we are continue to improve, so the motivation is high to try and go one better this season.

“After finishing second we have to be aiming to win the league. It will obviously be extremely difficult as the league is getting stronger every year, but we have a good group with a lot of experience and hopefully that will help us.

“We also can’t wait to have fans back. The support on social media during the pandemic was brilliant but it will be better to be playing in front of them again and hear the noise they make – especially for the big games!”

Manager Lee Sanders added: “Kathryn has an outstanding record in our back line since she joined us and continues to get better as one of the best defensive players in the UK.

“She’s a true winner and it’s a huge plus for this club that she’s staying in the North East for another few years.”

Courtesy of Durham Women FC