Female footie team created in memory of Elle Edwards appeals for new players

A female football team set up in memory of Elle Edwards is on the lookout for more players.

Elle’s Army FC’s new five-a-side squad was started three months ago by Elle’s cousin Sophie, who wanted to create a women’s side for players of all abilities to have fun and friendship in her name.

Sophie, 28, from Litherland, said:

“It’s a way of remembering Elle in a positive way and creating something amazing in her memory. We want people to come and have fun and for the team to be like a family, helping to build those stronger and better communities that the Elle Edwards Foundation is all about.”

Sophie, who played for Liverpool Federation as a teenager, adds:

“Me and Elle grew up together because we were only 18 months apart in age and she would often come and watch me play, so football was something she enjoyed with me. Now, although the circumstances aren’t what we would have chosen, I’m proud to be wearing a shirt with her name on when I play and raising awareness of what happened to Ellie and the reasons why her dad Tim launched the foundation.”

Beautician Elle was just 26 when she was shot dead outside the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey, Wirral, on Christmas Eve 2022.

Her grieving dad, Tim, established The Elle Edwards Foundation, dedicated to creating lasting and positive change by supporting young people, individuals, families, and communities affected by gun and knife crime, serious violence, and disadvantage.

It focuses on providing access to education and learning opportunities, promoting mental health awareness and emotional well-being, and offering mentorship and development programmes that encourage and empower people to reach their full potential.

Through charitable initiatives, meaningful partnerships, and active community engagement, the foundation ‘works to build safer, stronger communities’.

As well as a walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats with actor and comedian John May, which culminated in a film, The Two of Us, which won Best Documentary at the Beverly Hills Film Festival last month, Tim has led campaigns for change and launched a range of community initiatives like the men’s charity football team, Elle’s Army.

The women’s five-a-side team trains every Friday between 7-8pm at Goals in Netherton and is aimed at over-18 female players of all abilities.

Sophie explains:

“I’d been thinking about setting up a team for women and girls for a while, ever since Tim started the annual charity football tournaments. I had been trying to get back into football myself because I wanted to do something to keep myself fit, and the gym bores me but I could play football all day. I’m a train driver who does shift work and so I was struggling to find a team that didn’t expect massive commitment so I could balance it with work, and I came up with the idea of a five-a-side for Elle’s Army and thought, let’s go for it.

“It seems to be going well,” adds Sophie. “It’s open to women and girls of all ages, with no expectations of ability, and it’s an inclusive environment where everyone can come along and even bring the kids with them. Backing the foundation Tim started, we also want to work against gun crime and violence, by supporting people and communities and creating a team that, as I said, is like a family. “We’ve got around nine regular players who’ve already said they love coming along – we play in local five-a-side competitions and a monthly tournament – and we’d love to have more.”

Tim Edwards says:

“We didn’t know where the five-a-side team would go but it’s building and building. Sophie wants to do Elle justice and it would be good to get extra players, and eventually put together a full squad of 11 and move on to charity games to raise awareness for our own charity and others. Elle would be made up because she and Sophie were really close; yeah, she’d be really happy.”

“The profile of the foundation is now well regarded and people see Elle as a symbol of hope. We want to see something so tragic and awful bringing the community together and making strides forward for it.

“You have to do that if you care about where you live and if it sends that message to people to get involved off their own back, then we’re doing our job.

“If people look out for each other, no-one will ever be alone – and through things like Elle’s Army FC five-a-side, people will look out for each other, and they will leave that pitch and look out for others around them.

“It’s a ripple effect, and that act of kicking a ball around on a Friday and having a laugh with the girls, can promote change.”

To get involved with Elle’s Army FC five-a-side team, just turn up at Goals Netherton, 151 Park Lane, Netherton, Liverpool L30 1QQ, any Friday at 7pm, or contact Sophie on 07467 430763.