After calling time on his playing career in 2000, Simon Savage took up an offer to run women’s football taster sessions at Penrith, which were expected to last just two weeks. Twenty-two years, 554 games and 200 players later, football for females in the Eden area is flourishing. Simon spoke to Herald sports reporter Craig McGlasson about the story so far …
Simon Savage sits next to an airer crowded with drying football shirts and training bibs in the living room of his Penrith home as he pulls a scrap of paper from his pocket while chatting to the Herald.
Christmas decorations are sitting in boxes on the floor, ready to be unveiled for the festive period. But, over the course of 45 minutes — naturally — Simon chooses to reflect on seasons past; more than 20 of them, in fact.
One leaps to mind: that is late 1999-2000, specifically March of the latter year, when midfielder Simon was preparing to call time on an enjoyable semi-professional career. His playing days began at Greystoke before he moved up several rungs of the footballing ladder, linking up with Kendal’s Netherfield and then Penrith AFC (twice), either side of a five-year stint at Maine Road while studying in Manchester.
There was an FA Cup giant-killing at North West Counties outfit Maine Road as Morecambe were toppled 2-1, and pleasing progress, too, in the FA Vase.
As Simon contemplated his footballing future, respected long-serving Penrith committee member, the late Walter Brogden, unwittingly ushered the budding coach towards an exciting new avenue.
“Walter came and said the FA wanted Penrith to do a couple of weeks of taster sessions for women’s football,” Simon recalled. “He said ‘it’ll last a couple of weeks and then that will be the end of it, no doubt’. We did four sessions in two weeks and for each session 20-plus female players of all ages and abilities came along.
“At the end of the two weeks it was either a case of ‘that’s it, goodbye to everybody’ or ‘can we take this forward?’. Just because of the enthusiasm shown and the willingness of the players for something to happen, I thought ‘well if I don’t do it, it’s not going to happen. And that’s how it started — a two-week taster session in March 2000.”
‘Without football I’m not sure what their lives would be like’
Fast-forward to December 2022, when the scrap of paper in Simon’s hand lists the numerous roles he has filled during an impressive rise for ladies’ football in Penrith.
“Manager, coach, kit man, first aid duties, match day admin — forms, team sheets, all those to fill in and send afterwards,” he says. “Drive the minibus, club representative at league meetings at Runcorn or Knowsley three times a year, groundsman, putting nets up when we are on the general Frenchfield pitches, inspecting the pitches, fund-raising and the financial side, writing match reports, organisation of tours and all that goes into that.”
He saves one of the most important for last — counselling. “You’re a counsellor for a lot of the players. They’re all individuals with things going on in their own lives; a lot of that comes out,” he said. “Sometimes we’ve helped people who’ve had difficulties.
“Football’s benefited them a lot because their life’s difficult; without football I’m not sure what their lives would be like. It’s been good for a lot of people.”
Penrith Sapphires, as they were initially christened by the 2000 intake, won their first match — in the FA Women’s Cup that year at home to Welsh outfit Corwen.
“I saw the potential was there,” says Simon of the early weeks. “It wouldn’t have happened unless someone drove it forward because probably none of the girls had the experience to lead it. We kept them training that summer, got them signed up for the Northern Women’s League and ready for that first game. We prepared well.
“We did have ups and downs; we got hammered in a few games, a few friendlies, by experienced teams. But there was enough potential and enthusiasm. The willingness of the girls to want to learn and be better and do the best they could was good.”
Stats are important
Simon has another, much more comprehensive list which perfectly illustrates the progress which followed. “I keep a lot of stats, which is probably sad!” he admits.
As he talks, for example, Penrith have just chalked up their 554th game. Chantelle Peart, earlier in the season, became the 200th different Penrith Ladies player to pull on the blue shirt. “It all starts with one game and one step. Who’d have thought then that 554 games later we’d still be going and it’s still doing well?” he wondered. “There’s massive pride. Each one of those games is an individual story and event in itself. It’s amazing.”
There have been four county cup final wins, the most recent being a post-COVID triumph which saw Penrith sweep aside Cumbria’s best teams — Carlisle United, Workington and Stanwix — to lift the trophy.
There was qualification for the FA Women’s second round proper in 2006-07, before a league title win and promotion to the North West Women’s League Premier Division in 2017-18.
There have also been lows, none more so than the sudden death of player Charmaine Thornthwaite in 2010. “It really was a devastating blow and probably took the club two years to move on properly,” said Simon.
There have been three distinct phases for Penrith Ladies marked by the captaincy of Tina Hetherington (2000-2005), Roni Duguid (2005-2009) and Kim McCormick (2010 to present day), and he adds: “These three all offered great support and have been vital in the overall progress and support of the club.”
Previous assistant Matt Owens helped move coaching to “a new level”. More recently Simon has handed over the Ladies team reigns to Jamie Fitzwilliam and is already excited to see the progress being made.
And at a time when women’s football — in a year of European championship glory for England’s Lionesses — has never been more popular, there are now many possibilities for girls and women at Penrith.
Family support is vital
“That’s one thing I’m proud of,” said Simon, who like his wife, Kath, works for The Fire Fighters Charity. “We’ve got players from three years old right through to the ladies in their mid-30s.
“There’s a pathway now for people to come to the club and continue to play right through all the age levels and hopefully make the Development and ladies teams in due course if they’re good enough and committed enough, to do that, That’s something I was always pushing to achieve.”
Vital backing on Simon’s journey has come from immediate family. Kath looks after club secretarial and treasury duties. Eldest daughter Izzie, 24, moved through the club ranks, has captained the Development team and now coaches, while Lottie, 15, represents the club’s under-16s. Son Luke, 22, plays for Ullswater United in the Westmorland League having previously been part of the Carlisle United Academy.
“They’ve certainly not been forced into football,” he said of the three children. “They’ve chosen to do it. I’ll support them whatever they want to do. It is nice to see they’re enjoying their football and all that comes with it.”
Simon — named Cumberland FA’s 2020 coach of the year — was also recently handed a lifetime achievement award by Penrith AFC in light of his contribution, although modestly he says: “It’s always nice to get recognition but you’d still do it anyway, whether you got that or not. The thing that is equally pleasing is the number of people I’ve helped to play and be part of football and the area for the club. That’s as important as anything.”
So what would football man Walter Brogden have thought of the Ladies’ success? “Initially he was probably a little bit sceptical” said Simon.
“But he was very supportive throughout and I think he started to believe in it a lot more after seeing how it was developing and progressing. I don’t think he would have been surprised.”
