Latest news with #NorthRidingFA
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Double sporting glory for York mum, 42, who set up women's football team
Mum sets up women's football team after years on sideline. A MUM-of-two who regularly championed her children from the sidelines decided to have a go herself and set up her own football team. Not content with just spectating, Lucy Pembayun turned to social media to seek out other female football followers and discovered she wasn't alone in wanting to play rather than just watch the game. Lucy, who is 42 and from Bishopthorpe, organised sessions for five-a-side football for women of all abilities, which continue to meet weekly at York Sport in Heslington, and then set up the seven-a-side Bishopthorpe White Rose Women's Recreational team. Fast forward two years and her team has just celebrated a double win in only its second season. Double success for the Bishopthorpe White Rose Women's Recreational team which won the North Riding FA Women's Recreational League and Cup in 2025. Photo: Lucy PembayunBishopthorpe White Rose beat Thirsk Falcons 1-0 in the North Riding FA Women's Recreational League and also won the North Riding FA Women's Recreational Cup in a tense penalty shootout against Thirsk Falcons. The pitch action is far removed from Lucy's day job as a qualified German to English translator - Lucy is founder and CEO of LEaF Translations which was a finalist in the Small Business of the Year category in The Press Business Awards 2024. Looking back, she said she'd always wanted to play football as a child but her only opportunity was in a one-off school tournament when she was 17. 'I loved football, was an avid fan of Liverpool but my weekends were spent watching my brothers play rather than getting to play myself. 'My daughter has played football from the age of seven and my son has also played since he was young so I have spent many a weekend stood on the sidelines, a lot of the time wishing I could play.' The Lionesses in the Euros was spurred on by the Euros in 2022 when the Lionesses beat Germany 2-1 and won the Women's European Championship in front of a sold-out Wembley. It was an historic moment - it was the Lionesses' first major trophy and the first for any English senior team since 1966. Lucy said: 'When the Lionesses won, I decided to post on the local Facebook group for mums, Mumbler, to see if there were any other mums out there who had always wanted to play but never had the opportunity. 'The post gained a lot of traction. It turned out I wasn't alone. Together with a couple of other people who I didn't know before posting, I set up a weekly five-a-side session for women of all abilities who wanted to play. Three years later, the five-a-side is still going strong - every Thursday at 6pm at York Sport. 'Then, in the summer of 2023, I saw an advert for a new seven-a-side recreational league for women looking to play football, organised by the North Riding FA. I enquired and found out you had to be affiliated with a club to join. Lucy Pembayun who set up and captains the Bishopthorpe White Rose Women's Recreational team.'I contacted the club secretary of the club my kids played for, and we set up a team. In April 2025, we won the North Riding FA Women's Recreational League title and the cup. 'Lots of the teams have now got coaches and train weekly. We don't have a coach and don't train apart from our weekly five-a-side, but only some of our team members attend that and it is a different mix of people each week. "We are just a group of women with a range of footballing experience, and we see it as an opportunity to get together for a few hours once a month and play football. It brings us a lot of joy.' * If you have had success with your hobby, or enjoy an unusual pasttime, share your story by emailing
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Poo-dunnit? Investigation launched after football ref found faeces left in his shoe when he gave controversial penalty - and abandoned the match for his own safety
A grassroots football match had to be abandoned after a referee found poo in his shoe at half-time. The disgusting incident took place on Easter Saturday in the game between Old Malton St Mary's and Malt Shovel in the York Football League Premier Division. Hosts Old Malton had scored an early goal through a controversial penalty, before table-topping Shovel had hit back to take a 2-1 lead into the interval. However, during the break, the referee discovered somebody had been into his changing room and defecated in one of his black Nike trainers. Although the culprit was not identified, the official promptly called the match off citing fears for his own safety. Mail Sport understands the North Riding Football Association, who oversee the York League, are now investigating the matter before deciding what sanctions to take. Clubs could be fined or docked points if they or their supporters are found to have been involved in the vile act. On Saturday, Old Malton posted on their Facebook page that the match had been abandoned at half-time 'due to an off-field incident'. However, Adam Newell, who helps look after the Malton ground, offered more of an explanation on X, when he wrote: 'Well in all my days being involved with football I am mind blown as to the actions of some individuals. 'Our match was abandoned at half-time as when the ref went into his changing rooms someone had (poo emoji) in his trainers. I seriously wonder the mentality of people.' A TikTok video showing highlights of the match, as well as a picture of the poo in the shoe, has been viewed more than 2.6million times. A North Riding FA spokesperson told Mail Sport: 'North Riding FA were made aware of an incident that took place on Saturday and the referee was immediately offered support by our Referee Development Officer, as well as receiving support from league officials. 'The matter is currently being investigated by the discipline teams at North Riding FA and West Riding FA and no further comment can be made until this investigation is concluded.'
