Club history

2002/2003 Season

Saturday 23rd February 2002 saw the start of Brayton Belles.

On a very cold winters day 54 girls turned up for a training session held at Brayton Community centre. Julie Chipchase (then manager of Doncaster Belles) helped run the session.
From this session a committee of parents and girls was formed. Volunteer coaches stepped forward and the club joined the City of York Girls Football League.
The club held a vote amongst the girls to choose the club name. At that point we became Brayton Belles girls FC.
We held a competition for our girls to design a club badge. Laura Stephenson came out top. The club badge can be seen on our kits, jackets and stationary.

The Belles won their first ever trophy during pre season when the U11s won the Eggborough power station 6 a side tournament.

In our first ever league match we beat Tadcaster U12s 4 - 2 Emma Knowles scoring a Hat trick.

A mixed season saw the Belles U12A team finish 5th in the league. Our U12B team finished bottom getting their only point in the last match of the season against Poppleton. Our U14 team did us proud finishing runners up to Pickering town. Belles U17 also finished bottom of the league with no points and a goal difference of -68 !

Our biggest ever defeat came against HeworthU17 beating us 15 - 0

The clubs turning point came in the York 6 a side tournament when Brayton went on to win three of the four trophies. (U10, U12 and U14) During that tournament two of our goal keepers came away with broken arms, Danielle Thompson U12A and Sarah Brunyard U12B. We also won the U12 Selby area 6 a side tournament and were runners up in the U12 Pickering 6 a side tournament.

Brayton Belles were also recognised by SDCC and were awarded several trophies, Jessica Dunn received Young female sports women of the year, Paul Thompson Secretary of the year and all the Belles coaches received Coach of the year.

Jess Dunn finished top scorer with 29 goals

2003/2004 Season

The start of the season saw Belles U17 win their first ever game beating Pickering Bluebirds 3 – 2 Megan Summers (2) and Jess Dunn scoring the crucial goals. In the same week Jess Dunn was picked to play for North Yorkshire girl’s team.

The U12A team got off to a flying start winning their first six games.

Brayton Belles went international playing Western Australia Wanderers losing 5 – 4 in a closely fought 11 a side match.

Belles U10s won against Heworth 2 – 1 Poppy Brennan scoring twice.

Joanne Witton became the Belles first qualified referee and was presented with her certificate by Premier league ref Jeff Winter.

Christmas saw Belles U14A move to the top of the league for the first time.

Not long into the New Year coach Ashley Heeley came unstuck whilst refereeing the U12A v Rawcliffe match rupturing his Achilles tendon.

Brayton ended the season on a high with the U12A team winning the league and the U14A team once again becoming runners up. Missing out only on goal difference.
The U17s finished 4th.

Belle’s striker Jessica Dunn also finished on a high when she was signed up by Doncaster Belles.

Another good tournament run ended with Belles U12s again winning the City of York competition and the U10s coming runner up.

The North Yorkshire games saw the Belles U11s & U13s both winning. The U12s were also runners up at the Tadcaster 6 a side tournament

Emma Knowles finished top scorer with 40 goals

2004/2005 Season

This season Brayton had three U14 teams in the York league, two U12s and an U17s.

The U14 reds set a club record early on beating Wigington Grasshoppers 14 – 0 Laura Sanderson scoring six.

The U14 yellows earned a surprise cup victory beating 1st division Garforth in extra time with a stunning goal from Vicky Cooke.

A second visit from Western Australia Wanderers played at Selby towns ground saw the Belles turn the tables with a fine 5 – 0 victory Eve Cogan receiving player of the match.

The U12A, U14 reds and U14 yellows all topped their leagues at Christmas

Belles U14 reds & U12A teams both reached the Connexions Girls cup finals at the expense of Poppleton & Pickering.

A poor finish to the season saw the U14s for the third time finish runners up. However the U12A team beat Tadcaster 3 – 1 (Rebecca Cairney 3) to claim the league trophy for the second year in a row.

Cup final day was disappointing Tadcaster beat our U12s 4 – 1 and Rawcliffe beat the U14 reds 2 – 0

The U12s were also runners up in the York 6 a side tournament

Brayton visited the City of Manchester stadium to see England ladies beat Finland in the Euro 2005 tournament

Stacie Moyle finished top scorer with 31 goals

2005 / 2006 Season

The season got off to a fantastic start when the Belles were awarded the FA Charter standard by Leeds Ladies manager Julie Chipchase.

Another international match. This time the U12s played Texas lightening from USA. Losing 8 – 0.

The Belles had seven teams this season U11A & B, U12, U14A & B and U17A & B.

The U14A team became our most successful team ever winning the CYGFL division 1 championship the CYGFL cup final and the York tournament.

Not to be out done our U14B team also won the CYGFL division 2 championship.

Our U17A team were runners up in the CYGFL cup final.

The club visited Old Trafford to watch England men play Jamaica in thier final match before the world cup.

2006/2007 season

The Belles entered an 11 - a - side team in the East Riding Girls football league this season. This was the first time the Belles had moved from mini soccer and the venture was very successful. The U16 team reached the semi finals of the league cup and were runners up to Hull City. Striker Emma Knowles scored an amazing 70 goals over the season.

Belles U15 came third in their league and topped off a fine season winning the CYGFL cup final on penalties over York City.

Our U14 team finished 4th in their league with most of the girls playing above their age group.

The U12s were runners up in the league and won the CYGFL cup final 2 - 0 over Fulford.

Our U11A team had a fantastic season winning the CYGFL and cup double beating Poppleton 1 - 0 in the final.

Our U11B team finished bottom of the league. However this was used to gain very young players experience in readiness for next season.

The Belles formed a partnership with Brayton Boys and are in the process of gaining Charter Standard development. Both the Girls and boys teams will be moving to Brayton College over a period of time looking to improve facilities.