Beggarwood Girl signs for Southampton FC
Lily-ann Beckingham age 11 was the youngest and 1st girl to sign and play for Basingstoke Town F.C and play in the U10s junior Premier League.
Lily-ann started playing football at the age of 7 for Down Grange FC in the Peter Houseman League, her coaches at the time could see the potential in her and helped guide and improve her along the way. The following season she played in a higher division for Popley Pumas FC and she developed even more as a player. She left Popley Pumas to play up an age group for an all girls team with Hatchwarren Fireflies U11 who in their first season if it wasn’t for Covid would have finished 1 or 2 in their League. They did battle well to make it to the Cup finals but unfortunately came 2nd to a very strong long established Fareham Town FC. She was also part of the first Basingstoke girls U11 district team, again playing up an age group.
Lily-ann also joined the Chelsea foundation in 2019 and during this time one of the coaches, Emily Martin could see her potential and invited her to a trial for Basingstoke Town F.C U10 team. Lily-ann soon got stuck in with the boys and enjoyed scoring goals and assisting the team. During Covid Basingstoke Town Colts playing in the Peter Houseman league on Sundays asked Lily-ann if she wanted to play for them as well. Now with the Fireflies and BTFC playing on the same days and same time she had to make a decision to stay with the girls team or the boys. She chose to stay with BTFC and the support and coaching she has received is second to none. Her current coach Sean Lewis is a great support and an excellent addition to the coaching team. Lily-ann applied for trials with Southampton, Reading and Chelsea but was informed by them all they had been cancelled due to Covid19, but a month later Southampton F.C contacted Lily-ann and asked if she was interested in a closed trial. Lily-ann undertook the trial for 3 weeks and we are pleased to say Southampton F.C have asked her to sign a contract with them.
As parents we are super proud of her. With with all that is going at the moment we thought Basingstoke could do with another little success story.
