Crystal PalaceSport

Crystal Palace Ladies target more additions

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia

Crystal Palace Ladies chairman Richard Spokes is expecting a couple more signings before the Championship season starts.

The Eagles were promoted to the second tier of the women’s game after Sheffield FC and Doncaster Belles withdrew from the competition.

Palace have added strikers Ashlee Hincks and Kallie Balfour from Millwall and Gillingham respectively, along with Watford FC Ladies captain Anneka Nutall.

Defender Hannah Mackenzie has been signed from Tottenham Hotspur Ladies.

New deals have been handed to Nikita Whinnett, pictured above, and Megen Lynch. Spokes said: “Most of our side comes with WSL experience, so we are in a good place.

“We are signing players with pedigree at that level rather than ones aspiring to get there.

“Realistically we will only sign another two or three. We had a good squad to start with so additions were always going to complement things rather than wholesale changes, just for the sake of it.

“The maximum squad we are allowed is 23 but we’ll probably go with 20 – that will be six or seven signings in total.

“It gives us a good 30 per cent addition to what we already had.”

Asked about Palace’s target next season, Spokes replied: “Survival. It is critical we stay in that league and consolidate.

“The ultimate aim is to move to a fully professional women’s team, which is what you need for tier one.”

PICTURE BY KEITH GILLARD

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