Ellie Sara Becomes First Women's Player to Sign Argyle Contract
On a momentous day for Argyle Women – the day in which the team officially becomes part of Plymouth Argyle Football Club – there is another piece of history to be made.
Ellie Sara has put pen to paper on an official Plymouth Argyle contract, making her the first woman to do so.
With the 2024/25 season shaping up to be an important one for the Pilgrims, the signing of Sara to an official deal is a demonstration of Argyle’s desire to retain key young talent.
Striker Sara scored 29 goals last season in all competitions, leading Argyle’s goalscoring charts and featuring high in the rankings for goalscorers in the FA Women’s National League.
“It's an honour,” said Ellie, of signing the landmark deal. “I've grown up through this club. I've loved it since the moment I started playing football. I've lived down here all my life, so to get the first contract is amazing.
“I think it's a great thing. For everyone looking in on the team, it's a progression.
“I think we've all got to push on next season, to see if we can get [into the] top six. I think the girls have the ability to do that.”
Argyle finished ninth in the table last season, 15 points above the safety line, and will be looking to build on that when the new season kicks off in mid-August.
Ryan Perks will be at the helm when the season gets under way, and his role has also been cemented by becoming a full-time employee of the football club, with the title of Head Coach.
Asked about the significance of Sara’s deal, Perks said: “It's massive. It shows the direction the club want to take the women's team in.
“I think it's thoroughly deserved for Ellie. She worked hard last season, scored lots of goals, and it's great to see players getting the recognition they deserve.
“Ellie signing the contract shows a signal of intent from the football club that we want to keep our best young players at this club. Ellie's attracted some interest in the summer, so to get her to stay at this club is a big step in the right direction.
“Ellie knows the football club, she knows the staff and she's come through the pathway. We're glad she's decided to continue her journey with us.”
Joining the Pilgrims for the new season are Kelsey Blight, Roxy Thomas and Jess Geach. Kelsey, a central midfielder, left-back Roxy and Jess, a centre-back, are stepping up through the pathway from the under-16 team to the first-team squad.
Among those departing the club are experienced midfielder Jemma Rose, who announced her retirement before the end of last season.
Also moving on are Rebecca Dandridge, Mia Endacott, Lucy Hack, Tamsin Medd-Gill and Jasmine Read.
Mia has moved on with a huge opportunity, as she joins Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-21 team. We wish her well and will look forward to watch her develop her huge potential.
Tasmin is leaving the area to take a Masters degree, with Lucy furthering her education in America. Both have sat down with Argyle TV to discuss their departures, so keep an eye out for those videos in the coming days.
We thank all players for their service to Argyle over the years, and wish them the best in their future careers.
Argyle’s first pre-season fixture is this Sunday, 7 July, against Moneyfields FC. Several trialists who joined in with the first day of pre-season are expected to be part of the squad, as Perks looks to bolster his ranks further.
