Taylor and Abreu close in on milestone

Bath City Women’s Manager Matt Abreu and First Team Captain Tara Taylor will both reach their 50th game milestone at the upcoming match against Cirencester Town on the 15th December at Twerton Park.

Bath City set up a women’s team in the summer of 2022 with the help of Bath based fintech company Wealthtime (then Novia) who became their founding partner. Abreu was appointed Manager in July 2022 and was tasked with recruiting a team to compete in the Somerset County Women’s League with the first game scheduled just two months later.

Taylor had shone at the Bath City Partners Tournament, a six-a-side competition played at Twerton Park in May 2022 where she was the stand out female player for Novia who won the event.

Following this she was invited to attend the player recruitment day held in July and was immediately spotted by Abreu who commented; “Right from the first recruitment day, Tara displayed the qualities that I was looking for in a Bath City Women player. She was sharp, fit, committed and had a very positive attitude. It was clear from day one that she could be a leader and role model for our new team. I made her captain and she has set the tone for the squad. I am very proud to have reached this milestone and delighted that Tara has been such an integral part of the journey we have been on and the success that we have had.”

The team who play their home games at Twerton Park, were placed in Division 1 of the County League and secured promotion in their inaugural season. The following season, Abreu set up a Development team, who started in Division 2 of the County League but also secured promotion in their first season.

Taylor, who also works as a software engineer for Wealthtime said; “I have loved everything about my time at Bath City Women and am very proud to have reached this milestone. Matt has been a great manager, he’s committed to helping us all become better players and I’ve learned so much and hopefully improved. The backing that we get from the club is fantastic, playing at Twerton Park is a privilege and I’m doubly proud that my employer has been such an integral part of making this happen.”

Jane Jones, Director of Women’s Football at Bath City praised them both; “Setting up women’s football from scratch wasn’t an easy task but Matt and Tara have both been so important in driving this project forward. Matt has brought boundless energy, ideas, passion and commitment and Tara has shown all these qualities in every match. We’re really lucky to have them both and on behalf of everyone at the club want to thank them for all their hard work. A big thank you too to Wealthtime who came on board as our founding partner and have stayed with us and to Bath Spa Uni who are our back-of-shirt sponsor and whose students support us with photography and social media. We also have a BSU employee and a student in our playing squad. We’re in our third season now and ambitious to keep developing the offering here for women and girls.”

Patrick Mills, CEO of Wealthtime commented; “We are thrilled to congratulate Tara and Matt on reaching such a significant milestone in their football journey. This achievement is a testament to their dedication and hard work, and we look forward to seeing them continue to drive success for the club. At Wealthtime, we believe in the incredible talent within our community, not just in business, but in sports as well. We are proud to support the team and help expand their aspirations, contributing to the growth and future of women’s and girls’ football in Bath. Our commitment to this partnership reflects our belief in creating a lasting impact and inspiring the next generation. Well done to both Tara and Matt on their exceptional achievement.”

To encourage as many spectators as possible to come along to celebrate this milestone, Bath City are making the game on Sunday free entry. Kick off is 2pm on Sunday 15th December.