Fylkir Ladies Football Club - Iceland 2007
Bangor Footballer Signs Contract
ICELANDIC DEBUT
FOR ASH HUTTON
Young Northern Ireland international footballer Ashley Hutton continues her rise up to the top of the world - with a second term following her move out into the Atlantic Ocean and the volcanic wilderness of Iceland.
The Bangor teenager made her debut for Icelandic Women's Premiership side Club Fylkir, Reykjavik in their second league game of the season, a local derby game against KR Reykjavik on Monday (4th) evening.
Ashley, who played for Bangor Ladies and has a long association with the club, travelled out to Iceland via Stansted last week (2nd) and will be spending the summer playing her football in Reykjavik as one of the Club Fylkir's two signings for the 2007 season.
NI international Ashley Hutton, playing for Bangor Ladies
In addition to securing the signature of the 19 year old Northern Ireland defender, coach Bjorn Bjornsson, previously assistant coach at Breidablik before coming to Fylkir, has also snapped up 25 year old midfielder American Cici Marrero, from West Florida, to add to his 2007 squad which also boasts Icelandic international Anna Bjorg Bjornsdottir.
Ashley originally with Arsenal Ladies, before her year out in America with Southern Mississippi, has signed until the end of September and will be competing in the Kvenna Landsbankadeild (Women’s Premier League) for her new club which is located in a small suburb of Reykjavik, a bit of a small town in the City.
ASHLEY SIGNS FOR SECOND TERM
Along with a successful men’s side, the women’s section was re-established a few years ago, mostly with "home grown" players but with the growth and popularity of ladies football and the rising standard of football globally, the club is rapidly moving towards developing a top side in the next few years - with the introduction of foreign players.
Ashley Hutton spending the summer season in Iceland
In the 2005 season Fylkir won the 1st division championship which saw them promoted to the Premier division for the first time in their forty year history. Last season they managed to fulfil their ambitions which was to keep their status in the top flight Premier division with what is a relatively young squad.
It is a significant move for the North Down teenager, who is still a target of English premier side Leeds United Ladies, who are looking at bringing her over to Yorkshire in September to strengthen their team in preparation for the 07/08 English football season.
This move will maintain Ashley's fitness levels at a peak over the summer, which will obviously benefit the Northern Ireland women’s senior team who face an important away Euro 09 Qualifier against Belarus at the beginning of August.
A regular with Northern Ireland, Ashley, who featured at Under 15, Under 17, Under 19 level; has been a target of Club Fylkir since last September, when Steinn Halldorsson, Chairman of Football Council of Reykjavik visited Bangor as guest of Bangor Football Club and met with Susan Cull, Cathy Duncan and other members of the ladies section.
After eight months of following the teenager’s progress in America, Ashley was invited over to Iceland in May as guest of the club for four days. During her stay, she impressed coach Bjornsson so much, he sanctioned a formal 4 month semi professional contract to ensure she would be playing football for Fylkir.
Ashley's next match will be next Friday night, away when Fylkir take on Thor KA Akureyri in The Kvenna Landsbankadeild and will also line up against the top sides in Iceland: Club Valur (current champions) and Breidablik who participated in the European Cup last year and made it to the quarter finals, where they lost to English Champions Arsenal Ladies.
This move is considered to be just the beginning of Bangor Ladies partnership with Fylkir and hopefully if things go well, more of North Down's top female footballers can follow in Ashley footsteps and be heading off to the Icelandic capital in the not too distant future.
Ash making her debut for Club Fylkir in Reykavik in June
