Female Football Focus 2020: Ellie Sandiford (Connah’s Quay Nomads)

Ellie Sandiford (centre – red) in action for Connah’s Quay. Picture: Nik Mesney, NCM Media

Full name

Ellisha Sandiford

Date of birth

14-1-2000

First football memory

Ellie (furthest left front row) next to Ashleigh Mills – future Under-16 Welsh Cup winner, Rhyl senior team star and NFA winger. She’s not changed a bit!

Playing football in infants with a bunch of boys I didn’t know as I had just moved from Manchester and 15 years later I still have a kick around with a few of them

Football idol

Younger days was David Beckham but over the years Kevin De Bruyne – some of his passes are unbelievable

Position

Ellie (back row – furthest left in red) lines up with Nomads. Pic: Nik Mesney

For 13 years I was a striker, but since joining the Nomads I tend to play more CM/LW

Most memorable game played in

Ellie (to the left of the Man City keeper in green) played her part in a famous Rhyl win

Playing for Rhyl Academy and beating Man City girls

Biggest highlight of football career so far

Definitely beating Welsh Premier League side Port Talbot with Nomads in the Welsh Cup

Strengths

Always get comments on my left foot and I’d say picking out passes

Ellie (front row – furthest left) with Kinmel Bay Girls

Weakness

My right foot is non existent in games

Best team mate played alongside

This season has to be Tonicha Dickens (TJ) and Rachael Nattrass. Both have helped me massively in terms of playing a new position, always encouraging and giving me pointers. Really appreciate it
Also can’t leave Jade Scott out, we partnered up well together at Prestatyn. Hopefully get the chance to play against Airbus (Jade’s current side) next season

Hardest opponent faced

Llanfair are a really good team. Have never managed to beat them

Biggest influence

Both my parents: my mum when I was younger always coming to my games even if it was pouring with rain, driving all over to make sure I get to my games.
Also my dad, even though he’s in Manchester he always makes sure I have everything I need and I get a text or phone call every Sunday after my game to see how I got on. My first game for Connah’s Quay he came down to watch and I managed to score a pretty nice goal for him.

Funniest team mate

Jarvis twins (Becky and Sammy). They just bounce off each other proper make me laugh

Best dancer

Have yet to see any of them bust out any moves unfortunately

Favourite away ground

Airbus

Personal football ambitions

To win as much with the Nomads as I can and hopefully get promotion

Best country visited

Australia

Favourite chocolate

Crunchie

Best film

Jackass

Current favourite song

Drake – Chicago Freestyle

Are you typical of your zodiac sign

I can’t say I am, i don’t look at all that

Favourite TV show

(L-R) Michael J Ferguson, Omari Hardwick, Courtney A. Kemp, Naturi Naughton, Larenz Tate, and Gary Lennon, winners of the Outstanding Drama Series for ‘Power,’ attend the 50th NAACP Image Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 30, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for NAACP)

Power was a gooden