Happy birthday to Candice Nellist of CPD Y Rhyl 1879!

Candice on the attack for Rhyl 1879 (white). Picture: MATT JOHNSON

TO THE THEME OF RUPERT THE BEAR….

🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼

Candice Jessica Nellist
Everyone sings her nameeeeeee
Candice Jessica Nellist
Everyone come and joinnnnnnn
In her party games

It’s a big happy birthday today to CPD Y Rhyl 1879 striker Candice Jessica Nellist, who is 22 today.

Last season was perhaps the greatest of her career as she won the North Wales Women’s League title with invincibles Rhyl and finished NWWFL top-scorer with 29 goals in just 17 appearances.

This term, 1879 have moved up to the tier 2 Genero Adran North League and Candice, who has struggled with injuries, is on four goals so far.

Born on November 10, 2000, former Blessed Edward Jones High School pupil Candice showed football ability from a young age, once scoring 10 goals in a game for Prestatyn Under-10’s!

At 13, while representing Prestatyn Girls, she was selected for Wales Under-15’s alongside top talents like Cassia Pike, Emily Jones (Northop) and Emily Luke.

Candice went on to make her mark with Tranmere Rovers and then Rhyl in the Welsh Premier Women’s League before joining the newly-formed Connah’s Quay Nomads in 2019-20.

She netted a hat-trick on debut and finished up leading scorer for the team on 16 goals in all competitions. Candice was also part of the Quay heroes which reached the Welsh Cup semi-finals, knocking out Welsh Premier Port Talbot from two levels above, along the way.

Sadly, due to Covid causing an early finish to the season, Nomads never got to play Swansea City in the last four.

Photo: SEAN CHADWICK – with thanks

With 2020-21 wiped out by the pandemic, Candice joined the new CPD Y Rhyl 1879 team for 2021-22 and again made a huge impact with her 29 league goals for the champions.

Strong, with fine passing and shooting ability, Candice is undoubtedly one of the star strikers in North Wales Women’s Football.

Oh, and she’s a big fan of pumpkins!