Sponsoring Newcastle United WFC’s Michaela Raine

Wade Financial are delighted to sponsor Newcastle United WFC goalkeeper Michaela Raine for the 2015/16 season.

26-year-old Michaela has tended net for the Mags’ development team for four years, helping the side win the County Cup in 2012/13. The former Blyth Town stopper has made her first appearance for the first team this season, stepping off the bench in rather dramatic fashion against Blackburn Rovers.

“Basically, the ‘keeper got sent off, and I was on the bench,” the ‘keeper explains. “I came on, and got kicked in the head straight away! Laura Wareham had gone down injured a couple of minutes before that, and they told me to go and warm up.”

However, the Newcastle number one received her marching orders as the game headed towards stoppage time. “I sat back down, but when she got sent off, they said, ‘get ready, you’re going on’. I hadn’t even thought about the free kick. All I’d thought about was getting on the pitch. It was a really close game; it’s hard to go into that.” Nevertheless, Michaela made the all-important save moments after coming on, securing a 2-1 victory for NUWFC.

She may have made a memorable breakthrough in August, but Michaela is just keen to get more playing time under her belt. “I just want to play as many games as I can, really, whether it’s for the first team or the development. Maybe we can win the league with the development, and stay in the Women’s Premier League with the first team.”

Wade Financial are hoping to help Michaela achieve her goals, sponsoring the stopper for the 2015/16 campaign. “It benefits me greatly. Otherwise, I’d have to pay myself. With Wade Financial helping me out, I can train each week and it’s paid for, some costs go to transport, and it helps with the kit as well. It is nicer having a sponsor, too. It doesn’t look as good when it’s you paying for it yourself!”

Michaela’s talents became known to Wade Financial through financial planner David Dodds. David, a keen football coach who recently passed the first module of the FA Youth Award, runs Whitley Coast Soccer’s under-14s girl’s team, and was eager to get the goalkeeper involved.

“It’s great to have Michaela on board,” he says. “It’s a real bonus for the girls to have her coming along to training sessions, having chats with them and sharing her experiences. We’re very grateful to her for helping out, and are thrilled that we can repay the favour by providing sponsorship for the season.”

So what does Michaela make of the Coast Soccer girls? “They’re a very loud bunch! They all seem to get on fantastically, and they’re a great group who always make me feel welcome when I go down. They’re really supportive of each other. It’s all very positive.”