London Bees are delighted to announce the double signing of promising young players Olivia Smith and Mel Filis.

The duo join 48 hours ahead of the new season and ensures Head Coach Lee Burch has two of the most promising players in the English game.

Defender and our number 2 Smith, joins having previously played for Barclay’s FA Women’s Super League side West Ham United, having left the Hammers this summer. Smith has also been capped for the Lionesses at under 19 level and is hotly tipped to be a future senior team player.

Our new defender also developed with the Chelsea Academy, as well as spending some time in the United States at the University of Central Florida and the University of Oklahoma.

Further up the field our other new signing Mel Filis joins having previously played for Women’s Super League giants Arsenal. The midfielder actually featured and scored against the Bees in our Conti Cup clash last season.

Filis is a highly regarded young talent and will look to use her move to the Bees as a platform to show the rest of the country what she can do with regular First Team football. She has also been capped at youth level for the Lionesses and is also highly regarded within the international scene.

Our new number 11 is a creative midfielder and likes to get forward with the ball, she even provided an assist within a minute of coming on for her WSL debut during her time with Arsenal.

 

Speaking about his new acquisitions Head Coach Lee Burch said:

“Mel has come in a little bit later than the other players, but we’re really excited to have good young English talent coming through the door. With what’s happened in the WSL with more foreign talent coming into the league, it’s going to make the top flight an exciting league. 

“But many have said what about the good young English talent and we’re a Club who have brought in four talented young British and English players. For me, it’s giving them an opportunity that they won’t get at other clubs.

“Mel saw what Amelia (Hazard) did last season and it’s becoming a pathway that plenty of good young players have done by playing for good Championship clubs. Olivia has got England international pedigree and will be a massive asset to us as well, we’ve got Charlie (Estcourt) who is a full Welsh international so for us it’s really exciting. The young players we have brought in are of real quality.”

 

The Bees are also delighted to have now retained the services of striker Nikita Whinnett. Whinnett scored on four occasions last term and has now agreed on terms with the Club to stay on the 2020/21 campaign. 

Lee Burch said:

“Keets was excellent for us last season when she played. There were some issues with whether she would be able to commit this season like there is with many players at the semi-pro level with balancing work commitments with football. For a while, it didn’t look like it was going to happen, but that was always a mutual thing. However, we’ve sat down and we’re really pleased to have her on board for the new season.”

All the deals are subject to the ratification from the relevant authorities.