SHARON Fellowes says she is overwhelmed to be the first woman appointed onto the Herefordshire Football Association's (HFA) board of directors.

Fellowes has been involved in football for 14 years and has worked tirelessly at Leominster Town, helping merge the senior team with their minors side.

"I didn't think I would got in because it is voted by members, so I was quite shocked when I did get in," said Fellowes, who was nominated as an 'equalities champion'.

"I am hoping it will encourage more women to get involved in sport.

"Football is a male dominated sport, it has always been like that and probably always will be.

"But the HFA have been absolutely brilliant and it is quite different when you are on the board because your opinion does matter.

"It will be nice to get more people involved in the sport and we also need more referees, because numbers are dwindling.

"I was a qualified referee, but had two knee replacements, so couldn't run anymore.

"The girls and boys leagues are signed to the respect campaign and we need the adults to do the same.

"We are losing refs because of the abuse they get on the pitch."

Fellowes added that the HFA are doing a survey to see if players prefer to play during the week or at weekend and grassroots football needs all the support it can get.

"We are also trying to get more girls teams, but it is down to the schools.

"Girls do not play football in schools and are not being encouraged.

"The girls league is quite a small league compared to the mens', but we do have two new teams, so we will keep pushing and hoping to get more."

Fellowes initially got into football after her son Kyle, aged six at the time, could not find a team to join.

She therefore decided to be a manager and ran a boys' Colts side before becoming secretary of Leominster Minors.

Three years later, Fellowes was treasurer and welfare officer before giving girls football a go.

Fellows is one of three volunteers at Leominster and is currently secretary and physio at the Herefordshire Football League Premier Division side.

She was instrumental in merging the senior and Minors sides and recently saw the club achieve a community standard award.

"We are lucky that we have Deb Stinger as our treasurer because she is absolutely fantastic," said Fellows, who is a big Manchester United supporter and works as an accounts secretary at steel frame building firm Supercraft.

"I just wanted to be part of making decisions at grassroots football.

"We are looking to build a club house at Leominster and have just done a five-year plan.

"We have also purchased a mini-bus for reserve side, which is for 16 and 17-year-olds.

"There are 15 teams at Leominster and the end-of-season presentation, when 250 youngsters are in attendance, is wonderful to see."

Andy Bowden, vice-chairman of the junior section at Leominster Town, said that Fellowes thoroughly deserved to be on the HFA board.

"Sharon is a remarkable person who has been a most influential person for football in Leominster," he said.

"She has worked tirelessly in the junior section for more than a decade and has run several teams, often at the same time.

"Since the summer, she has been pivotal in joining Leominster Town and Leominster Minors and, allied with the work she does with the girls league and the HFA, I don't know where she finds the time.

"She is the perfect fit in football."