Wrexham AFC

Mari Gibbard finally signed for Wrexham in February 2023, after Steve Dale had come close to tempting the midfielder to North East Wales the previous summer.

Gibbard arrived from Llandudno, having bagged 14 goals and nine assists in the early part of the 2022/23 season – continuing where she left off with Bethel Ladies the previous year.

A stand-out performer in the 2021/22 season as Bethel finished third, Gibbard was nominated for Player of the Season after scoring 16 goals and claiming 19 assists.

It was her second stint with Bethel, and it ended the same way her first had – with a move to Llandudno, with whom she played in the Welsh Women’s Premier League.

Gibbard previously impressed as a schoolgirl and also tasted BUCS success with Bangor while at University – playing alongside Keren Allen at the time.

She spent time on trial with Wrexham in 2022, but opted to move to Llandudno instead, as she could not commit to commuting from North West Wales. She was tempted to move to the Red Dragons later that season, however, playing her part in the promotion run-in.

And Gibbard was among the first ten players awarded a semi-pro contract the following summer ahead of the 2023/24 Genero Adran Premier season.