The Scotland international, who joined the club in the summer from Brighton & Hove Albion, led the team out in the pre-season friendly against Valencia CF Women and now takes the armband heading into the Magpies’ season opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Jordan Nobbs and Jemma Purfield have been made vice-captains, while Aoife Mannion, Hildur Antonsdóttir, Kaitlyn Torpey, and Martha Thomas also form the wider leadership group.
Demi Stokes takes on a club leader role supporting Manager, Tanya Oxtoby. As a player who embodies the values of the team and club, she will act as the connector between the staff and players and helping the newly formed leadership team throughout the season.
Rachel said: “I’m incredibly honoured to have been named captain of this Club. Having only joined this season and spent pre-season with the team so far, I’ve already loved every minute of it.
“The group we have here is a brilliant one, and I’m proud to be part of it. I’m grateful for the trust that’s been placed in me and can’t wait to lead this team into the season ahead.”
Manager, Tanya Oxtoby, said: “Since Rachel arrived in the summer, it has been clear to see that she has that natural ability to lead on and off the pitch, so she was the perfect fit for the captaincy role.
“The leadership group collectively play an important role in shaping how the group operates on a day-to-day basis, maintaining standards on and off the pitch, while also challenging different areas to maintain our high-performance environment.
“Demi is someone who has embodied our values every day and has a strong understanding of the journey this club has been on. She will now play a key role in supporting the new leadership group and rest of the squad, while also working closely with me to help shape the next part of this journey.”
Demi said: “It was a huge honour to captain the side last season, and I am looking forward to moving into my new role with the team this season.
“The leadership group have an important role to play in how the group operates day-to-day, so I will guide and help them throughout the season, while also continuing to support Tanya.”
