Brighton & Hove Albion defender Victoria Williams says that she is unconcerned by the low number of summer arrivals at the club.
In total, 10 players have left The People’s Pension Stadium this summer while manager Hope Powell has brought just three new faces in so far, those being Danielle Carter, Rinsola Babajide and Lee Geum-min. Goalkeeper Katie Startup has also recently moved to Liverpool on loan.
Manager Powell has always insisted that she will only bring in players which will make her side better. Despite the fact that only three players have arrived so far, defender Williams says that the lower number of personnel is not noticeable on the training ground and there is plenty of quality in the Albion squad.
“I don’t feel like we are light on numbers but when you put it like that (10 out and three in), we have had a few go out;” Williams told FAWSL Full-Time in a recent Barclays FA Women’s Super League media session. “A couple of those departures were enforced, obviously Stotty’s (Rebekah Stott) situation and then Jodie (Brett) retired as well, again it was enforced by unfortunate injuries and complications that she had.
“It doesn’t feel like we are light on the training ground. We’ve had the girls who have come in and they have settled in straight away. We are a close-knit group and it doesn’t feel quiet, there’s no opportunity to be quiet.”
After a poor spell either side of Christmas, Albion improved from February onwards and an excellent run saw Powell’s side finish in sixth position, their highest-ever placing in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. Williams went on to say that it was pleasing to see the core of the 2020/2021 squad remain with the club for the coming season.
She added “As a club, we ended last season on a high. It has been good to get back – get a couple of new faces in, people signing contracts, it’s nice that we have kept the core of the squad together and we have added some quality.
“It has been good, it has been tough but I guess that it has been like that for every club. We are closing in on the start of the new season and I am just excited really, we have just been working towards the big kick-off at The Amex.”
Brighton & Hove Albion kick-off the new season against West Ham United at The Amex Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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