Portsmouth defender Jazz Younger says that the squad are thrilled to be working on a full-time professional basis this season.
Pompey will make their Barclays Women’s Championship debut in 2024/2025 after winning the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division title last term.
In support of Portsmouth’s promotion to the elite game, the club announced the team’s move from part-time to full-time professional status at the start of last month. The decision should give Jay Sadler’s side a real boost when competing against a number of high-profile clubs in the second tier.
When speaking in a Barclays Women’s Championship media event, Portsmouth defender Younger outlined how the new full-time professional regime works for the squad.
“We get two days off in the week,” Younger said. “We are in pretty much from 8.30am until 3pm, having meals together, gym sessions, pitch sessions. It’s quite full on, definitely different to last season, but everyone is buzzing and getting used to it. It feels good.”
Prior to the switch to full-time, Younger spent six years combining football with her occupation as a landscaper. The player went on to highlight the difference that being full-time professional will make both to her lifestyle and general well-being.
She said “It’s a lot better [being professional], it definitely took its toll [being part-time]. We used to finish training about 9pm and I used to live about an hour-and-a-half away, so with traffic, sometimes I wouldn’t get home until 11.30pm. I’d get up about 5am then doing landscaping, you didn’t get much rest time. I’d be straight to training again from work the next day.
“Now, us girls don’t know what to do with all of our free time. We find things to do like going to the sauna or going for a walk and coffee, actually relaxing and recovering well.”
Younger is Portsmouth’s longest-serving player having joined the club from Brighton & Hove Albion in summer 2018. After witnessing Pompey’s huge progress both on and off the pitch in the last six years, she admits that it is an amazing feeling to now be pulling on the Portsmouth shirt containing a Barclays Women’s Championship badge.
She said “It does feel good [wearing the Championship badge]. It has been a long time coming, we came pretty close in a couple of seasons but it feels good now.
“I’ve seen the club go from playing at a low level, training on a bobbly grass pitch to now where we’ve got our own facilities. It definitely feels good.”
Portsmouth kick-off the new season with an away fixture at Charlton Athletic on Sunday 8 September 2024. Season tickets for Pompey’s debut Barclays Women’s Championship campaign can be purchased by clicking here.
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