Birmingham City’s interim head coach Darren Carter says that his side will be out for revenge when they take on Aston Villa at Villa Park in a Second City derby on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues’ 11-year stay in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League came to an end in midweek but Carter is hoping to see his side go out with a bang when they face neighbours Aston Villa.
Despite their relegation having already been confirmed, Carter expects his players to pick themselves up for their latest game and he has issued a reminder that Birmingham City will be chasing revenge following a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in the first half of the season.
“Derby games are highly-anticipated by staff, fans and players,” Carter said when speaking in the pre-match press conference. “If you ever didn’t need any help getting up for a game, it’s a derby game.
“There’s some revenge that needs to happen, obviously, they beat us at our place and looking back at that game, it was a game of two halves from our perspective, we didn’t particularly play well first half but we came into the game and had a real good go second half.
“We will be looking to start the game with high energy, come out of the traps and avenge the defeat from earlier in the season.”
A number of players are likely to move on over the summer but Carter will look to keep some of the better performers. He went on to say that things will get better and that the players will be persuaded that this could be the turning point for something special going forward.
He said “There’s a rebuild required at this football club. The perception from outside wasn’t good but I hope that is changing because I’m driving that and things at this football club are going to get better and better.
“There are some players who have been through it over the last two or three years and it is about making them believe that things will get better. They have been told things in the past which haven’t got better but that’s where I’m different, I would never promise that things will happen and they don’t, I will be honest with them about what I’d like to happen. I need to persuade them that this is the place to be and this is the start of something special moving forward.”
Birmingham City’s final Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture of the season at Aston Villa kicks-off at 12pm on Sunday afternoon.
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