Five players that Carla Ward could sign for Birmingham City this month

There was finally some positive news at Birmingham City this week with Carla Ward having been unveiled as the club’s new manager.

The 36-year-old moves to the SportNation.bet Stadium following a two-year spell in charge of FA Women’s Championship club Sheffield United who she guided to second place last season.

Ward has signed a two-year deal with the Blues and her first job is to assemble a squad capable of competing in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. As many as eight new faces could be on the agenda and we have identified five players who may be realistic targets for the new Birmingham City boss.

Kirstie Levell

Alex Brooks’ departure earlier this summer now means that Birmingham City are short of senior goalkeeping competition. The club still have first choice goalkeeper Hannah Hampton on their books but the highly-rated youngster needs stiff competition to flourish.

One experienced keeper who is still without a club is former Everton stopper Kirstie Levell. The 23-year-old made over a half-century of appearances for her former club and is a great character to have in any top flight dressing room. Levell is no stranger to fighting for her place with the keeper having to battle for the number one jersey throughout her time on Merseyside and she would certainly keep Hampton on her toes if she was to join Birmingham City.

Remi Allen

It is no secret that the current Birmingham City squad is missing identity, leaders and experience following a whole host of high-profile departures during the last 15 months. One player who could bring these qualities back to the club is former Reading midfielder Remi Allen.

The player has blue in her blood after previously representing Birmingham City between 2014 and 2016. She was a regular for the Blues before moving to Reading for an undisclosed fee. When a player leaves a club, it is important that they better themselves with their new side and Allen has certainly been a model of consistency during her time in Berkshire. Reading have continuously punched above their weight under the management of Kelly Chambers and Allen has played her part in their achievements. She left the club this summer and has plenty of top flight football left in her legs.

Olivia Fergusson

Forward Fergusson is a player who new Birmingham City boss Ward knows very well. She signed the player for former club Sheffield United last season and Fergusson served her very well, scoring in every other game in the FA Women’s Championship for The Blades.

Fergusson is still without a club but is capable of playing top flight football after spending time with Bristol City and Yeovil Town in the past. She also has Midlands connections after coming through the Aston Villa Centre of Excellence. Could the forward turn out for the blue side of Birmingham this season?

Natasha Flint

One player who haunted Ward in the FA Women’s Championship last season is former Blackburn Rovers forward Natasha Flint. The striker netted goals for Rovers in both of their fixtures against Sheffield United, one of which was an absolute wonderstrike. Flint left the Sir Tom Finney Stadium earlier this summer and she deserves another crack at the top flight after previously turning out at that level for Manchester City.

The Birmingham City of old had real identity, it wasn’t pretty at times but nobody bullied them. Flint is a player who is a close as the club could get to the Ellen White mould this summer. She’s a unit, hard to push off the ball and has the all-important attribute, goalscoring. Whoever signs the 24-year-old this summer is getting a class player.

Courtney Sweetman-Kirk

A forward who could bring much-needed experience to the Birmingham City front-line is former Liverpool striker Courtney Sweetman-Kirk. Once one of the most feared attacking players in the top flight, Sweetman-Kirk saw her goals dry up last season as Liverpool fell through the relegation trap door.

With the right manager, the player can undoubtedly return to her past glories and there is no reason why new Birmingham City boss Ward couldn’t be the person to get a tune out of Sweetman-Kirk once again. The striker netted 10 goals in 19 top flight games just two seasons ago, the kind of strike rate which would keep Birmingham City out of trouble this season.

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