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Season Preview: Bristol City

Bristol City will host Brighton & Hove Albion at Ashton Gate for their Barclays FA Women’s Super League opener on Saturday 7th September

As the 2019-20 season edges closer, we’re taking a closer look at what to expect from each club with Bristol City up next.

Ashton Gate is all set to throw its doors open to the Vixens for the first time since 2017 in a reverse of last season’s opener, which City won 1-0.

Tanya Oxtoby has spent the summer carefully cherry-picking players to join her project and has used her ties with Birmingham to prise Charlie Wellings and Meaghan Sargeant from their grasp.

The Australian now has a rich tapestry of young English players in her squad after keeping hold of last season’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year Sophie Baggaley and England U19 duo Poppy Pattinson and Ella Rutherford.

Top scorer Lucy Graham did however move on to join Everton while Rosella Ayane has penned a deal with newly-promoted Tottenham.

The Vixens only face one top-three opponent before welcoming Manchester City to the West Country at the end of Novembe, giving them a good chance to make a fast start.

Bristol were firmly part of the ‘chasing pack’ last season, ultimately finishing sixth with a record points tally of 25.

There was still a 15-point gap between them and fourth-placed Birmingham, however with the lie of the land in the top flight far from certain, there is no reason why they can’t close that gap this time around.

2018-19 stats watch:

Finish: 6th

Top scorer: Lucy Graham (7)

Biggest victory: 2-0 (away at Everton)

Heaviest defeat: 0-6 (away at Chelsea)

Key Ins/Outs:

Ins: Vita van der Linden, Yana Daniels, Jasmine Matthews, Charlie Wellings, Meaghan Sargeant

Outs: Heather Payne, Rosella Ayane, Julie Biesmans, Lucy Graham, Danique Kerkdijk, Juliette Kemppi, Alicia Johnson

Player to watch: Carla Humphrey

Bristol boast a host of young stars – none shining brighter than Carla Humphrey, an ever-present in their midfield last term.

The former Arsenal playmaker has grown in stature since joining the Vixens in 2017, blessed with a fine passing range and a big engine.

Goals are perhaps the only missing ingredient – she didn’t find the net last season in 20 league appearances – but the 22-year-old can still help her side progress in the FA WSL.

What they said:

Charlie Wellings

“It has been a massive challenge to move away from home and join Bristol but I already knew Tanya from Birmingham so that has helped,” said the summer signing from Birmingham.

“This is a young team so hopefully I will be able to fit straight in – I haven’t got any specific targets yet but I always want to be playing and scoring goals.

“Everyone always wants to win something each season and it feels like everyone here has got high hopes after last season went so well.

“It’s going to be such a competitive league this time around and it’s going to be so close between all the clubs.

“My dream is still to play for England and win the World Cup so I am just trying to concentrate on football as much as I can”

Sophie Baggaley

“I just need to do more of the same this season but my teammates helped me out massively so it’s just about hard work and graft really,” said the England U21 star.

“The manager has plans for the future here and I love the way she trains us and gets her visions across that is part of the reason I signed a new deal here.

“We want to be better than last season and improve on our position in the league but we can only do that by scoring more and conceding less so everyone has a role to play.

“The players in this league are getting stronger – I would love to get a breakthrough into the senior England squad this season but I can only do that by keeping my performances strong.”