Birmingham City Ladies Football Club revealed their new kit and sponsor to a packed press conference at St Andrews last Monday. Karen Carney, Mary Earps and Kirsty Linnett modelled the new kits and articulated their plans for the season ahead, including the imminent game against rivals Arsenal and the Champions League hopes.
The Birmingham City’s Ladies camp is brimming with newness, not only are the new kits already selling but the move from Stratford upon Avon to the closer ground of Solihull Moors has given the girls a lot more confidence for the 2014 season. Tim Andrews the manager of Hollywood Monster, the ladies sponsor for the past two years spoke about the ever building passion that will come with the move, ‘being a Birmingham City fan myself the move to a closer stadium, I know, will bring with it more bums on seats from the men’s fans.’
It wasn’t only Andrews who felt the positivity, Karen Carney, senior player and part of the women’s GB team in the London Olympics, spoke out about how interest has grown in women’s football as a whole and the league is now ‘a different entity’ to what it was before. Now a two tiered system, more teams and therefore more women are now involved in the WSL or Women’s Super League. Reigning champions Arsenal have always been a household name when it comes to the league but with the vitality and confidence of Blues Ladies on the increase it would not be out of the question for a win against the Gooners. Ex-Arsenal player herself Carney says she ‘knows the motivations and tactics of the team’ and will be key if her team is to progress further in the Champions League. ‘This competition is so important to me and the rest of the team, I’ve won it before with Arsenal and I can’t put across in words how amazing that was… it’s a real motivation to win it again with these ladies.’
The other girls also marked Carney as being incredibly important in the team, not only because of her previous success but her experience and knowledge makes her the best team mate for the younger girls in particular. Goalkeeper Mary Earps showed her excitement for the younger players coming up the ranks, ‘we’ve had a really good pre-season, yes we’ve lost some old faces [like UoB’s very own Izzy Christiansen] but we’ve gained lots of new ones as well.’ Her main hope for the season was the same as Carney and Linnet’s, to play every game, being involved as much as possible and to work hard for this up and coming ladies team.
Despite their fourth place finish last year in the WSL due to the loss of key senior players, the Birmingham City Ladies seemed more confident than ever that they had a chance this year. After playing and winning against Russian team FK Zorkiy Krasnogorsk at St Andrews last November, the girls got a taste of a huge home support which has geared them on for the following months. ‘Everyone is fit and healthy, we’ve played against a couple of boys teams as well so the practise we’ve got in has been valuable’ said Carney when asked about the hopes for the coming season.
However most important is the ethics and code of conduct followed by the ladies. BCLFC pride themselves on their grass roots football, taking young girls into the academy, moulding and honing their ability until they are prepared for the professional life. Kirsty Linnet was one of those girls and she said ‘to carry on the rise of women’s football we need more girls to try it out and realise how fun it is’ and certainly without Linnett doing just that Blue’s Ladies would never have been graced with her attacking ability. To finish Carney proudly stated ‘we grow our own here, we are realistic about money. We rely on youth and we just want to produce it as best we can.’
Ellie Jones
Interview with Birmingham City Ladies forward Kirsty Linnett by Burnfm_Sport on Mixcloud
Interview with Birmingham City Ladies midfielder, Karen Carney. by Burnfm_Sport on Mixcloud
Interview with Birmingham City Ladies goalkeeper Mary Earps by Burnfm_Sport on Mixcloud
