Pre-season key to positive start | Ash Neville matchday programme exclusive

Ashleigh Neville believes the reason for our solid start to the current campaign lies in the foundations put in during pre-season.

The experienced defender has more than played her part as we’ve won four out of five games so far, including three straight Women’s Super League victories against Bristol City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa, to sit third in the table ahead of this weekend.

But, with a new Head Coach in Robert Vilahamn bringing change and many new players brought in to bolster the ranks this term, our strong early form hasn’t come as that much of a surprise to Ash given the amount of hard work the whole squad put in during pre-season to hit the ground running and she is enjoying the direction the team is heading in.

Speaking in the matchday programme for Sunday’s WSL clash with Everton at Brisbane Road, Ash said: “I think the start of pre-season was the beginning for us as a group.

“As a team, a lot of people performed well with their programme and I think the pre-season that we had, those eight weeks - even with some of the girls coming back and forth from the World Cup - I think was one of the best pre-seasons we’ve ever had.

“We came out fitter and stronger and I think that’s improved with our games from the start of the season as well as the football side of things. Pre-season was massive for us, and for me I think it’s the fittest I’ve felt coming back in.”

Sunday’s matchday programme against Everton will be on sale at the game and this season’s Spurs Women’s issues will also be available to buy online...