After yesterday’s news that Amy West, Beth Merrick, and Chloe Jones had all extended their stay with Aston Villa, Joe Hunt has conformed Hannah George, Kerri Walsh and Elisha N’Dow for the upcoming season.
Hannah George
About to enter her third year in claret and blue, Hannah George has been a consistent performer at left back, only improving throughout her time with Villa and Joe Hunt is glad that the extended run in the team has “helped her progression”. An ever-green, George has “grown” in the team and adds important “balance” to the left flank and Hunt is expecting even more from the full-back in the coming months.
Elisha N’Dow
The fourth confirmed player for the year to have come through the centre of excellence at Aston Villa, Elisha N’Dow is never far from the team-sheet, able to play in midfield although more at home in the back line.
Already with the Villainesses for eight years, N’Dow has developed as a player over the years which and has been recognised in the international set-up, featuring for England from the U15s up. Referred to by Hunt as a “huge talent”, sometimes unaware of “how good” she actually is, her coach praised her as the complete package, “aggressive, strong, quick and agile” with a strong technical ability to back it all up.
Kerri Welsh
After hitting the ground running with the first team in 2015, Welsh was forced to sit out the majority of her debut season after injuring her ACL however the attacker made a full recovery and boasted a fine 2016 season, clearly back to her best.
Not with the easiest ride during her time in the Midlands since she joined from Everton, Hunt is “delighted” to have Welsh on board for the coming season, calling her a “natural in front of goal” but can also add depth further back on the pitch. Glad that the Stoke native will have a full pre-season under her belt this year – a luxury she missed in 2016 – Hunt is “expecting big things” from the forward in the 2017-18 season, knowing she has the ability to frequently “find the net”.