Bristol City have confirmed both Chloe Arthur and Claire Emslie will be staying at the Stoke Gifford ahead of the Spring Series.

Chloe Arthur

Signed by the Vixens last January after having made the switch from SWPL league runners up Hibs, Arthur featured in all of Bristol’s games last season, falling right into step with the Vixens and fast made herself known to fans, always offering something going forward to tie the play in midfield. Having come through the U17 and U19 youth groups, the evergreen midfield is now a firm part of the Scottish senior side too with her consistent performances in WSL overlapping into her national team appearances.

An ever-present in his squad, Bristol head coach Willie Kirk referred to Arthur’s maiden season with the club as “fantastic”, from her first appearance and goal against QPR to her “tireless performance” on the last day of the 2016 season. Her consistency, “remarkable” in the manager’s eyes, her performances in training equally worthy of merit as she helped raise the bar “day after day.” Still able to keep improving with a number of parts of her game that can yet develop, Kirk expects Arthur to remain an exciting player for many years to come and a key member of the team as they “find their feet” in the Spring Series ahead of the winter season.

Claire Emslie

Another former Hibs player known to Kirk from his time with the SWPL team, Emslie – much like her compatriot – fell right into place in the Bristol team, instantly gelling with her new teammates, never looking out of place for a second. Boasting a more than healthy ten goals in 12 appearance with the Vixens after moving to the Bristol side in the Summer, Emslie was lauded as one of the signings of the season and it’s undoubtedly a huge boost for Kirk to have her signed on for the new year.

Another to have come through the Tartan Army youth teams, Emslie has already cut her teeth with the seniors and was back in action at the start of the year in the Danish double-header, looking sharp as ever, the talented attacker gearing up for a big 2017.

With an “incredible impact” after her summer signing, Kirk is delighted to have Emslie on board for the Spring Series and admits re-signing her is “huge for the club,” the Vixen well documented to have drawn interest from other clubs who were equally as impressed with her performances last year. But with the new deal Kirk is pleased for the fans too, glad that they'll have the chance to "see her wear the red of the Vixens again."

“Exactly what,” Bristol "needed" when she signed Emslie was another who allowed the Vixens to gain momentum both on and off the pitch, her “intensity and will to win” vital as the west country team picked up pace last season.

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Sophie Lawson
Neutral football fan travelling around Europe, covering matches and bothering footballers for interviews