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    Carter out for derby revenge against Aston Villa in final WSL game for relegated Birmingham

    DARREN CARTER insists Birmingham needs to undergo a rebuild following their historic drop out of the Women’s Super League. And the St Andrew’s chief says his side will be out for revenge when they face Aston Villa following their relegation heartbreak.
    Darren Carter wants Birmingham to have an overhaul following their relegation to the Women’s ChampionshipCredit: Reuters
    Before the game, Carter, who joined Blues earlier this term as interim head coach was tight-lipped on the topic of contract talks and extending his stay.
    However, the Birmingham-born gaffer admits he has a vision for the future of the club who were once WSL giants competing in the Champions League.
    Carter, 38, said: “It’s hard because the relegation is still fresh in the players’ minds and mine. 
    “Players have to look at it from their own perspective and what they want.
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    “From mine, I know who I would love to have stay at the club and conversations will be ongoing.
    “But there is a rebuild that needs to happen at this club.
    “The perception (of the club) from the outside wasn’t good but I’m hoping that’s changing because I’m driving that.
    “It’s about making players who have been here for the last few years believe that things will be better.
    “They have been told that in the past but things haven’t changed.
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    “I would never profess to players things are going to happen and they don’t. I will back them.
    “My job is to convince them this is the place to be and the start of a rebuild going forward.”
    Carter’s side will travel to Villa Park to take on an Aston Villa side who were on the wrong end of a 7-0 drubbing away at Arsenal.
    The last duel between the rivals ended in a slim away victory for the Villans and former Brum boss Carla Ward.
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    Carter added: “There is some revenge that needs to happen as they beat us at our place this season.
    “We’ll be looking to start with high energy and avenge the loss earlier this season.
    “We have got to show the fight and spirit we channelled this year for one last time and get a result.”
    Today’s duel will be the last professional game for Anita Asante with the Villa defender set to retire.
    The former England centre-back was commended by Villa’s Prem boss Steven Gerrard ahead of the game.
    Carla Ward’s Villa are looking to end their season with a win and a second defeat of Birmingham this termCredit: Getty
    And Carla Ward insists her top stopper Hannah Hampton will be at the club next season despite interest from other teams after impressing this term.
    The Villa chief, 38, said: “Hannah is not going anywhere. She is contracted to us, and we want to kick on and move forward.
    “She’s my first-choice keeper and one of the best in the world. Why would we want to let one of our top players go?” More

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    Roebuck disappointed by scheduling clash between Manchester City’s WSL and Champions Leagues matches

    MANCHESTER CITY goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck criticised the clash between two of the biggest games for the club’s women’s and men’s teams this season.Roebuck and her team-mates play Birmingham tonight in a match that starts one hour before Pep Guardiola’s side face Real Madrid in the Bernabeu at 8pm.
    Ellie Roebuck and Manchester City will face Birmingham at home in their penultimate WSL game this termCredit: Getty
    Pep Guardiola’s side will take on Real Madrid in Spain for a place in the Champions League finalCredit: Getty
    The scheduling clash means match-going fans of City’sWSL and Prem sides may have been forced to choose between which game to attend.
    Roebuck, 22, wrote on Twitter: “I think it’s hugely disappointing that the fans have to choose between two important games for our football club.
    “This is something that definitely needs to be improved in the future.”
    Clashes between fixtures for teams in the top tiers of men’s and women’s football in England have been an issue for a number of supporters this term.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}GO WEST .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Prem chiefs move West Ham vs Man City to boost Hammers’ bid for Europa League glory
    This week it was reported West Ham men were granted permission to rearrange the timing of their May 15 Prem clash with Manchester City, which was due to start at 4:30pm.
    But it has now been brought forward to 2pm to give the Irons more time to prepare for a possible May 18 Europa League final in Spain should the Hammers reach that stage.
    That time change means it will now clash with the Women’s FA Cup final between Man City and Chelsea, which kicks-off at 2.30pm at Wembley.
    Tonight’s game between City and Birmingham will see the club pay tribute to their long-serving shot-stopper Karen Bardsley.
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    On Monday Lionesses heroine Bardsley, 37, who helped City win eight major trophies, announced her plans to retire at the end of this season.  
    And Roebuck hopes to do her team-mate justice in the remainder of the season.
    Roebuck added: “Huge game, our last home game of the season but more importantly hopefully a great occasion to honour @kbardsley, an unbelievable servant to the club and women’s football.” More

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    Blues star Spence says her decision to leave Chelsea is ‘one of the hardest’ she has ever made

    DREW SPENCE says calling time on her Blues career after a 14-year spell is one of the toughest calls she has had to make.The WSL ace, who is Chelsea’s longest-serving player, tearfully announced she would leave this summer in an emotional video.
    Drew Spence is set to leave Chelsea following their FA Cup final duel against Manchester CityCredit: Getty
    Spence, who joined the Blues in 2008, has been a mainstay in Emma Hayes’ squad over the past ten years.
    News of her departure comes four days after Ji So-Yun announced her exit with the South Korea star leaving the club at the end of this term after an eight-year stint.
    Spence could be set to make her last Blues appearances against Manchester United in the league and Man City in the FA Cup final.
    Speaking to Chelsea’s website, the midfield ace said: “This is probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.
    “It’s like leaving your family.”
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    Blues boss Emma Hayes added: “I’ve watched Drew grow from a young player and blossomed as a senior pro.
    “I’m excited about her next steps. She’s fully deserving of everything she’s achieved and she will join a group of legends for what she has done at this football club.
    “Drew has epitomised everything that we have been about in my tenure.
    “She’s watched the club grow from amateur to one of the top teams in Europe and she’s been instrumental in that journey.”
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    Spence, who was born in London, made her senior Blues debut back in 2009.
    Since then, she has helped her side to 11 major trophy wins including five league titles, three FA Cups and two Continental Tyres trophies.
    And the Jamaica international, who was also called up to the Lionesses squad in 2015, scored her 50th Chelsea goal this term.
    This came during the club’s 5-0 FA Cup quarters trouncing of Birmingham in March.
    And Spence says helping her team to their first-ever FA Cup triumph in 2015 was one of her proudest achievements.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}DAN JOY .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Brooks given rapturous applause as he watches Bournemouth after cancer all-clear
    The midfielder added: “The amount of trophies we won is such a proud achievement for me.
    “I’ll probably say the first FA Cup final (we won) was such a big moment for us because the first (WSL) league title challenge we lost on the last day (of the 2014) season was so dramatic.
    “Everyone was so distraught, so to win that first big trophy was so important for us.
    “To get over that line to get to hear that final whistle was such a proud moment.
    “From there we just kicked on and every year we just got better and better.”
    Spence helped Chelsea to 11 major trophy winsCredit: Getty
    Spence’s departure comes on a dramatic day for Chelsea amid reports of Roman Abramovich being warned the sale of the club could be blocked following his loan repayment u-turn.
    It has emerged the Russian wants the £1.6billion he loaned to the club through an investment vehicle repaid in full as part of its sale. 
    This comes two months after his public statement in March in which he declared he would not be asking for any loans to be repaid. More

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    Manchester City and England heroine Karen Bardsley brings curtain down on 20-year playing career

    KAREN BARDSLEY is hanging up her boots to bring an end to a silverware-laden football career spanning two decades.The US-born England international goalkeeper, who won eight trophies with WSL giants Manchester City, announced her retirement on Monday.
    Karen Bardsley, 37, will retire after an illustrious career for Man City and EnglandCredit: Reuters
    The veteran shot-stopper, who has 82 senior England caps, played for the Lionesses at three World Cup tournaments and two European Championships.
    Bardsley, 37, has seen her match start chances hampered after sustaining a hamstring injury.
    Her last appearance for the Citizens, who are currently fourth in the WSL, was in a 7-0 drubbing of Aston Villa back in January last year.
    On her decision to retire, Bardsley said: “As sad and strange as it is to be stepping away from something I’ve committed my entire young adult life to, ultimately, it’s something I feel really proud of.
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    “I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I’ve left no stone unturned, and I have no regrets about how I’ve applied myself and what I’ve achieved.
    “I feel incredibly proud of my career, but ultimately I’m really excited about the next steps and what is to come in the future.
    “I’m just very much looking forward to giving back to the football community in many other ways.
    “It was obviously a pretty tough decision for me to make, but after a lot of deliberation and unfortunately being away from the pitch for quite a while now due to injury, it just felt like it was the right moment.”
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SIXTEEN team accumulator after late Zaha winner
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    Bardsley, who was born in California to parents from Manchester, played an influential role in the Citizens’ emergence as a dominant force.
    The shot-stopper helped the club to a treble trophy win in 2017 and a cup double in the 2018-2019 season.
    Trophy wins include a WSL title, three FA Cups and four league cups including a 2019 Continental Tyres Cup final defeat of Arsenal following a penalty shootout
    The City ace played in four games for Hope Powell’s Great Britain side at the London 2012 Olympics.
    City boss Gareth Taylor says Bardsley has left an ‘undeniable mark on women’s football’
    And she featured for England up to the quarter-final stage of the 2019 World Cup before a torn hamstring forced her out of action.
    It was an injury that led the WSL heroine to question her playing future.
    Last April, reflecting on her injury, Bardsley told Sky Sports: “Basically, I tore the hamstring tendon off the bone at the end of the first half against Norway at the World Cup in 2019.
    Although injury has limited Karen’s appearances on the pitch during my time in charge, she has remained an integral member of our team and has made a real difference behind the scene. Gareth Taylor – Manchester City head coach
    “I knew something was wrong as it all felt a bit loose, but I think adrenaline kept me going,” 
    “I don’t think I understood how bad it was at the time, it was probably because I managed to finish the game.
    “A few months later I had surgery and from that point onwards it was a 15-month recovery.
    “The surgery was more invasive than I realised.
    “I got a fresh perspective about what it’s like to be out of the game and think about what I want from women’s football.
    “Do I still love it? Do I still want to play?”
    Last year Bardsley, who began her career with US college football side Cal State Fullerton Titans, was included in the Team GB squad for the Tokyo Olympics.
    But an injury led to her withdrawing from the group ahead of the start of the tournament.
    Bardsley played in goal for England up to the quarter-stage of the 2019 Women’s World CupCredit: Getty
    Of her career, Man City boss Gareth Taylor, 49, said: “Karen has left an undeniable mark on women’s football.
    “I believe that her playing career is just the start of the overall impact she will make.
    “Although injury has limited her appearances on the pitch during my time in charge, she has remained an integral member of our team and has made a real difference behind the scenes.
    “She deserves all the plaudits that she receives, and I would like to wish her the very best for the future and the next step of her journey.” More