Aston Villa Women: Investment in training ground and facilities highlights WSL intent
After Aston Villa gained promotion to the WSL in the 2020/21 season, the club have continued to invest money into the team’s facilities, and this hard work is now finally starting to bear fruit.
Carla Ward’s Villans have exceeded expectations in the first half of their campaign, currently sitting seventh in the WSL and notching up considerable wins over Manchester City and Liverpool along the way.
Although attentions have been firmly placed on the summer signatures of Rachel Daly and Kenza Dali, the work Villa’s hierarchy are doing behind the scenes cannot go unnoticed.
In 2021 the club expanded their Bodymoor Heath training ground by opening up a new £6 million High-Performance Centre, which has been used by both the men’s, women’s and academy teams. [AVFC]
The new development has given Ward’s side access to a new state-of-the-art gym, indoor 50-metre running track, match analysis rooms, as well as meeting and treatment rooms.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, The Athletic’s Dan Bardell praised the club’s commitment to improving the Women’s team’s facilities in recent years.
He said: “They’ve done a great job over the last few years with the Women’s team. I think Villa are one of the few teams that have actually put a lot into their team.
“I’ve been down to the Women’s training ground, and you look at the facilities they are given, they really are top top facilities.
“They have got access to some of the best facilities in the league, and this is the perfect platform to grow from.
“I think Villa are putting a lot into their team, and I think that is something they can be proud of.”
And with Villa’s first team now set up with some of the best facilities in the WSL, the club are now looking to develop the next string of WSL stars through a new inner-city academy, which is set for completion in the summer of 2023.
According to Birmingham Live, the new academy’s aim will be to unearth and nurture some of brightest footballing talent from urban, underprivileged areas within the City. The new facility will be located close to Villa Park and will be accessible to those who can’t afford the travel costs to Bodymoor Heath.
With Aston Villa delivering on the pitch under Ward, the club are continuing to show their commitment to making the women’s side sustainable for many years to come.
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