Sheffield United Women relishing underdog tag ahead of opener against Leicester City
Sheffield United Women kick off their season with a tough opener against Leicester City at Bramall Lane on Sunday
Last season, Sheffield United Women maintained their status as a WSL2 team by the skin of their teeth but this time around their ambitions are much higher.
It’s been a difficult couple of seasons for the Blades who have found themselves in the bottom two on both of the last two campaigns, but there’s a change in the mood around their new training facility at Dore.
Expectancy is low from the outside after those league finishes but it’s not the same in the United camp, with the squad believing that they could well cause a few surprises this year.
They will certainly go into the season with the underdog tag hanging around them, not least in the opening weekend as they welcome newly-relegated Leicester City to Bramall Lane.
But it seems as though it is a tag that United are embracing and that’s certainly the case for forward Amy Andrews.
“I think a lot of fans and people viewing the game go off of last season,” she told The Star. “So, for example, a lot of people expect us to not do well or whatever, so I feel like we don't have as much pressure on us for the first game as much as Leicester for example. And you can't beat being an underdog really, can you?
“I mean, like I said, people expect Leicester to win so they've got more pressure on them and we're going in as the underdogs, so those are the best games to be in.
“I love shocking people, proving people wrong, and I know all the other girls do as well, so I think it's a good start for us really.”
New signings have come in during a busy summer for transfers at United, with the last arriving in just before deadline in Ava Baker on loan from Birmingham.
The raft of new players have brought a lift to the squad and an excitement for what lies ahead.
“It feels better than last season,” said Andrews. “Obviously, we haven't started with games yet but just the environment seems better and the signings we've brought in are really good.
“We're definitely building something special, training is more competitive, we've got more depth now so there's more competition for roles and I feel like that always makes the team play better. And yeah, I feel like it's going to be exciting and it definitely feels better this season already.”
“We don't want to be in the conversation of a relegation battle again,” she added. “I feel like we've got a top quality squad and I don't think we should be, we don’t deserve to be in that conversation.
“I think we want to finish as high as we possibly can and I truly believe we can do that this season.”
Of the new players who have come in, when asked who has caughet her eye, Andrews was quick to respond: “Lucy Quinn, I think she'll be great for us, great experience. There's already a good link up there and I just think bringing that extra flair to the front line is what we needed.”