After finishing second last season, Connah’s Quay are aiming to go one better this season as they prepare to begin their Adran North campaign.
The battle between the Nomads and Wrexham at the end of the season was enthralling, with the Red Dragons eventually winning the league, and then gaining promotion.
For Nomads defender Aimee Redfern, she and the rest of the squad know the margins were fine in last year’s title race.
“We know we were really close, and it was small margins that led to Wrexham becoming champions. We’ve reflected on the areas that we needed to work on and improve, and we know where we went wrong. Now we’re ready to get into this season and get stronger.”
After a good season, some of the team’s standout players have been poached by other clubs.
Influential captain Kirstie Kural has left for Adran Premier side TNS, while youngster Sienna Strapp has headed to Stoke City.
Strapp was a very promising player, and Redfern believes the rapid winger could make it all the way.
“Sienna is a massive player and if she sticks at it, she will go incredibly far in her career. She was a big loss at the beginning of pre-season, but we’ve recruited really well.
“We’ve bought in someone in the position that Sienna was playing in and she’s just as fast as her. We’ve done well to bring in players who can do the job that players like Sienna could do so well.”
While Strapp and Kural have departed, Connah’s Quay have been incredibly busy this summer, bringing in ten players over the summer.
“We identified areas that we needed to improve on. We lost a couple of players, and we knew to add in certain positions.
“The players who have come in have done really well and they’ve settled in. We’ve got some very talented coming through the youth system too.
“As a club, we’ve made sure that we don’t just have a strong team for one season, but we have a strong squad for many seasons to come.”
Having finished second, recruited well and nurturing a promising youth system, it’s no surprise that many have predicted the Nomads to finish top of the Adran North.
However, Redfern and the squad aren’t letting the outside noise take its toll on them.
“We want to win the league, that’s the top and bottom of it. We’re not stupid, we are humble about it, and every game is going to be difficult. We’re going to take each game as it comes and that’s how we will go through the entire season.
“We’re not looking at whether so and so are favourites for the league or not. We know that people are going to talk about us, but we don’t care about it.
“We stay with ourselves as a group and focus on one thing at a time and look at how we can strengthen and set standards.”
The Adran North and South have been bolstered this year with the addition of new teams in the league.
CPDM Bangor and NFA have entered the fray in the North, and Redfern is looking forward to coming up against some different opposition.
“I played a couple of games for the U19s last season, and we played against Bangor, and they were a really good side even at that level.
“Both them and NFA will come in and challenge. It’s not going to be an easy league, it’s good that we’ve got new teams and that Airbus also remained in the league.
“You want a bit of variety, play different styles and different games. All the teams are going to bring something new, and we’re excited to play everyone.”
It promises to be an exciting season, not only for the Adran North, but for Connah’s Quay.
Regardless of how the team does, Redfern is keen to improve her game, as her side try and reach the Adran Premier.
“I always want to challenge myself. I don’t think anyone could say they haven’t got areas they need to improve on, and I’m a player who always wants to improve. I want to be the best I can, and I want to do my best for the team.
“The team is my main focus, even if that means some weeks I’ll be on the bench or anything, I’ll always be cheering the girls and the team on.”
Featured Image: NCM Media
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