Every player to watch out for in Adran Premier 2023/24 season including Cardiff, Swansea, and Wrexham stars
MERTHYR TYDFIL, WALES - 23 APRIL 2023: Cardiff City Eliza Collie scores and celebrates during the 2022/23 FAW Women's Cup Final between Cardiff City Women & Briton Ferry Llansawel Ladies, Penydarren Park, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales (Pic By John Smith/FAW)
The Adran Premier season finally gets underway on Sunday, with some of the country’s brightest talents taking to the field once more.
Ahead of kick-off, we pick out one player from each team that fans should keep an eye on in what should be an open and entertaining season.
Aberystwyth Town – Elin Jones
Elin Jones is certainly one of the most promising defenders in this league. At only 17-years-old, Jones’ command of her defence is impeccable, and she put in so many standout performances last term, most notably away to Cardiff City. The Aber squad is an older bunch, but Jones fits in perfectly and plays like a player beyond her years.
The terrible shame is that, against the Bluebirds in January, Jones tore her ACL. Of course, the injury normally keeps a player sidelined for around nine months, and therefore we should see the youngster back, hopefully, around the new year.
Defence is going to be incredibly key for this Aberystwyth side, and when Jones is back, their defence will certainly be difficult to get through.
Barry Town United – India Shanahan
The problem for Barry was clear last season, a lack of goals. The Linnets only put the ball in the back of the net 21 times last campaign, with only Abergavenny Town scoring less. To make matters worse, their goalscoring star, Mackenzie Olden, has now moved on to Cardiff City.
That’s why I’m picking India Shanahan as one to watch for Barry. While she didn’t feature for the Bluebirds’ senior team last season, she was quite simply a star for their U19 side, who won the league. With 24 goals and twelve assists, Shanahan not only knows where the back of the net is, but also has the guile to pick out a teammate when required.
It will be interesting to see how she fares in the topflight, but Barry have assembled a really competitive team over the summer, and Shanahan could be the one to fire them to success.
Cardiff City – Eliza Collie
It was no secret that Phoebie Poole was such a vital part of Cardiff’s success story last season. The way she took chances and ran in behind defences was special. However, in the latter part of the campaign, injuries crept in, and starting in her place was Eliza Collie.
Having made sporadic appearances in the league and cup beforehand, Collie was nothing short of superb during the Championship Conference. In five appearances, Collie scored seven and assisted two, including scoring four at home to Cardiff Met.
Around her, she has the likes of Ffion Price, Danielle Green, and Rhianne Oakley. All three and more can provide excellent service to Collie, and we know she can score a wide range of goals, and she could easily be the league’s top scorer come the end of the season. Expect Collie to shine.
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Cardiff Met – Faith Mulenga
This season will certainly be one of great change down at Cyncoed. New manager Daniel Delahay has had to oversee a large turnover in players, with some of their more experienced players being replaced by a much younger core.
Part of that reshuffle has seen Faith Mulenga come in from Barry. Down at Jenner Park, Mulenga operated down the flank, and she had numerous standout qualities. Her dribbling abilities were second to none, as was her fearlessness at taking on any defender. She can also stay back and soak up pressure, and she certainly has some flair to her game.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how this newly built Met team perform in the Adran Prem, but with the likes of Mulenga in their ranks, the Archers will be an entertaining team to watch.
Pontypridd United – Jasmine Turner
With the departure of Liv Francis to Manchester United, there is a need for someone from Ponty to take on the creative and goalscoring mantle that she has left behind, but I believe Jasmine Turner can do that.
Often playing on the opposite wing to Francis last season, Turner was the perfect wing partner. While her stats last season may not be on the same level as Francis’, the performance levels say otherwise. She was someone who would always run at her marker, always look for a teammate, and will always track back and bolster Ponty’s defensive shape. If she can add goals to her game, she will be hard to stop.
There is a vibe around the team and the club that this could finally be the season that they break into the top four, and the performances of Turner could be valuable in getting them there.
Swansea City – Jess Williams
The Swans have really strengthened well this window, especially in the forward line. Adding Chloe Bull and Robyn Pinder to the likes of Stacey John-Davies and Katy Hosford is exciting. But their back line will be just as important, and that’s why Jess Williams is so important to this team.
What makes her different to most centre-backs in the league is the way she can track down an opponent. Rarely does a striker get in behind and race away. Williams’ awareness in and around her own box is superb, and she is such an asset to a team that will harbour strong title ambitions this season.
Her tough tackling partner Shaunna Jenkins has left for Oxford United, which is a shame for the club and the league as a whole. However, now adding Steph Turner to that backline, along with Williams, makes this defence incredibly strong.
TNS – Beth Lewis
Cardiff City’s Ffion Price had an excellent season last season from that right wing-back spot, but someone who was very close behind her in terms of her performance was TNS captain Beth Lewis.
Her work rate down the right is never ending, and when she gets into a crucial position, more often than not, she can whip in a cross or slide a ball into the forwards who can score goals. But Lewis can score goals too and is the team’s set piece taker. She really is a magician with a dead ball at her feet. Lastly, her leadership abilities are brilliant. Many members of that Saints team look up to Lewis, and she in turn, gives confidence to the rest of the team to perform to the best of their abilities.
TNS really do believe they can trouble the top two this season, and as long as Lewis has the armband around her, they really can dream of another great season.
Wrexham – Amber Lightfoot
The name Rosie Hughes is certainly on the lips of every Wrexham fan. With 41 goals in all competitions last season, Hughes is a goalscoring machine. However, Hughes needs the service to score goals, and that’s what makes Amber Lightfoot the one to watch in this Wrexham side.
Playing just behind Hughes, Lightfoot can take defenders away from other players and play in others, backed up by her eleven assists last term. But she also knows where the back of the net is and can hit them from anywhere in and around the box. If she can reach the 16 goals she scored last season, Wrexham will be more than fine this campaign.
The big question mark hanging over the Red Dragons is whether they can replicate their form in the Adran North and bring it to the Adran Prem. If Lightfoot can be as productive as last season, they will have every chance to do so.
