Voting for your Aston Villa Women Supporters’ Player of the Season for 2022/23 is now open. I spoke with the passionate fans that have travelled up-and-down the country following the team to see who they’ve voted for.
First up, we welcome Sarah Breslin, founder of Villa Bellas, who this week celebrated their 1-year anniversary. Villa Bellas is the Official AVFC Womenβs Network.
Sarah is also a special friend of the website, kindly promoting our work from the Villa Bellas’ platform, and we’ve proudly displayed their logo and philosophy in every article. Keep up the good work, Sarah!
So Sarah, who have you voted for your Player of the Season?
“Itβs been a remarkable season for the women, though you could see at the back end of last season how Carla wanted to play, and the improvement has continued and we really kicked on with the recruitment over the summer. Everyone is talking about Rachel Daly, and rightly so. Sheβs surpassed any other English goal scorer in the history of the WSL. But itβs not just about goals; her movement in and around the box must frustrate defenders greatly. She gets into those positions and is demonstrable in why and how she has scored 20 goals so far this season”.
“My particular standout is Kenza Dali; the way she keeps the ball moving all over the pitch, her heat map must be fried with her constant movement and determination to keep the ball. Her passion and commitment are admirable, and she has racked up a number of goals and assists herself, which we were severely missing within the squad last season”.
“The unsung hero is Dan Turner. Sheβs played at centre back as if sheβs been there her whole career and deputised brilliantly as captain with Allen and Corsie out. Her calm and influential presence on the pitch is invaluable and has been another factor in our great form this season”.
“I couldnβt not mention Kirsty Hanson, so quick and powerful; her own stats speak for themselves; 5 goals and 9 assists are to be admired, and naturally, weβd love her to sign for Villa permanently”.
“This squad has a comradery and togetherness that extends from the training ground onto the pitch and into the fans too. The performances and successes of this season have bonded the Villa fans in a unique way. The players and management are also invested in the supporters and have developed a great relationship that uplifts everyone involved. Long may it continue”.
Next, let’s hear the thoughts of season-ticket holders Lou Mills and her daughter Harps. Now, if there was a super fan of the year award, young Harps would run away with it; it’s always wholesome to see how well the players have welcomed not just the Harps but every young fan who has attended a game this season.
This group of players is inspiring a new generation of fans for this club.
Right then you two; who have you voted for?
“This was a very hard decision to choose my player of the season, but my vote goes to Maz Pacheco. Maz is a great player, the best left back in the WSL, my favourite, and also my best friend. “I’m hoping Maz signs a new contract very soon”. Harper Mills (7)
“Tough one. Every player has played a huge part in the success this season. If only we could vote for all the girls. My vote goes to Kenza Dali; since Kenza joined Villa, she has been a revelation. Sheβs a super talented player, dynamic, creative, and box-to-box. Villa are very lucky to have Kenza. Lou Mills.
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Let’s chat to our UTVPODCAST | The Website writers.
Georgia Homer; who has worked tirelessly over the last two season producing Fan Reports for every Aston Villa Women’s game. Georgia, who you voted for?
βThere are several players that I would love to be able to choose for POTS, but it feels impossible to ignore the achievements of Rachel Daly. She was the headline summer signing, and she has somehow surpassed those expectations. Every week she seems to be breaking another record; most recently, she became the first English player to reach 20 WSL goals in a season. The achievement is magnified when you consider that Villaβs total goal tally for the previous season was just 13, the lowest in the league. It is not just her goals but her creativity, determination, and leadership that have helped transform and elevate this team so quickly”.
” We have seen repeatedly how effective her pressure can be in games, and she is always alert for opportunities to score. She has shown us so many different types of goals but remains a selfless player. Her versatility is well documented; she played left-back and right-back for England, and she even slotted into the backline for Villa against Arsenal due to injuries and cup ties. Itβs too difficult to choose a standout moment for Dalyβher brace against Manchester City on the opening day of the season, her extra-time winner in the FA Cup quarter-final, her hat-tricks against Reading in both the home and away fixturesβthe season has been full of incredible memories”.
“Itβs important to recognise, though, that Dalyβs goals would not be possible without the efforts of the whole team. Dali and Hanson are both currently in the top 5 players for assists in the league, and every single player has contributed to achieving Carla Wardβs vision, with Dan Turner adapting her position to central defence brilliantly, which also deserves a mentionβ.
Liam Davies; our new WSL Match Preview writer:
“My Aston Villa Women’s player of the season is who else but Rachel Daly. Her goals, of course, have been crucial this season but her general play and work-rate has been just as instrumental in the teamβs success.”
“The 31-year-old added much needed quality, prowess and personality to the Villa attack this term, evidenced through her staggering 20 goals scored this campaign (so far). The number eight has shown exactly why she is not only one of the leagueβs best but also one of the worldβs best in the forward department”.
“Off the field too, Daly is a superstar; she is a true professional and a proper team player. She exuberates charisma, passion and her wonderful personality each day, and is exactly the kind of person you want on your team”.
“Whilst it was a tricky decision, with many members of the squad rightful and honourable candidates for the award, I believe Dalyβs instant impact and numbers alone make her deserving of the inaugural Player of the Season accolade”.
Aston Villa have been passionately supported throughout the season; let’s see who loyal home-and-away follower Chris Kavanagh voted for. Chris?
“I’m pretty sure most Villa supporters will be voting for Rachel Daly, and I can understand why. However, looking back to the beginning of the season, I was more excited with the signing of Kenza Dali because it backed up the marquee signing of Rachel and provided a massive statement of intent from Villa. Kenza is an international star in her own right, and after watching her previously, I was looking forward to seeing her in Claret & Blue”.
“I know Rachel will grab all the headlines, but without Kenza pulling the strings in midfield, I’m not sure Daly would have scored a record amount of goals this season”.
So although I’ll be voting for Kenza, hats off to everyone in the Villa squad for giving us such a memorable season.
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“My vote went to Kenza Dali. We all know that ultimately, it’s the number of goals scored that wins a match, but goals don’t come without strong and synced players. Kenza has recently been described by the club as “The Assist Machine.” She performs, she entertains, and her love and passion for football are visible. Dali creates chances constantly, and her on-pitch linkups with Rachel Daly are a joy to watch. With 29 appearances so far, 7 goals, and 12 assists, along with the reasons above, Kenza Dali is my Aston Villa Women player of the season”.
“The whole team has been incredible this season. With Carla Ward at the helm, we have gone from strength to strength. Kirsty Hanson and Rachel Daly have been phenomenal. Rachel Daly is probably having the best season of her life. But for me overall, it’s Kenza”.
Thanks all. You can submit your vote here – Aston Villa Women 2022/23 Supporters’ Player of the Season | AVFC – and don’t forget to drop a comment in the social media post where you found this article on who you voted for, it’s always great to hear your thoughts. In addition, there is a comment section at the bottom of the articleβa calm place to have your say away from social media.
And me? – Kenza Dali!
Below is a piece I wrote earlier in the season about Kenza Dali that included a guest Q&A with my pal Georgia Homer. Thank you all for taking the time to read this. Much love, Ryan!
Up. The. Villa. Women.
PLAYER FOCUS | KENZA DALI (utvpodcast.co.uk)
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Authorβs UTV PODCAST archive Ryan Mckeown – UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH VILLA BELLAS
Villa Bellas is the Official AVFC Womenβs Network. In an unequal and often unrelenting world we work to break down barriers for equality.
Our network aims to raise the voice of women and non-binary people at @AVFCOfficial We support inclusion & diversity and with our allies, we can challenge sexism and misogyny, creating a safe and welcoming environment for the fans in the stands and the women on the pitch.
Let’s celebrate ourselves and champion each other while having fun doing it!
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