Southampton Women make statement of intent ahead of new season

Southampton Women look to be preparing for another strong push in the upcoming 2021/22 season after signing Norther Ireland international defender Laura Rafferty.

Saints confirmed the news on the 5th July as Rafferty sealed a move back to the club she spent eight years playing for in her academy days.

After being awarded promotion to the third-tier of the English game last season, Saints Women look to be trying to get some proven top-level talent through the door.

25-year-old Rafferty has played in the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship and also brings the experience of playing in some important games for Northern Ireland.

Southampton Women well on track for Super League goal

It is experience that Saints will need to add to their ranks if they are to push into the top two divisions of the football pyramid and cement their place there.

Rafferty started her senior career with Chelsea in 2014 at the age of just 18 and also took a loan spell with Oxford United in 2016. She moved on to Brighton ahead of the next season and gained some valuable top-flight game time there after the club was awarded promotion.

A loan spell with Bristol City during 2020/21 saw her drop back to the second-tier and she now moves another step down in the hope of gaining more promotions with Saints.

She spoke of her pride at re-joining the club to southamptonfc.com, saying that her return was “written in the script” and that she is “ready to embrace this challenge”.

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Saints boss Marianne Spacey-Cale also spoke of her delight at getting a player of Rafferty’s quality to join her talented group. She called the signing a “major step forward for the club”.

Saints recently revealed their list of retained players ahead of the upcoming campaign and Rafferty will be linking up with the following players in pre-season training.

Saints’ retained list for 2021/22

Charley Evans

Georgie Freeland

Lucia Kendall

Sara Luce

Caitlin Morris

Ella Morris

Milly Mott

Rachel Panting

Rosie Parnell

Sophia Pharoah

Shelly Provan

Ella Pusey

Kayla Rendell

Shannon Sievwright

Kelly Snook

Alisha Ware

Kirsty Whitton

Phoebe Williams