The action in the Women's Super League 2 kicks off from next Friday, and **Sunderland**are still dreaming of a return to the top tier. Shot stopper Demi Lambourne lifted the lid on their preparations, flashing back to the problems of the previous season and where the rest of the squad could improve.
‘Togetherness makes a team’
Lambourne spoke about how the group have been gearing up for the start of the new season.
“Pre-season's always the same, very hard, a lot of running, a lot of fitness. But it's been a great start. I think we've had great new additions to the team. So there's a lot of togetherness and it's exciting.”
Physical fitness is at the top of the agenda for a competitive club. But time spent with teammates on the training ground gives the space to build bonds emotionally and become connected off the field.
“Togetherness makes a team. You can have individually great players, but if there's no togetherness, I don't think you're going to perform. So that's the most important thing for me personally. We've got a few team bonding activities planned, so yeah, excited for them. Let's see how it goes.”
At the age of 29, she has built up the experience to help more junior players to develop their craft.
“I like my coaching, so I've always tried to mentor younger players that come through the club and hopefully they can take something from me and I could hopefully take something from them as well.”
The shot stopper sees coaching as something that could constitute the next step in her sporting career.
“I think that's a pathway that I'm looking down to. I think as I'm getting a little bit older now, you kind of want to try and prepare for that as well. So yeah, coaching is something that I'd like to go into.”
The woman working to bring the best out of the camp is Melanie Reay. She was a sharp shooter for **Sunderland**in her playing days, then worked as an assistant coach at the club for two years before spending the last eight as the manager. No one can doubt whether or not she bleeds red and white.
“I think Mel is just Sunderland through and anyone that comes in to play for the club knows what it means to play for Sunderland. So yeah, I think Mal's brilliant and she's great for the club.”
Lambourne left Leicester City in 2024 to sign for Sunderland. The Foxes earned promotion to the top tier in 2021, equipping her with experience to try to raise the levels. She will not be alone, joined in July by a veteran defender who played in the WSL for **Liverpool**and Doncaster Rovers Belles.
“Definitely. I think it's really important to have the mix between the young and the more experienced players. Bringing in Rhiannon Roberts from Wales and having that experience is really massive for Sunderland as a club as well. So hopefully we can utilise her as much as we can and just hit it well.”
At the other end of the range, one to watch is a forward ripping it up in the youth ranks for England.
“I think that an exciting young talent in our squad would be Katy Watson. I think that she started pre-season brilliantly. She got a hat-trick in the game on Wednesday, so, she's one to watch in our team”
‘We want to hit the ground running’
**England**won the Euros for the second edition in a row. The Lionesses have become the first team from the nation to win a major international tournament on foreign soil and the first to defend a title. After the impact of the first success in 2022, this summer might mean another explosion of growth.
“Definitely. I think the Lionesses have been fantastic for the growth of women's football, especially from the Euros back here in 2022. So yeah, I think they're just massive, they're just growing the game and fair play to the girls. It's emotional to watch it as a female footballer, so yeah, credit to them.”
The goalkeeper gave her thoughts on the targets for the group and herself individually this campaign.
“ Personal goals, I'd say as many clean sheets as possible. I think that's the standard as a goalkeeper. You just want to try and keep as many clean sheets as possible. As a team, I think we just want to hit the ground running and have a good start to the season and take each game as it comes.
In the 2023/24 season, the Lasses were chasing the top spot in the table for stretches of the schedule, finishing only five points off Crystal Palace in third place. Last term was more frustrating, with a finish in seventh spot and eleven fewer points, portraying how their results became much more erratic.
“Consistency. I think everyone in the team would say that. When we started the season, we didn’t start how we wanted to. So, having that consistency from the start and just keeping our foot on the pedal. I think we've got to just take this season as it comes and take it game by game and see what happens.”
Fans are fiercely passionate about their football in the North-East. The 29-year-old will try to treat each fixture in the same way, but she is particularly looking forward to the rivalries in the region.
*“Everyone would say the derbies. Durham, Newcastle United, those games are always exciting. It brings a lot of fans in, so yeah, they'll be the two that I'm most looking forward to. You just prepare how you prepare for any game really. I'm very much quite relaxed, I like to listen to chilled music.”*
**Sunderland**were the big losers of the revamp to women's football in England, dropping two divisions in 2018. They jumped from the WNL North to the second tier in 2021, and with the backing of the supporters this season, the dream is that the return to the topflight will happen in May.
“Just come and support us, show your support. It's a big year for women's football and to have the fans there would be great to help us along the way.”