Aston Villa hopes to impose its true identity when facing rivals Birmingham City on Sunday in a Women’s Super League match at Villa Park, according to Yahoo Sports.
The team experienced a turbulent start to the season after a winless run resulted in the September departure of former manager Natalia Arroyo, as detailed by BBC Sport.
Interim manager Brian Sorensen took over the coaching duties to steer the club toward a more consistent and recognizable style of play on the pitch.
Managing director Maggie Murphy explained the core values driving the organization during an interview featured on the BBC Women’s Football Weekly feed.
“Aston Villa is a club of heart,” Murphy told BBC Sport.
Sunday’s fixture also marks the 30th anniversary since the women’s team officially adopted the Aston Villa name.
Sorensen emphasized the importance of honoring this milestone while preparing his squad for the second-city derby encounter.
“We want to be really hard-working and humble – like the area we are from – and have a clear identity of how we attack and defend,” Sorensen stated in recent reports.
To further connect with supporters, the club launched a research initiative titled Roots, Rise and Reach to uncover previously undocumented historical periods.
Club officials successfully identified a 1957 newspaper report highlighting a match between an unofficial Aston Villa Ladies team and Birmingham City.
Off the pitch, leadership has expanded staff numbers in commercial operations to increase fan engagement and boost sustainable matchday revenue streams.
Marisa Ewers operates alongside Murphy as director of women’s football to oversee player recruitment, contract renewals, and staff management.
Villa currently sits ninth in the league standings following two victories and four draws from their opening nine matches.