After becoming the latest player to sign a Wolves Women contract ahead of the new season, Abi Loydon wants to repay the faith put in her by manager Dan McNamara.
The popular midfielder soon settled into the Old Gold squad after joining Wolves from West Bromwich Albion last summer, but after not playing as many minutes as she’d have liked last campaign, Loydon hopes the 2025/26 FAWNL season will offer both her and the team a chance to achieve their collective goals.
On signing her first contract with Wolves
“It’s a big moment for me. I’m really happy because it shows Macca has got trust and faith in me and I now want to continue to push on this season, hopefully get more game time and show Macca, the players and the fans what I can do.
“Last season I was hoping for more game time, but besides that, I loved every second. I thought everything in the background of the club was amazing.
“The fans were amazing, Macca as a coach is great and he’s improved me massively already, and I especially loved all the girls as well. I’ve made really good friendships with all of them.”
On quickly becoming part of the group
“I’m quite a loud character – some might say – and I do get on quite well with anyone, but it just shows the kind of group that Wolves are that I was able to fit in so quickly and be the person who I am, the person I am around my family, and I was able to fit in with them straight away.
“The friendships I’ve made obviously made it easier for me to sign, but I wanted to sign the contract for myself development-wise and for my career. However, a massive part of me wanting to be here is the girls.
“I love coming to training and although I obviously look forwards to the football part of it, coming in and seeing all the girls and asking how their days are, it has been a massive factor. When you love being part of the group, it makes the football better as well.”
On repaying McNamara’s faith
“I always wanted to stay, no matter what would have happened, but everything this summer has been really positive. I’ve had positive conversations with Macca where he told me that because of the way I finished last season so strongly, he wants me to continue that and push on to play a bigger part in this season – which was really encouraging to hear.
“Knowing the manager has faith in me and he’s given me a contract, he’s made me more motivated, and now I obviously want to push on more this season and really pay back the trust he has in me.
“With Macca committing again this year, being part-time gives me and the girls more one-to-one contact time with him on the pitch, and as more and more players sign contracts as well, it gives more time for us all as a team as well, which will obviously develop our bonds on the pitch and off the pitch and help the team going forward.”
On aims for the season ahead
“This season is a really exciting one after the news regarding the WSL expanding, so it gives teams in WSL2 and our league some big opportunities moving forward. The team’s aims this season are obviously all about promotion and pushing as high as we can, but for myself personally, it’s just about game time.
“I’m a very motivated and committed person and I like to keep myself fit even if I’m at football or not, and I feel like that’s what I bring to the team. My attitude is always on point, I’m committed to training, I’ll always give it my all.
“I want to be able to express myself and although it was hard last year, even in training I thought I showed the girls and the coaching staff what I could do, so this season I want to be able to bring my qualities to the team and then really push on.”
