Best is yet to come from West Ham Ladies midfielder Stacey Little

Ask the West Ham Ladies who has been their best player so far this season and midfielder Stacey Little would top most of their lists but the 25-year-old has vowed the best is still to come from her.

The former Charlton Athletic player has started every game for the Ladies so far this season and even bagged a goal in the League Cup – a goal she confesses is probably one of the best she has ever scored.

“I’m very tough on myself,” she said. “I expect to have a great game every week but I would rather play average and win then have a great game and lose because we’re determined to get promoted this season and three points from every game are all that matters.

Mikey Cartwright/Ponderosa Pix

“I thought, for example, I played really well against Millwall at the start of the season but we lost and for a West Ham fan, I was devastated to lose against them.
“For me to keep my place in the team, I have to ensure I have a good game every week and although I’m reasonably pleased with my start to the season, there is much more to come from me.”

Moving swiftly onto the other teammates, she continued: “I think Bex [Becky Merritt] has done really well this season.

“She has done well up top but if we have been missing players, she has stepped into their positions and done really well. She has also been banging in the goals.

“The funny thing with Bex is that she will miss an easy chance but then score an absolute screamer. I’m tipping her to have a great season.

“I have also been impressed with Toni [Anne Wayne]. I played with her at Charlton so I already knew her but she has come in and done really well this season and made some important saves.”

Striker Kelley Blanchflower, who broke her collar bone against QPR last month, is another player who caught Stacey’s eye this season.

“She was fantastic in pre-season and took that form into the season,” she said. “She wasn’t scoring as many goals that she would like to have done in the first few games but that doesn’t take anything away from her performances.

“She has been brilliant and her getting injured is a big blow for us. But I’m sure after Christmas, she will be back and fighting fit.”

The Ladies next face rivals Spurs in the league on Sunday (KO 2pm) having already played them once this season, drawing 1-1 in the league cup.

“We under-performed in our last game against Spurs,” Stacey continued. “I’m sure we will be reminded of this performance in the changing room before our game on Sunday and hopefully we can go out there and get the three points we need and want.

“The league is the most important thing for us this season. We haven’t got off to the start we would’ve hoped for but then we didn’t last season and we were still pushing for promotion at the end.

“If we get promoted this season and don’t get to any finals or win anything else then I will be delighted – as I’m sure the others will be too.”