Katy Hosford | We've made big steps, but we know we have to aim higher
Captain Katy Hosford felt there were major positives for Swansea City Women to take from a transitional season despite the disappointment of missing out on silverware.
The Swans finished second in the Genero Adran Premier, as well as reaching the final of the Genero Adran Trophy and the semi-finals of the Bute Energy Welsh Cup, but ended the 2023-24 campaign without a trophy to their name.
That came after Swansea turned semi-professional last summer, and Hosford is confident there is a bright future ahead for the team as they continue to seek to build and improve.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, it’s been a tough season for everyone,” she said.
“We knew it would be a difficult transition with it being our first season becoming semi-professional.
"But, coming second in the league, getting to a cup final, reaching another semi-final; there are definitely things we can be pleased with.
“However, we know we have underachieved because the aim is to win silverware. We would have liked to be winning the league and getting our hands on some trophies.
“We have built on the previous year, we’ve done a lot better, but there are definitely areas to improve and work on in pre-season as we get down to work under a new manager.
“We have made strides coming under the club's umbrella, the facilities that have been given to us, everything off the pitch has been so much better.
"It’s just a case of working on things on the pitch over pre-season and starting the season strong.
The 2023-24 campaign saw the Swans return to the Swansea.com Stadium, earning a 2-1 against Wrexham in front of 3,859 supporters; a club record attendance for a home fixture.
The Swans also had the opportunity to play at the Racecourse, beating Wrexham 3-2 with a last-minute winner from Ellie Lake.
Those stadium experiences rank among Hosford's highlights from the campaign.
“The togetherness of the team has really shone through this year more than ever, the mentality seemed to shift and that has been a huge part of our progress,” said Hosford.
“The game at the Swansea.com Stadium stands out on a personal note, to play at the stadium again and set a new crowd record is brilliant and that is something we want to grow and push each time we play here.
“Every time we play at the Swansea.com Stadium is amazing, everyone loves it and hopefully there will be more of that to come next year.
“Playing the first Genero Adran Premier fixture at the Racecourse, as well, that was a special moment.
“Overall, I think we competed really well this year, we’ve beaten Cardiff twice in the league and they beat us twice, I think we just dropped points early on that left us chasing for the rest of the season.
“It shows how tight the league is, you can’t afford to mess up early on, because the pressure to be perfect was on us for the rest of the season really."
The campaign was Hosford’s first as club captain, having taken the armband from Alicia Powe before the start of the season.
But the added responsibility of captaincy did not affect Hosford's form, as she netted 19 goals and supplied 12 assists in all competitions.
Hosford was proud to lead the side and hopes she can continue to grow as a leader.
“I’ve absolutely loved being captain, I’ve had big boots to fill taking over from Alicia Powe, I’ve learned a lot from her over the years and I’ve tried to implement that into the role now,” she added.
“There is a lot of pressure that comes with the role and leading such a big club out, but the girls have been great and I think the transition has gone quite smoothly.
“It’s something I’m really proud of, I want to make sure the players get the best on and off the pitch and try to be that communication between the team and the club.
“It’s always great to get goals and to get assists, it’s something that I expect from myself every year and I try to improve every year, it’s just great to contribute to the team and hopefully I can grow that next year.”