Ladd departs City Women

Club captain Ladd, 23, joined the Vixens in 2015 from Coventry and quickly became a firm favourite among supporters and team-mates alike.

The Welsh international was given the captaincy in 2016 and recently led the side in the Spring Series.

City Women manager Willie Kirk is disappointed to lose a player from his leadership group, but wishes Ladd well for the future.

He said: “I gave Hayley the captaincy at a very young age and she didn’t let me down. She handled it with maturity and led the team fantastically on the pitch and was also a model professional off it.

“She has decided not to accept a new contract from us, which is disappointing, but I understand her reasoning and wish her well for the future. It is now time for the club to move forward into the WSL 1 season; we have some exciting signings to arrive in pre-season and there is a fantastic buzz around the place - we can’t wait to get started.”

Everyone at the club would like to wish Hayley the best for the future.