FA WSL Preview: Steph Houghton, Arsenal Ladies

The first of She Kicks’ player-by-player Super League previews, with Arsenal’s Steph Houghton. Able to play up front, in midfield or across the defence, she expects to be settled at right back and wants to play as many full 90 minutes as she can while Arsenal chase titles. She was handed the number 2 shirt as soon as she agreed to sign – a significant number at the club given Alex Scott wore it – and did not choose it. Joining a Super League club meant moving from the North East to London, with Vic Akers sorting everything including her flat, which she loves. Houghton describes a pre-season that has felt like a year, individual daily programmes plus team sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, DJing duties shared with Jen Beattie and Katie Chapman, a home pitch the players treat as a fortress, and a manager everyone calls Harvs.