Bristol Rovers Women are thrilled to announce that Layah Douglas has committed to extending her stay at the club.
"I decided to extend my stay at the club because my ambitions align with the club’s goals and ambitions," she stated.
"The fact that we are going to be playing on great facilities this season and having the support from the club is massive. I have always loved the setup here and I’m excited to continue to be a part of it."
"I think I’ll play a vital role in the club next season. It came into play last season for sure, and I’ll look to continue that way and give my all to the club, to make sure we do as best as we can."
Layah is focused on continuous improvement and making a substantial impact. "My personal goals would be to continue improving each game, and each training session and continue to prove a point on my ability. I’ll look to get as many minutes as possible and help the club achieve their goals," she explained.
For the team, the collective aim is clear: "We all share a common goal to do our best and gain solidarity in the national league and just build as a team as best we can."
Winning the league last season stands out as a defining moment for Layah. "My most memorable experience would be winning the league last season. That was a huge stepping stone and that’s when I realized this club was one with big ambitions," she recalled.
As an experienced member of the team, Layah is committed to mentoring younger players. "I plan to help the new players in the squad by making them feel welcome and building them up as people and players to get the best out of them and continue to build a nice environment around the club," she said.
Manager Nathan Hallett-Young recently shared his admiration for Layah’s consistent performances over the past three seasons and expressed his excitement about her new role within the squad’s leadership team.
“Layah has been a consistent mainstay in the squad for the last three years, and she’s nailed down the right-back position, consistently putting in excellent performances in the Quarters,” Nathan remarked.
He highlighted Layah’s dual strengths on the field: “She’s very skilful going forward and strong defensively, making the position her own and giving us that launchpad for our build-up play moving forward.”
“We haven't found many wingers that have caused dramatic problems for Layah - she’s been a key figure in our defence,” Nathan said.
Consistency has been a hallmark of Layah’s career, which has solidified her place in the squad. “Layah is one of those players who have been so consistent in every game, which solidifies the decision to keep her at this club. We want our fullbacks to get their head up and assist the attack, which Layah perfectly executes for us,” Nathan noted.
In addition to her on-field contributions, Layah is stepping into a leadership role this season. “Layah will be part of our squad leadership team this season - she’s very level-headed, calm in her decision making which is reflected in her performances. We need characters like Layah in the squad, especially heading into the new season where things may get challenging,” Nathan explained.
He is particularly excited about Layah’s new responsibility as vice-captain. “She will become vice-captain this season, and although she is still young herself, she is very mature in her decision-making,” he said.
Nathan concluded with a strong vote of confidence: “She has the full trust of the management staff, and I'm very excited to see her included as part of the leadership team this season.”
We are excited to see Layah continue to grow and contribute to our success in the upcoming season and beyond."
