SIDDALL PREPARES TO FACE FAMILIAR OPPOSITION

Defender previews AFC Fylde test

Burnley defender Emma Siddall comes up against a team she knows well in AFC Fylde Women this evening.

The 18-year-old joined the Clarets in February, signing until the end of the season on a dual registration deal from Manchester City.

Siddall spent the best part of a year with the Coasters on similar terms, making six starts and scoring twice in 2022/23.

A further 13 appearances followed in 2023/24 before Burnley swooped to bring her across Lancashire.

“I enjoyed my time at Fylde and it was a great group of girls,” Emma said.

“It was great to get my first solid block of senior matches under my belt and for that I’ll always be grateful – I think my experience there will stand me in good stead for the rest of my career.”

The Coasters are fighting at the bottom end of the table and have three points from their 17 league matches played to date.

However, Siddall and her Burnley team-mates know that they can’t take anything for granted at the County Ground in Leyland.

“It’s clear that Burnley have enjoyed a much better season than Fylde”, she said.

“But it’s a team we can’t guarantee a win against because they’ve always got something to fight for. It will be tough game for sure.”

Up until Sunday’s victory over Stourbridge Siddall had played every minute of every game since joining Burnley, although that number is considerably less than it could have been with several postponements affecting the schedule.

Reflecting on her time at the Club to date, she said: “I’ve been welcomed really well and think I’ve settled in quite quickly – it helps that Gracie and Ginny who I know from City were already here.

“Under the manager here I’ve been able to play with no pressure and that’s always a good feeling.

“It’s been nice to get some wins recently too and hopefully we can kick on and finish the season strongly.”

Kick-off at the Lancashire FA County Ground (PR25 2LF) is 7:45pm on Wednesday 3rd April, and supporters can purchase tickets at the venue on the day.

Burnley season ticket holders can gain free entry, with other tickets priced at £5 for adults and £2 for concessions.

If you can’t make it to the ground, the game will be streamed live on TikTok @BurnleyOfficial.

Live updates can also be found on X @BurnleyFCWomen, with a match report to follow on www.burnleyfootballclub.com.