Aston Villa manager Carla Ward signs new two-year contract

Aston Villa manager Carla Ward has signed a new two-year deal with the Women’s Super League club.

Ward, 39, who signed a contract extension until the end of the 2023-24 season in January after joining Villa in 2021, has now agreed a deal until the end of the 2024-25 campaign, with an option to extend for another year.

Villa’s head of women’s football Lee Billiard said: “This is tremendous news for Carla and the club.

“We have continued to see substantial improvement in the team under her leadership, both individually and collectively, and this contract extension will allow her to continue progressing and building on our strategy to try to develop young players while putting Aston Villa at the heart of the women’s game in England at this exciting time.”

Ward arrived at Villa for the start of the 2021-22 season and guided them to an improved ninth-place finish in the WSL.

Last week’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool in their last home game of the season secured Ward’s side a fifth-place finish in the table.

Villa became the first side outside the WSL’s top four to register 10 league wins in a season and Ward, nominated for the manager of the season award, also won the WSL’s manager of the month award on three occasions.