Former West Ham and Liverpool midfielder will utilise experience to boost Charlton Athletic promotion push in FA Women’s Championship

Kate Longhurst is hoping her extensive Super League experience will help boost Charlton Athletic’s promotion prospects.

The 34-year-old midfielder has won back-to-back WSL titles with Liverpool and reached two FA Cup finals, once with Chelsea and latterly with West Ham.

Longhurst is Charlton’s first signing of the summer, dropping down to the Championship following her release by the east Londoners.

“It’s a very competitive league, so we can’t say our goal is definitely promotion, she told the South London Press. “It is to be towards the top end of the league.

“I hope I can bring some experience to the team, on and off the pitch. With the pressure of football and the ups and downs, I have been through a lot.”

Charlton finished fourth last season in the second tier – 10 points adrift of eventual champions Bristol City.

Longhurst, a lifelong West Ham fan, was twice awarded the Hammer of the Year award.

Prior to arriving at Charlton she had not played below the top tier of the women’s domestic game.

“It’s going to be different,” said Longhurst. “I know there is still a lot of quality players in this league – it’s developed quite a lot since the start of the WSL.

“The Championship is a very strong league – I’m looking forward to it. I’m going to have to adapt my game as well.

“It’s going to be more transitional. I might have more time on the ball but, on the whole, the quality is good and there are a lot of strong teams.

“A lot of the teams are full-time, which is needed for a competitive second league.

“A lot of teams will want promotion, so it’s going to be close.

“Midway through last season, it wasn’t how it had been in the previous four years. I started to think I needed a fresh challenge.

“I didn’t want to end my career last season. I still had a lot to give. It was a tough decision to leave – it was a fantastic place to be a  part of.

“It was five of the best years I have had in football. But, realistically, I wanted some more game time. Last season, I probably didn’t play as much as I felt I deserved.

“I don’t know if this will be my last year – it will be nice to go out on a high.”