A lot has changed for both Aston Villa Women and Ebony Salmon since they parted ways in 2018.
Then known as Aston Villa Ladies, the club were playing in the second tier in front of an average crowd of 212 during their home games at Tamworth FC.
While Salmon, having come through the youth ranks after joining the club aged 14, was a rising star after netting seven goals in 12 league games.
Manchester United Women swooped to make the then 17-year-old part of their squad for their first season as a professional team before the striker went onto become a Lioness in the years that followed.
This weekend, she’ll step out in claret and blue once again when Villa take on United in their Women’s Super League opener at Villa Park in front of a club-record crowd that is set to be over 10,000.
Salmon is excited to be back at the club after penning a three-year deal earlier this month.
Reflecting on the club she left to the one she’s rejoined, she said: “It’s changed massively; there are honestly very, very few things that are the same.
“I’ve come back to the same team, but nothing is the same. It shows the ambition of the club, how far they’ve come over the last few years and the direction they’re going in with the players they’re signing.
“Finishing fifth last year was a really good thing for them, and we’re going to build on that now.”
As Salmon says herself, she is rejoining a club on the up following the team’s highest-ever league finish last season. And with a minimum of five games being played at Villa Park this season, a rapidly growing fan base and a squad filled with international talent, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for what’s to come.
“I wanted to come back to England and I think it’s a good time to come back with the direction the league is going in and my ambitions with the national team,” she said.
“I think the reason Villa stood out to me was I trained here during my off-season to stay fit and stay on the ball, and I saw some really good things.
“The ambition of the club is really good with the players they’re bringing in. The way that they want to play suits how I want to play.”
Salmon returns to the club as a different player than the one who left, gaining experience in the top flight with Bristol City before heading to America for spells at Racing Louisville and Houston Dash.
And still only 22-years-old, the forward has ambitions to break back into the England squad and add to her four international caps.
“I’ve grown massively. I’ve been at a few clubs since, which have all been different challenges in different ways,” she said.
“They’ve all pushed me as a player in a different way, which has helped me to grow. Now I’m in a good place to come back to the league and show what I’m about.
“As much as Villa has grown since I was last in England, the league has grown a lot too. I’m really excited to be a part of that and see exactly how far it’s gone."
Salmon added: “As a forward, one of my main goals is always going to be to score as many goals as possible.
“Building on that, I want to be as good a team player as I can be and help the team wherever possible – whether that’s starting games, coming off the bench, scoring goals or assisting.
“A big goal of mine is to get back within the national team set-up.”
The second chapter of Salmon’s Aston Villa story begins on Sunday when she’ll hope to feature against her old side.
Having settled in quickly, the striker is backing her new teammates to have a strong season, starting at Villa Park.
She said: “Being away in America, I’ve watched a few of the WSL games and Manchester United are always one of those tough games.
“The direction that we’re going in as a team, we’re always going to be a good match for anyone. The threats that we have are going to cause any team in the league problems.”
