Aston Villa Women hosts third Fans’ Forum at Villa Park

Aston Villa Women welcomed supporters to Villa Park for the club’s third Fans’ Forum, as part of its ongoing commitment to engaging with the supporter community.

Taking place on Tuesday, March 3, the evening began at The Lower Grounds at Villa Park, where fans gathered for a watch party of the Lionesses’ entertaining win over Ukraine. Supporters then took part in a Q&A session with Director of Football Marisa Ewers and Managing Director Maggie Murphy.

Following the match, Ewers answered fan-submitted questions covering topics including recruitment strategy, footballing identity, and the importance of confidence and culture within the squad, offering supporters insight into areas of the club that are often kept behind the scenes.

Murphy then shared updates on a number of club matters, including key initiatives, priorities across the next three fixtures, and wider strategic thinking as planning begins for the 2026/27 season.

The evening concluded with a creative session where supporters were invited to share ideas for their ideal matchday experience, with feedback helping to shape future planning.

Full details on how supporters can attend the next Fans’ Forum will be shared in due course.

Q&A summary with Marisa Ewers, Director of Football

Question: What is the clear footballing identity you want Aston Villa Women to have - and do you believe that identity is currently visible on the pitch?

Our identity is clear: we want to be a proactive, front-foot team-aggressive out of possession, brave in possession, and tactically adaptable. We want to control games, not just react to them. There have been moments where you see it [consistency] clearly, but not with the consistency we demand. That's part of the work we're doing now, building a squad profile and tactical clarity that allows that identity to show up week after week.

Question: We’ve now made it well through the January transfer window, fans would love to understand more about how player recruitment and budget sign-off works? What worked well this transfer window? 

We have a very structured process. Recruitment proposals come from the football department, supported by data, scouting, and financial modelling. Final sign-off sits with the executive level and ownership. Every significant investment is made with long-term value in mind. You don't judge those decisions in six weeks, you judge them over seasons.

Question: How would you assess recent recruitment windows in terms of balance, impact, and fit? Do you believe the current squad is properly constructed to execute the style of play the coaching staff want? 

The reality is, we made a conscious decision to prioritise quality, profile balance and long-term planning rather than short-term volume, adding players with high ceilings in terms of protentional. Injuries have stretched us, and that's obvious, but we didn't want to bring players in simply to fill numbers if they didn't fit the direction we're building toward. Where we can improve is ensuring balance across all positions and protecting ourselves better against injury clusters in key areas. We always say recruitment is always evolving, it's never finished.

Question: How do you balance the need for immediate results with longer-term squad building and development? And where is the balance right now?

There is always tension between immediate results and building something sustainable. We are ambitious and we want to win now. But we are also building a squad with age profile, culture and style alignment in mind. The balance right now is about stabilising consistent performances, while staying true to the long-term direction.

Question: Given recent results, how is player morale and confidence at present? How do you build confidence in the squad? 

Morale is competitive and that's a good thing. Players care deeply…results impact confidence, but I see a group that is training with intensity and ownership. The response internally has been honest and committed.

Question: What performance indicators matter most to you when assessing progress, particularly during difficult runs of form?

A big performance indicator for us, regardless of results, is how we deliver our game model within a game plan under the highest levels of pressure. We are working incredibly hard to achieve consistency in the way we want to play. During difficult runs, what matters most to me is whether the underlying performance indicators delivers against our game model and standards are improving. Results follow sustainable performance, not the other way around.

Question: What should supporters look for over the remainder of the season that would demonstrate genuine progress?

I would ask supporters to look for consistency in our identity and game model. We want to showcase possession, more control without the ball, and the resilience in difficult moments. Even if results fluctuate, progress shows up in behaviour, cohesion and work ethic that we show on and off the pitch. We want supporters to feel they recognise this team, not just in results, but in personality.