Prolific striker Shannon Albuery is relishing a “new challenge” after joining AFC Bournemouth women.
The 23-year-old arrives at Vitality Stadium having registered 30 goals and 13 assists in 35 games for Portsmouth in the Southern Premier Division last season.
Albuery, who progressed through the youth ranks at Pompey, also featured for Yeovil Town in the Women’s Super League in 2018/19.
She will be hoping to help Steve Cuss’s team go one better this season having been pipped for promotion by Cheltenham Town in 2021/22.
In their inaugural campaign in the National League, the Cherries were runners-up in Division One South West, the fourth tier of the women’s game.
Albuery netted for Pompey in their FA Cup win over the Cherries last season and chipped in with two assists as they beat Cuss’s team in the Hampshire Senior Cup final.
She told afcb.co.uk: “I know a few players here and they have all said a lot of good things about the club.
“Like me, they have a lot of ambition. I want to get back to the top level and Bournemouth have the ambition to get there as well. That’s what drove me to come here and, hopefully, we can achieve that one day.”
Albuery, who also had spells with Chichester and West Ham, hit four goals for Pompey during a pre-season friendly against the Cherries 12 months ago.
She added: “When we played Bournemouth last season, you could see how professional they were. They have a lot of different qualities and are an up-and-coming team.
“They have a lot of young players which bodes well for the future. They have a lot of ambition and everything looks very positive to me.
“I had a taste of the top tier with Yeovil and it was unbelievable. You are playing against England internationals, players you watch on the television. You come up against them on a matchday and think, wow!
“Hopefully, one day, this team can get there and I would love to go there with them. I trust this group of players to be able to go even higher.
“Pompey has always been in my blood and I joined then when I was 16. It was good being there but it’s always nice to have a new challenge.
“I’m looking to take the next step and now I’ve come to Bournemouth, hopefully, we can grow as a team and get stronger and stronger.
“Our ambition this season is to win the league. The next stage is tier three and then see how far we can go after that.
“The manager is very ambitious and with the players he’s got and the ones he’s bringing in, the squad is only going to get stronger and stronger.”
Albuery wasted no time in opening her goal account for the club, the striker netting twice in the 2-0 pre-season friendly win over Abingdon.
Shannon is pictured with AFC Bournemouth women's boss Steve Cuss (right) and assistant Matt Divine.
