Lianne Sanderson. Picture: Catherine Etoe

Published: 4 December, 2014

STRIKER Lianne Sanderson says she hopes her return to Arsenal Ladies after a six-year absence sends out a message that the club are aiming high again. 

The Londoner left Arsenal for Chelsea a year after their unprecedented Quadruple winning season of 2007 and has played professionally in America since. 

But while Sanderson’s career scaled new heights in the intervening years, the fortunes of England’s most successful women’s team have recently waned. The professional terms now on offer within the FA Women’s Super League means talented players are more evenly distributed across clubs rather than concentrated in one or two. 

So although the Gunners won the FA Women’s Cup in May they ended last season poorly by their own standards when they only finished fourth in the league. 

England forward Sanderson, who is back at the club she first joined while still at primary school, now hopes the Gunners can be a force to be reckoned with once again. “I think a lot of people thought Arsenal were on their way down,” said the 26-year-old. “Hopefully my signing shows you where the club is trying to go and hopefully we can add to that with more signings as well.”

Arsenal are not back in WSL action again until next year but they are currently competing in the International Women’s Club Championship in Japan and were due to play Okayama Yunogo Belle in the semi-finals in Tokyo yesterday (Wednesday).