SWINDON Spitfires are looking to capitalise on the buzz around the Women’s World Cup as they begin their recruitment drive for the new season.

With the first team stepping up to the FA Women’s Premier League South West Division One, club secretary Bev Maull knows the importance of forming a team that can compete.

With England, who are set to play Canada for a place in the semi-finals in the early hours of tomorrow morning (12.30am BST), performing so well and the extra coverage the tournament is getting, Maull is hoping that will inspire more to attend their pre-season trials.

“There is a real buzz with the Women’s World Cup going on and we are just hoping that we are going to get a lot of recruits from it,” she said.

“For England to get to the quarter-finals - and they have a real good chance against Canada as well; it is fantastic for the sport.

“I just think it will have a knock-on effect, because if they do well, people are going to want to kick a ball around. It's the same with any sport.

“We’re going to look at the ‘We Can’ scheme that the FA are doing, which is for 11-to-17 year olds because a lot of girls come into football and there is still that little bit of stigma for the youngsters.”

With their promotion, Swindon Spitfires will now be playing in the same division as Swindon Town Ladies.

Maull knows that the step up in standard is going to provide its own challenges but is confident that the club can build a team, along with their Development and United sides, that can compete.

“Hopefully we are going to gain players of really good ability because we have been promoted and that is why we are holding the trials at the moment,” she added.

“It is just us trying to provide as much football as we can for women and girls in the county.

“We are going to be running girls teams from u17, right the way down to u9s next season.

“There are lots of clubs in there that we have played before but it is just a matter of increasing our squad.

“It is going to be a challenge but we are looking forward to that challenge and we want to hold our own and go on from there.”

Trials continue on Tuesday, June 30, and Thursday, July 2, from 6.30pm at South Marston Recreation Ground.

For more details contact Bev Maull on 07519 952958 or visit their website at www.swindonspitfiresfc.co.uk.