Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Sam Tierney captained Leicester City last season as they were relegated to WSL 2
ByEmma SandersBBC Sport women’s football news reporter- Published15 minutes ago
When Leicester City were relegated from the Women's Super League to WSL 2 in May, it was the catalyst for a mass exodus from the club.
Fourteen players have already left in the summer transfer window including nine who featured in the WSL play-off defeat by Charlton Athletic.
Goalkeeper Janina Leitzig switched to Manchester United while talented attacking trio Hannah Cain, Noemie Mouchon and Jutta Rantala joined Everton.
It means a major rebuild is on the cards as they look to bounce back from the second tier this season.
However, captain Sam Tierney, who is the longest-serving player at Leicester, gave supporters a major boost when she agreed a new deal until 2028 in July.
The 27-year-old has made 151 appearances for the Foxes and has been there through thick and thin - so why has she chosen to stay?
"I'm not the type to want to jump ship. Since I've been at Leicester, I've created a genuine connection with the club," Tierney told BBC Sport.
"I wanted to succeed and we've had a good number of years where's it's been up and down, but I feel like now we're at a point where we can rebuild.
"I think it's difficult because Leicester, at the minute, gets a bit of a bad rep. The club is fantastic and so are the people.
"It's a family kind of club and we're just going through a change. I am very proud to play for Leicester."
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'I want people to be jealous of Leicester'
Last season was one to forget for Leicester as their five-year stay in the WSL ended the same way as their men's team, who were relegated to League One.
The women's side picked up just two wins from their 22 matches and ended with a -41 goal difference having struggled to score.
It sparked concerns about the women's team's future with questions being asked as to whether they would continue playing at King Power Stadium and if their budget would be slashed.
But the club have acted swiftly, allowing players who wanted to leave to go for valuable fees which have been used to reinvest in the squad.
Only time will tell if it will be enough but Tierney hopes this is an opportunity to grow a new Leicester that will "make people jealous" in the future.
"When I first joined Leicester, we were training on one of the local parks. We weren't at Belvoir Drive where the men were. The progression is incredible," she said.
"I want to make sure people want to play for Leicester. I want people to stay at Leicester. I want people to be jealous of Leicester.
"I know that's the potential of this club and hopefully we'll get that."
Tierney joined Leicester from Sheffield United in 2020 and has played under seven managers during her time at the club.
She was part of the team who earned promotion to the WSL in 2021 and reached the Women's FA Cup semi-finals in 2024.
The midfielder knows changes "won't happen overnight" but she hopes Leicester can become "sustainable" in the WSL and not a yo-yo club as they have been recently.
"The type of person I am means I'm not happy if I don't feel like I'm finished somewhere," added Tierney.
"The direction the club want to go in and the change that needs to be made to do that, I'm on board with.
"Ultimately, my biggest thing is to make sure people feel the same connection that I have to the club and they want the club to progress.
"The moment that I leave, I want Leicester to be in a better position than when I started here."
'It's time to change the narrative'
Leicester's pre-season is under way. They beat Rugby Borough, earned a draw against Manchester United and lost to Liverpool.
Six new signings have joined the squad, with three other players renewing their contracts alongside Tierney.
As they prepare for their WSL 2 opener against Sheffield United on 6 September (14:00 BST), Tierney says she can feel "a change".
"You can see there's been a reflection period, there's been a review and you can see the direction we want to go in. We can feel that. We've changed," said Tierney.
"Players change all the time, every team goes through that, but it's important that everyone coming in has the same drive and desire to commit to it.
"We've got those people and it has been quite refreshing. We want to be a different Leicester and it's time to change the narrative on who we are and how we're seen."
On a personal level, Tierney hopes this season can be a more enjoyable one as captain, when the threat of relegation isn't a weekly stress.
She says it is "not always acknowledged" how difficult those seasons can be for everybody involved at the club and this season is a chance to restart.
"It's hard as a player. You're trying to give it your all but things just aren't going right," Tierney added.
"We want to be an exciting team, we want to be a team on the ball, we want to be a team that's difficult to beat and we want to surprise some people.
"Of course the aim is to go up. But it's got to be done in a sustainable way because if I sit here this time next year and we're in a worse position, then there's no point.
"We're going to make sure we're ready to challenge at the top of this league, get promoted and stay in the WSL for years to come."
