A FOOTBALLER from Presteigne has signed her first professional contract for Bristol Women's Football Academy.

Georgia Evans has been at the club since she was 16 and joined the SGS college programme.

She has since progressed through the club from playing college football into being the development squad captain and playing for the first team, where she started five league games in the first half of the season.

"I’m really happy to have signed my first contract with Bristol Academy," said Evans.

"It is a great club to be part of and I’m excited to see what’s in store for the rest of the season."

Manager Willie Kirk said that Evans fully deserves her contract.

"After only a week of training, I was keen to get Georgia signed on to a long term professional contract," he said.

"It’s her first pro contract and it’s greatly deserved having worked hard over the last few years to come through our college programme and breakthrough into the first team squad.

"She is a player that I’m looking forward to seeing develop further over the coming years.

"She is already at a level where she can make an impact in the WSL, but it is a case of managing her carefully so that we build her experience gradually, without making unnecessary and unrealistic demands on such a young player."

Evans is seen as a role model at Bristol and is head coach off the Under-9 team in the Centre of Excellence, as well as the Mini Vixens.

The Vixens will be playing Manchester City at Bristol Women's Football Academy on Saturday.