BLACKBURN Rovers Ladies will play their home games at Bamber Bridge’s Sir Tom Finney Stadium this season – a move which manager Gemma Donnelly believes will help the club’s long-term ambition of competing in the FA Women’s Super League campaign.

Rovers kick-off the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division away to last season’s promotion rivals Stoke City on Sunday, August 21 before travelling to Huddersfield Town on Sunday, August 28.

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Donnelly’s side will then play their first matches at their new home ground, on Sunday, September 4 when they face Rotherham United in the FA Women’s Premier League Cup, and on Sunday, September 11, when they take on West Brom in the league.

Rovers boss Donnelly, who has named Lynda Shepherd as her new captain, said: “I’m really pleased to be moving to such an excellent facility that in the long term could accommodate our aspirations of achieving WSL status.

“I have been wanting to be involved with Bamber Bridge for a number of seasons, it’s a great venue. I’m glad we’ve been able to make it happen and it’s somewhere we really want to be able to call our ‘home ground’.

“It will be good to have a venue for the foreseeable future that can meet not only our needs, but WSL requirements too.

“I am really looking forward to having an excellent working relationship with a club that can help propel us onto the next level in our journey towards top flight-football.”

Youngster Kelsey Pearson, meanwhile, has won another England Women’s Under-17s call-up.

The centre-back is part of the squad which is currently undergoing a training camp at Queen Ethelburga’s College in York.

Pearson, who has signed a new one-year deal with Rovers, helped England to a third-place finish at the UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship earlier this year.