Kelly: 'I've enjoyed starting fresh this pre-season'

Kelly, who's going into her third season in black and white, has been involved in all of the club's pre-season sessions and camps in Marbella and Munich this summer - a far cry from her frustrating start 12 months ago.

Newcastle United Women's number eight was struck down with sesamoiditis - an injury that saw a bone in her foot become worn down - before the previous pre-season began, with the midfielder admitting she may have pushed herself too hard.

"I'm feeling really good," Kelly told newcastleunited.com. "It was really hard for me last season, and I felt as though I had no luck whatsoever, but I've enjoyed starting fresh this pre-season.

"Everyone always wants to come into pre-season the fittest they can be, which is why we work so hard behind the scenes, but maybe I did a bit too much as I suffered from sesamoiditis.

"It showed that I was basically doing too much repetitive running and had worn down the bone inside my foot, and that was a huge setback for me."

The former England youth international managed to work her way back to full fitness before the end of 2024 and started United's first two wins in the Women's FA Cup against Middlesbrough Women and Nottingham Forest Women respectively.

However, the joy of getting minutes under her belt and being in the starting line-up quickly evapourated following a 'silly tackle', meaning another long road to recovery.

"I managed to get myself back fit before Christmas, and I remember having a conversation with Becky (Langley) just before the Forest game," she added.

"They were a bit reluctant to play me, but I told them I wanted to be involved to help me get back to full fitness and help the team, but unfortunately I ended up injuring my ankle ligaments.

"The injuries were ones I felt as though I couldn't really control; the one against Forest was just a silly tackle. Looking back on the season now, clearly it just wasn't meant to be my season."

It's been a summer of change for the Lasses, who've added five new players this summer - Jemma Purfield, Molly Pike, Jordan Nobbs, Aoife Mannion and Małgorzata Grec - as well as going on two training camps abroad, which provided valuable minutes and experience.

Testing themselves against the Frauen Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich Women, was a big moment for Newcastle - but also a nervy one for Kelly, she explained.

"It was an amazing feeling (playing for Newcastle once again), but I was quite nervous going into the game because I couldn't remember the last time I played in a competitive match," she said.

"The girls we've signed brought an abundance of energy and experience to the group, and they're all excellent characters who I know will improve the group we already had here."

With Munich now behind Kelly and her team-mates, all eyes are on the remainder of pre-season - most notably a return to St. James' Park, just over four months since their last outing in front of a 38,502-strong crowd against rivals Sunderland Women.

This time, Newcastle will take on Victor Martin's Atlético Madrid Femenino side in the Sela Cup, something which, alongside the help of her team-mates, has kept Kelly motivated and hungry while sitting on the sidelines.

"When I was injured, the girls and medical team - who I never thought I'd get to know so well - were who helped me stay positive every day and pushed me through the tough times, but my team-mates have just been amazing with me since last summer," Kelly added.

"Playing at St. James' Park was something which always kept me going when I was injured. So to potentially have the opportunity to get back out on the pitch this Saturday is a goosebump moment for me."