HARROP HOPES THERE’LL BE TEARS TO SHED

BIRMINGHAM CITY defender Kerys Harrop is hoping to end today’s Continental Cup final in tears – just as she did the 2012 FA Women’s Cup final. Harrop’s team will be underdogs against Manchester City today, particularly as the ‘Conti’ final is to be staged at their opponents’ Academy Stadium. But, back in 2012, Birmingham were also underdogs against Chelsea in an FA Cup final that finished in a penalty shoot-out win for the Midlanders. Harrop recalled: “I had to watch the shoot-out from the bench after being substituted towards the end of the 90 minutes. “But, when Chelsea missed the last penalty and we’d won the game, I dashed on to the pitch – and broke down in tears. I couldn’t help it, I was crying my eyes out. I’d been at Blues since I was nine and winning the club’s first ever major trophy meant so much. “Unfortunately, we’ve missed out on a few titles since, but now we’ve got the chance of winning our second big trophy and we’re determined to do it.” Since their FA Cup triumph Birmingham have gone agonisingly close to winning Super League and have also lost two Continental Cup finals. As they look to make it third time lucky, their line-up will be unrecognisable from their 2012 side. Harrop is one of only two players – captain Emily Westwood is the other – still at the club after a bevy of England internationals left. “We had seven England players in that 2012 team,” recalled vice-captain Harrop, 25. “Girls like Karen Carney, Eni Aluko and Jodie Taylor. “It’s been a shame to lose them all, but we’ve had some excellent youngsters come through and we’ve brought in some really good foreign players this year. “We’ve proved so many people wrong because we were being called relegation favourites at the start of the season. “But, with only a couple of games to go, we’re fourth in the table and hopefully set to win the Conti Cup.” Winning today’s final is Birmingham’s biggest challenge of a season in which Manchester City have proved themselves the best team in WSL. After clinching the league title with an undefeated record, they will be expected to complete the double today. “Man City have been the stand-out team this year,” conceded Harrop, “and they definitely deserved to win the league. “Now they’ve got home advantage in the Conti Cup final – a situation that a lot of our fans have complained about, but we’ve just got to get on with it. “They’ll be favourites, but that’s OK with us. We always seem to be the underdogs, but that suits us and we’ll step out feeling confident.” Harrop should certainly be feeling confident after hitting a goal in each of Birmingham’s last two games. Another one today, particularly if it was the winner, would not go amiss. And Harrop would not mind shedding a few tears – as long as they are tears of joy!