West Ham United Ladies have appointed Amy Cooper (pictured right) as captain and Amber Stobbs (pictured left) as vice-captain for the 2017/18 season.
The pair were presented with their armbands by West Ham United Ladies Ambassador Michail Antonio at the Rush Green training ground recently.
Cooper takes on the captaincy for the second successive season, having made a hugely positive impression last year, and is looking forward to an exciting campaign ahead.
The 22-year-old central midfielder said: “I am delighted to be selected as captain for West Ham United for the second season running. I feel that we have a really hard working and motivated team this year, with a number of new signings increasing the competition for positions, which will only help us improve on what we had last season.
“This season we are striving to win some silverware - playing how we have over pre-season, with a few improvements in weaker areas, I am really excited about what we can achieve.”
Vice-captain Amber, 24, joined the Club this summer from Women’s Super League side Everton and added: “I am very pleased, and surprised, to be appointed vice-captain.
“During pre-season training, I have been trying to get my experience across, working out how different players react to different communication, and hopefully showing leadership qualities.
“It’s a role that I have held in the past at other clubs growing up, and I am honoured to have been considered for it here at West Ham.”
First team manager Greg De Carnys said: “I am absolutely delighted to appoint Amy and Amber as captain and vice-captain this season.
“Amy, who was Club captain last season, has a great personality and naturally the other girls do see her as a leader on and off the pitch.
"She also epitomises what we are about here, in how hard she has worked at her game and consequently in the progress she has made as a player over the last ten months.
“Amber has come in and settled brilliantly into the group. She obviously has the respect of the other players because of the way she approaches her game and I think she can be a great influence for some of the younger and less experienced players we have in the team.
“We have a fantastic bunch of girls and they are very well represented by Amy and Amber.”
General Manager Karen Ray added: "Amy and Amber are both great leaders on and off the pitch, they conduct themselves in ways which others aspire to. They both demonstrate great professionalism, ambition and a desire to take West Ham United Ladies to the top of the Women’s game.
"Their interaction with all age groups throughout the Ladies set up shows how effective they both are as role models to players who are on their pathway.
"We are proud to have two hardworking, ambitious Ladies leading the way as we embark on the 2017/18 season.”
The West Ham United Ladies kick off their FA Women’s Premier League campaign away at Gillingham on Sunday 20 August.