Bristol City temporary boss Matt Beard is fired up for Saturday's crunch clash with relegation rivals Aston Villa - and says that he has been given additional motivation by people writing off his squad's chance of survival.
Beard took over in the Vixens' hot-seat back in January to cover Tanya Oxtoby's maternity leave when the team were bottom of the Barclays FA Women's Super League - several points adrift of safety.
In the intervening three months, City have picked up two league wins plus three draws, and a run to the final of the FA Continental Tyres League Cup.
They are now level on points with Villa - although the Birmingham team have a game in hand. And Beard says he has enjoyed the challenge with which he has been presented.
"I was in a win-win situation, coming into this role," he told Bristol Live. "If I turned it around and I kept us up then I've done a good job. If I get us in and around it, I've done a good job.
"Everyone had written us off - I've known comments from other general managers, I've known comments from other managers that have said, 'Oh, we'll be all right, because of Bristol City'. And I wanted to prove people wrong, it's not about money, it's about getting a group together, having a common goal."
Beard has benefited from a squad now approaching full strength and fitness, and being able to adapt his tactics accordingly.
"I think the biggest thing for me is that there are some really talented players here. Injuries didn't help matters in a small squad. But the way they were playing was very defence-minded and we've got some very good attacking players - Carla Humphrey is a gifted footballer, Yana Daniels is a gifted footballer, Ebony Salmon speaks for herself this year.
"I've learned a lot in this process, especially about the mind shift they're getting against some of the top teams and being in a position where we had played two or three more games than everyone else, and West Ham were our closest rivals in January, five points behind. We've ended up putting ourselves in that position of putting other teams under pressure, so I've enjoyed it.
"One thing I've promised the club and promised the players is that I will give my all. promised applies is that I will get my own. And I know that I've done that, and I will continue to do that and I'm determined to keep this team in the division."
