Kirsty Barton is proud to be a part of Albion’s rise

The 27-year-old joined the club in 2011 when they were in the third tier and all the players were semi-professional.

However, Barton says she would have not dreamt the club would come this far in nine years.

She said: “Absolutely not. We used to play our games at the Withdean Stadium and train at Sussex University, some of those freezing cold nights till 10-10.30 and then you look at where the club has come now and it is massive.

“Even when we just moved from training down the road to the training ground at Lancing, that was such a massive progression for us as well.

“For us now to be full-time professional athletes it is great and the club has come so far and I am proud to be a part of that.

“It is great I am sure we all feel so lucky to be doing our dream job really.”

Since 2011, Barton has made 169 appearances in that time and become Albion’s longest serving player and says she has enjoyed every minute of it.

She said: “When I moved from Chelsea this was only the second club that I had played for in my career, playing for Chelsea for seven years and now playing at Brighton.

“There has never been a point during my time here where I thought I ever want to move on.

“I’ve loved every minute at this club and being able to progress as a player and as part of a team.”

Barton has found her game time hard to come by this season with herself being used as right back by Hope Powell.

The full back has played just four times in the WSL, but feels the competition from fellow full back Matilde Lundorf is bringing out the best in her.

She said: “Unfortunately that is just football and you know it is a competitive game and competition is healthy.

“At the end of the day competing for a place it actually just brings the better out of you as a player that is what I believe in and having good players around you that make you have to fight for your place, brings out the best in you.”

“The competition is very healthy especially for me at right back and I am sure for Matilde as well it brings the best out of you as a player.

“When you have got someone as good as Matilde who is an international player, who you are fighting for a position with it brings the best out of you.”

Prior to becoming a right back Barton had been a central midfield and she is willing to play there if Powell needs her.

She said: “It has massively and I know you say about versatility, but I haven’t since I moved to right back played in the centre of midfield.

“At least I know that I can fulfil that centre mid role, if Hope needed me I am happy to play there.”

But what are Barton’s goals for 2020?

She said: “I just want to keep progressing as a player.

“Every day playing at right back I am learning new things and for me to progress as a player, to help the team move up the league table and to get the results we want is my goal.”

Albion host Liverpool on Sunday. The Reds currently sit 11th in the table a place below the Seagulls, but is Barton surprised by their position.

She said: “It is a competitive league, I think anyone in this league it is a surprise to see any of the teams at the bottom because we are all big teams in this league.

“But, they have had a bit of a rocky start, but their last couple of results they have started to find their feet.

“They drew against Chelsea and a draw against West Ham, even the couple of results before that they only got beat 1-0 by the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal, so you can tell they are a defensively strong and will need to be aware of that.”