Done deal: Portsmouth confirm transfer of lethal non-league striker Nixon
Portsmouth Women manager Jay Sadler has been incredibly busy this summer.
Sadler wouldn’t have had much time to celebrate his team’s survival in the Women’s Championship last season.
Not long after, it was announced that six members of his squad would be released following the expiry of their contracts.
On top of that, six loan signings would return to their parent clubs. Portsmouth’s squad already wasn’t the biggest, and Sadler lost a couple of crucial players to rivals this summer.
The manager has been forced into a huge rebuilding job, but it’s progressing well. He’s already made a handful of savvy signings, including those of Lucy Johnson and Jazz Bull.
Non-League hotshot Nixon signs for Portsmouth
Angelina Nixon has become the latest signing for Portsmouth Women after agreeing a two-year deal at the club.
Nixon, 23, arrives from National League North side Rugby Borough, where she fired 27 goals in 48 games.
She had previously played for the likes of Norwich, Cambridge, Birmingham and MK Dons.
Speaking about his newest signing, Sadler suggested that Nixon would prove to be a real handful for defences across the league next season.
In an interview with Portsmouth, he said: “We’re delighted to welcome Angelina to Portsmouth. She’s a dynamic wide forward with outstanding ball-carrying ability and a strong physical profile.”
Nixon signing comes at a great time after losing ‘cult hero’ Quirk
Sadler said that his scouting team had been monitoring Nixon for a while and felt it was the right time for her to make the step-up. Her scoring record in recent seasons certainly backs up that sentiment.
The signing was announced just a day after Portsmouth cut ties with scoring sensation Sophie Quirk.
Similarly to Nixon, Quirk was firing in goals for fun in the lower divisions. She had proven to be a key player for Pompey in the Women’s Championship as well, scoring five goals, including two in the final-day win against Blackburn Rovers that confirmed their safety.
| Women’s Championship Final Standings 2024-25 | Points |
| 9. Portsmouth | 13 |
| 10. Blackburn Rovers | 12 |
| 11. Sheffield United | 9 |
It will be hoped that Nixon’s goals can help to soften the blow of losing Quirk, who had been described as a ‘cult hero’ by Sadler.
If the award-winning Pompey boss can keep pulling off signings like this, he’ll grow increasingly confident in his team’s ability to avoid relegation from the WSL2 again this season.
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