England contract an honour, says Bristol's Corinne

Bristol Academy skipper Corinne Yorston has spoken of her delight at being awarded one of the 17 new central contracts handed out to the England women's football squad.

And the versatile 25-year-old, who lives in Westbury-on-Trym, hopes it will help to speed her international development ahead of this summer's UEFA Women's European Championship finals in Finland.

The central contracting system is already used by England's men's cricket team and offers the players a degree of financial security as well as ensuring their availability for international selection.

The FA has committed £320,000 a year to the national women's side in a deal which will initially encompass the next four years.

Yorston said: "It's an honour to get one of the central contracts and a great opportunity for me.

"I applied for it and was delighted when I heard I was getting one – especially as only 17 were being given out.

"It will allow me the chance to concentrate on my training and also allow me more time to rest and recover from games."

Originally from Hampshire, Yorston did university studies at Bath and Loughborough and has been used to trying to fit football in to her academic and work schedule.

"That has been the case for the past 10 years, but now hopefully things will be a bit easier," she said. "I was working as a mortgage advisor in Bath until last Christmas and have done a few other jobs since, but now the central contract will allow me to focus on my football and hopefully help to make me a better player."

Former Fulham professional Yorston was an ever-present in the Academy side that secured a top-eight finish in the FA Women's Premier League National Division last season.

She made her England debut in 2003 but then suffered a couple of stress fractures which kept her out for almost a season, but has since taken her tally of international caps to five.

She helped England win the Cyprus Cup in March, was part of the squad that came through a tough qualifying group to secure their place in Finland in August, and was an unused substitute in a 3-0 win over Norway at Shrewsbury last month.

After leading the Bristol Academy side in an international tournament in Barcelona at the weekend, she flew back to England on Sunday and is currently taking part in a 28-strong training camp at Bisham Abbey as Hope Powell's side prepare to continue their build-up with a friendly against Iceland at Colchester on July 16.

Yorston has developed a reputation as a talented all-rounder – and not without reason. Although she believes her strongest position is at left-back, she is normally used as a midfielder by the Academy – but has won the majority of her England caps playing in central defence.

"I'll play anywhere as long as I'm in the team – and I enjoy being in midfield for Bristol because it means I'm involved in the game a lot more," she said.

"We did well to win the Cyprus Cup in March – that was a big boost – and now we will be looking to win our group at the European Championships this summer and go as far as we can.

"We have had a good record over the last few years at international level and that is something we want to build on."

England reached the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup in China two years ago and hope to mount a strong challenge in Finland, where they face Sweden, Italy and Russia in Group C.