England Women’s captain Casey Stoney wants to win silverware in 2013

Casey Stoney believes women’s football is in rude health.

The England skipper enters 2013 hoping to lead her country to glory in this summer’s European Championship Finals in Sweden.

Stoney has been an international defender for over 12 years and featured in three major tournaments, helping the Three Lions reach two World Cup quarter finals and the final of Euro 2009.

But she reckons England are coming into the New Year in a better position than they have ever been.

Speaking to BBC Sport in December, she said: "We have qualified for the last four or five major tournaments but I think in the past five years we have really started to hit our peak.

"In 2007 we were bit unlucky in the quarter-finals against the United States. In 2009 we reached the European Championship Final.

"We are pushing on every year. We have beaten the US and Japan, who went on to win the World Cup.

“If we can have success, hopefully it will filter down [because] the standards are improving. I look at 15- and 16-year-olds and I think 'thank God I am retiring in five years' because some of them are frightening."

Stoney added: "I am more determined to win things than ever – there has been a lot of heartache for me.

"We get so far and then we lose and it's time to take that next step now. We have the ability, the skill and I think a lot of it psychological. It is a matter of convincing ourselves.”

The 30-year-old is one of ten players in the running for the England Women’s Player of the Year award.

In 2012, Stoney won her 100th England cap and led her side to Sweden 2013. She put in a number of commanding displays from the centre of defence and was crowned FA International Player of the Year last November.

But has she done enough to secure your vote?

Voting will close at midnight on Sunday 13 January 2013.