Rachel Williams revealed yesterday that she thought her teammates were playing a prank on her when she was told she had been recalled to the England squad after a four year absence.

The Notts County striker last played for the Lionesses under former boss Hope Powell in 2013 but current manager Mark Sampson has named her in his squad to face Norway and Sweden at the end of the month.

“I never retired from England and never gave up on the idea of playing again,” she told BBC Radio Leicester.

“But it got to a point after three years where I thought: ‘I’ve had my time.’

“At first I thought someone was having me on.”

Williams’s club teammates Carly Telford, Jo Potter, Jade Moore and Ellen White will all make the trip to Spain next Sunday and then to Sweden two days later.

It was Lionesses regular Laura Bassett who alerted Williams to the good news Williams said: “She texted me to say: ‘You really need to check your emails.’

“She’s like my fairy godmother; she watches over me. She’s brilliant.”

The 28-year-old won the last of her 13 caps four years ago in the successful 2013 Cyprus Cup campaign but missed out on Powell’s Euro 2013 squad.

Williams is now delighted to get the chance to impress Sampson and hopefully make the squad for the 2017 European Champions, to be played in the Netherlands.

She faces tough competition, with Manchester City’s Toni Duggan and Arsenal’s Danielle Carter making the trip, and Chelsea’s Fran Kirby still to come back from injury.

However, Williams wants to use this opportunity prove she has a place in the team, with Sampson saying last month that she “brings an incredible work ethic and physicality to our front line, as well as a huge aerial threat.”

“I will be like a kid in a sweet shop,” the former Leicester, Birmingham and Chelsea forward said.

“It’s doing something I love doing every day. I can’t wait to get out there.

“For me, it is going out there and showing him what I have got. Hopefully I can impress and get called up to the next camp.”

Williams, who is the alltime top scorer in the Women’s Super League, signed a contract extension on Tuesday, saying at the time:

“I’m pleased to have extended my stay at Notts County, I enjoy playing my football here and it’s a big reason for me to stay.

“Another reason is the fans, their support has been brilliant in my time here and I look forward to seeing them all again for the next season.”

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