Get to know every member of the current Lionesses squad. Lionesses Squad Alex Greenwood For the majority of her career Greenwood played as a left-back, however over the past two years Greenwood has converted into a left-sided centre-back. Adapting to this role remarkably well, Greenwood has developed a heightened defensive acumen and is reliable in putting in play breaking challenges. Greenwood brings a finesse to England’s backline offering a favourable counterbalance to Millie Bright’s more physical approach. Greenwood is tidy and rarely takes rash action, however her biggest strength undoubtedly lie in her technical skill. With a weapon of a left foot, Greenwood is able to find teammates across the pitch with a single impeccable pass. Due to this gift of precision, Greenwood also acts as England’s principal set-piece taker. Photograph courtesy of the FA.

Groundhopper Paul Donegan shares his Euro's Diary with us as he travels up and down the country to catch as many games as he can. Euro's Information and News Euro's Diary: Part One Paul Donegan By Paul Donegan 24 July 2022 I am planning on going to 16 matches during the Women’s Euro’s and thought I would write a diary type thing about them, plus other matches I watch on the telly. Not quite sure how this will turn out but I will probably write about things I remember, see, people I talk to and maybe a bit about the actual matches! I will probably publish it a couple of times a week. Here is a look back at the first two days. Wednesday 6th July Arriving at Euston station in London, it was nice to see quite a few other people wearing Lionesses/England shirts. No issues on the train journey up to Manchester. As the train pulled into Piccadilly station, there were a few spots of rain on the window. Leaving the station, I walked under some Euro’s banners that were hung up. The fan festival in Piccadilly Gardens looked busy as I walked past on my way to the Banyan bar and the Free Lionesses Fans’ Embassy. It was nice to see Debs and it is a good place to meet other Lionesses fans. I also picked up a copy of a free supporters guide there. The hotel I was staying in was a few minutes walk from there. There were three lifts but only one went to the lower ground floor where reception/entrance was whilst the other two went to the floor above and there were escalators down to reception. My room was on the seventh floor and offered a view of a car park below. Having booked a lot of hotels over the next month, I did have to check if I had booked breakfast in this one or not (I had)! Just after 4 o’clock, I got the Metrolink tram out to Old Trafford. Well to be honest, I got on the wrong tram and had to walk a bit further than planned (maybe I should have checked the ground guides I wrote!). I passed Old Trafford cricket ground walking up to the football stadium. There were lots of burger vans and merchandise sellers as I got closer to the stadium. It was already very busy around the stadium when I got there at 5pm, three hours before kick off. There were official merchandise stalls about and I bought the official tournament programme which cost £8. I had a look around the fan festival there before waiting for the turnstiles to open at 6. There was a cool breeze and I am pleased I had taken a jacket with me. My seat was in the upper tier of the east stand. Getting to it involved climbing a lot of steps! Before the match there was a DJ playing in the ground, finishing with the crowd singing along to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. Then there was the Opening Ceremony but I couldn’t see much of it due to the amount of smoke from the fireworks and pyrotechnics. There was a good atmosphere and the cheer after the national anthem was one of the loudest I have ever heard at a Lionesses game. There were some Austria fans there too with a large group sat below where I was. Tiny Football Car (or Tiny Buzz) drove on with the ball which also got a loud cheer. Beth Mead scored the only goal of the game for England during the first half. England had other chances but didn’t take them. I thought both defences played well though I was getting a bit nervy in the last 15 minutes with the score still at 1-0, especially when Austria had a few chances. The attendance was 68,871, which is a record for the Women’s Euros. After the final whistle, “Sweet Caroline” was played which got a lot of the crowd singing again! There was a long queue and wait for the tram back into Manchester at the Old Trafford stop. The tram was packed and I could hear someone singing “Footballs Coming Home” as it made its way back. I got back to my hotel at about 11:15pm after a very good day! Thursday 7th July No match for me today. After having breakfast at the hotel, I got the train back to London. Again there were no issues but I am waiting for some train problems during the Euro’s for me. I was home in north London by 1:30pm. I watched Norway v Northern Ireland on the telly in the evening. Norway’s attack looked very good with Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten especially impressing me. Norway were 3-0 up before half-time and I worried for Northern Ireland. Julie Nelson scored Northern Ireland’s first goal in a major tournament early in the second half which was a special moment. Reiten’s free kick for Norway shortly after made it 4-1 and that is how it finished. It will be interesting to see how England defend against Norway’s attack on Monday. Friday 8th July It was hot and sunny, feeling like proper summer football tournament weather! Arriving at Gunnersbury station, there were volunteers outside guiding people to the stadium. In the pub over the road from the station, there were Germany fans along with a bus! Closer to the ground, Denmark fans had taken over a pub next to the River Thames. It was nice just walking around and taking in the atmosphere. Outside the ground, there were face painters and people walking around on stilts. I then saw the two sides arrive at the ground in their coaches. The Brentford Community Stadium is an impressive, slightly odd shaped ground fitted in a triangle shaped area of land between three railways. I especially loved the different colour seats. I stayed in the concourse area as it was a bit cooler and even from there could hear the Denmark fans who were already in the stadium making a lot of noise. It was a bit weird to be sat in the same block in the ground as both Jess (waved at before the match) and Chris (had a chat at half time) who I know and it was nice to see them. Germany really impressed me in their 4-0 win. They hit the woodwork three times and the Denmark goalkeeper had made a fantastic save before they did take the lead in the first half. They scored another three goals in the second half and had another one disallowed for offside. Denmark had a player sent off right at the end of the match. I had a nice view of a lovely coloured sky as the sun set. There was a really good atmosphere, but please can the Mexican waves stop along with the silly cheer that goes with them! There are a number of stations closer to the stadium, but after the match I walked 25 minutes to Acton Town and it wasn’t too busy. One of the nice things about have a tournament like the Euros in your home country/city is being able to get home from some matches before midnight! Saturday 9th July After a late night, it was an early start as I was on my way north to Sheffield (well Chesterfield first as I was staying there) before 9am! There were engineering works on the railway between Derby and Sheffield so there was a replacement bus (and a hold up on the M1 due to traffic). The joys of travelling by train at the weekend! I even saw a few people wearing Sweden shirts on the way up. Chesterfield is famous for the crooked spire and being the birthplace of Millie Bright! After having lunch with a friend and checking into the hotel, I got a normal bus to Sheffield. There were plenty of Sweden and Netherlands shirts on show as soon as I got off the bus. I made my way to the fan park in Devonshire Green which was busy and very yellow and orange! A Dutch DJ played some tunes, including “Dancing Queen” by ABBA for the Swedish people that were there! There was a great atmosphere there in the hot sunshine! The Sweden fans had made themselves at home on a side street near the fan park and were making a lot of noise. The Netherlands did their fan walk to the ground, led by an orange bus, and this was amazing to see. At Bramall Lane, I was sat on The Kop. For someone like me who is over 6 foot tall and has long legs, there wasn’t much leg room. Netherlands v Sweden was a match I had been looking forward to attending since the draw was made and I had got a ticket last November. Sweden took the lead before half time, but the Netherlands equalised shortly after the break as it finished 1-1. The Swedish supporters sang and chanted throughout the match whilst the Dutch had a small band and they could be heard from the other end of the ground. It was very colourful with so many fans wearing yellow and orange shirts. There were 21, 342 fans at the match, which was a record attendance for a group match not involving the host nations at a Euros (breaking the previous record that had been set the day before at the Spain v Finland match). This was probably the best atmosphere at a match I have been at and one of my favourite football days. After the match, I eventually found the right stop to get the bus back (turned out to be the last bus at 10:50pm)! Some Dutch and Swedish fans also got on it as they also seemed to be staying in Chesterfield too! It took about an hour to get back and I went straight back to my hotel, passing a bar that was blasting out a Spice Girls song! Sunday 10th July I knew this would happen with the amount of travelling and matches I am watching but I woke up and had to think where I was and was it Sunday! I quickly remembered and went and met friends for breakfast. The same Swedish people who had been on the bus back to Chesterfield last night were on the rail replacement one back to Derby. It was a stunning day and the Derbyshire countryside looked lovely as the bus made its way. Part of the train had a problem so everyone was crowded into five coaches instead of ten. I got home by mid-afternoon, and then watched the two matches on the telly. The atmosphere at the Academy Stadium during Belgium v Iceland sounded great. I can’t wait to see and hear the Thunderclap live at Rotherham next Monday when I watch Iceland v France. At half time, I thought it had 0-0 written all over it, especially after Iceland had a penalty saved. Shortly after halt time, Iceland did take the lead but Belgium equalised later in the half as it finished 1-1. Another draw after the two matches on Saturday had also finished level. The later match was France v Italy, and in my opinion two of the best national anthems. France looked great attacking in the first half and were leading 5-0 at the break. Italy did have a player sent off in the second half but this was overturned after a VAR check. Italy got a goal back but France’s first half performance meant they won 5-1. The France home shirts are also the best I have seen so far. That match also brings an end to the first set of group games. In those, Germany and the first half performance from France have impressed me the most. After two nights of getting home/to hotel at nearly midnight, it was nice to be in bed by 10:30! Monday 11th July It was the Lionesses second game day in Brighton and I headed south at lunchtime. As the hotels in Brighton were very expensive, I decided to stay in Haywards Heath. After dropping my bag off at the hotel, I arrived in Brighton at about 3:30 and headed down the road to the seafront. Along the way, there were quite a few Euro’s banners up. The Free Lionesses Fan Embassy was at the Tempest Inn which is right by the sea. With clear blue skies and warm temperatures, it could have been Nice rather than Brighton! There I caught up with Jess, who I had met at the World Cup in France in 2019. I also got a free ‘tweets on scarves’ scarf. As the ground at Brighton is a bit out from the city, getting a train was the best way for me to get there. It seemed a bit disorganised at the station as to where to queue but I got a train fairly quickly and was at the stadium by about 6. The train after that one broke down and caused delays and queues snaking around Brighton station later on. My seat was in the top tier of one of the stands again so there were a lot of steps to climb but I had a good view. The concourse area felt like a greenhouse after the sun had been shining in through the windows all afternoon. I saw Jess again (not the one from earlier today but the one from Friday) and her dad and we had a chat this time! I also had a good view of Gabby Logan, Ian Wright, Alex Scott and Jonas Eidevall in the TV presentation area. I was expecting it to be a difficult game against Norway but England blew them apart with some sensational play, winning 8-0! Beth Mead scored a hat-trick, Ellen White scored two, Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp (after a VAR check) and Alessia Russo scored the others. There was an amazing atmosphere with “Its Coming Home” being sang a few times during the match by most of the 28,847 fans. After seeing the players do their lap of the pitch, I joined the queue at Falmer station for the train back to Brighton. It seemed disorganised again with not many people about telling you were to queue so there was just one mass of people instead. I eventually got a train at 11:15 and after changing trains in Brighton, I was back at my hotel at 12:30am! Maybe I should get a train to Lewes and back next time?! Tuesday 12th July I decided to go straight from Haywards Heath to Milton Keynes for today’s match between Denmark and Finland. On my way, I left my bag at a left luggage place at Euston station. The fan park was in a square over the road from the station and there was a nice mix of Danish and Finnish fans along with a few people wearing Sweden shirts. I also saw Chris again and had a catch up with him. I bought a ticket for the shuttle bus from the bus station next to the fan park to near the stadium. The bus journey took about 10 minutes and then it was a 10 minute walk but there were lots of volunteers and signs pointing you in the right direction. After having mainly hot dogs and burgers to eat at matches, at Stadium MK they do small pizzas so I had one of those as something a bit different. Denmark won 1-0 thanks to Pernille Harder’s header during the second half. Both goalkeepers made some good saves. A good atmosphere again with the Danish fans being very noisy. There seemed to be a lot of school groups at this match too (my first 5pm kick off so not sure if it was the same for all at that time). After being cloudy for most of the day, it rained during the second half which meant those sat near the front moving further back to keep dry. After the match and the 10 minute walk back to the buses, I was straight on one and back at the station by 7:30. On the train back I had a chat to a Danish family who had come over for a couple of the matches and how it was their first time in the UK. After picking my bag up, I was home by 9:30 and managed to catch the end of the Germany v Spain match on the telly. Wednesday 13th July With Sweden v Switzerland kicking off in Sheffield at 5pm, it meant I could do this one as a day trip from London. I got the train at 11:30am and was surrounded on it by Sweden fans. Some I had a chat with had flown over just for this match! I was in Sheffield by 2pm and headed to the fan park there again. On another sunny and warm day, Division Street had again been taken over by the Swedes whilst in the park there was a mixture of fans again. Close to the stadium, there was a band playing close to it providing some entertainment for fans. I also saw a Switzerland fan walking along with a cow bell! The Swedish had their fan walk to the ground lead by a drummer with their supporters chanting and waving flags. I was sat in the John Street stand this time and there was a lot more leg room than in The Kop. I was sat near the main group of Sweden supporters and they sang and chanted the whole game, with a lady walking along the front of the stand with a megaphone leading them. This was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced at a football match (women’s or men’s). I saw a couple of friends at this match. Jess again (third time so far) before the match and Josh at half time. Sweden won 2-1 with Rolfo giving them the lead after the break. Switzerland quickly equalised when Bachmann scored. Bennison scored the winner with a cracking strike with about 10 minutes left. There was still time for Sweden to have two goals disallowed before the final whistle went. I was back at the station with some time to spare before my train at 7:40pm. After no delays, I was home in north London at 10:35pm after a really good day. I was pleased to have the following day off going to football after getting some blisters on my toes after doing a lot of walking the previous couple of days. Thursday 14th July This was a catch up day at home with some admin, emails, shopping, hoovering, cleaning and washing to do. I watched the two matches on the telly with Italy and Iceland drawing 1-1, and France winning 2-1 against Belgium. These results meant that France won the group and qualified for the quarter-finals. It was an early night for me after that with four matches over the next four days planned to go to. Friday 15th July The Lionesses final group game was in Southampton against Northern Ireland, so naturally I decided to stay somewhere else fairly local, in Portsmouth this time, as the hotels there were cheaper! The hotel was right next to the station so after dropping my bag off, I got the train to Southampton and was there just after 4pm. I walked down to the Town Quay and the Dancing Man Brewery where the Free Lionesses Fan Embassy was and had a drink there. After that, I went to the fan park which was busy with lots of England and Northern Ireland fans. The Northern Ireland ones were making more of the noise. I saw my friends Flora and Ben there and it was nice having a catch up with them. The stadium was about a 10/15 minute walk from the fan park. I got there in time to see the teams arrive on their coaches. I was sat a lot lower down for this match, about 12 rows from the pitch and just to the side of one of the goals, which made a nice change after being up in the gods for the first two Lionesses games. The bad news though was I was sat just in front of where the England band were positioned! More bad news was when the stadium announcers trying to get the crowd to do a Mexican wave before the start of the match! Northern Ireland started okay and I thought caused England a few more problems than Norway had in the last match. England were awarded a penalty for handball, but this was overturned after a VAR check as there had been an England handball in the build up. It took until nearly half time for Fran Kirby to open the scoring for the Lionesses with Beth Mead quickly adding a second before half time. Alessia Russo came on at half time and scored twice early in the second half. An own goal from Kelsie Burrows later in the half completed the scoring. There was another great atmosphere at this match with the Northern Ireland fans singing non-stop throughout it! Southampton was busy, maybe as expected on a Friday evening, as I walked back to the station. There was a singer performing outside one of the bars on what was a mild evening. The train back to Portsmouth was busy, all four carriages being standing room only for most of the journey. I was back at my hotel before midnight which wasn’t too bad! Saturday 16th July After having breakfast at the hotel (it was a buffet one and I was wondering how many times it would be acceptable to go up for food), I got the train back to London and home for a few hours. For the final games in group B, I went to Brentford again to watch Denmark v Spain. A nice easy trip across London for me for this one. Near Gunnersbury station was the hotel that Spain were staying at and their coach was ready outside to drive them over to the stadium. Outside the ground, I saw both sides arrive, Denmark followed by Spain! The Spain fans made a lot of noise when they arrived! I was sat at the opposite end this time at the Brentford Community Stadium, but again the main section of Denmark supporters were in the corner close to where I was sitting. My brother came to this match with me for his first (and maybe only) experience of Euro 2022! I also knew a few other people at this match but missed them! In terms of entertainment and chances, this was the worst match I have been to so far during the Euros. Denmark were happy to defend and counter, whilst Spain didn’t create that much despite a lot of possession. I was thinking this was going to be the first 0-0 of the tournament after the first half. One of the highlights of the evening was a girl getting 16 out of 16 in the half time competition by naming all the competing sides in group order. Denmark started to attack a bit more as the second half went on, they had to win to get through, but Spain scored the only goal in the 90th minute thanks to Marta Cardona’s header. Instead of going to Acton Town like I did last time, I walked to Chiswick Park station this time and had to wait 15/20 minutes for a train to arrive! This meant I didn’t get home until after midnight. Sunday 17th July I headed north for a few days to watch the final games in groups C (Switzerland v Netherlands) and D (Iceland v France) in Sheffield and Rotherham. I got an early morning train to Chesterfield again as this is where I was staying and the group C games kicked off at 5pm. It was too early to check in to the hotel but I could leave my bag there. I got a slower bus to Sheffield this time which took me through some Derbyshire/South Yorkshire towns and villages. The fan park was busy again, lots of Netherlands fans in orange shirts and Switzerland in their red ones. The Dutch bus was there, as were some singers on stage which got the crowd swinging scarfs above their heads and doing the conga to some of the songs! There are seriously no other fans like the Dutch pre-match! Then it was time for the fan walk to Bramall Lane. I walked along with it this time and what an experience that was, one I will never forget on the way to a football match! It went along at a sedate pace, stopping a couple of times along the way. There was music playing from the bus and most of the fans were wearing orange and waving flags. It took about 45 minutes to get to the stadium. I was sat in the John Street stand again, with the Netherlands fans in front of me. With the hot weather arriving, there was a cooling break during the match for the first time during there Euro’s. Switzerland had to win to have any chance of going through to the quarter-finals. There were no goals in the first half, but the Netherlands took the lead in the 49th minute when Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic scored an own goal. Switzerland weren’t behind for long as Geraldine Reuteler equalised. Both goalkeepers made some good saves during the match. Netherlands scored three times in the last ten minutes with Leuchter getting two of them and Victoria Pelova the other. One did take a long VAR check with those of us in the stadium not knowing exactly what was being checked as no additional info is given on the screens. The 4-1 win for the Netherlands saw them get through to play France next. Their players and fans celebrated by dancing along to “Links Rechts” in the stadium and there was more singing and dancing in the concourses as the fans left! The attendance of 22,569 was a record for a group game in the Women’s Euros not involving the host nation, and the third time during these Euro’s that record had been broken. I got the rail replacement bus back to Chesterfield, once I had found the right queue and not finish up going to Stockport along with the majority of the Netherlands fans! It was nice to be at the hotel by just after 9pm after a couple of late nights! Monday 18th July It was hot!! I stayed in my hotel room most of the day (thankful for the air-conditioning), but did got for a slow walk around Chesterfield when I went out to get some lunch. With the trains starting to muck around because of the heat, I decided to get the quick bus to Sheffield and a train to Rotherham from there. This all worked out and I was in Rotherham by 6:30pm. It took about 15 minutes to walk to the stadium from the station. My seat for this game was on the second row from the front, just to the side of the goal! It was baking just sat there so god knows what it would be like for the players of Iceland and France running about on the pitch. France had already qualified as group winners and Iceland knew a win would see them go through too but a draw or loss could still see them go through depending on the result between Italy and Belgium. France took the lead in the first minute when Melvine Malard scored. Iceland had chances to equalise that went narrowly wide, France had two goals disallowed after VAR checks and between them the woodwork was hit three times. Iceland were awarded a penalty in injury time which Dagny Brynjarsdottir socred in the 102nd minute of the match, 101 minutes after France had scored! The referee blew the final whistle straight after this. With Belgium winning the other match it meant Iceland were out. It was a really good atmosphere again and it was amazing to see and hear the Iceland fans do the Thunderclap live! I had a bit of a wait for a train back to Sheffield but by the time I got back there, all the trains to Chesterfield had been cancelled and the last bus had left! I finished up getting a taxi back! We will post the next installment of Paul's diary in due course.

Our writer Finley Chung reflects on his time watching Spurs, from regional football to the FA Cup Final From Cheshunt to Wembley - My journey supporting and covering Spurs Women Friday, 10 May 2024 By Finley Chung Our writer Finley Chung reflects on his time watching Spurs, from regional football to the FA Cup Final Ryan Asman The 29th April 2018, a day that I had no idea would be the start of a fantastic journey watching Tottenham Hotspur Women, or Spurs Ladies back then as they were known. With the club then playing their home matches at Cheshunt Football Club, which is a convenient ten minute walk from my house, I thought to myself one day, why not go over! It was a thrilling game, Spurs went 3 up inside the first seven minutes thanks to goals from Wendy Martin and a Bianca Baptise double. Despite being pegged back to three each by Durham, Sarah Wiltshire, Ronnell Humes and Lucia Leon eventually sewed up a 6-3 win for Karen Hills’ side. That was my only experience of the girls in person, until the then record North London Derby in 2019 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, I left the ground that day, despite a 2-0 loss hell bent on going to more games, then Coronavirus happened and that was the end of that. Before I knew it, Euro 2021 was around the corner and excitement gripped the nation. I had always kept an eye out for the Lionesses scores, but never actively searched out places, or people to watch games with… until Georgia Stanway’s right foot changed all of that against Spain. For that goal, I screamed so loudly that I woke up my neighbours kids, which tells you enough about the emotion I felt. Of course, England went on to win the Euro’s on that magical day under the Wembley arch, but that catapulted my interest into wanting to watch and cover the women’s game in greater detail. 2021/2022 was Spurs’ best in the WSL, finishing fifth and taking league points off Arsenal and Manchester United for the first time in the clubs short professional history at that stage, the future looked really bright for Rehanne Skinner’s side, but as I grew further into covering the WSL in 2022/2023, that bright future certainly was not what it seemed earlier on. The run that ultimately decided Skinners fate was a nine game winless run between game weeks six and fifteen, when Vicky Jepson took interim charge of the side. Thanks in huge part to Bethany England, Spurs stayed up at the expense of Reading and beat the Royals 4-1, my most memorable press box experience at that time, thanks in no small part to an England double, secured the club’s WSL status. Photo: Ryan Asman I, much like many other Spurs fans at the end of last season, wondered where we might be without Bethany England and I do believe, the answer is in the Championship and not in an FA Cup final, however, over the summer, a period of change happened in N17, a period which has catapulted the club to heights it has never seen. Appointing the loveable Swede, Robert Vilahamn was the clubs seeming first step into putting right the wrongs of the previous campaign, and Spurs haven’t looked back since. In the summer, Vilahamn strengthened hugely, with Martha Thomas, Olga Ahitnen, Luana Buhler, Barbora Votikova and most notably, Grace Clinton joined the Lilywhite revolution. Following an opening day defeat to Chelsea in the WSL, the club went on a six game unbeaten run in the league which truly set the tone for the rest of the term. I covered Vilahamn’s first competitive game, the loss at Stamford Bridge and it gave me the first opportunity to see ‘Bobby Ball’ as its now heralded by the clubs fans in full force. I had zero idea what to expect, but from the first interviews Vilahamn did with Spurs’ in house media team, it was clear he matched the key ethos, play exciting football that wants the fans combing back for more, embodying in full force the club’s Latin Moto, “Audere est Facere’, meaning ‘To Dare is To Do’ in English. Spurs lost 2-1 on that brisk September evening, but had it not been Martha Thomas’ first game for the club, she could’ve so easily had one or two more to the consolation goal she got in SW6. Thus season has been full of highs and historic moments, with the Cup Semi-Final, and the historic North London Derby Win over Arsenal two games that give any Spurs fan goosebumps. Martha Thomas was the name at the centre of both of those moments. She sent the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into a frenzy when finishing off a lightning quick counter attack to seal a 1-0, first ever win over Arsenal in the last game before Christmas, with the Scott writing more headlines in the Cup Semi-Final a few weeks back when Spurs overhauled a one goal deficit, to clinch their place in their first ever FA Cup Final courtesy of Thomas’ 118th minute extra time winner against Leicester City. Being at both these games felt like a genuine full circle moment for me watching this side, who have grown from Regional Football, to compete and beat some of the very best in Women’s Football in this country. On the morning of Wednesday April 24th, I secured my tickets for the FA Cup final, with Spurs selling out the allocation of over 11,800 within three days. The journey for Spurs to get here has been sort of similar to my own personal journey, which I documented for On Her Side just under a year ago now. The feeling of pure elation when Martha Thomas’ header looped over Leicester keeper, Lize Kop and nestled into that net infront of the South Stand of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was simply put, magical. As the days tick closer and the weather gets warmer, whatever happens on Sunday, is going to be a special day for Tottenham Hotspur Women.

Get to know every member of the current Lionesses squad. Lionesses Squad Sandy MacIver Sandy MacIver (Mac-EEver) has been in and around the England camp for a number of years having made her senior debut back in 2021. The goalkeeper played as Everton’s number one between 2020-22 and has since moved to Manchester City in a bid to share duties with Ellie Roebuck. MacIver could be described as a brave or bold goalkeeper. When it comes to one-on-one situations, she is unafraid to come off her line, “get big” and is more likely to employ defensive action outside of the area than most. Whilst it would be fair to say MacIver is perhaps not as light-footed as Ellie Roebuck or as vocal as Mary Earps, she is a solid organiser with a favourable save ratio and will do well to get a few more international minutes under her belt. Photograph courtesy of the FA.

Aston Villa boss Carla Ward questions the impact the World Cup and Nations League will have on international players as the domestic league kicks off Back "We need to start looking after players physically, mentally and emotionally" says Ward after successive international breaks Aston Villa boss Carla Ward questions the impact the World Cup and Nations League will have on international players as the domestic league kicks off Getty Images 30 September 2023 Paul Donegan Carla Ward spoke to the media on Friday morning ahead of Aston Villa’s opening Women’s Super League game of the season against Manchester United on Sunday. Ward was first asked about the concerns about the kit (which has been getting very wet during matches). She responded by saying they have similar concerns as the men have but it is over to the club and Castore (kit manufacture) to deal with as her focus is on the weekend. She added the club have been superb with communication about how they can help the players, what will make them feel better and there is a genuine care from the club. Looking ahead to the match on Sunday, Ward feels her side are ready after a strange pre-season. “ The girls have been sensational since they have been back in” Ward added. As a group they are looking forward to playing in front of a record attendance (12,000) at Villa Park. She thinks it will be a tight, technical game of football and the two sides that will go for it. In terms of team news for the Manchester United match, Kenza Dali is unavailable after coming back from the World Cup with a knock and not trained since then (still a couple of weeks away), whilst Maz Pacheco is a major doubt after picking up a bug. Apart from those two, everyone is fit and available. Asked about what would be seen as success this season after finishing fifth in the WSL and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals last season, Ward said success was retaining key players and players that were on loan signing permanently as well as adding a few extra into the squad. Ward said apart from that, success would be “ continuing what we have been building, and trying to better what we did last season (not necessarily top four) and try to close the gap”. Speaking about new signing Ebony Salmon, Ward said along with other signings it gives them different attacking options which is something they didn’t have last season. “Ebony’s pace and power is phenomenal and to have that added is massive to us” the Villa manager continued. “I have never seen pace like it”, and “there is no-one in the WSL like her” Ward added. Ward thinks Sunday’s opponents Manchester United will be up their challenging again after an unbelievable 22/23 season when they finished runners-up in the WSL and FA Cup. She thinks they have had one of the best transfer windows in the WSL with a lot of money spent and quality coming in. With the World Cup not finishing until five weeks ago and another international break last week, Ward doesn’t think that those who played in each have had a long enough break. She added we need to start looking after players physically, mentally and emotionally. The Villa manager also said there are plans to give those who have been playing lots of international football some rest during the season (Conti Cup weeks). When speaking about Maddy Cusack who tragically passed away last week, Ward, who had managed Cusack at Sheffield United, got emotional saying she had an “ unbelievable relationship” with her and she was an “exceptional human being”. Another new Villa signing over the summer is Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, and Ward thinks “she has the potential to be the best in the world” . Ward continued by saying they have been tracking her since the Euro’s last year but she is young still and they will have to take care and look after her as she develops in the WSL. Ward said she would love to sale out home games at the Bescot Stadium this season as the place bounces when there are more than 3,000 in attendance. “The fans have been unbelievable” and Ward hopes they can put on a show at Villa Park on Sunday. Kirsty Hanson signed permanently from Manchester United over the summer after being on loan last season, and Ward commented that it was all about if United could replace her which they did. Ward thinks the transfer works for all parties and Hanson fits what Villa want to do. Ward thinks anothe r new signing Adriana Leon “needs to be told what she is actually good at and reminding what she is good at” . Ward said they will look after her and hopefully get the best out of her. Asked about fine margins in games, and Ward thinks Villa has more squad depth this season which should help, and they are more used to the elite level of game management. Ward noted it is important Villa keep developing youngsters. “Laura Brown is a sensational young player, someone I have high hopes for” Ward said and “we see her playing a huge part this season”. Rachel Corsie is the Villans captain this season and Ward was asked why. “She is one of the greatest leaders you will meet, she is a natural leader who understands the game, experienced, I can rely on, trust and will lead the team” the Villa manager concluded. Aston Villa v Manchester United is live on BBC Two (12:30 kick off BST) on Sunday in the UK (check local listings/FA Player around on the world ). News

Spurs boss Robert Vilahamn is encouraged by Spurs' experience in the FA Cup final Back "It's not the end, it's actually just the beginning" says Vilahamn Spurs boss Robert Vilahamn is encouraged by Spurs' experience in the FA Cup final Eddie Keogh 12 May 2024 By Charlotte Stacey Tottenham Hotspur manager Robert Vilahamn spoke to the media after Spurs' 4-0 defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup final. Here is what he had to say... On his feelings at the final whistle: It's not fun to lose a final in big numbers but on the other hand I think Manchester United played a really good game. They hurt us, had really good quality so sometimes you just have to think 'ok, they've just had a really good day.' That first goal was a little bit tough for us just on the half time break because the first half was still quite competitive. We tried to find ways in the second half but they scored two goals quite quickly and we are all over the place. It's really hard to play 3-0 down and when they are shining of course. On the other hand we need to look at the whole FA Cup and realise we played at Wembley today. We are here to get an experience and a love for this game so even if it's really tough now we know that we're going to be really proud when we finish this season. On players feeling the pressure of a big occasion: Most of the players of Man United were here last year, they had experience of that. And I think most of our players were still performing to their best so that first goal [hurts us]. We had chances as well, but we're going to learn from this and the players will learn much about how their bodies are working in these kinds of games. That's what we want, we want these big games and to be able to perform. And also for me, I've never been here as a coach before so it's a great experience. How you communicate with the players, it's so loud, so hard to reach them,. So very, tough to lose but it's a learning process and this is the first step . On moving forward as One Club: We've got this experience this year to play at the [Tottenham Hotspur] stadium two times and a final here. It's not only the players, the coaches, it's the media team, it's the whole club and how we get around stuff and prepare stuff. It's a really good journey we've done this year. If we want to continue, to be a top team, this experience will help us. We couldn't do it today and I'm sad for the fans but I also know that we will come back. it's not the end, it's actually just the beginning. On supporting players after the game: The main thing I said that this is not the end. We have learnt so much this year and actually reached the final. Yeah, we could've won it as well, but on the other hand, Man United deserve it. So we also need to look at it like 'what a performance they've had, they've had experience in the big stadium as well.' It's ok to have feelings. It's ok to feel angry, sad, whatever they want to be because that's part of football. You should feel that today because you want to win next time. We're going to close this year and we're going to realise we were in the final, we were top six in the league and we're probably going to feel like we've had a good year. On goalkeeper Becky Spencer's error that led to Lucia Garcia's first goal: I'm taking that goal on me actually. Because that's how I want her to play. The goalkeeper will make mistakes every year when you play the style we do, it's just unfortunately she did it in the final. But on the other hand she showed us that she will be brave so I'm going to make sure I'm going to support her on Tuesday. Make sure she knows. She's a very mature woman and a cool girl, she will solve this, I know that. It's no problem. Of course I'm going to make sure that I tell her that she is a great goalkeeper. Very on the ball and she should continue dictating the build-up for us because she is great with that. News

Adam Salter is an Arsenal superfan and a blogger extraordinaire. We caught up with Adam to chat about his journey into women’s football and why it is has become so important to his everyday life. Back Hand over the mic: Adam Salter Adam Salter is an Arsenal superfan and a blogger extraordinaire. We caught up with Adam to chat about his journey into women’s football and why it is has become so important to his everyday life. Adam meeting Arsenal players Jill Roord, Daniëlle van de Donk, Lia Wälti and Beth Mead. 2 August 2021 By Charlotte Stacey What was apparent from the onset was Adam’s unconditional commitment not only to Arsenal, but to women’s football as a whole, and so his very first statement upon being asked how this came to be was a rather surprising one. “I hated football” he reveals, “I couldn’t stand it. I grew up in a house that had no interest in football. I didn’t come from a family of Arsenal fans who inducted me into it. The only sport we watched was Wimbledon tennis or perhaps the Olympics. Sport really had no place in our house.” Adam goes onto recount his schooldays describing himself as an academic with little aptitude for playground sports. His parents’ decision to enrol him in after school football paired with the rather relatable conundrum of playground popularity only served to deepen his dislike of the beautiful game. Yet, as the familiar tale goes, school politics demanded something of Adam. He applied himself to chancing football once again, this time trying his hand between the sticks. It was here, during his first match in goal, that Adam recognises a lightbulb moment. “The first match, I did it. I saved a penalty and everyone went mad because they knew I was rubbish at sport. It was that moment where suddenly everything just clicked. I understood why football was great and I understood why it was such an amazing sport and I knew I wanted more of it.” Adam's first visit to Meadow Park. Interest piqued; Adam invested his curiosity in to Arsenal football club. However, it wasn’t until 2007 after flicking through the television channels and finding a match being broadcast on the BBC, that he was exposed to Arsenal’s women’s team. The match Adam recalls is Arsenal’s FA Cup final against Charlton Athletic, in which the Gunners beat the Addicks 4-1. He honestly recalls that, at the time, it was “strange” to see a women’s side being shown on terrestrial television. “I thought I’ll watch it. Arsenal is Arsenal, it doesn’t matter, man or woman.” From that point, with a connection to women’s football born, Adam sought to follow the progress of both Arsenal men and Arsenal women. However, his newfound fondness of the women’s team was a frustrating venture compared to the easily accessible men’s side. “I wanted to know more about them. But I didn’t because there was nothing out there. You’d go online and resources weren’t there to find out [about them]. You’d look on the TV and think, well, where are they playing, where are these games? The only games you saw were Lionesses games, and only occasionally.” Adam recounts that this first exposure to women’s football turned out to be an exasperating affair. Admitting that he did not keep up with proceedings as much as he would have liked, Adam speaks in depth at the lack of televised coverage and archived reading material. “Because there was never the coverage, I never really followed the leagues, never really followed the WSL. There’s a whole history that feels missed because the coverage wasn’t there.” Moving on to speaking about the Lionesses, Adam notes that even for the national team, although exposure was marginally better, information was hard to come by. The 2009 European Championships, in which England reached the final, was a struggle to keep up with without personal research in sourcing the streaming of matches. “Even then I couldn’t really watch it because it was all news reports after the event. It was a momentous achievement to get to the final. [They were] much more successful than the men’s side who, at the time, couldn’t even qualify for the European championships. It was almost like ‘secret football’ and we were doing really well but no-one really knows about it.” After loosely following the Lionesses and their international successes for a number of years, Adam stumbled back into league football just as Joe Montemurro’s Arsenal were on the cusp of winning the Women’s Super League in 2019. “I knew they were doing well. They had beaten Chelsea 5-0, gone to Brighton and won 4-0. And so, I followed their running and I thought, that’s it, I’m going to follow them properly now.” This just so happen to coincide with coverage of the WSL. A handful of matches could be found on the BBC Red Button, BT Sport and occasionally on social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. As Adam recommitted, he reports a conscious effort to re-learn his team. Gone were Arsenal staples Kelly Smith, Rachel Yankey and Alex Scott, in their place were Gunner legends in the making Vivianne Miedema and Daniëlle van de Donk. He thrust himself into every opportunity that presented itself, amongst them a meeting with four Arsenal players and a group zoom call with Kelly Smith. Research complete, in the winter of 2019 Adam attended his first game at Meadow Park; Arsenal versus Birmingham City. Arsenal at Meadow Park. “It was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. It was incredible. I’d been to Arsenal men’s games and you turn up and you get a win, it’s great, a good atmosphere, but there was something different about going to a women’s game at Meadow Park.” “There was a closeness that you don’t get going to watch a game at the Emirates….it was like being part of a secret family, everyone was nice to each other, there was no nastiness. I thought it would just be local Arsenal fans, but there were people that had come over from other countries as well and I just thought, I need to do this again. An incredible experience.” Of course, just a few months later the Covid-19 pandemic meant that the season, and indeed the country, were shut-down. Yet, with the magic of Jordan Nobbs’ wonder goal still fresh in his mind, Adam turned his attention to Twitter. After rejuvenising his account, Adam first entered a ‘pub quiz’ competition in which the winner would receive a follow from Arsenal football club. “I won”, Adam recalls, surprise still evident on his face, “it was madness, I got a follow from Arsenal. It gave me confidence, and I thought maybe I can get some movement here. I started to talk about Arsenal, follow people who I knew liked Arsenal and just got some communication out there.” With honesty, Adam identifies the negativity Twitter can dump on to one’s lap, yet earnestly appreciates the importance of the social media platform and its surface function to keep connected during the initial lockdown. Through his connections on Twitter, Adam was invited onto a podcast to discuss his thoughts regarding Arsenal’s one upcoming game, their Champions League quarter final clash against PSG. “I ended up doing a few episodes with them and it was fantastic. I realised that I could actually have a valid educated opinion on women’s football.” Adam’s developing knowledge left him with the feeling that Twitter no longer allowed him the space to stamp down his opinions. After seeking guidance from established writers, Adam set up his own website and has been regularly blogging ever since. Reflecting on his experiences so far Adam monologues with great appreciation, sincerity pouring from every word. “I owe women’s football a great deal of gratitude as it’s really taken me out of my shell. I’ve gone from doing my own thing, going to work and staying at home, to talking to people all over the world." "I owe it to these small moments, passing moments that could’ve gone like dust in the wind. It’s just twisted my life in such subtle ways to put me where I am now. Now I just want to get back to Meadow Park and watch a game!” As our interview drew to an end, Adam touched on where he thinks the future of women’s football is heading. “Do I think it should be as good as the men’s? No. I think it should be better. Women’s football is a game that has its heart, there is a purity to it that I would hate to see tarnished, but at the same time it needs money.” “We either need owners that put enough in to make it sustainable or the women’s teams [of affiliate clubs] will have to become separate entities, similarly to the London City Lionesses who were once part of Milwall. There needs to be a proper funding system in place moneywise to make it financially stable.” “When you think talented players go [to other clubs] on a free. Van de Donk, which is madness. If Ronaldo left Juventus on a free the world would lose their mind. If women’s football is to remain sustainable, it needs to become so not just from a football perspective but from an economic perspective.” “The new TV deals are great. Sky are on board and games on the BBC which is good so we can still watch some games live on a terrestrial channel. I want to see it grow, I want to see them playing in the big stadiums, I’m loving that the Champions League is getting bigger. I would love to see more teams in the WSL. Maybe 15 or 16 as the season sometimes feels too short. But clubs like Leicester I’m really excited to see, they [owners] really care about the club and are taking them forward. I’m hoping in the next 5-10 years we will have well run clubs that have investment and players have value, but I wouldn’t want it to get to the high financial price of the men’s because I think that would ruin it. But I think it’s a positive future.” Rounding up his time in the women’s game so far, Adam eloquently wraps up his journey in women’s football with one touching statement. “It’s been a heck of a ride from catching a glance at the TV to now, I wonder how things could’ve been different, but really I’m so glad things are as they are.” Check out Adam's blog here: https://adamsarsenalblog.wordpress.com/ Womens Football, Adam Salter, Arsenal Women, Arsenal, Women's Super League

Arsenal have confirmed that Leah Williamson has signed a new contract at the club. Back Leah Williamson signs new contract with The Arsenal Arsenal have confirmed that Leah Williamson has signed a new contract at the club. Via Arsenal Women FC 12 January 2022 By Josh Bunting The 24 year old defender who can also operate in midfield was out of contract this summer however , the Milton Keynes native has decided to put pen to paper on a new deal. Williamson who is currently out with a hamstring injury has been with the Gunners since she was 9 ,and has gone on to make 179 appearances to date for the north London side. Williamson signed a new contract last summer but only for one more year seeking that the club improved its all round structure. With Nikita Parris , Tobin Heath and Frida Maanum signing and with the Gunners currently top of the WSL, it shows a real sign of ambition with the defender deciding staying at her childhood club was the right decision. Williamson has also been capped by England 24 times and has captained her country on four occasions including against Northern Ireland at Wembley Stadium in October. She made her Arsenal debut against Birmingham City in the UEFA Women’s Champions League at the age of 16 ,and has become a crucial member of the squad as well as a fan’s favourite. During her time at the club Williamson has helped the club win the 2018/19 Barclays FA Women's Super League, two Continental Tyres League Cups and two Women's FA Cups. On signing the new deal Williamson told Arsenal.com “It was a dream come true the first time that I signed here and the feeling hasn’t changed. I’m as grateful as ever to have the opportunity to do what I do here – at home – and I’m very proud to continue to represent my family playing for Arsenal and to wear the badge.” Jonas Eidevall went on to add “It’s wonderful news that Leah has signed a new deal, as well as being a key player for us right now, she is also an integral part of our plans for the future – a player for us to build Arsenal around and show the young women in our academy what can be achieved through hard work, dedication and passion. I know Leah has a special bond with the fans too – it’s so important for the supporters to identify with the players and they certainly have that in Leah.” Head of women’s football at Arsenal Clare Wheatley also went on to explain “Leah is a crucial member of our squad and we are all delighted that she will be staying with us moving forward. This is an ambitious club and Leah has always been a vital part of our plans – I’m sure all the fans will be thrilled with the news that she has signed a new contract.” News

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Aileen Whelan notes a positive shift in the Foxes as they head into this weekend's match against Manchester City Back Leicester have "more belief" after getting points on the board says Whelan Aileen Whelan notes a positive shift in the Foxes as they head into this weekend's match against Manchester City Girls on the Ball 2 February 2023 By Paul Donegan Leicester City captain Aileen Whelan spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s Women’s Super League game against Manchester City. How do you think January went for the side? “It was a good one, first points on the board and a positive performance, three goals as well and given us some momentum” W helan said. Added they also had a couple of friendlies in which they got wins, goals and clean sheets. Do you see the fight, spirit and quality for Leicester to stay in the WSL this season? Whelan responded by saying “there has definitely been a shift in the environment, passion and enthusiasm in training and the games, and getting the fans to stick with us as going in the right direction now”. Is there a feeling there has been a change? “It is a lot more positive and a lot more belief in what we are trying to achieve, and definitely going in the right direction” Whelan said. As out of the cups, is only focusing now on the WSL a good thing? Whelan said it is disappointing to have gone out of the FA Cup as want to play as many games as possible, “but league to focus on and that is priority and will be until end of the season”. Do you feel any result against Manchester City will be massive in survival hopes? “Yeah absolutely, to climb the table we need points on the board, anything one or three points, we are going out to make sure we leave with something” Whelan responded. What lessons did you learn from the Conti Cup game against Man City in January that you can take into this one? Whelan answered by saying “I think Man City play the same sort of game plan whoever plays so we have got enough analyst on that so we can try and counteract and attack their weaknesses as best as possible, it doesn’t matter who we are playing, we go out with the same mentality”. How important can the home fans be at the King Power Stadium on Saturday? “Ever week the fans turn up and we can hear them from the start till the final whistle, and I am sure Man City will be bringing a big group of fans so the more we can get there to overshadow that noise will be the best for us as players” Whelan concluded. News

Georgia Stanway Position Midfielder D.O.B 03/01/1999 Club Manchester City via The Telegraph

Katie Zelem Position Midfielder D.O.B 20/01/1996 Club Manchester United Matthew Ashton