London City Lionesses v Lewes Photographer Edward Payne The London City Lionesses earned another crucial three points after a comfortable win over Lewes.

Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema has held talks with both Paris Saint-Germain and European Champions FC Barcelona Back Vivianne Miedema holds talks with PSG and Barcelona about potential move Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema has held talks with both Paris Saint-Germain and European Champions FC Barcelona Girls on the Ball 26 January 2022 By Josh Bunting Speaking to Dutch newspaper AD ,Miedema went on to say “In the coming weeks I have to get a certain feeling for the right club.” However she didn’t rule out staying in north London with the Gunners as the 25 year old went on to explain “The door to Arsenal is definitely not closed yet.“I want to win the Champions League. I want to get the most out of my career. That means I may have to take the next step. I’m 25 and that’s still quite young, but I’ve been around for a while.” Miedema, whose current contract with the club is up this summer would leave the Gunners on a free if she didn’t think signing a new deal with Arsenal was the right option. In the WSL this season Miedema has seven goals in eleven games and has three assists, her last goal coming in the final game before the winter break against Leicester City. Last year, she became the WSL’s all-time leading goalscorer, despite only arriving in the league in 2017, and has considerably raised the bar during her time in England. Miedema is also the leading goal scorer for the Netherlands national team and will lead the line for her country at Euro 2022 in England this coming summer. Arsenal are back in action tomorrow Thursday (January 27) at home to Brighton & Hove Albion. News

Manchester United hero Ella Toone reflects on their FA Cup win Back "I felt confident as soon as it left my foot" says Tooney on her wondergoal at Wembley Manchester United hero Ella Toone reflects on their FA Cup win Adam Mitten 13 May 2024 By Paul Donegan After scoring Manchester United’s stunning first goal in Sunday’s FA Cup final, Ella Toone spoke to the media in the mixed zone after their victory at Wembley Stadium. Here is what she had to say. Toone started by saying she was “buzzing” and “really happy with the goal and it came at the perfect time for us” . She felt they needed the second goal and after they scored that “they controlled the game really well” and it was “an amazing day for the club.” The United midfielder added it was “really special, it has been a difficult season for us and not the season we wanted but we knew today we had to come and get the win, we know what heartbreak felt like last year so for the girls, the staff, all the fans who travel home and away and who were here today loud and proud, that was for them.” She continued by saying the heartbreak last year “definitely helped, last year was devastating when you are watching Chelsea lift the trophy in front of your eyes” and that “gave them hunger to go again, and after reaching the final, they didn’t want to feel that way again”. “We were a team, stuck together, we’re positive, believed in ourselves and used the feeling of last year to make sure we didn’t have that again this year” Toone remarked. In regards to her spectacular goal just before half time, she said that “those ones you overthink a little bit when you have a lot of time on the ball, sometimes you make the wrong decision but I have been practising those shots every day after training and I felt confident as soon as it left my foot it is one of them where you know it is going in.” With this being another goal for Toone at Wembley Stadium, she isn’t sure it is her playground as some people say, and she likes to “help the team in anyway that I can and today was with that goal which I think really helped us.” Toone was asked about the dressing room celebrations after the match, but she had been “too busy doing interviews and missed it all.” News

I'm a paragraph. I'm connected to your collection through a dataset. Click Preview to see my content. To update me, go to the Data Manager. Jill Scott Position Midfielder D.O.B 02/02/1987 Club Everton Lynne Cameron

London City can't find an equaliser in tight game with the Rovers Back Match Report Blackburn Rovers earn a big win in Dartford London City can't find an equaliser in tight game with the Rovers Adam Mitten 4 February 2024 By Charlotte Stacey It was a busy few opening minutes at Princes Park when Blackburn Rovers defender Millie Chanandra clumsily bundled Grace Neville down in the box, awarding the hosts an early penalty just three minutes in. Dan Carter stepped up to the spot and launched a hard strike to the left but a strong arm from Alex Brooks meant any chance of a rebound goal was quickly quashed. The early pressure from the Pride was quickly dissipated by some quick one touch football by the Rovers. A particular feature of this was Lucy Shepherd’s ‘flick-on’s’ that played Blackburn in off the shoulder a number of times. Whilst Blackburn were playing some tidy football, their decision making in the final product was somewhat letting them down. Lauren Thomas and Shepherd were working particularly hard to make use of natural transitions but incorrect passing options and slowed movement in the box stopped opportunities in their tracks. Down the other end chances were not so frequent however London City have a weapon in their ranks in the form of former Women’s Super League giant Carter. The striker found herself in a good position on goal with little in her way, she slid the ball through but her effort was once again palmed out by Brooks. Five minutes before the half time whistle, Blackburn opened the scoring through Shepherd who had been causing London City centre backs Megan Campbell and Georgia Brougham some trouble. The Rovers forward struck a low shot from the left that bobbled past a diving Grace Moloney. The second half saw almost an exact reversed replica of the first. This time it was Blackburn who earned the penalty two minutes after the restart. Katie Bradley managed to send Moloney the wrong way but also sent her shot slamming into the advertising boards behind. Certainly, a shift in intensity was felt as the second half progressed. Blackburn used a hefty amount of game management to frustrate the hosts…and it worked. With no further clear-cut chances to carve out, the visitors used everything in their arsenal to deny London City an equaliser. Tight marking, holding possession, swaddling saves, corner and touchline hogging, you name it, the Rovers made good use of it The Pride did manage to find the back of the net in the ten minutes of additional time through Lucy Fitzegerald before it was very quickly called offside by the linesperson. As tight a game as it was, and with enough chances to have converted one or two, it felt as though things were just not going to go London City’s way. Line-ups London City Lionesses : Maloney, Neville, Mukandi, Brougham, Campbell (67’), Joel (C), Douglas (82’), Carter, Wilde (67’), Littlejohn, Boye-Hlorkah Substitutes: Cull, Scofield, Groves, Alexander (82’) , Fitzgerald (67’), Culver, Henson, Cowan (67’), Farrelly Yellows: Brougham Blackburn Rovers: Brooks, Murphy (82’), Coan (C), Williams (65’), Hornby, Shepherd (65’), Silcock (90+5’), Chandarana (65’), Bradley, Thomas, Robertson Substitutes: Salgado, Seed (90+5’), Hutchings (82’), Richards (65’), Doyle (65’), Dahou, Maxwell, Walters (65’) Yellows: Silcock, Seed Goal: Shepherd (40’)

Back Rachel Daly Club Houston Dash Position Defender (International Fixtures) D.O.B 06/12/1991 Bio Daly is a player that could quite literally play in any position on the pitch. Typically used as a fullback when playing internationally, Daly is arguably more usefully located much higher up the pitch. She is forward thinking with a flair in sparking an independently charged play, yet possesses a defensive savvy. Her willingness to perform out of position and dexterity across the field makes her a favourable selection. Trezlyn Garza B6

Spurs midfielder signs for another year Back Kit Graham pens new deal Spurs midfielder signs for another year Tottenham Hotspur 7 May 2022 By Charlotte Stacey Tottenham Hotspur have announced that midfielder Kit Graham has signed a new contract that will run until June 2023, with the option to extend for a further year. Graham, who joined in 2019, has made 52 appearances and scored eight goals for the North London Club. The 26-year-old is currently out of action and focusing on recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury sustained earlier in the season. News

Get to know every member of the current Lionesses squad. Lionesses Squad Keira Walsh Deep lying midfielder Keira Walsh is the Lionesses’ linchpin. She is, quite simply, the key that unlocks the very best of England’s potential. Walsh demonstrates remarkable vision and makes good on this ability to forward think with her diverse passing range. The Barcelona midfielder is able to spray passes any which way across the pitch with acute accuracy, and routinely spots the key space and off-the-shoulder runs that others tend to miss. Although she may not be the most physical defensive midfielder, Walsh shows capability in dispossessing at crucial moments and adds a layer of protection ahead of the backline with her intelligent positioning. It is not an overstatement to say that Walsh occupies the Lionesses’ most organic ‘footballing brain’. She is a truly gifted midfielder. Photograph courtesy of the FA.

Ben Gilby gives us a run down on Australia's key players as they gear up to face the Lionesses Australia's Dark Horses: A Guide to the Matildas Friday, 7 April 2023 By Ben Gilby Ben Gilby gives us a run down on Australia's key players as they gear up to face the Lionesses Football Australia The World Cup co-hosts Australia are in town and are prepared to take on the European champions. Whilst WSL fans are familiar with the large number of Matildas playing their club football here or in France, Tony Gustavsson’s side boast a number of other players that are more than capable of posing a real threat to the Lionesses. Alanna Kennedy’s absence is notable, but in truth the Manchester City defender has not played much international football over the last eight months. Of more concern for this international window at least is the hamstring injury that Caitlin Foord picked up in Arsenal’s win over Manchester City on Sunday. However, whilst under previous head coaches injuries to established players meant a succession of squad members being forced into makeshift roles in unfamiliar parts of the pitch, Tony Gustavsson has spent the three years of his tenure blooding a succession of the country’s young talent. Young talent that have shown they are capable of producing excellent performances on the international stage, with the Matildas winning their last five matches – a run which includes comfortable victories over Sweden and Spain. Indeed, Foord’s withdrawal means that there is the opportunity for two of the A-League Women’s hottest young attacking talent to show a British audience just how good they are. Holly McNamara, Photo: Football Australia Holly McNamara Holly McNamara turned 20 in January and holds three international caps already. In her breakout campaign of 2021/22, the young star proved to be the perfect foil for Kiwi Hannah Wilkinson in the Melbourne City side with the pair scoring goals for fun. McNamara’s pace and creativity out wide earned her a call up for the Australian side that went to the 2022 Asian Cup (the continent’s version of the Euros). McNamara was one of the few positives in what was a disappointing competition for the Matildas that saw them exit at the quarter-final stage in India. Then, just as quickly as McNamara’s star ascended, it was all taken away as soon after getting back to the A-League Women, she suffered a heart breaking ACL injury. Just a month into her return to action, the youngster is, incredibly, back to her marauding best, and produced a dominant performance last weekend in City’s 3-3 draw with Canberra United that clinched their place in the A-League Women’s Finals once more. *Holly McNamara has withdrawn from the Matildas squad following their match against Scotland. Cortnee Vine, Photo: Kieran Chea for Impetus Cortnee Vine Cortnee Vine is in the form of her life, and is overdue a move to Europe, where she would be a potential star in the WSL. The 24-year-old Sydney FC striker has it all – pace, strength, creativity, and red hot finishing skills.Vine is a player who mixes the old fashioned out and out wing play with the quality to finish from all over the front line. Whether it is using her speed to eat up the yards on the right hand side, dancing past would-be tacklers to provide pinpoint passes into the box, or cutting into the middle to draw a goalkeeper and slot calmly and confidently into the net, she is a player who, whilst has never played club football outside of Australia, has taken to the international stage superbly with three goals already. It ’s not just up front where Australia have real options. They also boast one of the most creative midfields in the game. Katrina Gorry, Photo: Football Australia Katrina Gorry Katrina Gorry, 30, returned to the game just over 12 months ago after giving birth to baby Harper in 2021. The star, known as ‘Mini’, due to her diminutive size (a touch over 5 ft) has not only taken the club game by the scruff of the neck since returning at both Brisbane Roar and Vittsjö, but has also produced a number of influential performances back in the green and gold of Australia. The 91 cap midfielder can thread a pass through the eye of a needle, or hit a stunner of a long range free-kick. The Lionesses have been warned – give away a set-piece around the box and Gorry will be ready. Alex Chidiac, Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus Alex Chidiac At 24 years-old, Alex Chidiac is at the peak of her powers. Now back in the NWSL at Racing Louisville after playing three-quarters of the A-League Women campaign for Melbourne Victory, Chidiac is the ultimate creative midfielder. Whether it is finding her wide players with inch perfect lofted passes, using her pace to drive through the centre before offloading to a team mate, Chidiac has the sort of creative brain that any international head coach desperately wants. The New South Wales born player can read the potential runs those ahead of her will make before they embark on them, and supplies on the money passes with her eyes closed. Chidiac is a player that the footballing purist will love. She has the potential to be a major star at the World Cup. For a while Australia’s options at the back have been limited. It’s still fair to say that it still doesn’t quite match the pool that they have further forward, but over the past 18 months of so, the emergence of Charli Grant, and this season, Clare Hunt, has helped to erase some of Tony Gustavsson’s potential headaches. The loss of Ellie Carpenter with an ACL injury during last season’s UEFA Champions League Final could have been catastrophic for the Matildas, yet a few months earlier, another right-back had been called into the national team for the first time, Charli Grant, Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus Charli Grant The South Australian had a record as arguably the best young defender in what was then the W-League with Adelaide United, and it earned her a shot at Champions League football with Swedish champions FC Rosengård. Grant was long admired for her potential among the Australian women’s football family. She took her chance with both hands in Carpenter’s absence as she drove her game to new heights. Grant bosses the right hand side of the defence and is capable of tracking two players at once before using her outstanding ability to read the game to make the right call time after time to close down danger before it eventuates. Whilst not in possession of the rapid pace to get forward that Carpenter does, Grant offers more than the Lyon player in terms of defensive qualities. Her ability to also play left back for her loan side Vittsjö in Sweden means that it is perfectly possible that Gustavsson can field both Carpenter and Grant in the same team. That would be one heck of a defensive duo. Clare Hunt, Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus Clare Hunt Clare Hunt has been impressive in defence for a struggling Western Sydney Wanderers side for several seasons now. After suffering a devastating injury last season, Hunt returned for the new A-League Women season as the Wanderers captain and was in stellar form once more. Regularly watched by Gustavsson and his coaching staff in the early part of the season, Hunt was rewarded with her first senior international call up in February and looked as if she had played in the green and gold backline all her life as she produced a series of performances of idiosyncratic ballast at the back as Australia defeated Spain, Jamaica and the Czech Republic comfortably. The Lionesses will cause Hunt more of a threat, and it will be fascinating to see how she handles them. England fans will be confident of overturning Australia at Brentford. Whilst they may be missing Foord, there is more than enough quality in this Matildas side to give the Lionesses a far tougher test than many will expect. Their trademark mantra is not ‘Never Say Die’ for nothing. Just remember that showdown in the Olympic Games Quarter-Finals.

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor speaks to the press ahead of their clash against Brighton Back Gareth Taylor hails Bunny Shaw as City return home to the Academy Stadium Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor speaks to the press ahead of their clash against Brighton SSP 2 December 2022 By Paul Donegan Gareth Taylor feels having more time with the new players is showing now (with their good form), and they are “seeing the benefits now of having a more settled environment”. On Bunny Shaw he said, “opportunities have arose for her, like being our more or less only recognised number 9 that we have”. She has taken on that challenge really well”. Taylor also said they will have to manage her in right way with amount of games coming up. He also said “ she is really confident” and credited those playing around her for creating good opportunities. Taylor said Brighton are a difficult team to play against, they are scoring and conceding goals and have had some high scoring games recently. “I don’t see too many real dangers in what they do and how they operate” but did add “there are no easy games in the WSL”. Taylor said “they are happy to be home” and “looking forward to the game, and hope to get a decent crowd”. He mentioned the importance of their supporters. Said great Jill Scott won I’m a Celebrity, “ She is a real top team player, great with people and showed that”. [She] is fun, supporting and has that determination”. On team news, Taylor said that Lauren Hemp has been back in training the last couple of days and they will give it another 24 hours and see where she is at. He added that in the next period of games, some players might be coming back. On scheduling and injuries, he said “there are high demands” on players. At City, he said they have looked at players individually in terms of what they need and recovery from games, and some players recover quicker than others. News

Patten's time at Aston Villa comes to an early end Back Anna Patten returns to Arsenal Patten's time at Aston Villa comes to an early end Getty Images 7 May 2022 By Charlotte Stacey Defender Anna Patten is set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering with glandular fever. Patten, who joined Aston Villa on loan from Arsenal in January, has made eight appearances for the Villans this season, however has not featured since mid-March. An Aston Villa statement commented that “the decision has been taken in the best interest of Anna's long-term health.” News

Elise Hughes reflects on an incredible season with the Eagles as they go up to the top flight Back "Every person in there means more to me than my right knee at the minute" Elise Hughes heaps praise on Palace personnel as they lift the Women's Championship trophy Elise Hughes reflects on an incredible season with the Eagles as they go up to the top flight Ryan Asman 28 April 2024 By Charlotte Stacey Crystal Palace forward Elise Hughes caught up with the media after the Eagles lifted the trophy and earned promotion into the Women's Super League. As Selhurst Park was jumping and emotions were running high, here's what the supreme goalscorer had to say... Summing up her feelings after the final whistle: "One of the hardest days of my life, but I couldn't be more proud so its the happiest day of my life as well!" On her teammates and management: "So proud of the girls that they went out there and got the job done. I had no doubt in my mind that they'd be able to do that because they've been class all year. The whole team, the staff, the players, I wouldn't want to be a part of any other group. "I know it's a cliche, but the togetherness of this group if you step on the pitch or you don't, everyone's in it together. We all wanted the same goal, although we didn't know that would be promotion until it happened. We're on a fast moving train and we got there quicker than expected. It's because of how good these girls are and how good this staff group is." On her recent ACL injury: "It's part of the game. We play and we know there are consequences through injury, sometimes it just happens. sometimes we're unlucky and other times it's mechanical. We will work through it, I've seen people come back stronger and that's the statistic I want to fall under. I want to fall under the statistic that comes back better and that's my plan... starting from tomorrow because tonight I'm celebrating!" On the Palac'es academies mixing and their whole club philosophy: "The togetherness at Palace is beyond anything I've ever known. I'm from a small village in North Wales and I've come to South London and felt at home. Never did I think I would ever get that. It's mainly down to the club, down to every staff member that walks into the building, no one goes past anyone without saying 'hi' and there's always a smile. There's always a reason to smile in that building and I hope we brought a bigger reason for the staff to smile [today]." On her partnership with fellow goal scorer Annabel Blanchard: "To be back on the pitch with Annabel is class, she's an unbelievable player, we know that. We know that in-house and I think the league know that. We tried to get to forty goals and assists between us and then I go an get injured! I've told her that she can have a six month headstart next year and then I'll catch her up again. "We've scored a lot of goals between the two of us but we couldn't do that without the rest." On making history and taking Palace to the top: "It's unbelievable. I said in the changing room before the game that if you'd have written my story and told me that this is how the season's going to end, as upsetting as it [ACL] was for me personally, I would've taken it because every person in there means more to me than my right knee at the minute. "The amount of people that are happy because of this trophy is more to me than what I'm about to go through and the reason I'm about to go through it with such a brave face is because of the amount of people I've got behind me. I couldn't do it without them." On leaving a legacy and inspiring young girls and boys: "Sometimes you have a 'why' in-house, something such as winning the league, and you realise how big your 'why' is outside of just the football pitch. We know that we can inspire the next generation. Me growing up, did I think I was going to do that? No. Then I see fans everyday with Hughes - 9 on the back or I see girls chanting or I see different players names and I think, 'wow, ok we are making a difference'. As small or as big as it is, we are, and if girls get opportunities that we never got growing up then we're all winners. We can lift a trophy in the end, but girls can play football, and they can play it just as well as boys." News