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Aston Villa v Leicester City Photographer Ryan Asman Points were shared at the Bescot Stadoum as Aston Villa and Leicester City drew 2-2. Goals from Adriana Leon, Rachel Daly, Yuki Momiki and Sam Tierney.

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.

Everything you need to know on each of the 23 Lionesses that will represent England at this years Euro's. Euro's Information and News Get to know the Lionesses Girls on the Ball By Charlotte Stacey 1 July 2022 The Euro’s are fast approaching, and with this, so does the anticipation surrounding the host nation, England. This summer’s European Championships will be only the second tournament England have played since Sarina Wiegman took charge last September. The first being the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup that took place earlier this year, in which England rose as victorious winners. Former Dutch midfielder Wiegman has not only brought a wealth of playing experience to camp, but also a positive international managerial record, having led the Netherlands to their first European victory in 2017. Wiegman has injected new life into a previously wilting English side. She has set standards, raised expectations and moulded the Lionesses into a well-functioning unified collective. Since Wiegman’s appointment the Lionesses have not lost a single match, they simply could not have set themselves up in better stead for the main event after remaining undefeated in their last eleven games. So, without further ado, here are our 23 Lionesses bidding to bring the trophy home this summer. Goalkeepers Mary Earps - No. 1 Manchester United’s number one has now asserted herself as Wiegman’s first choice between the sticks after being absent from the international stage for a couple of years. Earps is a goalkeeper who does her homework, she is evidently well prepared against individual opponents and knows exactly when to put her game face on. The 28-year-old is a capable shot-stopper and is unafraid to step out and take defensive work into her own hands. Known to be vocal, Earps ensures she is in constant communication with those around her. Her direct nature allows her to articulate exactly what she expects of her defensive line, which is a critical when defending set-pieces. Earps also demonstrates accuracy with passing and is comfortable to sit between centre-backs to allow fullbacks to stretch the pitch when playing out from the back. Hannah Hampton – No.13 Aston Villa’s Hannah Hampton may have the fewest number of caps under her belt, but she is arguably the most multifaceted of England’s three goalkeepers. The 20-year-old uses her feet as much as she uses her hands, often actively participating in build-up play, entering the fray almost as an auxiliary outfield player. Whilst Hampton is still a developing outright shot-stopper, she is a dab hand at cutting out crosses and demonstrates intelligence and accuracy with her distribution. Domestically, Hampton achieved a favourable 69.2% save percentage this season. This figure is just shy of 10% lower than the league leader, however it remains impressive when considering this was accomplished without a row of international defenders in front of her. Ellie Roebuck – No. 21 She may only be 22, but Manchester City’s Ellie Roebuck has long been on the scene, having made her senior debut back in 2018. Roebuck was a regular feature for England throughout the youth age groups and has a growing amount of international experience to her name. She is also the only goalkeeper selected to have played in last year’s Olympic Games, in which she donned the gloves as Team GB’s number one. Despite being out for part of the season with injury, Roebuck returned as sharp as ever. Of the ten league games she played, the youngster let only three goals slip past, alluding to her perceptive and quick movement. Roebuck is perhaps the most agile of Wiegman’s keepers, using her quick footwork and sudden shifts of weight to execute effective body position. Roebuck is also known for her ‘sweeper’ abilities and is aware enough to come some way off her line to tidy up without compromising readiness to protect the goal. Defenders Lucy Bronze – No.2 Lucy Bronze has arguably been England’s most important fullback over recent years, and even more so, their most versatile fullback tactically. An inverted right-back, she is one of England’s primary sources of build-up, interchanging in position with the right-winger with the ability to keep her width. Bronze’s crossing skills and spatial awareness are difference makers and give England a spirited drive along the right touchline. The 30-year-old is also known for her tendency to drift into the midfield to create overloads in the middle. As a progressive fullback, Bronze likes to carry the ball high up the pitch with a habit of cutting in centrally and decoying opponents when the space is afforded. Bronze’s role in both defence and in attack cannot be understated. Millie Bright – No. 6 No-nonsense centre-back Millie Bright is possibly England’s most ‘traditional’ defender. The 28-year-old is a staple figure in the Lionesses line-up and has been named as vice-captain after displaying desirable leadership qualities across the previous few seasons with Chelsea. Bright is assertive and aggressive and uses her physicality, as much as her feet, to escort attacking threats away from goal. Usually the last woman standing, Bright is unafraid to put her body on the line to block or intercept in timely fashion. Bright has a keen eye for a cross ball and her launched passes often act as catalysts for attacking phases of play further up field. Standing at 5ft 9, Bright also provides a serious aerial threat at set-pieces. Further than this, Bright boasts a killer strike and has been known to hit the target from distance. Jess Carter – No.12 Chelsea’s Jess Carter is a relatively new addition to the national squad after being out of the fold for the last few years. However, the 24-year-old has broken out once again with an outstanding season in Chelsea blue and has rightly caught the eye of Wiegman. Carter is a well-rounded and functional defender who is able to slot in anywhere across the backline. One-v-one situations and man marking is where Carter truly excels, demonstrating her insightful timing. Carter is intuitively defensively minded and offers the Lionesses a stable marshal allowing her fellow defenders to progress and support in attack. Rachel Daly – No.3 Houston Dash captain Rachel Daly is an experienced and adaptable player with a unique skillset. When playing domestically, Daly occupies the centre forward role and is currently the Dash’s all time top scorer. Her forward role is that of a deep-lying striker who excels in linking play, playing in other attacking players, and creating interchangeable sequences of play. Internationally, however, Daly is usually situated further back, primarily featuring for England as a left-back. Here, Daly utilises her strikers’ tendencies and pairs them with the defensive qualities developed as a result of her slightly unusual placement. Daly’s ‘off the ball’ traits are under appreciated at times, but her pressing and positional awareness are key in bringing a balance to England’s backline. Alex Greenwood – No. 5 For the majority of her career Greenwood played as a left-back, however over the past two seasons 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 principle set-piece taker. Demi Stokes – No. 15 Manchester City’s Demi Stokes has been a regular feature for the Lionesses for a number of years, racking up over 65 caps for her country so far. The 30-year-old is a slightly more defensively inclined fullback than right-sided counterpart Lucy Bronze. This is beneficial in offering England cover when facing high pressing and counterattacking teams. Stokes is savvy with her forward runs, timing the overlap with the winger without detriment to the space behind her. Keeping width is a key aspect of Stokes’ game and her residence is key in stretching the lines of play. Stokes is also a notable willing runner and will fight tooth and nail to retrieve a loose ball or recover lost possession. Lotte Wubben-Moy – No. 22 Arsenal centre-back Lotte Wubben-Moy continues to gain senior international experience after representing the Lionesses at U15, U17, U20 and U21 levels. Much like Millie Bright, Wubben-Moy offers a testing physical presence at the back and uses her height, fitness and strength to deny strikers scoring opportunities. At 23, Wubben-Moy is England’s youngest trade defender, however the North London native plays with maturity and demonstrates sensible judgement. Aside from being a dependable central defender, Wubben-Moy is also developing into a skilled ball player. She typically likes to dribble toward the half way line before releasing passes through the central channels, by doing so, encouraging positive forward movement from those around her. Midfielders Fran Kirby – No. 14 A fit and match ready Fran Kirby is always a tremendous boost. After taking a break and missing part of the season due to severe fatigue, the Chelsea attacker has worked her way back to fitness and onto Wiegman’s roster. An experienced international, Kirby knows how to handle the pressures tournament football can throw up and is well known for sprinkling moments of magic along the way. A diminutive and lively attacking player, Kirby is hard to keep hold of, finding space between lines to propel fast moving transitions. While Kirby typically plays on the right side of the forward line for Chelsea, it is likely she will adopt an attacking midfield role for England due to her ability to seamlessly roam between central and wide channels. Kirby acts as a decoy and has a knack of knowingly drawing in defenders to open up space for others. She will outwit, outfox and outplay at every twist and turn. Jill Scott – No. 16 With over 150 international caps, nine major tournaments and 26 goals to her name, Jill Scott really hasn’t left any stone unturned. An established box-to-box midfielder, Scott is well versed in doing the dirty work, keeping an intense press fixed on opponents when they are both on and off the ball. Scott boasts incredible fitness levels and is able to comfortably keep up and present a hardy challenge to younger oppositions. With a direct approach to the game, Scott’s actions out of possession sometimes fall under the radar but they are nevertheless crucial to England’s progression. She may not bring the same frills and skills of more ‘inventive’ midfielders, but what Scott does always offer, is a job well done. Georgia Stanway – No. 10 Bayern Munich’s new signing is spirited and gutsy. Stanway is an aggressor, and to describe her as anything less would be inimical of the passion she exudes. Stanway is a versatile and positionally disciplined player having played stints as a right-back, a holding midfielder and a forward. However, perhaps Stanway’s most natural role falls as a number 10, bridging the defensive lines of midfield to the forward troupe. Stanway is a significant attacking facet for England with an ability to facilitate successful and consistent passes and carries into the penalty area. Yet, she is also a considerable defensive asset who is particularly knowing of the importance of defensive unity across the whole pitch. At just 23, Stanway is already affluent in international experience with over 30 senior caps and eight goals for her country. Ella Toone – No. 20 Manchester United’s creative dynamo has certainly impressed Wiegman and has been a mainstay in her reign so far. The 22-year-old is a fantastically innovative number 10 who is able to find creative ways to thread key passes that often lead to shot and goal creation. Toone openly invites tight pressure and enjoys using her ‘tricky feet’ to weave her way through defensive lines, ball-in-tow. This affords others the time and space to take up advanced and threatening positions. Not just a prolific assistant, Toone is also a respectable goal scorer having already netted two hat-tricks for England this year. Toone will certainly offer an essential dose of creativity against sides who prefer to sit back in a low block. Keira Walsh – No. 4 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 25-year-old 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. Leah Williamson – No. 8 Arsenal centre-back and newly names Lionesses captain Leah Williamson may well take up a different role to her usual domestic placement. Due to her progressive nature and exceptional ball playing skill, Williamson could assume a variation of the number 6 role, pairing up with Keira Walsh in a double pivot. However, she is also able to slip back into her trade centre-back role at the drop of a hat, further gifting England with a number of potentially fluid formation options. Williamson is decisive and rational; a player who is largely purposeful with every touch. The 25-year-old harbours quality passing abilities, so much so in fact, that she could easily be regarded as one of the best in the world at filtering progressive passes from back to front. The benefits of having Williamson on the field are endless; from leadership and tact, to playmaking and quality possession. Forwards Bethany England – No. 19 Chelsea’s Bethany England is an out-and-out number 9. England ensures she is where she needs to be to get on the end of incoming through balls, passes and crosses. She is knowing in her movements and whether the ball reach her on the ground or in the air, England works tirelessly to be readily available to complete the exchange. Internationally, the 28-year-old has been nothing but patient, determinedly chipping away to improve her game in order to catch the eye of the national side. England eventually made her senior debut in 2019 and has gone on to tally an impressive nine goals in 19 appearances, signifying, not only a composed finish, but an intelligence in anticipating the key points of attacking play. Lauren Hemp – No. 11 Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp is the Lionesses’ ‘not so secret’ weapon. The left sided winger is unfathomably quick and uses her pace to propel England’s transitional play. Hemp is an absolute headache of a forward for defenders, relentlessly darting through oppositions and shattering lines with ease. Whether an opponent or a viewer, you simply cannot switch off when Hemp is on the ball. Hemp is charismatic, bold, and at times, audacious, and due to this magnetism, she is often sought out by the Lionesses deep ball playing contingent as their initiating attacker. She is also a fine crosser of the ball which suits England’s typical 4-3-3 system down to the ground. At just 21, Hemp is only in the beginnings of her career, yet she already approaches matches with a confidence that will only lead to extraordinary things. Chloe Kelly – No. 18 The return of Chloe Kelly has given the Lionesses yet another dynamic option along the wing. The Manchester City forward, who has recently recovered from an ACL injury, offers an alternative profile to that of fellow wingers Beth Mead and Nikita Parris. Kelly is possibly best described as a ‘traditional winger’. Usually situated on the right, Kelly prefers to keep her width but is equally capable of drifting into the interior channels as an inside-forward. The 24-year-old boasts a devastating crossing ability and her pace is complementary to that of left-sided colleague Lauren Hemp. Beth Mead – No. 7 Beth Mead has arguably played her best season to date with domestic club Arsenal, having racked up eight assists and 11 goals this term. The energetic winger likes to cut inside in possession and divert into the narrower lanes of play. By doing this, Mead draws in wide opponents as well as occupying a central defender, allowing the fullback to overlap and take advantage of the now open space on the wing whilst affording the central striker the opportunity to move beyond their marker. Mead is a highly valuable assistant and it is her quick releasing of the ball that further permits this. With a quick lift of the head, Mead is able to pick out and execute an optimal pass. Aside from this, Mead herself is pretty deadly in the area having potted a colossal 12 goals in Wiegman’s first ten games at the helm. Nikita Parris – No. 17 Arsenal’s Nikita Parris is no stranger to an international tournament, having made over 60 appearances in an England shirt. The 28-year-old is able to play along either wing, offering England different possibilities upfront depending on the gameplan of their varied oppositions. A definitive workhorse, Parris delivers constant movement to distract and disorientate. Whilst she is a natural forward, Parris is excellent at implementing pressing actions that cut off supply to teams playing out from the back. She is also, perhaps, the most inclined to track back and reclaim possession of all of England’s forwards. Alessia Russo – No. 23 The integration of Alessia Russo into a regular face on game days is proving to be increasingly beneficial. The Manchester United striker gives the Lionesses’ forward line something altogether compelling; a buoyant point of reference to target. Russo is adaptable and has experience in playing out wide, however she is most effective when stationed in the centre as a number 9. Using her physicality, Russo likes to put the pressure on and strongly contest for the ball, thus causing her to have quite the presence in the area. Russo is a capable dribbler, and is also a willing runner, which leaves England in good stead when using quick transitions. Finally, Russo is extremely good in the air adding further element to her layered abilities. Ellen White – No. 9 Tried and tested, seasoned striker Ellen White knows exactly what to do in an England shirt. White has enjoyed a number of milestone occasions with the Lionesses, including reaching 100 caps and making history as the first female player to score 50 goals for the country. White is second only to Wayne Rooney’s 53 goals on England’s all-time record goalscorer list. A classic centre forward, White excels close to the goal and exudes an innate poacher’s instinct. She likes to peel off the shoulder of the defender to sink the ball past the keeper whilst being up close and personal. The 33-year-old is a notable runner and she is prepared to pull back and offer support in times of collective defending or when her required service is not being provided. White brings quality and expertise and that cannot be understated. The Lionesses will kick off the Euro's at Old Trafford on Wednesday 6th July at 8pm (BST) when they face Group A opponents Austria.

Back Carly Telford Club Chelsea Position Goalkeeper D.O.B 07/07/1987 Bio Following Karen Bardsley’s withdrawal due to injury, Chelsea’s Carly Telford has been called up to fill the experienced role between the posts. Although Telford has not seen an awful lot of game time this season her sharp reactions, vocalness and organisation, as well as a fair few game saving performances, have seen Telford withstand the test of time. Resilient and infectiously optimistic, Telford's calm presence means she brings much more than just a safe pair of hands. via Getty Images A2

Get to know every member of the current Lionesses squad. Lionesses Squad Niamh Charles Niamh Charles was unlucky not to have been a part of last year’s Euro’s winning squad. The Chelsea defender has been increasingly important to the Blues’ line-up and looks to be heading the same way on the international stage. Primarily playing on the right, Charles offers a different style of play to Lucy Bronze, with the latter preferring to invert and initiate attacking play. Charles, however, offers a more supporting role and plays equally well being positioned as both a fullback or wingback. Defensively, Charles is disciplined and is careful to challenge in timely fashion. But this is not to say that her presence is not valuable in attack, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Charles is an asset in backing-up heavyweight attacking threats with clever movement that creates space and her increasingly savvy passing skills. Further than this, Charles is happy to overlap using width meaning she is often an extra body and auxiliary winger during attacking phases. Photograph courtesy of the FA.

Arsenal v Bristol City Conti Cup Photographer Ryan Asman Arsenal clocked in with their first Conti Cup win of the season against Bristol City. Frida Leonhardsen Maanum opened the scoring before being followed up by centre-back Lotte Wubben-Moy. The Robins clawed one back in the 70th minute through Sille Struck before Stina Blackstenius put the game to bed with Arsenal's third and final goal in additional time.

Emma Hayes praises those who have come before ahead of this weekend’s historic FA Cup. Back Emma Hayes: The FA Cup is "a celebration of women's football" Emma Hayes praises those who have come before ahead of this weekend’s historic FA Cup. via Getty Images 3 December 2021 By Charlotte Stacey On the 100th anniversary of the FA inflicted ban on women’s football, Chelsea boss Emma Hayes insisted this weekend’s FA Cup final, celebrating its 50th year of occurrence, is more than just an occasion for the two competing sides. “For me the FA Cup final is about everybody who’s come before. The scores of women who have built the game to this level, whether they’ve represented their teams at Wembley or not. Whether they’ve played in, participated in, coached or worked within organisations. It’s a special day in the women’s football calendar and I certainly want to celebrate that.” Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Hayes reiterated the significance of the whole event, not just the scoreline. “Of course I want to win, that’s obvious, but it’s about something much bigger. It’s for all those former captains that have won FA Cups or former players that have participated and they didn’t get this opportunity. This is about them.” “This is about the women’s game, grassroots football, kids running home watching the showpiece event for the women’s calendar. This is about the league, the FA, the sponsors, everybody. Everybody that has invested in the game, you guys [press] that make sure we’re front and centre.” “This is a coming together of the women’s game that has really grown to an amazing level and one that I know we’re going to keep building on.” “To have the game on a poignant date is critical, and one that must serve as a reminder that this game won’t be banned again.” “This weekend is about every single person who has made sure that women’s football has become a permanent fixture in everybody’s lives.” Chelsea will take on Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in the Women’s FA Cup final on Sunday 5th December at 2pm. News

Kelly Chambers addresses WSL scheduling and speaks about positivity within the team ahead of this weekend's games Back “I think everyone’s excited to get out on the pitch” says Reading boss Kelly Chambers Kelly Chambers addresses WSL scheduling and speaks about positivity within the team ahead of this weekend's games NG Sports Photography 13 January 2023 By Rosa Maitland Reading boss, Kelly Chambers addressed the media ahead of her side's WSL clash against Everton. Kelly Chambers confirmed that her side is ready for the trip to Merseyside following the winter break, “they have all come back in good spirits and in good health, so they are probably a bit like me and raring to go now.” The Reading boss admitted that the Christmas break was bad timing for her side, “we were in a really good place before Christmas and we didn’t really want the Christmas break for us, so it’s important that we try and pick off where we left off.” Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash Chambers added that “Everton is not an easy place to go, it’s very windy as there with no surroundings and it can be very wet, but the pitch is lovely to play on, and there are no excuses for us”. She added that her team's “outstanding” performance against Chelsea before Christmas will “give us believe when we come up against Everton”. When asked if there were many injuries within the squad Chambers said : “ No, not too many at all. Obviously, it’s nice that we have got people like Brooke Hendrix back into the side, we are probably going to be missing Lily Woodham who picked up a little niggle in training last week, we just don’t want to push things”. Chambers went on to say that Canadian international, Deanne Rose is recovering well from her Achilles injury she picked up in September, “She’s doing really well, and we are really trying to work with her to try and get her back for the World Cup for Canada, that’s her and our goal”. With the transfer window still open, Chambers said that the club were potentially looking to bring “one or two” players in on loan, “but as it stands there is nothing set in stone”. Chambers mentioned that it has been hard for her team to gather momentum due to the small number of games and regular international camps, “we do get big breaks in the season, you pretty much have an international break every month, so it again breaks up momentum whether that’s for the players, for the team, for fans.” When asked if adding more teams to the WSL would be a solution to increase the number of games Chambers' answer was, “yeah possibly that could be, like I said it's hard at the moment because I think people are starting to see that there is still that gap in the WSL so if you start bringing more teams in is it just going to become a two-team league, or three leagues in one, for clubs like us we want more games”. Chambers added that “ someone like Chelsea that are playing in every competition and will likely be in every competition until pretty much the final they are gonna have loads (of games) and then if you add in international games on top of that, for them there are still a lot for them.” Reading will travel to Merseyside to take on Everton this Sunday, 15th January at 1 pm (GMT). The match will be shown live on the FA player News

Northern Ireland senior Women’s side will play three international friendly matches in Spain next month. Back Northern Ireland to head to Spain for February camp Northern Ireland senior Women’s side will play three international friendly matches in Spain next month. NurPhoto // Getty Images 22 January 2022 By Josh Bunting Northern Ireland who are set to appear in their first major tournament in the summer are also using the games as warm-up for April’s World Cup qualifying games with Austria and England. Kenny Shiels’ squad are set to take part in a 10-day training camp at the Marbella Football Centre on the Costa del Sol from 14 to 23 February. And as part of the camp they will face Faroe Islands, Switzerland and Romania in friendlies at the Marbella venue, which is widely used for pre-season and training camps by the world’s top club sides and national teams. Northern Ireland played the Faroe Islands as part of their Euro 2022 qualifying campaign winning 6-0 away and 5-1 at Windsor sealing a playoff spot on that evening before beating Ukraine over two legs in the playoff. The Swiss and the Romanians are both ranked higher in the world than Northern Ireland, who rose up the FIFA Coca-Cola Women’s Ranking a couple of places to 46th in the latest list, which was published last month. Switzerland are ranked 17th while Romania sit 42nd as for Faroe Island’s they are below Northern Ireland in 99th place. Northern Ireland last met the Swiss in the Euro 2017 qualifying series, losing 4-0 in Switzerland after an 8-1 defeat at Mourneview Park in 2015. However it’s now a stronger Northern Ireland side going into the game against a side who boast players such as Arsenal’s Lia Walti and Noelle Maritz as well as Aston Villa winger Alisha Lehmann. The first game in Spain, against Faroe Islands, is scheduled to be played on Thursday 17 February with a 3pm kick-off UK time. Game two will see Shiels’ side take on Switzerland on Sunday 20 February (11am start UK time). The final match against the Romanian’s will be on Wednesday 23 February once again with an 11am kick off time. 22 players have recently entered a seven month full-time training camp meaning the players who don’t play professionally in England or Scotland will become full-time players in the run-up to the tournament, which is being staged in England in July. On the games Shiels’ said “We are really looking forward to these three games in Spain. It will provide us with a measurement of our programme and its progression. “We are constantly trying to teach and learn from our time with the players. This trip will give us ideal preparation for April's World Cup qualifiers. Everything we do is to help the players prepare to prepare. “During February we will look to step up our performance levels to ensure we reach maximum standards.” The Northern Ireland manager will name his squad in early February for the three games. News

Southampton are welcoming fans to St. Mary's as they take on Arsenal for the very first time Back Saints hoping for a record crowd at historic Conti Cup clash with the Gunners Southampton are welcoming fans to St. Mary's as they take on Arsenal for the very first time Southampton FC Women 20 October 2023 Charlotte Stacey Southampton FC Women will be taking on Arsenal for the first time in their history on Thursday 23rd November in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup. The game will be a reunion for the Women’s First Team Head Coach Marieanne Spacey-Cale MBE, who was known as ‘one of the most feared forwards in the game’, having spent most of her playing career with the Gunners. She also went on to be a part of Arsenal’s coaching team later in her career. Spacey-Cale’s side will get the chance to test themselves against one of the country’s best teams, with top players including Alessia Russo and Beth Mead heading to St Mary’s Stadium. The match will be a 6.30pm kick off to ensure that all the family can enjoy this great spectacle for Southampton FC Women, who currently top the Barclays Women’s Championship and hold 2nd in the Group D of the Conti-Cup after securing a bonus point against Bristol City. Looking ahead to the historic fixture, Head Coach Marieanne Spacey-Cale commented: “This is an exciting occasion for the team as we face Arsenal for the first time. Arsenal is one of the country’s most iconic women’s side, with world-class players and coaching staff. This will be great opportunity for our players to really test themselves against the levels we’re aspiring to reach and showcase the spirit of Saints as we aim to compete in the latter stages of the Conti-Cup. We’re excited to be playing on home turf and hope to see our community get behind us here at St Mary’s. There’s never been a more exciting time for women’s football, and we’d love to see that audience grow, with record crowds cheering us on from the stands.” Ticket information: Tickets for current Women’s Season Ticket Holders will go on sale on Wednesday 25th October. Costing £3 for adults, and free for Under 18s. Tickets for Men’s Season Ticket Holders will then go on sale on Friday 27th October. Costing £3 for adults, and free for Under 18s. For anyone who signs up to register their interest, tickets will go on sale on Tuesday 31st October at an Early Bird price. Tickets will then go on general sale on Wednesday 1st November. Costing £5 for adults and £1 for Under 18s. Hospitality packages, including a family-friendly option, will be available for purchase starting Wednesday 25th October at an Early Bird price. To register interest visit: https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/southampton-fc-women-vs-arsenal-women News

Our writer Finley pens an open thank you to women's football in this frank and heartfelt piece. To Women’s Football - Thank you Thursday, 24 August 2023 By Finley Chung Our writer Finley pens an open thank you to women's football in this frank and heartfelt piece. via Lionesses - FA So, whilst I feel the time is right to release this piece, I have no idea how long, short or even detailed this will be. I feel like now, the time is right to acknowledge that last year, Women’s Football practically saved my life. In 2022, the European Championship in England was a real watershed moment for Women’s Football, but for me personally it was a little more than that. It was the first time I’d become invested into Women’s Football and I absolutely loved the tournament. I celebrated the famous Georgia Stnaway winner against Spain in the Quarter Finals so loudly that I woke my neighbours children up, something which I hadn’t done in the men’s game since Lucas Moura and his famous hat trick against Ajax for my boyhood club, Tottenham Hotspur. The tournament was my first way of feeling free, feeling connected to something since the COVID lockdowns, which I am sure dampened everyone’s mental health in some way, shape or form. Following the culmination of a few things over the last few years, COVID being one, losing my Nan, and my Mum going through Chemotherapy during the pandemic, the last 4 years haven’t been that easy on me to say the very least. After the tournament in 2022 I wrote my very first piece for On Her Side, summing up the achievements of the Lionesses which went down very well - at least that’s why I feel Charlotte has kept me on here at OHS! The following month, I was given the chance to attend the Reading Women Media Day ahead of the 2022/2023 WSL Season. This opportunity came at pretty much the perfect time for me as I really was beginning to struggle, I had the chance to interview Kelly Chambers, the long time manager of Reading Women, and players Brooke Hendrix and Emma Harries. The day itself was fantastic, even if I was having to write things up with one hand, the other fractured and set in a bright yellow cast the colour of Del Boy and Rodney’s Reliant Robin in Only Fools and Horses -yeah, that yellow! Following said event, and the healing of my wrist, my piece from the Reading Media Day, also on this site was up! Once the football season had got underway, I was starting to feel a little better, but still, something wasn’t quite right and at the start of September I dropped as low as I had ever been before. My inner demons were eating away at me all through summer. On the personal front I didn’t have a job when all four of my best mates, Ciaran, Dan, Brendan and Jordan did. It’s the age old thing of not comparing yourself to others, but when it’s a lifelong habit, it is a very difficult one to get out of. I mention my mates names because of what I’m about to say next. I’d been feeling very low when Ciaran invited me over to his for the day, so I thought, yeah why not, it might help! Now, for anyone that knows East London, by the EXCEL Centre there’s a bridge over the river that I needed to take to get towards Ciaran’s, place. As I went over that bridge… I feel sick even typing this, I looked down and thought to myself, “that would be a quick way to do it”… and excuse my French but that scared the s**t out of me. Stupidly, and as a man doing what you're told to do by society, I pushed it to the back of my mind and didn’t utter a word to anyone that day about it. Quite possibly the worst thing I could’ve done. For roughly a week after that visit I had constantly thought about what I said on the bridge. The Tuesday after will always make a significant date in my mind, Tuesday 13th September 2022, the day I asked for help. It was just like any Tuesday in the football season. I went off to follow my local non-league team, Cheshunt FC away at Worthing, a coach journey from Herts to East Sussex which takes about an hour and a half to two hours, a coach trip that made me have some realisations. On the way down, I texted Ciaran, " sorry it’s taken me so long to open up, but I need help.’ He then responded, “Didn’t you think I knew..” - that told me pretty much everything I needed to know. But that evening about to get a whole lot worse, in the sense that I finally knew something was really, really wrong. Cheshunt went 2-0 up away at Worthing inside 18 minutes. Normally I’d run to celebrate with the players but I just couldn’t, it almost felt everything was a blur, it felt like everything was a whirlwind happening around me, but I wasn’t registering to any of it. At half time I rang my Mum to finally tell her about what happened. Almost in floods of tears I said everything. I told her about what I felt on the bridge, I opened up about all what I was feeling, everything spilt out. Because I’m lucky to have parents as brilliant as mine, they offered to drive all the way to Worthing to pick me up… I declined and we lost 3-2… maybe I should’ve game home when they offered. Getting all that out, allowed me to get on tablets and take up counselling, the former I am still taking each morning. Speaking to my Mum that night was the best decision I ever made. About a month or so afterwards I went to my first Women’s game, England v USA at Wembley. The European Champions vs the then World Champions with my good friend Billie and her girlfriend, Kat. Three months after that defining night I was last at Wembley, it’s fair to say I’d been on a rollercoaster ride. Once the game got underway, I was reminded why I’d fallen for Women’s Football, I should stop saying that mind, as it is just FOOTBALL, no matter who plays it, but that clash in October made me remember why I’d got this new found love for the game. I felt comfortable at football, not on edge. I could talk to Billie and Kat about my mental state, my low downs rather than get glaring looks off people that typically go to men’s matches… something just felt different, something just felt right. Watching Georgia Stanway score the winning penalty that night opened an outpouring of emotion in me, my favourite player in the Women’s game scoring the winning goal just felt like the icing on top of a very, very emotional cake. Whilst writing for On Her Side since that famous European triumph, I have since been lucky enough to be invited to write for two other sites, Since71 and VAVEL WSL . Sites where I’ve met some absolutely wonderful people who’ve made me believe in myself and who’ve really helped me. I’ll give Charlotte her flowers first, we know her as the founder of this site, but she is the most wonderful human who has given me so many opportunities. From that media day at Reading, to getting to go in the press box at the home of my club, Tottenham Hotspur on two occasions and writing about Her Game too, a campaign close to my heart. Charlotte is one of a kind and I know everyone else that contributes to OHS firmly believes so, too. Then we have Since 71. When I asked Stuart to get involved with S71, I would’ve never imagined that I would have had the chance to cover the Conti Cup Final between Chelsea v Arsenal at Selhurst Park… we’ll leave out the long wait in the cold for Lia Walti and Rafaelle in the mixed zone after Arsenal’s triumph. Stu and the guys over there have also given me fantastic opportunities, all of which I’ll never forget. Finally we have VAVEL. Having joined the WSL team on the site, they are an absolutely fantastic bunch. Robin, Max and Mia, the editors are sensational people who always know how to put an arm around people when they need help and advice with articles. Our World Cup coverage on VAVEL has been superb and it’s been something I’ve been able to use to get away from demons and down feelings. Of course, we have a plethora of outstanding writers at VAVEL too, Sion, Owen, Ryan, Aaron, Alex, Harry, Cayden, Luca, Abi, Laura, Chloe (x2), Libby, Ambi, Polly, Rhys… way too many to name, but I can comfortably assure them all that they’ve had a fantastic impact on my life, that goes for Stu and the Since 71 gang and Charlotte and the wonderful team we have here at OHS also. With the 2023/2024 season round the corner I have been given the keys to the social media role at my local club, Cheshunt Women, further enhancing the impact of Women’s Football in my life. In the days writing this, England have just lost a World Cup Final to Spain. As sad as I was, it just confirmed to me - if you’d said to me a year ago, I’d have laughed at you, what a difference a year makes, eh? However, things aren’t always rosy, it’s always ok not to feel ok. It’s always okay to talk, but if you can find a get out or an escape, it can get so much easier. So… this has been a long time coming, and a pretty long time in writing, but I just wanted to pen this thank you to Women’s Football. A thank you to OHS, Since 71 and VAVEL for giving me the brilliant opportunities that they’ve given me and the friendships I have made. All that’s left to say is thank you, Women’s Football, thank you.