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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.

All the latest movement in the Women's Championship Back Women's Championship Latest News All the latest movement in the Women's Championship NUFC Women 16 July 2024 By Paul Donegan Newcastle United have completed the signing of Demi Stokes. The defender left Manchester City at the end of last season where she had won the WSL once and the FA and League Cups three times each during her nine years with the club. The 32-year-old has won 69 caps for England and was part of the Euros winning squad in 2022. Stokes said “I am thrilled to be joining Newcastle United and returning home to the North East. I still have so much to give on the pitch and I’m excited to bring my experience to a club with such big ambitions”. Remi Allen has been appointed as Southampton’s new head coach. The 33-year-old joins the Saints after taking charge of London City Lionesses from March until the end of the 2023/24 season. She has also been assistant coach for England’s under-23s as part of the England Elite Coach Programme. On joining Southampton, Allen remarked, “I am absolutely delighted to be on board with such an incredible football club. It’s such an exciting time to be here, the club has huge ambition and the group of players here are such a talented group. I can’t wait to get started on the journey, it’s going to be an exciting season ahead.” Goalkeeper Claudia Moan has joined Newcastle United after recently leaving Sunderland. The current Championship Player of the Season and Golden Glove winner joins after helping Newcastle’s local rivals to a third-place finish in the league last season and only conceding 18 goals in 22 games. After signing, Moan said, “I am delighted to be joining Newcastle United, who have shown in the past two seasons that they are a very ambitious club”. New Zealand international Hannah Blake has signed a professional contract with Durham the club have announced. The 24-year-old forward has played for the University of Michigan Wolverines in the US college football system and then Perth Glory and Adelaide United in Australia’s top league. After joining the Wildcats, Blake expressed her delight saying, “I’m really excited to be playing in England. Playing in the Championship has been an aspiration of mine for a while now and I’m excited to take that next step”. Maddi Wilde has returned to London City Lionesses after signing a permanent two-year contract, with the option of a further season. The full-back spent last season on loan at the Pride from Bristol City and she made 25 appearances in all competitions. After signing permanently, 20-year-old Wilde commented, “after last season, I could see the steps that were being taken behind the scenes, with Michele (Kang) pushing standards forward, and I knew I wanted to be part of this environment again”. Bristol City have completed the signing of Lexi Lloyd-Smith on a two-year contract. The 21-year-old winger recently left Southampton after spending two seasons with them in the Championship. After joining the Robins, Lloyd-Smith said, “I can’t wait to get started. The facilities are amazing, and I can’t wait to get out on the pitch to show everyone what I can do. “I enjoyed meeting the girls too and I love the energy and the vibe at the club. It feels like a big family.” Centre-back Tara Bourne has joined Southampton. The 20-year-old recently left fellow Championship side Sheffield United where she made 17 appearances in the 2023/24 campaign. Bourne has also played Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City and has represented England’s youth sides. “Having conversations with the staff here, my plans aligned with theirs. I feel like together we can work towards big things, I am excited for this season” Bourne commented after signing. Durham have announced the signing of Carly Johns from Watford. With the Hornets last season, the striker scored eight goals in the Championship and nine in total. Before that, she had scored 52 goals in 76 appearances whilst at Oxford United in the FA Women’s National League. After joining the Wildcats, 21-year-old Johns said, “I’m buzzing to be here. I played against Durham last season and they were a really tough challenge, so it’s good to get to know all the girls and the staff and I’m really happy to be here”. Katie Bradley has joined Charlton Athletic from Blackburn Rovers, signing a two-year deal. The 22-year-old midfielder joined Rovers in January after completing her studies in the United States. Bradley expressed some of her reasons for joining the club, saying, “I think the personal development and being able to work with Karen (Hills) was important for me as I think we will be a really good match together. The style of football is attacking and that is something I want to be playing in. In my position as well I want to be keeping the ball and retaining possession.” Charlton Athletic have signed Gracie Pearse permanently on a two-year contract. The defender spent the second half of last season on loan at the club and made four appearances for them. Pearse left Tottenham Hotspur in June and has also had loan spells at Bristol City and Crystal Palace in the Championship. Explaining her reasons for signing, Pearse said, “I think how close we came to being promoted is a big part of it and how the team is together. I feel most happy here and that’s why I made the decision to come back.” England youth international goalkeeper Fran Stenson has signed for Southampton after leaving Sheffield United. Stenson made 25 appearances for the Blades across two seasons. The 23-year-old had previously had spells at Birmingham, Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, Arenal and Brighton. Stenson commented after joining the Saints, “I’m really happy to get the deal done. I feel like the club has high ambitions which align with mine and I think it’s going to be a very exciting season”. Mel Filis has joined Charlton Athletic permanently after spending the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan with them from West Ham United. The midfielder has signed a two-year contract with the Addicks. During her spell with the club last season, she made 10 appearances and scored three goals. 21-year-old Filis said she was motivated to help the team and, “the league is very competitive, playing in the games on the back end of last season was really nice to be playing to win something and fighting for promotion”. London City Lionesses have signed 18-year-old Gesa Marashi on a two-year contract. The midfielder joins the Pride from Arsenal’s Professional Game Academy following a short-term loan spell at Reading last season. After signing, Marashi said, “I could see that the project is building and that there would be opportunities here to help the team try to win promotion from the Championship”. Goalkeeper Lucy Thomas has signed a new one-year contract with Birmingham City. In her two seasons with the Blues, Thomas has made 54 appearances in all competitions, not missed a minute of Championship games and kept 21 clean sheets in total. The 24-year-old was recently called up to the senior Lionesses squad for the first time. Thomas remarked, “I’m really pleased. This place feels like home, and I absolutely love it here. I really believe in what Amy (Merricks) is trying to build here and I feel like I’ve got unfinished business”. Portsmouth have announced that Annie Rolf and Ella Humphrey have both signed one-year professional contracts with the club. Midfielder Rolf has made 53 appearances and scored 10 goals for Pompey since joining them in January 2022. Humphrey joined on dual-registration terms in October 2022 before making the move permanent the following summer. The forward has made 36 appearances for Portsmouth and scored eight goals in 22 games as they got promoted to the Championship. Charlton Athletic’s Karin Muya has signed a new contract with the club until 2025. In her first season with the Addicks, Muya scored three goals in 17 appearances. After signing her new deal, the forward said, “It feels great and a sigh of relief. I feel excited to get going with pre-season and to start working. Last season we were so close, so this season it feels like we can learn some lessons and push on that step further.” Defenders Izzy Collins, Scarlett Williams and Nicole Barrett have all signed one-year professional contracts with Portsmouth. Collins joined the south coast club at the start of the 2022/23 season and has since made 45 appearances for them. Williams joined towards the end of the 2023/24 season and made three appearances as Pompey got promoted. Barrett has made 61 appearances and scored 12 goals since joining Portsmouth in 2022. Kiera Skeels and Beth Roe have both signed new one-year contracts with Charlton Athletic. Defender Skeels has played for the Addicks in 62 Championship games and scored four goals since she joined them in 2021 after leaving Reading. Roe joined initially on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion during the 2020/21 before making the move permanent at the end of the season. The full-back has gone onto make 71 league appearances for the club and has scored three goals. London City Lionesses have announced that New Zealand international Grace Neville has signed a new one-year contract with the club. This will be Neville’s sixth season with the Pride where she scored their first ever goal in 2019 and has made 74 appearances for them. After confirming she was staying on, the 24-year-old stated, “I can’t wait to get started because it feels like this kind of opportunity has been a long time coming. The club is in a brilliant position and I’m really proud and excited to be a part of it”. Portsmouth’s Emma Jones has signed a two-year professional contract with the club. The forward joined Pompey in 2021 and has since made 64 appearances and scored 32 goals for them. Last season, Jones found the net 18 times and assisted another 23. Those impressive stats saw her finish top scorer and win the Players’ Player and Player of the Season awards as Portsmouth won the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division title. Ava Rowbotham has signed a one-year professional contract with Portsmouth. The midfielder joined the club in 2020 and was named vice-captain in 2023. Rowbotham has made 106 appearances and scored 18 goals during her four years with Pompey. Durham have confirmed that Mollie Lambert has signed a contract for a fifth season with the club. Megan Borthwick, Jessica Brown, Libbi McInnes, Emily Scarr, Mary McAteer, Grace Ede, Katy Watson, Louise Griffiths, Natasha Fenton, Megan Beer, Jenna Dear, Brianna Westrup, Katie Kitching, Amy Goddard and Ellen Jones have all been retained by Sunderland the club have announced. Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah has agreed a new one-year contract with London City Lionesses. Boye-Hlorkah joined the club in 2023 from Aston Villa and made 23 appearances in all competitions in her first season with the Pride, scoring eight goals and assisting two. Explaining her decision to sign a new deal, the 28-year-old forward remarked, “the club’s ambition and where it wants to be is a huge positive and aligns with where I want to take my career. We’re aiming for promotion to the WSL and to put London City on the map”. Charlton Athletic’s Mia Ross and Elisha N’Dow have both signed new one-year contracts with the club. On signing her new deal with the Addicks, Ross remarked, “I’m grateful for the opportunities and development I’ve had here, and looking forward to pushing on again this year.” Meanwhile, N’Dow said, “it feels great to have signed a new contract with the club. Since I joined two seasons ago, I feel like we have built something good and after coming so close last year, there is some unfinished business.” Charlton Athletic have announced that Mel Johnson has left the club at end of her contract. Johnson has gone onto sign for FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division side Nottingham Forest. News

Tottenham Hotspur boss signs new contract Back Rehanne Skinner sticks with Spurs Tottenham Hotspur boss signs new contract Getty Images 7 May 2022 By Charlotte Stacey Tottenham head coach Rehanne Skinner has signed a new deal and will remain in North London until at least the summer of 2024. Skinner first joined the club in November 2020, succeeding long term coaches Karen Hills and Juan Amoros, and is on course to lead Spurs to their highest table placing and highest number of league points in the competition this season. News

Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Jackie Burns and winger Lauren Wade have made moves to Women's Super League side Reading Back Reading snap up Northern Ireland international duo Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Jackie Burns and winger Lauren Wade have made moves to Women's Super League side Reading Reading Twitter 5 August 2022 By Josh Bunting The Royals who start their season against newly promoted Liverpool on September 11 have acted swiftly following Burns impressing at Euro 2022. Burns went into the tournament as a free agent after mutually agreeing her release from a two-year contract at Swedish club BK Hacken that was only signed in March of this year. Burns came through the ranks at Cookstown Youth and Mid-Ulster Ladies before securing a scholarship with Carson-Newman University in 2016. In 2017 she was part of the Eagles team that made it to the national championship game in the US for the first time in the university's history. Burns made her international debut in 2013 at the age of 16 in a friendly against the Netherlands and was the number one as Northern Ireland reached this summers Euro 2022 tournament in England. Lauren Wade Photo: Reading Twitter Wade aged 28 makes the move from Glentoran to Reading only the second player to make a transfer from an Irish League club to a WSL club. Wade has played in Sweden, USA and Scotland before playing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League scoring for Glasgow City against German giants Wolfsburg. The winger made a positive impact at Euro 2022 against Norway, Austria and England nearly opening the scoring against the eventual winners as she forced a good save from Mary Earps. It now takes Northern Ireland’s quota in the WSL to four after Rachel Furness won promotion with Liverpool, joining Simone Magill who has moved from Everton to Aston Villa earlier this summer. The Berkshire Club finished eighth in the WSL last season. News