Showing results by author "Emily Stead" in All Categories

Born into a footballing family, Leah Williamson followed in the footsteps of her mother who cut her hair short so she could play with the boys. Williamson began playing at Scot Youth, a boys' team in Bletchley, quickly becoming their star striker. Williamson went on to join Rushden & Diamonds Centre of Excellence, before joining Arsenal at the age of nine, where she has remained, making her senior team debut in 2014 at the age of 17. Representing England since 2010, Williamson has played at an international level since the age of 13, and was made permanent captain of the Lionesses in 2022.

As an energetic six-year-old, Beth Mead was taken to a weekly local football session by her mum. Finding a passion for the game, Beth often found herself as the only girl on the team. Despite being laughed at for this, she let her natural talent do the talking. At 16, Mead was signed to Sunderland where she made a name for herself as a top goalscorer. Putting off offers from Arsenal until she completed her university degree, Mead continued juggling work, study and football until she graduated. She then signed to Arsenal and earned a place as a Lioness, representing the England national team.

Kelly started kicking footballs as soon as she could walk and at the age of seven convinced her five older brothers to let her tag along to their local concrete court to play. Her dynamic dribbling and short, sharp passing caught the attention of coaches and Kelly found herself with a place at the Arsenal Academy. She rose through the ranks and made moves to Everton and Manchester City before returning to Arsenal. This is the story of the formidable Lioness who surpassed her dreams of debuting for England to become a two-time UEFA Women's EUROs champion.