Palace Women v Birmingham City matchday programme 2223 publication

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Anna FILBEY

Rianna DEAN

Annabel BLANCHARD

Kirsten REILLY

Jamie Grubb

Alan Dean

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Annabel JOHNSON

Fran KITCHING (GK)

Natalia NEGRI (GK)

Hope SMITH (GK)

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Good afternoon, and welcome back to Hayes Lane for today’s Women’s Championship fixture against Birmingham City.

As Crystal Palace captain, I’d like to welcome Birmingham’s players, staff and supporters, and hope they have a safe journey back to the Midlands after the game. We go into today’s game knowing that we have three huge matches with which to finish the season. We’ve won three of our last four games and we conceded just one goal in those three matches, illustrating how important it is to be resilient in such a competitive league.

Our only defeat in that run of games was, of course, against Birmingham at St Andrew’s. We know that they are one of the most talented sides in the division, and have lots to play for – they are mathematically still capable of winning the title – so it will be up to us to match them.

We know it will be a challenging game, but we’re keen to finish the season as strongly as we possibly can. At times, this season has probably been a bit more difficult than we expected

captain

when it’s come to bringing it all together on the pitch.

My learning from that has just been to continue to be patient and keep believing in each other. We’re all working towards the same goal. There have been a lot of learning curves for us this season but on reflection, as a group, we couldn’t have asked any more of the girls.

Last time we were here at Hayes Lane, it was Women’s Football Weekend, and over 1,700 of you came along and got behind the team. It was amazing to have that support. It really encouraged us and spurred us on to go and get the win against Blackburn.

We have fantastic supporters

we can always hear singing for us every week, so thank you to those who are always there supporting us – it just means everything to the girls. We look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to Hayes Lane today.

Let’s finish the season strongly, together – come on Palace!

Annabel

We’re all working towards the same goal. There have been a lot of learning curves for us this season but on reflection, as a group, we couldn’t have asked any more of the girls

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Crystal Palace Women broke club records in 2021/22, and are looking to do the same this season. In each edition, we hear directly from one of the squad, with Scotland international Chloe Arthur discussing her journey from Erskine to the bright lights of Birmingham and London…

chloe arthur

My whole childhood was me, my brother and a football – all day, every day! We’d play out on the street until dark when my Mum would call us in. I didn’t have any idea I’d want to do it as a job – it was just a genuine love of football.

I went on to play for my school team. I was the only girl who played, which came with a bit of stick from other boys’ teams. They were always surprised at first, but then they realised I could actually play.

When I was 12 or 13, I had to move to play for a girls’ team. I remember thinking I didn’t want to, because I was used to being one of the boys, but then I started at Celtic’s academy, where my full youth career was based.

Take note of

A lot of players who look really talented quite often fizzle out, which is why I always say to kids now: “Everyone develops at their own rate.” Some people are a lot better than you when you’re younger, but if you work hard, you’ll get there. I was an example of that – so many people were more talented, but I just worked hard and made sure I did extras every single day to kick on.

When I left school, I went to the National Performance Centre

Arthur made her senior international debut for Scotland at just 20-years-old, and has since gone on to win over 30 caps for her country.

The tough-tackling midfielder is well versed in competing at the top end of the league table, having helped Hibernian finish second in Scotland’s top-flight, and won promotion from the Championship in her debut season with Bristol City.

in Stirling. There were roughly 15 players there, considered the best in Scotland at that time. We stayed there and studied at the same time, so we were up early in the morning to train at 7am, then we’d go to university or college or whatever, and then we’d train at night – it was pretty hectic!

were both in the Women’s Super League. For some diehard fans, that will have seemed a crime, but it was the right choice for me from a footballing point of view.

Last summer, I moved to Crystal Palace. For me, getting older, my values have changed. The move was about me enjoying my football, and putting myself first.

I made my senior Scotland debut in 2015. We were playing Northern Ireland and I came on alongside two of my best friends, FC Rosengard forward Fiona Brown and Rangers goalkeeper Megan Cunningham. I was young in comparison to the rest of the squad, but it was really nice to get my debut and move upwards from there.

I moved to Edinburgh for my final year or two, which is when I moved to Hibernian. I then moved to Bristol City – the manager at the time was Willie Kirk, who knew me from Hibs – and that’s when my career started as England at 21. It was more professional, and an opportunity for me to learn as a person and a player. We won promotion in my first year, which was one of the best periods of my life.

Then, I joined Birmingham City in 2018 and Aston Villa in 2020, who

Aston Villa have progressed a lot this year, but I’d played in the Women’s Super League for maybe five or six years, and it does get tough mentally when it becomes draining. I was battling with my mental health. Everyone’s experience is different, and it was just getting too much for me. It’s something I’m really passionate about now: listening to myself.

Football back then just hindered me more than it does now, and it got to the point where I wasn’t enjoying it. It was important for me to get that enjoyment back.

Everyone’s got to go off their own feelings and do what’s right for them. Whether they feel like the right decision is to move, to stay, or to take a step back, that person should do it. People who feel drained over a long period of time have to work out what they value, link that in with actual reality, and make choices for themselves – and nobody else.

Palace have similar values to me in terms of where they want to take the women’s game and their style of play. I spoke to the national team and got advice from lots of people whose opinions I value –and it’s definitely been the right decision for me.

Football back then just hindered me more than it does now, and it got to the point where I wasn’t enjoying it. It was important for me to get that enjoyment back

Palace have similar values to me in terms of where they want to take the women’s game

There are 4.36 million of us and we are tomorrow’s female future.

We’re part of every community and come from all social backgrounds, cultures and religions with different skills and abilities. We’re an unstoppable force for good if we’re given the chance. The chance to play football.

We want to play in the school curriculum, at breaktime, after school, at local clubs wherever, whenever we want.

Encouraging and rewarding people to live healthier lives is at the heart of what we do.

We partner with sports people, teams and communities to inspire more people to get physically active and enjoy the benefits of healthy living.

Taking small steps today can dramatically improve your wellbeing tomorrow, adding more life to your years. And, it’s never too late to start.

for support on starting your wellbeing journey and to find out more on how Vitality rewards its members for being active.

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Seasonal Stats

Player stats league table fixtures & results

Crystal palace f.c.

Fran KITCHING (GK)

Annabel JOHNSON

Fliss GIBBONS

Chloe ARTHUR

Anna FILBEY

Aimee EVERETT

Molly SHARPE

Rianna DEAN

Annabel BLANCHARD

Kirsten REILLY

Lizzie WALDIE

Natalia NEGRI (GK)

Paige BAILEY-GAYLE

Hollie OLDING

Ellie NOBLE

Issy SIBLEY

Emily WILSON-WHITE

Elise HUGHES

Polly DORAN

Shauna GUYATT

Hope SMITH (GK)

Coral HAINES

Leigh NICOL

Leanne COWAN

birmingham city f.c.

Lucy THOMAS (GK)

Martha HARRIS

Harriet SCOTT

Louise QUINN

Lily SIMKIN

Jade PENNOCK

Jamie FINN

Libby SMITH

Christie MURRAY

Ashley HODSON

Tara BOURNE

Siobhan WILSON

Gemma LAWLEY

Lucy QUINN

Charlie ESTCOURT

Claudia WALKER

Charlie DEVLIN

Olivia McLOUGHLIN

Abbi JENNER

Lucy JONES (GK)

Abi COWIE

Louanne WORSEY

Taylor REYNOLDS

Delphi COLE

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