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Hello everybody, and a very warm welcome to Selhurst Park for this afternoon’s Women’s Championship game against Sheffield United.
We were sad to see last weekend’s game against Birmingham City get postponed late on due to unsafe playing conditions – but I would like to start today by saying a huge thank you to everybody who was ready to show us their support that day. Your dedication is unmatched and is always hugely appreciated by myself and the players.
Hopefully, we have made the most of an extra week’s training. We’d only had a short period of time with the full group between the international break and the Birmingham game before it was postponed, so it’s been great to have everyone together for longer this time, working hard towards today’s game against a difficult opponent in Sheffield United.
It was a great honour to win Championship Manager of the Month for February but as a group, it’s certainly a lot bigger than me. With this staff and playing group, I couldn’t wish for anything better.
The players have absolutely risen to the challenge, and the staff are the vital cogs turning behind the scenes, day after day, to get these players ready to play. It was me who accepted
It’s great to be back here at Selhurst Park. I was really impressed with the fans when we were last here in November for our game against Southampton –we sold a record number of tickets
the award, but it was on behalf of all the staff and players that work here.
This is the start of a big block of games for us – four matches in the next four weeks
– and we’ll be counting on your support more than ever as we reach a crucial point in the season.
It’s great to be back here at Selhurst Park. I was really impressed with the fans when we were last here in November for our game against Southampton – we sold a record number of tickets, and you were absolutely fantastic throughout the game.
Being in south London again this afternoon, I’m really keeping my fingers crossed for another big turnout at today’s game, and for it to be a great day.
In this league, you have to shift your focus very quickly. We’re after the three points every week. We’ve stuck to that – we won’t be changing that mentality. We want to keep that ethos, keep our confidence up, and focus on the task at hand.
We hope that we can give you another performance you are proud of, and that you have a great time at today’s match.
Enjoy the game,
LauraGood afternoon everybody and once again, a warm welcome back to the VBS Community Stadium for today’s match against Birmingham City.
Firstly, congratulations to Elise, Izzy, Abbie, Lexi and Araya for representing their countries over the February international break, and doing their club proud.
A huge congratulations as well to Laura and Izzy, who won Championship Manager and Player of the Month respectively. It’s brilliant that their efforts have been recognised, but even more so that we’ve been getting the results to earn that recognition, and we’re all hoping to carry that on.
With all the girls back now and ready after last weekend’s postponed game, we know that the next month – in which we play four of our remaining seven league matches – could be hugely important to the outcome of our season.
It’s great that two of those games, however, are at Selhurst Park, where you provided us with such amazing support against Southampton in November. Even though the
result did not go our way that day, the turnout and atmosphere were such that we’ll never forget it.
The girls and I know that we can count on you to really
The girls and I know that we can count on you to really inspire us every game, home and away – and we also know that today, at such a special place for every Palace fan
inspire us every game, home and away – and we also know that today, at such a special place for every Palace fan, that will be no different.
Sheffield United are the only team we haven’t played yet this season, but we know how good an opponent they can be on their day, but we’ve been preparing all week to make the most of the quality in our squad – so it should be a great game this afternoon.
We’ve been good this season at getting our heads down and focusing each week on a new challenge, and with so many big games to come, we want to continue doing just that. As always there’s been a lot of desire and commitment in training this week to make sure we’re ready to take on Sheffield United.
We know just how much each win could count for at this stage of the season – so we’ll be looking to build on our recent results and, with your backing here at Selhurst, take home three more important points.
Thank you, as always, for your fantastic support – and enjoy the game!
Aimee
captain
Five Crystal Palace Women’s players featured for their respective nations during February international break – find out how they got on below!
Championship top scorer Elise Hughes started for Wales in their eye-catching 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Tallaght on Tuesday evening.
The forward was looking to add to her first senior international goal for Wales – scored against Iceland in December – after netting 18 times in 20 club appearances this season.
On the occasion of her 21st cap, Hughes started up front and served as an impressive target player for her teammates, involved in the build-up to the corner which led to Wales’ first goal after seven minutes, before getting a flick which led to Susan Woodham’s strike 15 minutes later.
At the other end, club teammate Izzy Atkinson also appeared in the match for Ireland, playing the final 18 minutes as her team sought a route back into the match. Abbie Larkin was an unused substitute for the Girls in Green.
Three days prior, Atkinson and Larkin both featured in a 0-0 friendly draw with Italy at Fiorentina’s Viola Park; Atkinson
started what proved to be a tight game of few chances, with Larkin coming on for the final 21 minutes of the fray.
At youth international level, Lexi Potter and Araya Dennis, on loan from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, were both called up for England U19s’ warm-weather training camp, ahead of April’s crucial European Championship qualifiers.
As part of this, the Young Lionesses took part in the friendly La Nucia tournament in Alicante, facing France (a 3-2 defeat) at
the Camilo Cano Sports City, and Norway (a 2-2 draw) at Meliá Villaitana Hotel.
On both occasions, Potter started the game – captaining the Young Lionesses for the former –with Dennis coming off the bench for the final half-an-hour.
Both Potter and Dennis scored in fixtures for England U19s earlier this season, and will hope to have impressed enough to form part of interim head coach John Griffiths’ squad for April’s qualifiers against Italy, Switzerland and Portugal.
izzy atkinson
The Republic of Ireland international has made a flying start to her Palace career since signing from West Ham last month, having previously played for Shelbourne and Celtic – where she scored the winning goal in the 2022 Scottish Women’s Cup Final.
Get to know Izzy…
What made you want to join Crystal Palace?
I think the exciting fight for promotion. I just wanted to come here, help the team out and win loads of games, and hopefully we can get promoted together.
And you knew some of the girls already…
I knew Hayley [Nolan] and Anna [Filbey] from before joining, so I’ve obviously been watching Palace a bit lately.
They both spoke very highly of the club and were keen on me coming here as well! I’d heard only good things.
How would you describe your game?
I’m someone who likes to dribble with the ball, attack, and bring a bit of energy and speed to the game. I enjoy getting on the ball, so I’m coming here to hopefully have an attacking impact and help us win games.
How did it feel to score your first Palace goal?
I had a few chances on my debut [against Charlton] which I didn’t finish, so I was just buzzing to score [at Southampton] and buzzing to get the three points! I was buzzing, absolutely buzzing.
Age 22
Position
Winger
Nationality
Republic of Ireland
Signed
2024 - West Ham
Izzy has been a fantastic addition. She offers a lot of experience in terms of international football and domestic football, and has already had a direct impactLaura Kaminski Head coach
What are your targets for this season?
Goals, goals, goals, and wins –that’s what we need! Especially with the matches we’ve got coming up, we just need to take each game as it comes.
Crystal Palace Women are enjoying a 2023/24 campaign to remember. Catch up with the season so far in our comprehensive Stat Zone…
Crystal palace f.c.
Fran KITCHING (GK)
Annabel JOHNSON
Fliss GIBBONS
Chloe ARTHUR
Anna FILBEY
Aimee EVERETT
Isabella SIBLEY
Molly SHARPE
Elise HUGHES
Annabel BLANCHARD
Kirsten REILLY
Natalia NEGRI (GK)
Hayley NOLAN
Lexi POTTER
Keira BARRY
Polly DORAN
Shauna GUYATT
Araya DENNIS
Ria PERCIVAL
Shanade HOPCROFT
Lucy WATSON
Abbie LARKIN
Demi LAMBOURNE (GK)
Annis-Clara WRIGHT (GK)
Izzy ATKINSON
J. Simms
I. Chaplin
D. Jakab
S. Dennington
sheffield united f.c.
Fran STENSON (GK)
Charley DOCHERTY
Charlotte NEWSHAM
Sophie BARKER
Molly GRAHAM
Tara BOURNE
Jess SIGSWORTH
Bex RAYNER
Isobel GOODWIN
Ashley HODSON
Jodie HUTTON
Olivia PAGE
Ellie MAY
Tamara WILCOCK
Chene MUIR
Sophie HAYWOOD
Ella KINZETT
Alanta BROWN
Rachel BROWN
Fallon CONNOLLY-JACKSON
Juliet ADEBOWALE-ARIMORO
Bethan DAVIES (GK)