Changing the Game: Abi Paine and Isabelle Papandronicou Champion a New Future for Women’s Disability Sport
We sat down with Abby Paine and Isabelle Papandronicou at Style of Our Own powered by Mastercard, to hear how they’re breaking boundaries in football, championing inclusion, and inspiring a new generation of women in sport.
Hey Abi, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Abi, the founder of the Paine Foundation. I’m 18, and currently study physiotherapy at university. I love football, I’ve loved football for ages.
How did you get into sport and football? Could you talk us through your journey a little bit?
I’ve always taken part in sports. Since I was four, I have been playing tennis. After tennis, I played netball, and after netball, I started playing football. I also do rental karting on the side. So, it’s fair to say I’ve always been involved in sport.
With football specifically, it was when the Lionesses won the Euros for the first time – that was when I thought ‘could I find a team to play for’. From there, it’s all kind of taken off. I love it more than anything.
What motivated you to set up the Paine Foundation?
I have Spina Bifida, which I’ve had from birth, where my spinal cord was essentially on the outside of my body when I was born, meaning my parents were told I was quite likely not to walk.
The Paine Foundation really exists for the in-between of disability and mainstream football, where I sit, because there’s not much provision for women and girls to play with other women and girls. There’s provision to play mixed-gender football, but not for women and girls to fit in and compete at a high level. That’s what the Paine Foundation is for.
What are the aims of the foundation?
My aim for the foundation is to build enough teams at the moment along the south coast, but hopefully, in the long run, nationally, and maybe in the long, long run, internationally, to allow for national and international competition.
That way, we can excel in football and in sport while representing ourselves and our disabilities, and not feel as though we have to fit in somewhere that we don’t necessarily belong.
Could you share a moment in your journey that’s made you feel especially proud?
The shoot today has been incredible, but the biggest thing I’ve done in disability football was being the captain of the Brighton & Hove Albion football team a couple of years ago. We won the Premier League Disability Festival outright.
We played against Arsenal, a couple of Crystal Palace teams, and I think Bournemouth Football Club were there as well. So, it was a lot of the southern Premier League and Championship teams. That was one of the best days of my life.
What advice do you have for young people with disabilities, specifically for those who feel hesitant to start playing football?
Don’t feel like you have to fit in. Just because we’re different doesn’t mean we’re less able, it just means we have different abilities. I love playing disability football, so if that’s something young people want to do, they should go for it. If they don’t, that’s okay too.
Just do the best with what you’ve been given, and with your situation, and be okay with being uncomfortable because that’s the most important thing. Especially in sport, you’re uncomfortable a lot of the time.
What are your first memories of sport?
My earliest memories are from playing tennis. I don’t remember much, but I spent a lot of time on the court.
How did you get into that, did your family play?
They didn’t, but from what I remember and not to sound arrogant, apparently, I was quite good for my age. Unfortunately, that had to come to an end because of my disability, but it was the first time I truly felt like I belonged.
Even now, if I go back to playing tennis, I still feel comfortable, which is crazy, because it’s been over ten years. I’ve also got some incredible memories from netball. We won leagues and cups, and I loved it so much. But again, because of my disability, I’m not able to do that anymore.
What I want to do now, especially with football and the current growth of women’s football, is to make it as big as possible for those in-between players, and also for the disability side of women’s football, because there isn’t much provision for it.
When it comes to disability football, what do you think is the biggest obstacle to developing it further?
Personally, I think it’s the fact that it’s mixed-gender. That shouldn’t necessarily be an issue and it isn’t, up to a point but in the adult sector, that’s where it becomes difficult.
In youth age groups, the brackets are quite broad, so it’s manageable. But once you reach adult level, we can’t compete with our male counterparts because we’re biologically different. The game is different. I’ve always said I play more tactically, while the guys I played with relied more on speed and strength. It became difficult especially mentally knowing I had a higher chance of getting injured. I was worried every week that I’d get hurt.
That’s the biggest obstacle – not that mixed-gender football is a problem, but safety and comfort become issues.
If we could play with other women, that would be brilliant. It’s about the environment too. We want to play with people who can relate to us. My male teammates at Brighton were great, but they couldn’t really relate to my personal experience.
Who or what inspires you most?
Everyone inspires me, because everyone’s their own person. We all have our own struggles, our own abilities, and our own paths in life. I think seeing people passionate about what they do and how they adapt – that’s what inspires me most.
Now to Isabelle, tell us abit about yourself too?
My name is Isabelle Papandronicou. I’m 28 years old, and I’m an amputee footballer for Portsmouth Football Club and England. In my day-to-day life, I’m also a PhD student in microbiology.
How did you get into sport? Talk us through your journey.
I’ve always been very sporty since I was a kid, and I’ve always loved football. Any time in primary school that I got the chance to play, I did, I loved playing at lunch breaks and joining in extra training sessions. I just loved it. I was born with a rare condition called congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia, which is essentially where the tibia bone would fracture and break repeatedly. I had about 20 to 30 surgeries to try and fix it, but unfortunately, they weren’t successful. When I was 14, I had my leg amputated.
From then onwards, I didn’t really have the opportunity to play football. It was hard enough being a girl at secondary school trying to play football, let alone having a disability as well.
Then, about a year ago, I saw one of my good friends, Rebecca, playing amputee football, and I thought, I didn’t even know this sport existed – what is this? I’d always wanted to get into football. The rest is history, really – I joined last July, and three months later, I was playing in a World Cup.
That’s an incredible story. Please could you share a moment in your sporting journey that’s made you feel especially proud?
I’d say it would have to be scoring the first ever championship-level goal in women’s amputee football at the World Cup, for sure.
What changes would you like to see in mainstream media coverage of disability sport?
With all sports, especially women’s sport, I’d love to see more coverage in general. The media needs to get behind it, because ultimately, although it’s slightly different, it’s still football. The more people who get behind it, the more opportunities there will be for people like me. If I’d had the opportunity to start when I was 14, and not 27, I would have grown even more as a footballer and would have had so many more opportunities.
In your experience, what’s the most common obstacle for disabled people when getting involved in sport?
There are multiple, I’d say. Obviously, funding is a big one, because without funding, we can’t play. Another is inclusivity. Within disability football, there are so many different disabilities, and they all require different accommodations in order to play. Supporting a wide range of disabled people to play can be quite difficult.
How has being involved in sport influenced your self-identity and how others perceive you?
It’s a really big part of who I am. Like I said, I was always sporty when I was growing up. Sport gives you such an important outlet, both for your mental and physical health.
It allows you to achieve things you didn’t think you could achieve, especially when other parts of your life might not be going to plan or are quite difficult.I’d also say the best part about it is the community, being surrounded by loads of other women who face similar challenges to you, but on the football field, you’re all the same.
You also mentioned that you have a career in science. Could you tell us a little bit about that?
I’m studying for a PhD in microbiology. My project focuses on developing alternatives to antibiotic treatments, because we’re seeing increasing antibiotic resistance, which is becoming a major problem.
I actually found that really interesting because of my own journey with disability. During my surgeries, I struggled a lot with antibiotic-resistant infections, and that inspired me to want to help find solutions to that problem in some way.
With your studies, your science, and your football, how do you balance everything: your personal life, competitions, and travel?
It’s hard! I like going on holiday. I find that’s a really good way to properly switch off. If I take time off at home, I just end up doing chores or work.
Spending time with my boyfriend, my family, and my friends, and socialising as much as I can – that’s really important for me.Who or what inspires you to keep pushing in sport?
I’d have to say the other girls from my England team. Every single one of them is inspirational in their own way. They’ve all had different journeys in how they lost their limbs, and they all keep achieving amazing things. Because I’ve had a similar but slightly different journey, I can really relate to that and I find it incredibly motivating.
Brought to you by She’s A Baller in partnership with Mastercard.
What’s your favourite feature of the Sparkfusion boot?
The model of the cleat – it’s definitely different from the men. The heel is a bit tighter, so I have this snug fit in my boot that I feel way more comfortable in. I feel more stable and agile because I don’t have to worry about my ankle slipping and not having to tie my cleats tighter (just because of that looseness) … It’s my favourite feature for sure!
How special is it that younger players get access to events like this?
It’s very special. Growing up I never saw events like this. It’s cool that young girls can see there is a future for them with this first women’s cleat. It’s important that women and girls have the option of trying different cleats and finding what works best for them.
I love adidas as a brand, I love what they do – the collaborations and innovations with everything they do. It’s really special and I’m glad young girls can experience that.
What was the moment you knew you wanted to become a professional soccer player?
I knew from very young. Life is about following your passions and what you love. I fell in love with the sport when I first started kicking a football. I got more passionate when I was ten and I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
What message do you have for the young girls here today?
Continue to have fun! This is why we do it – this is why we show up every day, put in the work, conquer the hard moments and enjoy the nice moments! It’s because we love it and its fun, so continue to have fun, connect with people, enjoy football and make our dreams reality.
Describe the new Sparkfusion boot in 3 words.
INNOVATIVE
BRILLIANT
REVOLUTIONARY
Tell us a bit about your experience breaking into the US Women’s National Team?
So surreal and so special. I’ve followed them since I was a little kid, watching all the World Cups and the Olympics and seeing the USWNT win gold and all the Championships! They were a team you wanted to be on as a kid. That was IT … that was when you know you made it!
Getting a call up and being in camps is surreal and a moment of realising that all the hard work and everything I’ve been through was all worth it. It’s an honour and a privilege to represent the crest and go out there to play for your country.
You have worked under Emma Hayes at both club and international level. What is so special about having her as a manager?
She’s amazing. She has a great balance between player management, being serious, having a fun, creating a light-hearted environment and forming trust with the players. Emma elevates how we play and how we are in everyday lives. She’s a great person and lifts everyone up.
What is one thing that you learnt during your ACL injury?
In the beginning it feels like you’re up against the whole world, like a mountain to climb but I learnt that there are so many people in my corner rooting for me and that’s a special feeling.
What are your aims for next season?
I WANNA WIN, I WANNA WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP!
Will you be watching your teammates at the Euros this summer? If so, who are you rooting for?
I’ll definitely be watching and rooting for all of my Chelsea teammates – they’re all amazing people and all deserve recognition and wins!
The EE Disability FA Cup takes place across 28th & 29th June at St. George’s Park. Ahead of the tournament, we spoke to Alicia Grimmond, a fully-sighted goalkeeper who will feature for partially sighted team Merseyside Blind V.I FC. She also plays for the England Blind team. Alicia discussed her story, sharing her challenges, ambitions and journey!
SAB: Why do you think the EE Disability FA Cup is so important?
Alicia: It’s a good showcase of disability, and football in particular, and it gives the exposure to help get more people with the disabilities into the game and show them that there are opportunities in the game. But it also allows people who maybe don’t have a disability to see the sport.
It’s enjoyable to watch – some variations of the game are very different, so it’s enjoyable to see how things work.
SAB: How excited are you to take part in the FA Cup this year?
Alicia: Very excited. It will be a really good experience. It’s very nice to play in the final and I’m grateful for the opportunity and happy that we’ve managed to get.
SAB: How’s team morale? Is everyone excited about the prospect of playing at St George’s Park?
Alicia: It’s a really nice venue to play at – it’s the training ground of England. Everyone’s excited – we previously won the league and the Cup. So now going into this competition, hopefully we’ll be able to win 3 competitions!
SAB: What is your favourite footballing memory?
Alicia: Having the opportunity to represent England. I’ve had the opportunity to represent England in blind football and also in futsal – mainstream futsal. Both of those opportunities – to be able to represent your country – it’s just an incredible experience.
SAB: How did you get into football and then also, blind football?
Alicia: From aged seven, I grew up playing grassroots football and then I was at Charlton in an Regional Talent Centre. Alongside that I was also training futsal, which a lot of people don’t get the experience of.
And then I moved away to university and I was still playing mainstream futsal back home. I played for a London-based team and then from there I stayed playing 11- a-side up. And then I had the opportunity to get involved with blind football and play for England!
I managed to get selected for the First England women’s futsal mainstream squad and then I had the opportunity to go and play for a blind football team. From there that I got asked to join the Merseyside team.
SAB: How long have you been involved in partially sighted football?
Alicia: I’ve been playing futsal a long time and there’s only a few rule differences. So you can’t come out of your area (the ‘D’). And the ball has to bounce before the halfway line. So in terms of playing futsal and partially sighted futsal, there’s not a huge variation between them. But I’ve only really been involved this season for the blind football.
SAB: What impact do you think the EE Disability FA Cup will have on people’s lives?
Alicia: For the players it’s a proud moment to get to play at the home of English Football and it’s the final, so it’s a really good opportunity, but I think people will start to be recognised more and provide the role models for other disabled people coming through. And hopefully other people who are watching the game will be inspired and then hopefully they’ll become more involved in football.
SAB: What are some ways you think disability football could be made more popular?
Alicia: I feel like it’s not very visible. So with the Disability Cup being on TNT, I think it allows people to see it, and it might even be a case of people don’t necessarily know about it, but they might just turn their TV on and they can flip through the channels and then they might see it, and then that might be how they become inspired.
SAB: What message would you like to share with young players, especially those with visual impairments who might be considering trying blind or partially sighted football?
Alicia: I just say give it a go. There’s opportunities out there which people don’t necessarily know about, but the opportunities are there. So just have a go. If you don’t try something, you’re never going to know if you enjoy it or not. You might actually find something you love and it will allow you to meet more people with visual impairments.
There’s a sense of community that comes from that, I guess, is great. It can be very isolating, especially if you don’t have support groups or maybe a lot of people near to you in a similar situation, so having that team morale is fantastic in the sport itself, never mind for people who are either partially sighted or blind.
SAB: Can you describe a key moment in a match where your role as a sighted goalkeeper made a significant impact on the game’s outcome?
Alicia: With blind football, communication is important – that’s a massive part of the game. With partially sighted I still try and use as much communication to help the players – it gives them a better chance of knowing where people are and they might not necessarily pick up that someone’s made a run, especially because futsal is a much faster game.
The communication element is massively important and that can be the difference in games, because if you can prevent and stop an opportunity from coming, you can prevent those shots then that’s one less chance of them scoring.
We travelled to Chelsea to sit down with FA Cup Baller of the Round, Aggie Beever-Jones The 21-year-old Lioness has been instrumental to The Blues in her second season with the club scoring 12 goals in 34 games this season. But Beever-Jones was on fire in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Semi-Final, scoring in the 94th minute to help Chelsea secure a 2-1 win against Liverpool, taking them into the Final!
Chelsea take on Manchester United in the Final on 18th May!
SAB: When the semi-final game was finally over against Liverpool, what emotions did you feel?
At first it was a bit of a relief! Obviously that we’d gone through to the final at Wembley – I was delighted. To get the winner is always nice, but it was such a great team performance from us. We had to battle and fight for it. I’m delighted that we got the win and got through to the Final.
SAB: What was going through your head when you scored that winner in the 94th minute?
I had a few missed chances where I was getting a bit in my own head about it – I should have scored. So I just remember Sandy (Baltimore) putting the ball in and thinking this was it, and yeah, I managed to put it away nicely! Definitely the main feeling was relief that we’d done it!
SAB: What was your favourite moment from that Semi-Final game?
Scoring the winner always! I can’t complain about that!
SAB: How does it feel to be facing Man United in the FA Cup final?
It’s going to be an exciting game. I know they’re the current cup holders of the competition at the moment, so they’re going to be up for it. We have a point to prove – they knocked us out last year – they’re going to come in wanting to prove that point again! But, equally we’re in a good place and we’ll be ready to give it our all. The FA Cup is such a historic trophy and we would love to bring it home this year! We’ll give it our all and hopefully we’ll do that.
SAB: What does playing in the FA Cup mean to you?
It’s the beauty of the cup – you never know what’s going to happen!
It’s fun for the neutrals and something that we really do want to want to bring back home here to Chelsea. Hopefully we can do that and I’m also super excited to play at Wembley!
SAB: How do you stay composed in big games? Have you got any tips for young players about dealing with nerves?
Just trusting yourself and enjoying it. I’ve always said I played my best football when I’m enjoying it and not putting too much pressure on myself. Obviously sometimes it’s easier said than done, but just knowing that you’ve been given the opportunities because you’ve worked hard for it. I just want to soak that up! It’s always about working hard and if you can leave the pitch saying that you worked hard and gave it everything, then that’s the main thing!
SAB: What’s your favourite thing about being a footballer?
I get to do what I love every day with people who have become some of the best friends in my life. I never take it for granted.
SAB: What’s your favourite footballing memory so far?
I’ve definitely got a few, but I’d have to say, scoring for England the other day was such a special moment for me and my family. Equally, being at Chelsea my whole career is such a sentimental thing to me – we’re big Chelsea fans!
SAB: What’s the hardest thing about being a footballer, do you think that maybe people on the outside don’t see?
Sometimes you come in every day and you work hard and you may not get as much game time as you want.
It comes with injuries or it can be mentally tough to deal with the pressures. For me it’s always keeping my feet on the ground and not getting too caught up in the media and what’s going on externally.
I want to know that I’ve given myself the best chance of playing and recovering so I just focus on myself and try not to worry too much about external factors.
SAB: If you could change one thing about the women’s game, what would you like to change and why?
Just for a funny one, I’d like to say that the manager has to be in the starting 11 just for a bit! Something to make it a bit different!
SAB: And how does it feel to be the Baller of the Round for the FA Cup Semi-Final?
It’s a great tangible thing to remember that game. You always dream about scoring and then obviously it makes it better when it’s like a last minute winner as well!
It’s a nice little token to kind of look back to – I’ll put it in my room!
SAB: And how are you going to go about trying to get the right result against Man United next month?
For us it’s about trusting the game plan and trusting the coaches to prepare us the best and then turning up on the day. We’re at the business end of the season, where fatigue can be a factor and we’re in all four competitions, so it’s obviously the place we want to be.
We want to win and we pride ourselves on winning, but you have to be able to do that on the biggest occasions. Playing at Wembley is obviously such an occasion and against United who we’ve got history against! It will be a good game andI know we’ll go out there and give it our all!
SAB: How will you celebrate if Chelsea are successful in the effect our finding that?
I’ll just celebrate with the girls. I see my teammates pretty much every day and you create such nice bonds, and it’s always nice to kind of celebrate that with trophies. It’s bit like a ‘well done, the hard work’s paid off’, but we’re not done yet! The FA Cup is such a meaningful trophy and something to add to my personal collection and the Chelsea collection, which is always nice as well!
We travelled to Liverpool to sit down with FA Cup Baller of the Round, Olivia Smith. The 20-year-old Canadian has been instrumental to The Reds in her first season with the club scoring six goals in 15 games. But Smith was on fire in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Quarter-Final, helping Liverpool secure a 1-0 win against Arsenal, taking them into the Semi-Final for the first time since 2016-17.
Liverpool take on Chelsea in the Semi-Final on 12th April!
SAB: When the Quarter-Final game was finally over, what emotions did you feel?
Olivia Smith: I felt an overwhelming feeling of excitement. It was a massive game for us to win and I feel like we had an amazing performance as a team.
SAB: What was going through your head when you beat Arsenal at their home ground in the Quarter Finals?
Olivia: I had a lot of thoughts running through my head, but mainly just we did it and I’m just so proud of the group. I’m very excited to move on to the next round.
SAB: How does it feel having Liverpool through to the Semi-Finals?
Olivia: It’s just a massive accomplishment for us as a team. We were ready for this competition and we have all the tools to win!
SAB: What does playing in the FA Cup mean to you?
Olivia: Playing in the FA Cup honestly means a lot to me and my teammates. My family watch me back home and it’s just a massive and competitive tournament!
SAB: What was your favourite moment from the game?
Olivia: It was when Soph (Roman Haug) scored. I just feel like it was just a massive feeling of relief for me personally for sure, but also for us as a team – to get that goal and to be up one nil.
SAB: How do you stay composed in big games?
Olivia: I get really excited. I don’t necessarily feel much pressure, but more of this is my opportunity to have freedom and just to be who I am.
SAB: Do you have any tips to young players for dealing with nerves?
Olivia: To remind yourself of what your individual qualities are and what you bring and just being confident in that and believing in yourself.
SAB: How does it feel knowing you’ll face Chelsea in the Semi-Finals?
Olivia: To face Chelsea in the semi-finals. I’m really excited. We’ve played them in the league and we performed really well and now that we have different resources, we have a competitive squad and training’s going well. I think we have a really good chance at winning.
SAB: What is your favourite thing about being a footballer?
Olivia: The freedom to express myself.
SAB: What is your favourite footballing memory?
Olivia: My favourite footballing memory would have to be getting called into the World Cup team in Australia.
SAB: What is the hardest thing about being a footballer that people on the outside don’t see?
Olivia: The mentality. I know a lot of people kind of look at the physical piece and just running 90 minutes for weeks at a time but there’s definitely a mental toll that it takes on you depending on obviously your environment and different things going on and trying to manage that with personal issues as well.
SAB: If you could change one thing about the women’s game, what would it be and why?
Olivia: I think it would be our exposure. We definitely deserve a lot more than what we get and we’re more deserving of more fans, more media presence, more of everything!
SAB: How does it feel to be Baller of the Round?
Olivia: To be Baller of the Round is honestly just an honour. I feel like I’ve worked very hard and I’m just super grateful to receive this award.
SAB: How far do you think Liverpool can go this season?
Olivia: I think Liverpool can go as far as we want. I think us finishing top five will definitely be on our books!
We travelled to South London to sit down with FA Cup Baller of the Round, Abbie Larkin. The 19-year-old scored the winning goal and secured an assist against Newcastle United, in the fifth round to send Crystal Palace through to the FA Cup Quarter-Final for the first time in the club’s history.
Crystal Palace take on Chelsea on Sunday 9th March 2025!
SAB: When the game was finally over, what emotions did you feel?
Abbie: Just happiness, to be honest. I’ve seen the look on the girls’ faces. And especially coming off the bench, getting my first goal and helping Ashleigh get her goal as well.
SAB: What was going through your head when you scored the winner against Newcastle?
Abbie: I couldn’t really believe it at first! It was one thing that I proved to myself – that I’m able to get back on my feet, get my first goal and just enjoy playing the game!
SAB: How does it feel having Palace through to the quarter-finals for the first time in the club’s history?
Abbie: Amazing – I actually only found out that Palace haven’t got this far in the tournament before quite recently, so to help them get here, it’s amazing. Hopefully we can go further!
SAB: What does playing in the FA Cup mean to you?
Abbie: It’s always been like a dream of mine as well as playing in the WSL. It’s a big Cup alongside the best teams in the league. It’s another opportunity for Palace to get a few wins under our belt as well. Coming into WSL at the start was tough – coming from the Championship. Proving ourselves in the FA Cup has been good for the team.
SAB: What was your favourite moment from the game?
Abbie: I’d say getting the assist for Ashleigh. That definitely gave us confidence in getting at them again and again, proving to myself that, after coming off the bench, I can make an impact.
SAB: How do you stay composed in big games like that, and are there any tips to young players who are dealing with nerves?
Abbie: Just enjoy it and get everything out of your head. At the end of the day, you’re just trying to prove to yourself how good you can be and not anyone around you. When you’re feeling free, you can play your best football!
SAB: How does it feel knowing you’ll face Chelsea in the quarter-final?
Abbie: It’ll be good for us. We’ve played them before when we’re in the Championship and we’ve done really well against them – we were unlucky to concede a goal.
If you come out with a lot of confidence – like that which we had against Newcastle, we’ll definitely give them a good fight.
SAB: What’s your favourite thing about being a footballer?
Abbie: It’s always been my dream. I love playing football – I love the game. Making lifelong friends, moving abroad and seeing different places. I’ve always had a love for the sport.
SAB: What’s the hardest thing about being a footballer that people might not see on the outside?
Abbie: The mentality side of it – it’s tough, especially moving away from your family when you’re quite close to them. Making new friends can be tough for sometimes and sometimes not playing (after suffering an injury) – especially when you’ve come from playing every minute of a game. It can take a while to get your confidence back up!
SAB: How does it feel to be Baller of the Round?
Abbie: Feels really good! I never actually thought it would be me – especially seeing the players that were in it as well. I was just coming on and trying to make an impact for the girls. But it’s amazing so thank you!
SAB: How far do you think Palace can go this season?
Abbie: We can go far as long as we keep working hard. We can’t skip any corners – we have to definitely keep driving – even with any losses that we have. We’ve got to just forget about them and stay focused on the wins.
We travelled to Sunderland to sit down with FA Cup Ballers of the Round, Eleanor Dale and Ellen Jones. Both Ellen and Eleanor both scored hatricks against Exeter City to ensure their side went through to the fifth round proper.
Sunderland take on Portsmouth on Sunday 9th Feb.
SAB: When the game was finally over what emotions did you feel?
Eleanor: Happy that we’d got through to the next round. It was a professional performance from the team. On paper, Exeter might look like a nice draw, but it always has the potential to be a ‘banana skin’ type of game, but we conducted ourselves really well.
Ellen: Buzzing to help the team and get through to the next of the cup.
SAB: What does playing in the FA Cup mean to you?
Eleanor: The FA Cup is a really special tournament, growing up watching it and seeing how much the Women’s FA Cup has advanced in the past couple of years. I sometimes imagine getting to the final and being able to play at Wembley – that would be amazing. It’s a great competition, giving ourselves the chance to play against better teams and better opposition.
Ellen: It’s a prestigious tournament that I look forward to each year and it’s another opportunity to showcase myself and us as a team.
SAB: What was your favourite moment from the game?
Eleanor: Building up confidence! Our first attack, we scored and then I scored two goals in quick concession. As a striker, with the first game back after Christmas, getting the ball in the back of the net and having a real feel for that was amazing.
Ellen: It’s got to be scoring my third goal to complete my hat trick.
SAB: How did it feel scoring a hat-trick against Exeter?
Eleanor: It was great! As a striker you obviously want to score goals, so scoring a hat-trick’s nice and getting a match ball as memorabilia is a nice little thing to keep.
Ellen: It felt amazing. It’s my first professional hat trick, so I was buzzing.
SAB: How do you stay composed in big games? Any tips for young players for dealing with nerves?
Eleanor: Once you step on the pitch, just knowing that is all that matters in that moment. Nerves are okay – I get nervous before every game and that just shows that I care. So being able to control that and, once you step over that white line, all that matters is however long you’ve got to play.
Ellen: To focus on the basics and I’ll just keep in mind what I have to do to help out the team and that helps me.
SAB: What would be your dream opposition to face in the cup?
Eleanor: Any big team, like Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal. Just playing against world-class players and being able to challenge ourselves.
Ellen: I’d probably say Man City at home because it was the team I made my first professional start against, so I’d want to play them in the FA Cup.
SAB: What is the hardest thing about being a footballer that people don’t see on the outside?
Eleanor: It is our job, it’s a constant whereas, when you’re playing at a lower level for an RTC or grassroots you can switch off from it because you do it as a hobby.
Now it’s our everyday life and you have to deal with a lot of emotional, as well as physical things in football. You can be physically tired from the game at the weekend but also emotionally it’s really hard to deal with if you’ve had an injury or you haven’t played well at the weekend.
Ellen: Probably that outside of training, as in, you have to balance everything – recovery, nutrition, gym.
SAB: If you could change one thing about the women’s game what would it be and why?
Eleanor: The women’s game has come a long way, but I would say more investment in facilities and coaching staff. Ultimately, that’s what’s going to keep the women’s game progressing.
Ellen: I’d change the number of teams that increase the sizes of the league, so that we can play more games every season.
SAB: How does it feel to be baller of the round?
Eleanor: It’s a great feeling, I just wanted to help my team out, and to get this accolade to go with it.
Ellen: It feels unreal – it’s a great personal achievement.
SAB: How far do you think Sunderland can go this season?
Eleanor: We have had a good run in the FA Cup and we’ve got Portsmouth coming up, so I think that we can get a good result out of that game and hopefully keep progressing.
Ultimately, it’s up to us what we want to achieve. Defensively we’ve been more solid in the last couple of games, so if we can keep being solid and also keep being clinical and have good quality on the attack then there’s no reason why we can’t get promoted!
Ellen: We’ve shown that we are capable of going as far as we possibly can. We’ve got a good team and I think we can go for promotion, which is our aim.
Manchester United goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel made her autism diagnosis public in September 2023 via Instagram, but her journey to that point had been challenging.
Speaking to She’s A Baller, Safia recalled how she felt she had been dropped and singled out by former clubs because of her diagnosis, with one coach accusing her of “faking autism” which led to unease with her teammates.
At another club, the 20-year-old felt she had been dropped because it was easier to release her than try to understand the way she works.
“It just made me question everything, every conversation I’ve ever had with them and what I did wrong for being me, as if I didn’t feel like an outsider enough,” Middleton-Patel said.
“At the time, I was highly ‘masking’ (hiding certain behaviours) and I wasn’t very good at that to start with because I was clearly not fitting in. But I look back at it now, and it’s me at the end of the day. It’s who I am, so if they don’t like it, I’ll move on.”
Autism is a neurological and developmental condition that exists on a spectrum and affects how people communicate, interact, learn and behave. It presents differently for everyone but can impact social interaction, create heightened anxiety and cause difficulty understanding how others think and feel.
While it is estimated there are 700,000 people living with autism in the UK, it remains highly stigmatised in society and in sport more specifically, leading to a lack of understanding of how to support autistic athletes.
“It’s a very taboo subject, and there needs to be more visibility. I just never want anyone to feel as alone in the world,” says Safia.
“It’s a subject that clubs shy away from because they don’t know how to deal with it.”
Safia, who was born to an Indian father and Welsh mother, received her first call up to the Wales international team in 2023 for the Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Slovenia.
But she didn’t get a formal diagnosis until she was 18 and she explained the difficulty in always feeling different from her peers.
“At secondary school, I struggled to socialise and I felt I was always following this social script,” she recalls.
“After football games, I’d be drained because all the prep and the day took so much energy out of me. I just thought, ‘Does everyone feel like this?’”
The realisation, then, was gradual but Safia was spurred into seeking a diagnosis at a time she should have been celebrating personal triumphs. In the same week she had made her Championship debut with Coventry United and she then went on to make her senior Wales debut.
“For many people, that would have been the best week of their life, but for me, it was the worst.”
“I couldn’t deal with the emotions of the week. I had a massive breakdown, and I remember sitting on the end of my bed saying to my mum, ‘I need help. I don’t think I can do this much longer.’
In many ways, obtaining that diagnosis was a triumph. It can provide clarity and access to help, but it takes courage to seek out a formal diagnosis, especially for women and girls, where it can often be missed or misdiagnosed.
“I felt a lot of sadness and grief for the life I could have had if I wasn’t autistic. I remember questioning all the friendships that I’d built and who I was.”
Since then, Safia has been able to recognise her own symptoms and implement adaptations that mean she can fully realise her potential on the pitch.
But football, like many professions, retains norms that present barriers for many autistic people.
Having had five different loan spells during her time with United, Safia is all too aware that change remains an integral expectation of all footballers.
“It’s something that horrifies me, I am so scared of change,” she says. “Going to Watford last year I was settled in perfectly with the club, but I would go home, and I would just cry and cry and cry because I hated how I felt.
“I couldn’t control anything because I didn’t have my set routine. Even driving on the roads, I would have routines where I can take a drink at certain traffic lights or on certain roads I can turn the music up louder.
“I look back at it now and think that loss of routine is so detrimental to my health.”
Yet football has provided Safia with a rare space to be comfortably challenged.
“Football has provided that sense of routine and structure in my life that I need, but it’s also pushing me out of my comfort zone,” she says.
“One of the main roles for me is communicating and, at times, I need to give feedback in a way that sometimes I don’t even know how to do myself by changing the tone of voice.
“If I’m on a pitch and someone has changed their tone of voice [I have to learn] not take it to heart because I think into it too much.
“Being put in this high-pressure sporting environment can be so challenging if things go wrong. It’s something in football more people need to understand.”
Thankfully, at United, the Wales international has found a community where support is always forthcoming.
“I’m so grateful for our goalkeeping coach [Ian Willcock] because he’s embraced me with open arms. He’s got to know me on a person-first level and made me feel valued as an individual,” she says.
In the ‘Lego Club’, with Jess Simpson, Leah Galton and Rachel Williams, she has also found a group who have her back “no matter what”.
It is an environment that has allowed Safia to be herself and become the backup goalkeeper to Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Safia made her debut with United last week.
“Getting to train day in day out with Phal is inspiring. It’s really exciting to keep pushing her on. Personally, I’m ready to take my opportunity when it comes, and I just want to fulfil my potential.”
Looking back on it all, Safia emphasises that it does get better because sometimes it’s the little triumphs that can make you smile the most.
“One day, it can feel like everything’s crashing down on you, and the next day, I’m loving life because I’ve just found a Lego figure in a cupboard that I didn’t know I had,” she laughs.
We travelled to Ipswich to sit down with the second FA Cup Baller of the Round, goalkeeper Natalia Negri. After drawing 2-2, 20-year-old Natalia saved two penalties as her side faced Hashtag United in the second round proper of the FA Cup.
SAB: When the second round-proper game was finally over, what emotions did you feel?
Natalia Negri: I was so happy when the game was over. I mean, it was a game of two halves It was very back and forth, but it was a great game to be part of.
I was buzzing with the win and I was buzzing that the girls managed to get through to the next round.
SAB: What was going through your head when you made two saves in the penalty shootout?
Natalia: Well, I’d never actually made saves in a penalty shoot-out before. I’ve never been involved in a competitive one, so it was probably just as much a surprise to me as everyone else. But no, I was so happy that I managed to help the girls get through to the next round.
SAB: What does playing in the FA Cup mean to you?
Natalia: It’s a massive cup. It’s one of the most prestigious cups in football. Everyone wants to be part of it and everyone wants to get as far as they possibly can. It means a lot to be part of it and to do it with a club like Ipswich, is something I’m very grateful for.
SAB: What was your favourite moment from the game?
Natalia: You’d probably think my favourite moment from the game would be saving the penalties, but it was actually Sophie Peskett’s equaliser in the last minute.
That was absolutely unbelievable. My manager showed me a video of me running around the box celebrating.
SAB: How do you stay composed in big games and do you have any tips to young players for dealing with nerves?
Natalia: My mum actually said to me, ‘Turn nerves into excitement’, so that’s what I go into games thinking. I always used to get really nervous for games and now I just turn into excitement and I feel like I enjoy myself more. That’s a great way to settle nerves, especially for young players coming through. It’s such a tough position mentally.
SAB: What would be your dream opposition to face in the cup?
Natalia: We actually had this debate the other day at training and I would love to have a top six club in the WSL away at their place at a big ground. But honestly, I would have anyone in the next round as long as it’s a good performance and a good game for us.
SAB: How important do you think it is for teams like Ipswich to be getting exposure and media coverage in the early rounds of the Cup?
Natalia: It’s massive. With the men going up into the Premier League, the club has become so huge. For us as well, we want to have the same platform for the women’s team and the way that we’re going in the league, we’re definitely showing that we can do that. So as much coverage as we can possibly get is great!
SAB: What is your favourite thing about being a goalkeeper?
Natalia: My favourite thing about being a goalkeeper is probably the fact that you could go from doing nothing in a game to possibly being the hero and saving everyone. It’s a great feeling when you help the team not concede goals.
It makes you feel like you’ve played a real part of the game. And yeah, I just love for throwing about. You’ve got to be a bit crazy to be a goalkeeper and I’ve got a bit of that in me.
SAB: What is your favourite footballing memory?
Natalia: Probably warming-up on the pitch with Arsenal, when I was a youngster. I was probably only 17, but I got to go with the first team to the Emirates and warm-up with them. I’m actually a big Arsenal fan so that was a really great time for me and my family. Especially my dad who is a massive Arsenal fan!
SAB: What is the hardest thing about being a footballer that people on the outside don’t see?
Natalia: Ohh I’ve never been asked that ever! The hardest thing would be just coming in everyday, training, keeping yourself to yourself, your head down and not letting outside noise get to you.
I think people don’t really realize the work that you have to put in and I think everyone sees the good parts of football, but there’s a lot of tough parts as well.
Obviously injuries, losing games, winning games, everything is just staying in your own lane!
SAB: If you could change one thing about the women’s game, what would it be and why?
Natalia: I would rather more teams in each league. It’s quite a short season as it is and the more team in each league, it would make it more competitive.
SAB: How does it feel to be Baller of the Round?
Natalia: I’m so happy to be Baller of the Round. I’ve never really won an award like this before, so it’s obviously a proud moment for me and my family as well and I’m just happy to share it with the girls.
SAB: How far do you think Ipswich can go this season?
Natalia: It’s a hard one to say because you don’t want to speak too soon, but I have every confidence that the girls go on and do something amazing this season.
With the togetherness that we have, we definitely want to achieve something special! It’s early on, but I reckon we can achieve great things.
We travelled to South Shields to sit down with the first FA Cup Baller of the Round, Ashley Townsend. Townsend was pivotal in their win against Halifax (who sit two tiers above) in the first round proper, scoring two goals, earning herself Player of the Match.
SAB: What emotions did you feel when the penalty went in and you reached the second-round proper for the first time?
Ashley Townsend: It was one of the greatest memories that I’ve had, playing football. Just all the excitement within myself, but also the whole team. We all jumped all over each other – it was one of the greatest feelings ever.
SAB: What was your favourite moment from the game?
Townsend: It was obviously really fun to score those two goals within the run of play, but after that final penalty score, just that feeling of advancing for the first time in club history.
SAB: How did you celebrate the win as a team?
Townsend: We just danced around and everyone was hyped for the whole week. Everyone was just on like Cloud 9 – it was a great feeling.
SAB: What does playing in the FA Cup mean to you?
Townsend: It’s such a cool experience. It’s something that I’ve witnessed from being in America but being able to be here and be a part of it, it’s so different than anything I’ve been able to play in.
SAB: How important is it for teams like South Shields to have exposure and coverage by the media in the earlier rounds?
Townsend: It shows the beauty of the FA Cup right. The little teams can make it to high levels and it’s part of that drive and you want to climb the ladder.
SAB: How do you stay composed in big games? Any tips for younger players?
Townsend: For big games, I honestly find myself being able to just be locked in and it’s just a great opportunity to prove to yourself and others, what value you can bring to a football game.
SAB: What’s your favorite footballing memory?
Townsend: It’s gotta be winning that first round proper. That was the most fun I’ve ever had in a match.
SAB: Who comes to watch your games? Who are your biggest supporters?
Townsend: My biggest supporters are my mum and dad. They travel hundreds and thousands of miles to watch me play. Ever since I was little, they’ve been my number one fans.
SAB: You’re the first FA Cup Baller of the Round – how does that feel?
Townsend: It’s such an honor and I’m so grateful for that. It wasn’t just all me. I’ve got teammates and coaches and family who have all supported me.
God has given me the talents to be here and the opportunities. I’m just so grateful for all the support that I’ve received.
SAB: What’s the hardest thing about being a footballer, that people on the outside might not see?
Townsend: The higher up you go, people don’t always believe in you. And so you got to continue to believe in yourself. And then when you do have those people who believe in you, you’ve got to hold tight to them and keep climbing the ladder and fighting for what you want.
SAB: If could change one thing about the women’s game, what would it be and why?
Townsend: The women’s game has grown tremendously in the past decade but continuing to bring awareness to it and having it promoted to be equal to the men’s game and bring equal opportunities to women.
Football is not a passion of just men. Girls want to play their whole lives so creating more and more opportunities for them.
SAB: Liverpool Feds in the next round – how do you think you’re going to do?
Townsend: That’s a great draw for us – getting a home draw. If the whole team come locked in, we’ve got a great shot at advancing and making an even greater run in history for the club.
SAB: What’s your favorite pre and post-match snack?
Townsend: My favorite pre match snack is a peanut butter sandwich and post-match is a chocolate milk.
SAB: Who would be your dream FA Cup opponent?
Townsend: Man City – it would be so cool to play against a big club like that.