Raff’s Bright on a Big 2018

A three-page interview with Brighton and Northern Ireland defender Laura Rafferty, conducted croaky-voiced as she recovered from a virus that had seen her banished from the house she shares with Jenna Legg, Ini Umotong, Dani Buet and new signing Chloe Peplow. Having moved from Chelsea to develop as a player, she calls it a no-brainer given Albion’s facilities, and is delighted by the club’s Tier 1 licence offer while acknowledging social-media criticism that promotion should be decided on the pitch. Rafferty praises the experience of Fern Whelan, describes launching her own girls’ academy so young players need not start out among boys as she did, and speaks warmly of learning from Hope Powell and Amy Merricks, with Powell pushing her towards a B Licence. Northern Ireland coach Alfie Wylie contributes a sidebar praising her display at centre-half in Slovakia.