Perry Eager To Play (Sophie Perry Player Interview)

Brighton-born and a Republic of Ireland international, Sophie Perry spent seven years at Chelsea and a spell at Reading, but reaching the top league with her home town club beats all of it. She describes a long wait since the play-off win, players going out on loan over the winter to stay sharp, and a squad happy to be back. Four new signings have proved themselves in WSL 1, WSL 2 and internationally, and she does not expect the standard to challenge them so much as the unfamiliarity. She credits Kate Natkiel’s consistency and two goals in the play-off final, describes training three times a week at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre alongside the men’s facilities, and recalls the 3,256 who set a Women’s Premier League attendance record at the Amex.