Rose is a Rising Star

Jemma Rose went to October’s FA Women’s Football Awards expecting to collect the FA WSL Goal of the Season prize, won with an unstoppable 30-yard free-kick against Doncaster Belles that edged out Rachel Yankey’s volley in the vote, and was completely shocked to be named Young Player of the Year as well. The Bristol Academy defender, who turned 20 shortly afterwards, says it was the first free-kick she had ever scored. She talks about being encouraged into the game by her grandad alongside her younger sister Becky, still at Plymouth Argyle, about turning down Birmingham City to return to Bristol for the inaugural Super League season, and about the painful memories of a cup final defeat and a red card in the Champions League. She names Birmingham’s Rachel Williams as her toughest opponent.