The Before & After

The She Kicks Locker Room’s Before and After slot follows Poppy Pattinson, the eighteen-year-old from Houghton-le-Spring who has represented England at every age group and, after winning the FA WSL Development Cup with Manchester City, signed a professional contract with Bristol City. Having just learned to cook for herself after the move, she eats chicken and rice, pasta, or pancakes with honey and fruit exactly three hours before kick-off. Wherever she is in the world she calls her parents and brother, ties her laces in three knots, does everything in threes and leaves ten minutes for her hair before her boots go on. Pattinson says every game is a must-win, treats substitute appearances as a learning curve, thrives on adrenaline in bigger games, and names Ella Rutherford as her partner in changing-room antics.