Our International Women’s Week series continues today with an interview from FC United Women’s player Ashleigh Hayes. She begins by telling us about her career in the women’s game and joining FC United:
“Although I’ve not been at FC United for very long, I’ve realised it’s more than just a football team, it’s a family! Being here has taught be that you need to enjoy and love the sport you’re playing to get the full benefit out of yourself and your game. If you’re having fun, that’s the most important thing!
I used to coach girls’ football at Stoke City, Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa in the past”
When reflecting on the challenges Ash has faced during her time in the game, she says:
“I’ve faced a number of challenges in football, but the main one has been injuries. I have injured my ACL twice, and meniscus three times, so I haven’t had the best luck! After going through such tough and lengthy injuries, you really have to find your love for football again every time you go back through recovery. It takes everything to muster the fight and desire to still play football after being out for so long. You have to enjoy every part of the game to be able to fight back through recovery. Although being on the sidelines isn’t ideal, I’ve seen a different perspective and it’s taught me a lot about the game”
Ash shares her hopes for the future of FCUMW:
“I hope to get FC as close to the top of the league in the fore-coming seasons as they are a fantastic club with the best support! Not only from players and coaches, but from the fans too!
The girls coming through the ranks now have fantastic opportunities and support. However, there is still room for improvement, and I would like to see more equality in the Women’s game across the board. For example, in the league above, half the teams play their players and half don’t get paid. How are they expected to compete against sides that are on a full wage?”
However, Ash shares her excitement for the changes coming at FC United:
“We are all really excited for the Girls’ academy that is in the pipeline at FC United. The boys have had an academy for years, so it is great that the girls will finally get equal opportunities in that respect at FC United. We are excited for the girls who will come through and into our team and we can’t wait to welcome them into our family!
The women’s game is evolving fantastically, and I’m so glad to have been a part of it from such a young age, and I can’t wait to see what the future will bring!”
Keep an eye out tomorrow for our final spotlight interview with physio Liv Smith!