Page 19 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.32 2021-22

Relief and excitement at staying up - Ellie
Norwich City have produced a fantastic run to take themselves to safety
in FAWNL Division One South East and last week’s excellent 1-0 win
over third AFC Wimbledon confirmed their status for another season.
16-year-old Ellie Bishop has been a regular in the team and the
highly rated youngster has played her part in their four-match winning
run which took them away from danger.
“It has been a tough season which I think we have all learnt from but
there is a great relief amongst the squad (and management and coaching
team) that we have pulled off the unthinkable by winning four games in
a row to stay up with one game remaining,” she told Women’s Soccer
Scene. “The supporters played a massive part [against Wimbledon], it
was amazing to see so many people come out to support us and for me
personally I had a lot of my family there watching me which meant so
much and I wanted to make them proud. It was amazing to see so many
young supporters there too and feel like you are inspiring the next
generation. The relief and excitement at the final whistle when we
realised what we had achieved was immense; something I won’t forget in
a hurry.
“Wimbledon are a strong side that hadn’t lost a game since August so we knew it wasn’t going to
be easy. We all played as a team and I think we showed the spectators how much we wanted it and that
we weren’t going to go down without a fight. We knew we had to give it our all until the final whistle
to secure those important points. Shaun (Head Coach) told us to believe in ourselves and we did.
“It was an amazing time for Ellie [Smith] to get her first goal and so well deserved as although she
is limited when she can play due to work commitments, she always makes such a difference to the
team when she is there. She is a strong midfielder who battles so well and brings something different
to the team and that paid off in this game with an amazing goal. I wish I could say the last few minutes
of that game were not tense but they were, it felt like forever waiting for that final whistle. We had a
great first half with lots of chances but Wimbledon came out fighting in the second half and threw
everything at us but we dug deep and I think we defended excellently. Although we are a young back
four, we are strong and have a great goalkeeper in Bryony [Williams] too who pulled off some crucial
saves. However I do think we all believed we could do it if we played like we knew we were capable of.
We had to believe in ourselves and each other.
“We certainly did hit our best form of the season at exactly the right time. There was no change at
all in tactics or formation, we just played the way we always do but think we knew how much was at
stake, we all wanted it so much. I think as a team we have grown as the season has gone on as we have
had a lot of new players this year and we needed time to cement and get used to playing together. We
have an amazing team spirit and I think that showed in these last few games, we wanted to win and
stay up for each other, for Shaun and the rest of the management staff and for the club and supporters.
A lot of us are huge Norwich City fans, myself included and it means a lot to play for our club and we
wanted to do them proud.”
After the pressures of a survival battle this season, does Ellie feel that the team can build on their
good run going into next season, and aim higher in the table? “100%, the club has big ambitions to
grow the women’s team and this has been shown by the club bringing the women’s team in-house
recently,” she replies. “It’s amazing to have the backing of the club. They want to build on this season
using the pathway through the CSF academy programme which is bringing through some exciting new
players. Quite a few of the current team have come through the youth system including myself, Jess
Harper, Chardonnay Johnson, Freya Symonds, Katie Lee, Ella Gambell, Leliah Gooding so it shows
this system works. I have loved being able to play with these girls this season.
“I have been in the NCFC academy programme since Under-8s and gone all the way through with
Jess Harper so it’s been pretty special to have shared this season with her. They are a great set of
players who are all so passionate about the game, the senior players have all really took me under their
wing and taught me so much and I can’t thank them enough. The same with Shaun and the other
coaching staff, they have given me this opportunity and believed in me which I’m so grateful to them
for. It has been such a learning curve for me but I’m so pleased I can say I’ve been a part of it and I’m
just so glad we finished on a high as I know how hard we have all worked and how much it has meant
to all of us.
“There is no reason why next season we should not be looking to aim for at least a top six finish.
It is a really exciting time for the squad, this is very special.” Photo - Ellie Desborough
Issue no. 32 - 28 April 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk