INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN IN THE GAME KIERA RAMSHAW SARAH ROBSON

Keira Ramshaw

KEIRA RAMSHAW 

 

Tell us about how you got involved in football?

I got involved in football mainly through my family who are mad football (sunderland) fans! My brother is 5 years older than me and from the minute I took my first steps my mam and dad said he was always making sure I had a football near me. As I grew older he would take time in teaching me how to kick the ball etc. My brother played 11 a side on a Sunday afternoon and I used to go and watch him play. I was 4 years old having a kick about with my dad at half time when a coach came over and asked if I’d like to join his girls team. The team was called SAFC 24/7 girls and at the time had players such as Jordan Nobbs and Rachael Laws. I was thrilled and my dad said yes straight away. I was too young at the time to play games so I trained with them until I was 5 and then I was allowed to start playing competitive matches. When I think back now it was just a surreal moment / way for my career to start. 

 

What do you enjoy about playing football?

I love the game and always have done,it brings me massive amounts of satisfaction. I love being part of a team and working together to achieve the same outcomes. You make friendships for life and your friends soon become your family. Football is a great stress release for example when my mam was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, football helped massively and that was my release from all the hard things going on in family life at that time. My mam battled through thankfully and is fine now but yeah it definitely helps in many ways not just physically. I really enjoy learning new things about the game, every session and everyday is a new learning curve no matter how long you’ve been playing for. The game as a whole brings everyone together and I absolutely love the sport, I’d be lost without it. Football helps you keep fit and active and also enjoyment. 

 

 

What are your greatest achievements in football and why?

My greatest achievements have to be winning super league 2 with the squad to then be promoted into super league 1. We worked so hard to achieve this and when we did it was fantastic for the club and for all of us as individuals. 

Playing in super league 1 with an amazing bunch competing against fantastic teams week in week out was also a great achievement and hopefully we can get Sunderland back up to super league 1 in the future. 

Playing in the Euros at under 19 England Level was a great individual achievement and one that I’ll always remember. 

Becoming captain of Sunderland ladies, the club I’ve played at for 12 years now since being old enough to join the ladies team. Growing up Sunderland born and bred, playing for the hometown that you absolutely love and support is amazing and makes me proud every single week but becoming captain made that feeling even better. Another great achievement is that after being demoted we came back fighting and have managed to be back in the championship where we belong. 

 

What is your best memory in football?

My best memory was playing Milwall away, it depended on this game whether we won super league 2 and got promoted. We won the game 4-0 and I scored a decent goal. The celebrations after this game will stick with me my whole life. It was an amazing feeling and we had worked so hard as a club to get into super league 1 for it then to happen we were absolutely over the moon. 

 

What are your goals in the sport?

I’ve achieved a lot of my goals as I’ve been in the game 12 years now. My goals now and for the future would be individually to stay fit, keep playing for as long as I possibly can and keep learning/ progressing. As a team and as captain my goal is to lead our team as best as I possibly can to get good results each week and an ultimate goal would be for sunderland to be back into super league 1. I also have goals in terms of helping progress the next generation, helping youngsters coming through and watching them grow in the sport, after all they are the future of our club. 

 

 

What are the biggest obstacles you have faced in the game?

I’ve been at sunderland through many many highs but I’ve also been there through the lows. We were demoted 2 leagues through something that was out of our hands. I stuck with the club as Like I say this club means so much to me and I’ll forever be loyal to it. 

The obstacle was I was the only contracted player at that time to stay, everyone else went to different clubs as they needed an income. As I stayed with Sunderland I then needed to find a full time job which I did in a nursery at the time. I was so worried about the club and how / if we will survive. Our manager Mel said that we will then make our development squad our first team which was a massive sigh of relief that we did have a squad to compete and I’m so proud of every single one of them that have stepped up and helped us achieve our goal to be back in the Championship. 

Balancing work commitments and football is very hard and takes a lot of commitment you miss out on things like friends birthdays, weekends away, spending time with loved ones but it’s all about balancing your time.

 

What advice would you give to females wishing to get involved in football?

Do it! Never give up. Believe in yourself. Football brings knock backs but don’t let that bring you down, get back up and keep going. Football brings so much joy so enjoy it and make the most of it. 

SARAH ROBSON 

 

Tell us about how you got involved in football?

I am not sure how I decided to start playing. I think it must have been primary school when all the boys where playing and I wanted to join in.  My dad used to play a lot with me out the back of my house but I just loved it so kept playing.  It was only when I went to high school that luckily the year I started they started their first girls team, so I always say it was just meant to be. 

 

What do you enjoy about playing football?

The social side of achieving something amazing together as a team is my favourite thing now I am older. There is no greater feeling than winning a game with your friends. 

International-wise I love getting the chance to travel the world and play against the best players in the world with my friends who I have played with for nearly 20 years.

 

 

What are your greatest achievements in football and why?

I have played for my country for nearly 20 years, nearly 90 times and most recently we qualified for the European Championships this summer in England. We were ranked 32 in Europe when qualifying began so it is one of the biggest achievements our country has ever achieved to finish the qualification as one of the best 16 in Europe, and I am so happy to have been a part of it.  

 

 

What is your best memory in football?

My whole 2021 was the best year of my footballing career so there were too many memories - I had the opportunity to play at Wembley against England, we qualified for the European Championships and we played at Northern Ireland’s national stadium Windsor Park beating Latvia. 

 

 

What are your goals in the sport?

To be in the best place possible to be selected for Northern Ireland.  Team-wise with Durham I would love to get promoted to the Barclays FA Women's Super League one day. 

 

 

What are the biggest obstacles you have faced in the game?

Injuries have been the worst. When I was 25 for about three years I was constantly injured and this really stopped me enjoying the game as well as considering whether I wanted to continue, so that has definitely been the biggest obstacle. 

 

 

What advice would you give to females wishing to get involved in football?

Don’t be afraid to join a team or start playing the game as being and feeling part of a group and playing football together is one of the greatest feelings in the world.