Chelsea FC Welcomes Fran Kirby

In my previous blog I helped break the news that Chelsea Ladies FC had signed Francesca Kirby from Reading FC Women today.

So who is Fran Kirby, why was it such big news for the women’s game in the UK, and where will she fit into what is already a very successful team this year?

These are all questions that couldn’t be answered at the time due to it’s urgency, but can be now, given that the dust has settled.

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Francesca Kirby, born in Reading, Berkshire on 29th June 1993, started playing for her hometown team of Reading FC Women at the tender age of 8 and had remained with them until today’s signing.

She did take time out from football and in her own words “stopped doing everything” at the age of 17, after suffering depression. This was caused by the sudden and tragic loss of her mother to a brain tumour 3 years earlier, as she revealed in an interview with The Guardian newspaper. However, a year later after playing for a local Sunday league team without the pressure of winning, she regained her love of the game and returned to Reading with an instant impact scoring 33 goals in her first season back.

Reading the interviews she has given since her sudden appearance into the limelight after her successful appearances at the Women’s World Cup, Fran reveals a new steely determination from someone who coaches once considered psychologically weak. Perhaps more importantly, she appears as someone who relates to and inspires people who may find themselves in a similar position to that she was once in.

In addition to her undoubted skill on the pitch, she strikes me as a lovely person as well, something quite rare in the professional game these days, and something that can be verified by her farewell message to her hometown club found here.

On the pitch her career has blossomed rapidly, and quite justifiably too. Last season alone she scored 29 goals for Reading and won the Player’s Player Of The Year in her division, the FAWSL2. Her performances earned her a first call-up to the full England International team in August 2014 at the age of 21, making her the first and only player to win a full cap from outside the top tier of English football, the FAWSL1.

Fran truly announced herself to the world’s media with hers and England’s 1st goal at the World Cup against Mexico, a goal that started the Lionesses’ trip to the semi finals. A sublime toe poke and there she was, the “mini-Messi” as England’s manager, Mark Sampson called her. Although that was to be her only goal at the World Cup it proved to be the catalyst and will always be remembered as the goal that kick-started England pursuit of the medals.

So why is this transfer such big news for the Women’s game in the UK then?

Quite simply, the money!

Chelsea FC paid a British record transfer fee of £50 million for Fernando Torres.

According to sources, Chelsea Ladies FC have just paid a British record transfer fee for Fran Kirby of ……….

£50,000.

Although it may seem like small change in the men’s game, this is a huge investment by Chelsea Ladies FC for one of the game’s brightest young talents. Manchester City Ladies FC and Arsenal Ladies FC were both interested in signing her so this is a major statement of intent from the Blues! Fran herself was very aware of the money aspect when she retweeted:

RECORD DEAL: Fran Kirby moves for a British record fee, money to be reinvested in RFC Women: http://t.co/6TcTp0ozm8 pic.twitter.com/9OOPgtzsZ1
— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) July 8, 2015

The women’s game especially below the top tier of FAWSL1 isn’t fully professional, so to receive a windfall of £50,000 will help Reading with the women players’ development. It’s the equivalent of a 3rd or 4th tier league club drawing Chelsea FC in a cup game but without the extra costs of actually staging the match!

Finally then, where will Fran fit into the existing Chelsea Ladies FC team?

Fran is equally at home as a typical #10 just behind a main striker, or as a wide attacking player as part of a front 3.

Emma Hayes, the Chelsea Ladies FC manager seems to prefer an attacking trio with Eniola Aluko at its head, so it seems perfectly logical that Fran could play wide right with the league’s leading goalscorer Gemma Davison wide left. All 3 can swap and rotate very comfortably depending upon the opposition and state of play during the match.

That attacking trio will strike fear into just about every opposition defender in the country, and hopefully also into our Champions League opponents when that kicks off later this year.

If you had to do a comparison to the men’s game it is the equivalent of Messi, Hazard and Costa all charging at you at the same time, the stuff of dreams and nightmares depending upon your perspective!

Fran is available for Chelsea Ladies FC next game, on Sunday 12th July 2015 against Bristol Academy Womens FC, being held at Staines FC with a kick off time of 14:00.

Why not get down there and welcome Fran and the rest of the World Cup stars back into the fold as they seek to continue their unbeaten run this season? Tickets are priced at only £5 for adults and can be brought on the day or online here.

Then on August 1st Chelsea Ladies FC are at Wembley in the 1st ever Women’s FA Cup Final to be played there against Notts County Ladies FC. Chelsea FC season ticket holders and members can buy their tickets for this piece of history through the official website at £10 for adults, or non members can buy their tickets through the FA website at £15 each.

The signing of Fran Kirby then in my opinion is a season-defining moment for ladies of Stamford Bridge and all of us at The Pride Of London cannot wait to see her in the Royal Blue of Chelsea FC soon.

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