At a time when English women’s football can call upon its biggest-ever pool of talent, choosing 10 young English players to watch from the Super League and Championship is extremely hard. This list excludes players such as the Arsenal defender Leah Williamson, Everton’s Gabby George and Manchester City’s Keira Walsh, who have played for England, and looks instead at the level below. The supremely talented Alessia Russo and Grace Fisk have been excluded because they play in the US.
Ellie Roebuck, Manchester City
Goalkeeper, 19
The calamity own goal she conceded – courtesy of a poor Abbie McManus back pass – against Birmingham last month propelled Ellie Roebuck briefly into the mainstream. However, what was missed among the mocking was that the hugely talented keeper is only 19. Last year, after the veteran England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley landed awkwardly and was taken off minutes into a potentially title-deciding showdown at Chelsea, Roebuck stepped in and stepped up, making critical saves to deny Drew Spence and Fran Kirby that kept the match scoreless. She has continued that fine form.
Maz Pacheco, Reading
Defender, 20
The left-back and law student came through Liverpool’s ranks before signing for Doncaster Rovers Belles at the start of 2017 in search of regular first-team football. A mainstay of Neil Redfearn’s tier two-winning defence last season, Pacheco signed with the Women’s Super League side Reading in the summer. She has racked up two league starts and one substitute appearance for the club since she returned from the Under-20 World Cup with a bronze medal having started every game.
Esme Morgan, Manchester City
Defender, 17
Morgan joined Manchester City aged 15 and, after switching from centre-forward to centre-back, impressed the first-team manager Nick Cushing on the club’s pre-season tour in 2017. After winning the Development League with City last year, she was one of the youngest players called up to Mo Marley’s side for the Under-20 World Cup and, although she did not feature, Morgan returned with a bronze medal and has captained the Under-19 team through their European Championship qualifying campaign. They secured passage with three wins, 21 goals and three clean sheets.
Rianna Dean, Tottenham
Midfielder, 19
Dean joined Tottenham from Millwall Lionesses in the summer, having been the club’s top scorer last season with 10 goals in 23 games despite a tumultuous time off the pitch leaving them on the brink of bankruptcy. Tottenham are second in the Women’s Championship – behind Manchester United and ahead of Lewes on goal difference – and the midfielder has not lost her eye for goal, chipping in with two in Spurs’ two wins before the international break.
Jess Park, Manchester City
Midfielder, 16
Aged 16, Park secured the Development League Cup for Manchester City, twice cutting in from the left to fire into the bottom corner against Birmingham before Morgan added a third. One of the most exciting English talents for her age, Park played as a forward and scored five goals – four against the host nation, Croatia, and the other six minutes after coming off the bench against Malta – as the young Lionesses qualified for the Under-19 European Championship final stage.
Lauren James, Manchester United
Midfielder, 17
The inclusion on Manchester United’s squad list of the England duo Siobhan Chamberlain and Alex Greenwood stole the headlines but those looking a little deeper at Casey Stoney’s new side will have been more surprised by Lauren James’s switch from Arsenal. The then 16-year-old had played five times for the Gunners despite her youth, and her development was showing no signs of slowing. She is part of the England Under-17 squad and began life in the Women’s Championship in emphatic fashion, scoring twice in a 12-0 opening-day demolition of Aston Villa. She has been the conductor of a dominant United side looking to climb straight into the top tier.
Lauren Hemp, Manchester City
Forward, 18
The PFA young player of the year moved from Bristol City to Manchester City this summer after a stellar season. Having scored on her debut for the Vixens in 2016, she got nine goals in 24 games. Hemp has played for City after missing the first two League Cup fixtures because she was at the Under-20 World Cup, where she scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 defeat of Mexico.
Ebony Salmon, Manchester United
Forward, 17
Salmon was a relative unknown before she exploded on to the scene with Aston Villa last season, having spent three years in their academy. Given her chance in the second tier, the pacy forward scored seven goals in 12 games as Villa finished ninth in the 10-team league. Salmon captained England’s Under-17 team at the 2018 European Championship, scoring a hat-trick in the quarter-final against Italy. She was recruited by Stoney in the summer but with a wealth of attacking talent ahead of her she is yet to appear for Manchester United.
Ella Toone, Manchester United
Forward, 19
Toone made the move across Manchester from City to United in search of first-team football in the summer. She spent seven years with United before joining Blackburn Rovers’ academy, then City. Since moving to United she has played every game, scoring two goals, the first on her league debut. Able to play anywhere across the front three, she was nominated for England young player of the year in 2018.
Georgia Stanway, Manchester City
Forward, 19
Stanway has had a meteoric rise since joining Manchester City from Blackburn in 2015. She made her senior debut for City at 16 and has scored 12 goals in 38 appearances. She has been a bright spark in a shaky City start this season and will surely be forcing her way into Phil Neville’s plans soon. She lit up the Under-20 World Cup, spearheading England’s charge to bronze and winning the golden boot – jointly with Spain’s Patricia Guijarro – by scoring six goals across England’s six games.
