Official Digital Programme - Everton v Brighton

v BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

BRIAN SORENSON

day for all of us as the new season gets under way.

It has felt like a long wait, to be honest, but the World Cup provided everyone involved in the game with a real buzz and, especially with England’s performances, it’s another platform from which the whole of the WSL can build upon.

We are in a good place. The nine players we had involved in the World Cup came back healthy and in a good state of mind. We also managed to get some good business done during the off-season. We have strengthened in the areas we wanted to and have been able to work with the group for a decent period of time. Of course, new players need time to gel but I am pleased with how things are coming together.

One of the most pleasing elements of our pre-season has been the mentality of the players. There is a genuine eagerness within the group to constantly get better and it’s crucial that continues now the competitive games have returned.

We created stability in our performances last year and built a foundation. We had a big turnover in the squad last summer but, thankfully, not so much this time around, where it’s been more about adding the missing pieces.

I think it is going to be the most competitive WSL campaign ever this time around - and we must be ready to be competitive in every game.

I often get asked about targets at this time of the year but it is too early to set down definitive goals. The first target is always: Can we do better than last year? That will always be the case.

Today we welcome the players, staff and supporters of Brighton & Hove Albion.

Melissa Phillips is an impressive coach and I’m sure she will have used the extended summer break to imprint her style on her group having only joined the club in April.

We will be ready for the challenges Brighton pose and, boosted by your fantastic support, we are determined to start on the front foot.

Enjoy the game.

Brian

CALLING FUTURE BALLERS

Football sessions for girls aged 12 to 14 who want to play their way.

SCAN

MEGAN FINNIGAN

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to Walton Hall Park.

First of all, I hope you all had a great summer and are looking forward to the start of the new season as much as us.

It’s set to be a particularly special campaign for me after I was given the honour of being named the Club’s new captain by our manager Brian Sorensen.

When Brian pulled me to one side to ask if I wanted the responsibility of being captain, I agreed without hesitation. I was delighted.

It’s an honour for me because this is my childhood club. When I started playing for Everton as a nineyear-old, I don’t think I could have dreamt of one day being captain.

It’s a proud moment for my family, too. Having spent 16 years of my life here, they know how much Everton means to me.

Since I’ve come back for pre-season, I have felt in a good place both physically and mentally. I am ready to take my game to the next level.

I said in my interview when I signed a new threeyear contract back in April that I wanted to be remembered as a Club legend. I have a lot of Everton games under my belt.

With a lot of new players coming in, hopefully, I can be the person they go to if they need support. Someone who knows the Club inside out, because I’d like to think I do.

On the subject of new players, the Club has made several exciting additions in the summer. All the girls have settled in really well and I have no doubt they will all play a part in helping us achieve our collective goal of building on last season’s top-six finish.

Today we welcome Brighton who endured a difficult campaign last season.

They showed more promise in the latter stages of the campaign following the appointment of manager Melissa Phillips and will, therefore, be eager to bounce back.

We know we will have to be right on our game from the first whistle to make sure we match their intensity and desire.

I’m confident we will be, but having your support, for which we are always grateful, will be crucial.

We look forward to having your vocal backing again at Walton Hall Park today.

Let’s hope this is the start of a memorable campaign for us all.

Enjoy the game.

Meg

PLAYER PROFILES

COURTNEY BROSNAN

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

POSITION: GOALKEEPER

KATRINE VEJE

COUNTRY: DENMARK

POSITION: DEFENDER

MEGAN CAMPBELL

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

POSITION: DEFENDER

5

NATHALIE BJORN

COUNTRY: SWEDEN

POSITION: DEFENDER

CLARE WHEELER

COUNTRY: AUSTRALIA

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

JUSTINE VANHAEVERMAET

COUNTRY: BELGIUM

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

PLAYER PROFILES

LUCY HOPE

COUNTRY: SCOTLAND

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

MARTINA PIEMONTE

COUNTRY: ITALY

POSITION: FORWARD

HEATHER PAYNE

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

POSITION: FORWARD

MEGAN FINNIGAN

COUNTRY: ENGLAND

POSITION: DEFENDER

AURORA GALLI

COUNTRY: ITALY

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

SARA HOLMGAARD

COUNTRY: DENMARK

POSITION: DEFENDER

PLAYER PROFILES

COUNTRY: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

KAROLINE

COUNTRY: DENMARK

POSITION: MIDFIELDER

THE PERFECT WAY FOR GIRLS AGED 5-11 TO GET INVOLVED IN FOOTBALL

SCAN HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

PLAYER PROFILES

GURO BERGSVAND Defender

GUEMMIN LEE Forward MACKENZIE HAWKESBY Midfielder

NICKY EVRARD Goalkeeper

VICKY LOSADA Midfielder

JULIA ZIGIOTTI Forward

MARIA THORISDOTTIR Defender

VEATRIKI SARRI Midfielder

ELISABETH TERLAND Forward

POPPY PATTINSON Defender

JORELYN CARABALI Defender

PAULINE BREMER Forward

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

EMMA KULLBERG Defender

MADISON HALEY Midfielder

CHARLIZE RULE Midfielder

TATIANA PINTO Midfielder

KATIE ROBINSON Midfielder

KATIE STARTUP Goalkeeper

MAISIE SYMONDS Midfielder

LI MENGWEN Defender

DEJANA STEFANOVIC Midfielder

SOPHIE BAGGALEY Goalkeeper

Sparking teamwork in your community

Since 2022, Barclays has helped over 2,500 groups make football more accessible through the Barclays Community Football Fund.

Search Barclays Community Football Fund to find out more

AHERNE’S EVERTON INSPIRATION

Alyssa Aherne hopes to follow in the footsteps of Jess Park and Aggie Beever-Jones by becoming the latest young loanee to shine at Everton.

A versatile young forward, the 19-year-old Aherne sealed a season-long loan deal from Manchester United last month, becoming Everton’s seventh summer signing after striker Martina Piemonte, goalkeeper Emily Ramsey and midfielders Emma Bissell, Justine Vanhaevermaet, Karoline Olesen and Heather Payne. Keen to make an impact, Aherne revealed the Club’s record of developing young players

encouraged her decision to sign for the Blues.

“Seeing the likes of Jess Park and Aggie Beever-Jones come in on loan last season, earn that experience and showcase what they can do definitely influenced my decision to come here,” she told evertonfc.com.

“Young players progress at this club, like Jess earning caps with the Lionesses. That’s encouraging to see and hopefully I can improve during my time here.”

The talented teenager signed her first professional contract with United earlier this summer and is

eager to continue her progress with Brian Sorensen’s Blues.

“It feels really nice to be here. This move to Everton is vital in terms of gaining experience at the top level. I want to challenge myself to get minutes in the Women’s Super League and to help the team.

“I’m really excited to work with Brian [Sorensen]. I feel like there’s good potential for this group and the plans the manager has for the squad.

“I know this is a step up but I’m looking forward to the challenge. Hopefully it can be a good season for us.”

SORENSEN: EVERTON IS MY HOME

Nicoline Sorensen has expressed how Everton has become like family to her as she embarks on her fourth year in Royal Blue.

The Denmark international agreed a one-year extension earlier this summer and explained the Club has become her ‘second home’.

“I’m so happy to stay here and to continue on for at least another year,” Sorensen told evertontv.

“It has become my second home, I feel like it is my family here now and I’m just so happy to stay here, to keep developing [individually] and keep developing as a team.

“I feel what we have going on here is definitely going in the right direction.

“I believe in the project that Brian [Sorensen] has, and the staff have for us.

“I feel like last year was a really good year for us in terms of starting the process and hopefully we can continue that this year and I’m really happy to be a part of that journey.”

The 26-year-old forward made her comeback from a long-term knee injury during the second half of last season, scoring twice and registering four assists.

That impressive run of form only fuelled her desire to continue in an Everton jersey under the reign of boss Brian Sorensen.

“I got around six months before the season ended, and it’s important for me to keep playing, keep developing, keep pushing myself after coming back from my injury,” she continued.

“The last six months of last season were really good for me in terms of getting back into football and being with the team again, but I’m still hungry to push and get better.

“Hopefully we can get even closer to the top four. [In order to achieve that] I think the foundation has to be right and the basics have to be right for us to compete and I think we did

that really well last season, and we just need to build on that.

“We’re going to take every game one hundred per cent seriously and we’re going to go for a win every single time. Hopefully that and the defensive foundations we had last season will help us build.”

Sorensen’s dream of playing in a Women’s World Cup came to fruition when she helped Denmark reach the knockout stage for the first time in 28 years this summer.

It provided an unforgettable experience that has inspired her to improve even further.

“It was fantastic, a big dream come true, and it was unbelievable to be a part of it,” Sorensen said

“Coming back, we had a couple of weeks off, which I think is really important in terms of reloading the batteries, but then when you’ve achieved something big, I think it makes you hungry for more, so that’s definitely how I feel as well.”

ACROSS THE PARK

AWAY ALLOCATION - ON SALE NOW

UPCOMING HOME FIXTURES

MEGAN FINNIGAN

We take a look at our new captain’s taste in music…

LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO?

DELILAH BY FRED AGAIN

What would be your first dance song at your wedding?

Walking down the aisle, I want Ocean Eyes by Billie Eilish, but on violin. And then for the first dance: Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley.

SONG FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?

I was really into Disney, so me and my dad always sing a song from Brother Bear called On My Way.

FIRST ALBUM YOU BOUGHT?

I don’t remember which one, but it was S Club 7.

SONG YOU CAN’T GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD AT THE MOMENT?

Probably Delilah by Fred Again. I feel like Fred Again keeps coming up on my TikTok at the moment.

Best live performance you’ve seen? It’s a toss up between Adele and Coldplay.

INITIATION SONG?

I had to do one when I was about 16 and I did Breaking Free from High School Musical. It was terrible!

FAVOURITE PRE-MATCH SONG?

Pills & Automobiles by Chris Brown.

SONGTHATREMINDSYOU OFATEAMMATE?

Gimme Gimme Gimme byABBA reminds me of Nat (Bjorn).

SONG YOU KNOW ALL THE WORDS TO?

I’d go Moment 4 Life by Nicki Minaj and Drake. I can rap the whole thing!

PLAY SAFE WEEKEND 2023

Everyone. Everywhere. Every time. It’s not a slogan that leaves much wriggle room.

And nor should it.

It’s the tagline for this year’s Play Safe campaign, a vitally important safeguarding initiative run by the FA, in partnership with the NSPCC, and supported by leagues and clubs at every level of English football.

And when it comes to safeguarding - be that of children, young people or adults at risk - there is no doubt that everyone has a role to play. Campaigns like the one we will see at Walton Hall Park and Goodison Park this weekend are about raising awareness, provoking thought and kicking off a conversation.

But safeguarding is a vital responsibility for those working in, playing or watching football every single day, whatever the level.

Play Safe is about reminding every coach, every player, every parent or carer, every spectator, and every volunteer, that they play a part in keeping youngsters and vulnerable adults safe while they are playing or watching the sport they love.

At Everton and Everton in the Community, we take this responsibility with the utmost seriousness and are continuously testing, evaluating and modifying our policies and processes to ensure anyone who engages with the football club or charity feels, and is, safe.

Since I wrote a similar column ahead of last season’s Play Safe weekend, we have bolstered our dedicating Safeguarding Team, increasing our presence across our sites at Goodison Park, Walton Hall Park, Finch Farm and the Everton in the Community campus. Since January this year, a new, full-time dedicated safeguarding officer has been supporting Everton Women and the Women’s development squads.

We have improved our training for staff members, players and parents/carers to ensure everyone who may come into contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults is properly equipped to identify and deal with any safeguarding concerns that arise.

We have developed a network of Safeguarding Champions to help embed safeguarding across the Everton Family. These are members of staff who receive additional, specialist training delivered by the Premier League and the Everton Safeguarding Team.

Members of the Club’s safeguarding team also have a physical, visible presence at matches, training sessions, community programmes, fan engagement events and other activities delivered by Everton or on our sites. By being there, we can ensure that the safeguarding conversation continues well beyond campaign weekends like this one, that safeguarding training is reinforced, and that the importance of safeguarding remains at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Crucially, we believe being proactive and being visible also helps us ensure that best practice is being followed in everything we

do as a football club, charity, free school and football college.

I’d like to leave you with a question, one you can maybe mull over while impatiently counting down to today’s kick off. It’s simple: How could you contribute to making the game safer for everyone?

Perhaps you are involved in football as a coach, or care for someone who plays or watches the game? Maybe you work or volunteer in some other aspect of football? Perhaps it’s not football you’re involved in but another sport all together? The principles are the same. We all have a responsibility to ensure vulnerable members of society are able to develop and thrive in safe, protective environments, whatever they do. Everyone. Everywhere. Every time.

Thank you and enjoy today’s game.

Paul Cuthbert Head of Safeguarding

EVERTON

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION