West Ham United Ladies are thrilled to announce the signing of defender Gilly Flaherty from Chelsea F.C. Women.
An England international, Flaherty joins the Irons on the back of four years with the Blues, during which the centre-back secured two FA Women’s Super League championships and two Women’s FA Cups.
“I’m really excited to be joining West Ham,” Flaherty told whufc.com. “I can’t wait to get going.
“It’s a new team, a new start and a new challenge. There’s a bit of the unknown but it’s going to be great. I’m looking forward to it. Bring it on!”
I'm really excited to be joining West Ham. It's a new team, a new start and a new challenge. Bring it on!
Gilly Flaherty
New West Ham Ladies head coach Matt Beard is delighted to have brought in a player of Flaherty’s quality, as he continues to build his squad ahead of the WSL kick-off.
Beard said: “Gilly is a very talented centre back with fantastic leadership qualities. She is an established player who brings domestic and international experience to our team.
“I am looking forward to working with Gilly as we start this exciting project here at West Ham United Ladies.”
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Flaherty brings a wealth of experience to West Ham Ladies, having won no fewer than 22 pieces of silverware during her career so far.
The 26-year-old made her senior debut for Arsenal in October 2006 in a League Cup contest with Birmingham City at just 15-years-old, and was a part of the Gunners squad that claimed a quadruple of trophies the following season.
That successful 2006/07 campaign saw Arsenal win the FA Women’s National Premier League, the FA Women’s Cup, the FA Women’s Premier League Cup, and also become the first English side to lift the UEFA Women’s Cup.
Flaherty would help Arsenal to six consecutive league titles between 2007 and 2012, with the side also winning the FA Women’s Cup on five occasions during her spell in north London.
A move to Chelsea was confirmed in January 2014 and Flaherty would become a crucial cog in the side that would win the team’s first ever major trophy – the FA Women’s Cup – in the summer of 2015.
The Blues would lift two ‘doubles’ with Flaherty at the heart of their defence, with the centre-back serving as the side’s vice-captain.
Flaherty also has nine England caps to her name, having made her Lionesses bow in a fixture with China in October 2015.
The new Hammer knows what it takes to win titles and Flaherty is confident of bringing similar success to her new side.
Flaherty continued: “Every club that I’ve been at have been winners. At Arsenal, we won trophies and then at Chelsea we won two league titles, two FA Cups and the Spring Series.
“I’m not short of trophies and I’m not short of winning. I know that winning mentality. I have it and it’s been bred in me since I was little. I think that’s why Karen and Matt wanted to bring me here.
“I’m not going to be someone that settles. I want to help this team push on and I really believe we can go on and compete. There’s long-term visions at this club; that’s exciting, and that’s what is attractive about joining West Ham.”
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