While the result on the day had long since been sealed, one moment of Sunday’s match away at Manchester City will forever burn bright in the memories of 18-year-old West Ham United defender Maisy Barker.
The teenage full-back, who had made her Hammers debut against Charlton Athletic in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup earlier in the season, was about to take her first strides in a top-flight match at the City Football Academy.
A Barclays FA Women’s Super League debut ensued when Barker, who made the move to the Hammers’ Academy in the summer, replaced Lois Joel with 20 minutes remaining.
Sharing a pitch with West Ham United’s first team stars, as well as the likes of Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze and Ellen White in the Manchester City ranks, was the culmination of Barker’s long journey to date – but the England youth international promises that there’s even more to come.
“I was happy and proud,” she reflected afterwards. “Obviously you work towards the end goal, which is playing with the first team, so I was very grateful for the opportunity and proud of myself for doing so.
“You grow up watching these sorts of players – those World Cup players were a generation that inspired youngsters to play football. It’s the level I want to play at one day – sharing a pitch with them all was quite a surreal moment!
“It’s just the start of my journey. I’ve just got to keep working hard and hopefully more opportunities will go my way.”
Barker began playing football at the age of nine, with boys’ teams initially, before playing for her local side, Middlesex Academy, where she tasted competitive action against youth teams from the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal.
Over the last seven months, I’ve developed so much and I’m so grateful for the experience
Maisy Barker
Competing against those sides inspired Barker in her early teenage years, and she went on to spend three years with the Blues, before departing over the summer for an exciting new challenge in east London.
“I moved to West Ham this season to try and gain first-team experience and to train with some of the best players in the world,” Barker explained.
“I came just to learn and be like a sponge in the environment, to strive to be like these players and learn from them, and hopefully, one day, start in a Claret and Blue shirt.
“Over the last seven months, I’ve developed so much and I’m so grateful for the experience. There’s still so much development to be done, but I just hope that I can keep on growing as a person and a player.”
Regularly training with the first-team stars at West Ham United has been a source of even further inspiration for Barker.
She reasoned: “To be the best, you have to train with the best, and I believe that I am training with the best.
“I can see it in my performances and development that I’m learning from our full-backs, centre-backs… everybody!
“With the attitude that all the players have, it’s a great environment to be in, and I don’t think at any other club I would have developed like I have done so far at West Ham.”
As part of the Hammers’ Academy programme, Barker has begun life on a dual careers pathway with West Ham United and the University of East London.
There have been ups and downs, there have been injuries, but as they’ve believed in me, it’s made me believe in myself just that little bit more, to try to get to where I want to be in football
Maisy Barker
As a first-year student at UEL, as well as a burgeoning footballing talent, Barker finds herself constantly learning – on and off the pitch.
“The Club and UEL have been very supportive with it all, because they understand the commitment and dedication required,” she revealed.
“If sometimes I need a bit of help or can’t attend a lecture, they’re always understanding. They understand the commitment of being at West Ham and training with the first team every day, which is really good.”
As for her WSL debut, Barker took time to praise those who gifted her opportunity – both in recent months, and over her formative years as a footballer.
“I’d like to thank West Ham overall,” she smiled. “I’ve developed so much and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity.
“All my coaches have been so supportive over my journey. There have been ups and downs, there have been injuries, but as they’ve believed in me, it’s made me believe in myself just that little bit more, to try to get to where I want to be in football – and in life.
“I’d obviously like to thank my family as well because, moving away from home at 18, they’ve been very supportive of me. Before that, they were bringing me to matches when I was young. There were late nights, cold nights, and rainy nights, and they’ve stuck by me and believed in me. They should be proud of what they’ve done.
“Hopefully there’ll be many more opportunities to play in the WSL, and more experiences with West Ham United, to come.”
