Jackson on Women’s Academy season: “It was a really positive year”

Our Women’s Under-16s enjoyed a successful end to the 2024/25 campaign and Sophie Jackson has reflected on a hugely positive year – both as a team and as an individual.

Following a competitive season, where they competed in a boys league throughout the campaign, our youngsters claimed silverware in the final month after lifting the PGA Champions Trophy – the first time we’ve such an accolade at that level.

Beating Blackburn Rovers 6-2 in the showpiece event at Sixways Stadium in April, Sophie led the side out as captain on the day and she had the honour of lifting the trophy with a beaming smile.

Reflecting on that special day with her team-mates, she said: “We really deserved it after the season we had, the players and staff group worked so hard, so it was really nice to get a reward at the end.

“For a lot of us, that was our first competitive final, so we really wanted to win and we went into that game with our heads held high, no matter the result, and it was really nice to bring home some silverware.”

From captaining the Under-16s throughout their PGA Champions Trophy campaign to stepping up to the Under-21s on numerous occasions, Sophie was quick to use the word of ‘development’ when looking back at the campaign.

“I really enjoyed it, I think we learnt a lot as a group of players and it was a really positive year,” she told us.

“I feel I have really developed my leadership skills, having the opportunity to be captain on a few occasions, and I felt I development my ability to be on the ball.

“People think there is a lot of weight on your shoulders and there’s a lot of responsibility but that’s something I really enjoy and, I think, I can really help the girls by leading them.”

And her impressive displays were also recognised in the first team as she trained alongside Lize Kop and Eleanor Heeps on numerous occasion throughout the season – joined by fellow Under-21s goalkeeper Erin Radbourne – and in January, Sophie was given an experience she would ‘never forget’.

She was named in the matchday squad for our Adobe Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Everton and Sophie recalled the moment as 'incredible'.

“It all happened fast,” she said, as a smile beamed across her face. “I was training the day before and my goalkeeper coach came up to me and said ‘you have been selected to be on the bench for tomorrow’s game’ and I honestly thought he was having me on, but he was being serious and I was just so happy, beaming with a smile as I walked out the training ground.

“The next day I was up in Liverpool, so it happened all very quickly but it was an amazing experience and something I won’t ever forget. It was incredible, I tried to take every single thing I could in, all the girls were so welcoming and it was so nice to see the professional attitude they all had.”