Leah Williamson has reflected on how she has managed the exponential growth of the women’s game and the impact it has had on her career at Arsenal.
The childhood Gunner has been with the club since the age of six, progressing through the academy system. The popularity of the women’s game has grown exponentially since then, catapulted by England’s historic triumph at Euro 2022.
“I don’t think anyone could have predicted the speed at which it happened,” Williamson admitted. “I am very proud to be on Arsenal. I think the way they’ve handled the changes and the support they’ve given us, I think we’re very happy with the people we have in the club hierarchy, and how they’ve managed our transition as an individual club.
“What he did for women’s football in general, Victory at Euro 22 that’s why people still talk about it. Maybe it wouldn’t have happened the way it did if we didn’t [win]. So I’m very grateful to be a part of this generation.”
“I hope there is silverware for Arsenal, I think we need it”
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Williamson was on pundit duty for the Premier League’s north London derby, a game in which the Gunners took the city’s bragging rights in a 2-1 victory. 90 min asked the defender if representing the club as a member of the women’s team was something she had dreamed about growing up, to which she replied flatly “no”.
“I didn’t think it was possible, I was ready to sit in my season ticket seats for the rest of my life,” laughed Williamson. “I feel the men’s side here have always respected the fact that we had a women’s team, Arsenal have been at the forefront of that for a long time.
“I think the way it was done at Arsenal, there are things that we will still talk about, things that the women’s team never needed before, because we didn’t have this many staff, this many players. It’s a surprise. Sometimes I have a good relationship with the men’s team, I’m not embarrassed to talk about them, because we’re a club, almost like I’m talking about my team, in a sense.”
Arsenal had a busy January window domestically, securing the signings of academy trio Laila Harbart, Maddy Earl and Vivienne Lia. Having risen to Hale End herself, Williamson admitted she was “probably the hardest on them”.
“I don’t feel the need for any pleasantries because they know what I mean,” Williamson says. “I’m so happy they’ve gone through, I think they all deserve it and I think they’ve worked really hard, which is what I care about the most. If you come through Arsenal, you’ve obviously got talent, but the way they’ve all behaved, they know I’m proud of them for that.”
Williamson also spoke about the importance of up-and-coming players remembering the journey women’s football took before they arrived: “It’s good to know where we’ve come from.”
“I tell them they’re lucky and I’m very happy for you, but you have teammates who worked two jobs,” she added. “So enjoy everything you have, but don’t waste it. I don’t want them to not have it, I just want them to use every aspect of what they have. They should end up ten times better footballers than the people we are today because of the support they have now.”
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