A FORMER Musselburgh Windsor starlet is hoping England’s triumph at the European Championships continues the development of the women’s game.
Kirsten Reilly joined Crystal Palace Women just weeks before the Lionesses defeated Germany following extra time in the final of the major championships.
Coverage of the women’s game has increased significantly on the back of the success at Wembley Stadium, where more than 87,000 fans cheered on their country.
The FA Women’s Championship season – England’s second tier – kicks off today (Sunday) as Palace open the season against London City Lionesses.
Midfielder Reilly felt there was a growing interest in the game on the back of England’s success.
She said: “You can see it from social media. When England won it, everybody here was proper buzzing. For the women’s game as a whole, it is going to change it drastically.
“Hopefully, it can continue down to our league as well and not just the top league.There will be more investment, more fans, everything in the game.”
The 26-year-old made the move south of the Border in July, having previously played with Hibernian and Rangers.
She told Courier Sport she was looking forward to the challenge and hopefully battling it out for a place in the top flight of women’s football in England.
She said: “I was at Rangers last year and we had a successful season.
“I wanted a bigger challenge and I spoke to my agent about wanting to look elsewhere.
“He came back with a few things and Crystal Palace were interested.
“I got speaking to them, came down to London, visited the training centre and met the coaches.
“Immediately, I knew this was what I wanted to do.
“The chat was really successful and I knew immediately I wanted to be here.”
It is the latest step in a long journey that began when Reilly was still at Campie Primary School and eventually took her to the University of West Alabama.
She said: “I just remember at primary school when Musselburgh Windsor were starting their girls’ academy.
“We got flyers handed out and I saw that and wanted to go.
“I went down to Pinkie and there were hundreds of girls on the hockey Astroturf.
“That’s just the first memory I had – just me and my friends running about.
“After Musselburgh Grammar School, I went to the US on a scholarship for four years.
“I had wanted to do that forever and thought that would be the best achievement I was going to get.
“When I was out there, the women’s game started to grow in England and then I thought I need to really aim for that.”
Reilly, who grew up in Musselburgh with parents Kathryn and John, as well as brother Neil, is already settling in at her new club.
Joining her in the Eagles’ squad are fellow Scots Chloe Arthur and Leigh Nicol.
Reilly said: “I’m loving it.
“It helped when I joined that there were a lot of new girls. Everybody knew each other and it has been a great group to get to know.”
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