It is Adobe Women’s FA Cup final week, a sacred seven days in the football calendar culminating in the final match of the domestic season. The Halfway Line were invited to the Football Association’s FA Cup rituals event, celebrating those pre-match rituals we all have before the big match.
With the showpiece final: Chelsea vs Manchester United just around the corner we spoke at the event with FA Cup legend Gilly Flaherty, formerly of Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham who gave us an insight into her FA Cup journey and what we can expect from the Wembley showdown this year.
Gilly Flaherty hopefully predicts a final with ‘loads of goals’
First things first, The Halfway Line just had to know if Flaherty was rooting for either side? As a former Chelsea defender we were inclined to have some idea of the answer but Flaherty’s professionalism shone through, stating:
“I’m going to be professional as I’m working on it, and I’m going to say I’m neutral but I’m hoping it’s an exciting game, especially for the neutral as well. I want to see lots of goals and a little bit of drama as well.”
As for a prediction for the final? Flaherty laughed knowing the weight her answer will carry, she predicted:
“I want there to be loads of goals. I’m gonna go 2-1 win to Chelsea.” Flaherty stated, before scoffing “Loads of goals? That’s only three!” She laughed.
Flaherty on her favourite FA Cup memory
Flaherty has featured in the FA Cup for multiple clubs, winning the competition seven times for both Arsenal and
Chelsea. The Halfway Line asked if there was a particular FA Cup memory from her playing career that stands out.
Flaherty responded with a smile:
“It’s interesting because I’ve done an interview earlier, and they said about me, winning the FA Cup, [that] must be one of my most enjoyable ones [memories]. And I said it’s not actually, it was when I was in the FA Cup final for West Ham.”
She continued: “I think the story of the FA Cup is the underdog, and that was our first season as a fully professional team, we had a great cup run, as in, we was handed a nice draw the whole way, and got a little bit of luck in the semi final. But I think for me, I was obviously as captain to lead the side out at Wembley in front of thousands, obviously family and all that over there as well. But it was just an incredible experience, and it was nice because there was a lot of girls in our team who had never experienced that before and probably will never experience it again. So for me, that’s my most favourite memory.”
And what of her earliest FA Cup memory? Flaherty told The Halfway Line:
“I was playing for the Arsenal Centre of Excellence at a time, and the FA Cup Final used to be the only women’s game that was ever televised, and it was obviously on BBC. I remember being at my sister’s and turning on the telly, and Arsenal were playing in it.
Julie Fleeting had been flown down the morning of that game and got a hat trick in it: it was just incredible. That was my first insight, really I’ve watched it [The FA Cup] and I’d obviously only been playing football for a few years, and to be able to see, the women in it was brilliant. But that’s how I first fell in love with the FA Cup, because it was the only game that the women [playing in it] on the telly.”
‘I wish I could just come back out of retirement every year just to play in the FA Cup final!’
As a former player who made it to many an FA Cup final, Flaherty explained just what it means to play in an FA Cup final and not only that, an FA Cup final at Wembley stadium. She replied:
“Oh, it’s huge. Obviously, I was a part of Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham being able to get to the FA Cup Final. I wish I could just come back out of retirement every year just to play in the FA Cup final. I think even for family. I remember when I first got there with Chelsea against Notts County and it was the first time Chelsea were playing at Wembley. I think was the first final I got to at Wembley as well.
And I remember being so gutted because my mum and dad and all of my family had gone on holiday! They went to Cape Verde, and they weren’t even there for it. And I just remember not having them there as much as I’d won it with Chelsea, I felt a bit deflated because they weren’t there. And then obviously the years after that, when I was getting there, I’d have like 14, 15, 16 people coming just from my family alone. And I think for me, it was more about that. Of course, I wanted to win it, and I had some wins. I had some losses as well, but yeah, I think having my family be a part of it was huge.”
Two finalists both have ‘a point to prove’ says Flaherty
Turning attention to the matter at hand, Flaherty gave us a preview of the final and what to expect from both sides:
“I think you got two teams with a little bit of a different point to prove as such. I think with Chelsea, they’re going to be hurting, because obviously they know that they wanted to be in the Champions League final, [which is] obviously weekend after, they wanted to go for the quadruple. And I think they’ll be hurting from that. They’ll be wanting to to get the trophy back, after not having it for a few years as well.”
Shifting to describe Chelsea’s opponents in the final Flaherty stated:
“And then you’ve got Manchester United: the holders, who are going to want to keep their hands on it. I think the last few games that they’ve played as well, coming up against Arsenal, Chelsea as well and then Man City, they’ve not really got the results that they wanted. So I think for them, it’s a huge statement for them to win silverware this year.”
‘It’ll be down to her to set the standards throughout the game’ says Flaherty on Millie Bright
The Halfway Line also asked the former FA Cup champion to pick a player from each team that she felt can make the difference for their team. Flaherty explained:
“I’m expecting a big game for Millie Bright for Chelsea, I know a lot of times we talk about the attackers and the creative players as such, but I think for her, having that experience of playing at Wembley, both for club and country, but also being the captain and that there’s going to be people going to want to see a reaction from Chelsea.
And obviously for them, it’s huge. They’ve obviously got the league wrapped up in that, done and dusted the League Cup, but it’s a chance for them to win more silver ware, and it’ll be down to her to set the standards throughout the game.”
As for their opposition Flaherty picked out the Manchester United number one. “From a United point of view [Phallon] Tullis Joyce needs to have a huge game in goal for them. She’s been brilliant all season, but again, it’s completely different when you’re playing in front of thousands and the spotlights on you to see how players react to that and [how] they handle the pressure. So I think United are going to be wanting a huge game from her on the weekend”
