Sophie Whitehouse is about to embark on her second season with Charlton Athletic, and promotion to the Barclays Women’s Super League is on her mind.
Whitehouse started the 19 matches for Charlton last campaign and was a vital player for the Addicks in the Women’s Championship (now WSL2). After a couple of successful seasons at Lewes FC, Whitehouse has only built on that experience under Karen Hills’ guidance at the Valley.
The Halfway Line got the opportunity to sit down with the Charlton shot stopper ahead of the new season.
Whitehouse ‘excited for what’s to come’ with Charlton Athletic
Last season was Whitehouse’s first campaign in Charlton Athletic colours after signing with the southeast London club from relegated side Lewes FC.
“It was good,” Whitehouse reflected on her first season with Charlton.
“Obviously it was really tight around Christmas and just after Christmas we were pushing for promotion, but obviously didn’t quite get there. But this year, with a few more teams being able to maybe get promoted, I’m excited for what’s to come.”
Since last season, WSL Football have announced changes to the promotion system, meaning the top two sides will now be automatically promoted to the top-tier and the third entering a play-off against last place in the WSL. After The Halfway Line pointed out that Charlton are uniquely placed to benefit from the changes, Whitehouse agreed with the sentiment.
“Last year we came third, so we would have been in the playoff and then the year before that, they finished second. So it’s like, if this had happened [sooner], then we could have been promoted already!”
“I’m definitely very excited. It’s going to be a very competitive year. So I’m excited.”
When considering the fine margins between promotion and relegation, the Charlton number one recalled one agonising moment that stayed with her after the season.
“We joke that against London City, they had a free kick in the last minute. [Kosovare] Asllani scored, and I got my hand to it and, saved it onto the post.
“So, I feel like if I’d have just saved it, it would have changed the whole the whole end of the season, but they obviously scored and we drew that game.”
Whitehouse did win the league’s Save of the Season award last year for a stunning stop against Newcastle in the last minute of that match, a stop that saved her team a point on the day.
“Yeah, I didn’t honestly think about it, it was only when my save was nominated,” Whitehouse reflected on the moment. “And then I was like, oh, it’d be kind of cool if I did win.
“Then luckily, I did. So I was excited, a few people had said that it was a good save. My uncle, who really watches [football], he was like, I think it’ll win” she explained, as a fond and mischievous grin stretched across her face, recalling her uncle’s prediction.
‘I always wanted to play for Ireland’ beams Whitehouse
Whitehouse grew up in East Africa before moving the the United States and attending college there, but the 28-year-old insists that Ireland was always in her heart.
“My mom’s from Ireland so growing up I always wanted to play for Ireland,” Whitehouse said on her decision to play for Ireland.
“I’d been looking and speaking to them [Ireland] a lot, and then when I started playing more consistently in England, it was the right thing to do. I really love all the girls there now.”
Whitehouse appears to have a particularly close bond with the two other goalkeepers in the Irish camp, Courtney Brosnan of Everton and Grace Maloney of Sunderland.
“It’s really nice. We get on really well and are always supporting each other. So I really enjoy it,” Whitehouse praised of her teammates.
‘Charlton principles’ key in promotion charge
Karen Hills is now one of the longest serving manager’s in the WSL2 and her wealth of experience is something that Whitehouse feels gives Charlton an edge.
“I mean, she’s very good at driving our principles as a team, it’s like our Charlton principles.”
Whitehouse went onto describe ‘Charlton principles’ as “hard working people, who aren’t going to stop.”
“She [Hills] knows the Championship and how the games are in the competition. When you’re playing a Birmingham, it’s different from playing a Durham or a Sunderland or now with Newcastle. So each game we go into with a different attitude towards the opponent.”
Whitehouse is a player Hill obviously has a lot of faith in, having first crossed paths at Tottenham Hotspur, the goalkeeper now officially has the number one shirt at Charlton.
Pre-season has been about ‘trying to get to know each other a lot better’
Pre-season is often characterised by ex-professionals as gruelling and lacking joy. However that only seems to be one element to how Charlton have approached this vital preparation time.
“This pre season we’re definitely trying to get to know each other a lot better,” Whitehouse said. “We have a lot of new players, and we went on a pre season tour. So just bonding as a team, because when you go through the hard moments that’s what you rely on. Getting to know each other, why they’re here, why they’re playing, so that you can push them to be their best on game day.”
“We did a session [with the sports psych] where it was like, what two things you are bringing in your bag to Spain? You had to talk about special items and so we kind of found out what people love, or what’s important to them and their family.”
Don’t worry, we asked what Whitehouse brought with her and she thoughtfully responded:
“One of mine was the medal that I got from going to the World Cup with Ireland. Then the other ones are my tattoo, which is in my sister’s handwriting, which is coordinates of where my family house is. So those were my two items,” Whitehouse explained gesturing to her wrist, where her tattoo is drawn.
The Halfway Line asked Whitehouse about her sister, who she credits with getting her into football.
“She’s a tiny bit older than me, and she used to play and I just used to think, I want to be like my sister! I grew up in Africa, when in East Africa where there wasn’t really women’s football, so I played on a boys team, and just kept playing with the boys and then slowly when we moved to America I started playing with the girls.”
