Gilly Flaherty

Gilly Louise Scarlett Flaherty (born 24 August 1991) is an English footballer who plays for FA WSL club West Ham United. Flaherty is a former Arsenal Ladies player who began her career in Millwall Lionesses' youth teams. She usually plays in the centre back position and represented England at youth level before making her senior debut in October 2015.

Club Career

Millwall Lionesses

Flaherty started playing football with her father as a nine-year-old. She joined her first club, Millwall Lionesses, where she played for the youth teams until the age of thirteen.

Arsenal Ladies

Flaherty joined Arsenal following a successful trial with the club in 2003, she was part of their youth programme, playing for the Under 14s team. Flaherty worked her way through the club, coming off the bench to make her senior debut in October 2006 against Birmingham City, in a League Cup match, when only 15 years old.

Flaherty was part of the Arsenal squad that won a quadruple in the 2006–07 season; comprising the UEFA Women's Cup, FA Women's National Premier League, FA Women's Cup and the FA Women's Premier League Cup. Flaherty was part of the Arsenal squad that made history by being the first team outside Germany or Scandinavia to win the UEFA Women's Cup. Flaherty was also in the team that won the 2006–07 season London County FA Women's Cup.

In April 2011, Flaherty scored the first goal of the FA WSL season – the winner away to Chelsea in front of 2,510 supporters.

Chelsea Ladies

In January 2014, Chelsea announced the double transfer of Flaherty and Katie Chapman from Arsenal. The move reunited both players with coach Emma Hayes, who previously worked at Arsenal. Hayes said of Flaherty: "Gilly is the best uncapped player in the country. She will become a bedrock for club and country as she has all the hallmarks of a top class player." Flaherty's first season with the team ended in disappointment, as they lost the league titl