Baby of the team - WSL

part 1

Tallulah hated her name, no one except her mum actually called her that and that was enough reason not to like it! to be honest her mum had ruined everything for her. tally was what everyone called her.

28th august

tally had been partying the night before with her friends from school and she was exhausted but luckily she had a very high alcohol tolerance so she didn't really get drunk just tipsy and so didn't have a hangover. she was properly tired tho so had decided to take a nap on the bus as her football team the Maresfield buzzards had a match. Maresfield was a small village essentially in the middle of nowhere so as you could probably guess they weren't that good. Tally pretty much carried the team as the striker. when they got to the match Tally felt better and couldn't wait for the match now, it was the only time she felt free of all the burdens of life! they had lost 4-3 but all 3 goals had been scored by Tally and when they were done Tally was exhausted and honestly just quite annoyed that the defence couldn't get it together and how the goalie would barely touch the ball much less dive for it.

after the match, a man came over to me and he was holding a clipboard. "my name is Charles Humphrey and I've been watching you for a while your good! I'm a scout for arsenal and we've had our eye on you, we want you to join our under-21 squad!" the man said as she stood there gobsmacked as she processed what he said. "I'm sorry what you want me but I only play for my school team and the village team and were not very good?" she said confused as he looked at her and chuckled. he handed her a card "call this number okay and we will set you up with a taster session!" and he walked off. I walked over to my coach still feeling super shocked. he congratulated me. "that man was a scout! he wants me to do a trial for arsenal!" she said with a surprised tone. he looked equally shocked. "really that's amazing I always knew you were too good for this team!" as he patted my shoulder affectionately. we got back on the bus and she phoned the number. "is this Tallulah O'Sheere?" a man asked as he answered his phone. timidly she said yes and he then said "the trial session is on September the 4th please bring a parent or carer with you so they can sign anything necessary and we can discuss things!" she felt shocked that it was going so quickly and well. "okay I will." she replied as she texted her aunt with the news.

September the 4th

Tally and her aunt Amanda were going up to London to go to the trial. Tally did the trial and it was so fun playing with players who could actually play again! they got called into the coach's office and they had a chat. "I'm not sure how well you would do with the under 21s I think you are better than them quite frankly. I would like to put you on a 6-month probation for the senior team!" he stated as though that just happened all the time that you get told you are a fantastic footballer player to plays to the level of the senior team!!!!! "really? you want me to play with the senior team? but I'm only 16?" she said confused. he chuckled and nodded at her "you have more talent than I've seen in someone your age since leah Williamson, she joined the senior team when she was 17!" he once again matter of factly said. " we would like you to begin for this season!" she slowly processed the information Amanda beamed with pride next to her "yes okay yes I would absolutely love too!" she said excitedly. they talked through the contract and Amanda signed the initial stuff just leaving the forms that had to be signed on the day you sign for the team.

September the 5th

Tally's aunt had phoned up arsenal just before they had finalised the agreement to sort out living arrangements. She explained how she was only 16 and had no family anywhere near and couldn't travel there on a regular basis. The manager had suggested that he would get one of the older players to share a flat with the kid and Amanda had agreed. He said "ill ask the players and see which ones can do it and go from there!" she thanked him and felt more at ease after the reassurance that her niece wouldn't be on her own, she had never been on her own anywhere without her sisters. The manager brought the team into a meeting. "right team we have a new player joining in a week and she is under 18 and hasn't got anywhere to live I said that one of you will be her host family. So would anyone like to do it?" the girls looked around as if they hadn't had to do this before. They all lived in flats with 4 bedrooms and most flats were full. There were the dutch girls, Jordan, lotte, Steph and Manu, and on, and the only free one was Beths, Katies and Leahs. "umm we have a spare room so she can stay with us?" said Katie with an unsure tone. The next day Leah, beth and Katie got the spare room ready for the girl as all of the flats they stayed in generally came pre-furnished. All Tally had to bring was her clothes, and decorations and that was pretty much it.