Maisie 'Baby' Bronze

3. Fan account

The shin pads were surprisingly easy to find, and I managed to grab out of Lucy's bag and quickly make my way back out of the coach, pausing just before I open the door, and taking a moment to calm myself before being hit by the wave of fan's screams again.

"Maisie! Maisie! Can you sign this for me please!" A young girl waving a man city shirt shouted at me, an excited smile on her face. I'd been warned many times before by my mum and her agency to not answer any questions the media throw at me or say anything that could be twisted into something it was not, but when it came to signing things, my agency actually suggested in doing this, to grow popularity for the game and to keep on the right side of the fans and media. I quickly smile at the girl and walk up to her.

"Hello there, what's your name?" I take the sharpie and sign the shirt.

"Leila, and I want to play for Man city just like Lucy one day!" She smiles back at me enthusiastically.

"It's very nice to meet you Leila, and anything is possible so don't let anyone tell you can't do anything! In fact, if I take this shirt, I could get it signed by Lucy and give it to you in the stadium? Where are your seats?"

Leila's mum tells me their seat number and I take the shirt with me, whilst I walk back down the path, smiling for a few selfies on the way. A 'famous' life was the one I were used to by now, but I can't lie and say it was always something I enjoyed. Yes, it came with the positives like the opportunities it has given me, but the permanent attention could sometimes become a bit much for me.

As I reach the player entrance, I flash my pass at the security again and slip myself into the stadium and out of the loud cheering that was a bit overwhelming. I'm greeted by one of the coaches, that I recognise from seeing him about.

"Hiya Maisie, they're all in the changing room, I assume you've got Lucy's shin pads?" Paul asks me.

"Yeah" I say, calming down from the stress of outside.

"It's quite a lot out there isn't it."

"Yep, as much as I love them, they can be a bit loud."

"I agree" Paul walks me to the changing room where he leaves me as he needs to go onto the pitch. I knock on the changing room door and pop my head in, where I see Georgia doing a handstand in the middle of the room.

"What on earth G, you're literally about to go and play a match and you're doing gymnastics?" I say, laughing, as I fully enter the room.

"Maisie!" My mum jumps up and runs over to me, as I give her shin pads, "Absolute life saver, I love you" She gives me a hug and kiss on the head.

"Love you too mum" I say then throw the shirt in my hand at Georgia, who's mimicking me.

"What's this then?" Georgia asks, holding it out to see.

"Oh shit, yeah, that's a fan's shirt, I said maybe some of you could sign it then i'll go give it back during the match" I answer back.

"Oh right, chuck me the sharpie then".

I throw the sharpie at Georgia and she signs it before passing it round to the other girls who all sign it. " Thanks girls, I best be off now, good luck out there, I'm sure you'll all smash it"

"See ya Maise" They all chorus before I leave the room and head out to the stands.

Fast forward to the end of the match- Man city won 3-0 and the players are making their way round the pitch with the fans.

I'm stood leaning up against the barrier, waiting for the players to get here so that I could congratulate them individually. Along to my left I see my mum taking photos and signing some things for other fans, so I quickly snap a photo and upload to my Instagram.

@Maisiebronze

765,627likes

Great win today, but where's my autograph @lucybronze??

3747 comments-

@lucy bronze- Shall I sign your phone case?
@maisiebronze- Please do

XXXXXXXXXX

After uploading the post, I wait patiently for my mum to reach me. She comes up to me with a grin on her face.

"What have you done now then?" I question her.

"Nothing, just laughing at you looking like a right fan girl."

"Oh shush, you're not that amazing".

"You sure?"

"God yes I am sure, you need taking down a peg" I pull her in for a hug and she whispers in my ear to meet her or Keira on the coach, so that the fans don't hear.

"Am I not just getting the train back?"

"No, I've asked, and city are fine with it so and it's easier, anyway I've got to go, I'll see you soon" Lucy gives me another hug then leaves, taking a few more selfies and autographs then jogging back over to the tunnel.

I go back to scrolling down Instagram, waiting for some of the other girls to come over but are interrupted by someone talking in my ear.

"Fucking hell, that girl just had a full on convo with lucy bronze, and now's about to post it on social media."

"Probably on some sort of fan account" A group of laughs fill my ear.

I turn around, looking for the faces to the voices and realise it's a group of girls not much older than me all staring at me, with slightly jealous faces.

"Excuse me?" I ask them, trying to be confident.

"Oh, we're sorry, I'm sure there's nothing wrong with having a fan account, especially when you're just getting into football" A rather bitchy looking girl says to me, smirking.

"What's this about a fan account then?" I quickly turn around and are thankful to see the face of Keira smiling at me.

"Oh, this girl was just posting on a fan account about her talk with Lucy Bronze" The loud girl behind me answers for me.

"Yeah totally... I'm not too sure when these girls are going to click on" I say to Keira, loud enough for them to hear.

"Oh yeah, what's that, you were actually making a fan edit?"

I quickly shut her down, "Maybe a good start for me would be, Hi I'm Maisie Bronze and Lucy's my mum, it's been a pleasure to meet you all, keep coming to the matches, the support is amazing, and I hope to see you all again soon" With that, I jump over the rail onto the pitch and pull Keira away towards the tunnel, giggling, leaving the girls dumbfounded.