Clapton CFC women’s first team captain Verity Phillips has decided this will be her final season playing for us.

Verity has been with Clapton CFC since the very first game after AFC Stoke Newington became our women’s first team. Indeed she scored in the team’s first ever competitive match on September 1 2019 in the FA Cup at home to Margate.

In 2021/22 she was voted Management’s Most Improved Player and then Management’s Unsung Hero last season.

This season, Verity stepped up to be club captain and even found herself having to help manage and coach midway through the season while we searched for a new head coach.

In total, she’s played 94 competitive games – 100 including friendlies. In her final home game, the 2-2 against Brentford, she won the player of the match vote and was held aloft by her team-mates (pic above).

In her end of season article, Verity wrote

As with everything in life, all good things come to an end. Seasons end and times change, and ultimately players do move on. Now, it’s my time to do the same. Five seasons of amazing highs, nail-biting draws, and bitterly disappointing lows, administrative challenges that felt like a second day-job, and hangovers from wins that resulted in neglecting my day job! 

It’s been a whirlwind, and memories that I will treasure forever. I can’t wait to continue to support this team from the sidelines and watch them flourish under a fantastic coaching group. I have no doubt promotion and another FA Cup run could well be on the cards for this squad, regardless of who comes and goes. The spirit of the club runs through the women’s team, with a real sense of camaraderie, acceptance, and empowering of each other to do their best. The fans give it to us, and we subsequently give it to each other. So thanks to you, Clapton fans, for all your support across another brilliant season.

Women’s first team head coach Jay Murray said:

Vee has been unbelievably supportive on and off the field which has been an essential part of our smooth transition. Vee has also performed at a consistent high level and always led by example her departure will be a big blow for the team.

Meanwhile on his Outside Left blog, Nick Davidson wrote:

There have been so many highs. Verity has contributed so much to this team and this club. There are so many memories, but perhaps my favourite was Verity’s fist-pumping reaction to scoring in the cup final against Ashford. We were down and out at 0:3. Verity made it 1:3 and her goal kick-started a comeback that would see us pull it back to 3:3 (the celebrations that followed Teju’s leveller were another highlight). So, thank you Verity. It’s been emotional. And I’m so glad you got your own song: “Verity, Verity, She’s the best we’ve ever had and she’s harder than your dad!” Also, can we have a moratorium on players leaving please?

Thanks for everything, skipper.