It will be a mix of emotions for Harrogate’s Rachel Daly if she plays tonight for England at Elland Road.
The international friendly against the Netherlands is part of the preparations for Women’s Euro 2022, which takes place next month on home soil.
Rachel, who was announced in Sarina Wiegman’s squad last week, began her career at Leeds United but has never played at the club’s famous old ground.
She has, however, watched the Leeds men’s team play there many times as the diehard fan used to have a season ticket as a child.
Rachel even has a line from the club’s anthem Marching on Together tattooed on her forearm.
In an interview for the matchday programme tonight, she said:
“It’s a club that has held such a special place in my heart and my family’s heart and I’ve got so many memories of being at Leeds.
“It’ll be really exciting to go back as I was there my whole youth career – I started there when I was about eight years old, right through until the senior level.
“I’ve actually never played there, which is crazy because I’ve played in so many different grounds with England, but never Elland Road.
“I’ve been a lifelong, diehard supporter of Leeds…my whole family has. As far as I can remember, I’ve been going there since I was a kid. It’s such a great environment being there as a fan, so being able to play will be even better for me.”
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If she plays, Daly will reach the impressive milestone of 50 England caps.
But the game at Elland Road will be bittersweet as Rachel’s dad Martyn, who died last year, was also a massive Leeds fan.
The Stray Ferret met Mr Daly before the Tokyo Olympics. He told us all about the Daly family’s love of Leeds United.
Rachel said her dad “was the biggest Leeds fan I’ve ever met in my life.”
She added:
“It will be so awful to not have him there because I think it would have been one of his proudest moments.”
“I have a different perspective towards football and life now. Football has always been the be-all-and-end-all for me, and it still is, but now I play for a different purpose as well.
“When I get on the pitch, it’s not just about me performing, it’s me performing to make my dad even more proud than he already was.
“I think I carry that weight with me, but it’s a nice weight to have because it’s every game I want to do better and better. I know I’m making him proud up there.
“But in a way, that’s what will make it even more special, having the rest of my family there knowing how big fans we are.”
The game tonight kicks off at 8.00pm and will be shown live on ITV4. Tickets can still be purchased but only at the Elland Road ticket office.
