From boys' league to Manchester City: Molly Stroud's WSL dream

Molly Stroud, a 16-year-old centre-back from Plymouth, is set to join Manchester City's academy on a two-year deal, moving from playing with boys in the Devon Under-16 league to training alongside some of the world's best players at the reigning Women's Super League (WSL) and Women's FA Cup champions.

Stroud was scouted while playing for Wales Under-16s after receiving her first call-up last August. 'It just makes me think that my hard work and dedication's paid off,' she said. 'Living down here we don't get as many opportunities or as much exposure as you would up there. So the fact that I've got the opportunity to move up there, it's just fantastic really.'

A path forged through boys' football

Stroud has been playing with boys since primary school, a factor she credits for her development. 'They do tower over me now, but when I was 12 years old I think I was the tallest in the group,' she joked. 'I've played boys' football ever since I was about 10 years old, really. It's all I've ever known.'

She described the experience as a 'good physical challenge.' While she dominated when younger, the boys have since grown taller, making it more challenging. 'I definitely think that I can still cope with it on the technical ability side, but I feel like this season was my last season with the boys, which is a bit bittersweet after doing it for quite a while now,' she added.

Success with Devon Girls and national recognition

In addition to her club football, Stroud is the star player for Devon Girls' Under-16 side. She helped the team win the ESFA Inter-County Cup final last month, beating Durham 2-1 at Stoke City's Bet365 Stadium.

Dave Leonard, Devon coach, praised her potential. 'She can certainly play in the WSL easy, if not Champions League,' he said. 'Her attitude and determination are key, and then her technical and tactical side of the game has improved over the last five years. Having played in the boys' game all throughout her Devon junior career from under-11s up to under-16s, that's given her the benefits to be able to be strong and competitive in the women's game and she'll go on and do really, really well.'

A major move with family support

The move requires significant upheaval. Stroud will leave her family and friends in Devon to live with a host family in Manchester, nearly 300 miles away. Her father, Brett, a former professional rugby player with Plymouth Albion, expressed pride. 'As a family we're really proud of Molly and what she's achieved,' he said. 'Man City, you don't get any bigger than that, and it's something she thoroughly deserves in our family's eyes, because she's very driven. Since a kid, she's always been pulling that shirt saying, 'Come on Dad, let's get out and kick a ball around.' She's always been very active from a young age, so hopefully our dreams will come true.'