The Champions From The City By The Sea
Saskia Taylor-Doyle, England
Saskia Taylor-Doyle is a player for Montpelier Villa WFC in Brighton, England. The team plays in Preston Park and won the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League Cup Final in 2022.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football journey?
My name is Saskia Taylor-Doyle. I was born and raised in the ‘City by the Sea’, Brighton, on the south coast of England. I have played for Montpelier Villa WFC on either wing since 2021. When I am not running around after a ball I am trying to grasp the art of running our social media account.
My first game of football was aged 7 on a muddy Saturday morning in Preston Park, a local park in Brighton, in a mixed beginner’s football kick-about session.
My football experience has always been heavily dominated by competing for space, justification, and approval of my own football ability. Whether that was being one of the few girls in a PE lesson for football, or the battle against other teams for pitches and coaches.
I want to keep scoring goals, and one day hopefully coach the next generation of footballers.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
The photos are of our training sessions at the University of Sussex football pitches, and the photos from the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League Cup Final against Seaford Town LFC on the29th May 2022, which we won!
I tried to capture the intensity of training and how we can transfer that to matches to win. The best part of training is always the game at the end!
You can see our whole squad celebrating our win in the Final. I think it shows how it took the entire team to win the tournament. There is so much emotion in that picture.
What impact has Montpelier Villa had on you? What is special about the club?
Villa has helped me reconnect with Brighton and offered me the opportunity to develop my football ability and play at a higher standard.
Football not only provides a form of exercise but a social space and somewhere you can develop and achieve your own personal goals.
Villa want to create an inclusive environment on and off the pitch and are constantly looking for ways to improve.
What do you think the future looks like for football in your community? What would you like to change?
The funding and exposure of women’s football from grassroots to professional is increasing but there are still huge disparities in opportunities and pathways compared to men’s football. Further investment in the game is crucial to ensure that players and coaches are reaching their true potential.
The Women’s competitive game cannot grow alone without development at a grassroots level. To ensure the legacy of the Women's EURO thrives we need to open the doors to the game and promote the infinite benefits whether it is striving for physical achievements, socialising or developing valuable life skills.
It is amazing to see that Preston Park is still a vital hub for the football community, especially on a Saturday morning. I hope that local authorities and sporting organisations can see the value of good quality, accessible green spaces and continue to maintain and develop them.
