Pulling on the Fern for the first time could have happened a lot sooner for London-born Ford Football Fern #199 Grace Neville than January 2023.

She made her New Zealand debut aged 22, in front of a record crowd against world champions the United States of America, capping off a process kick-started back when she was 15, and had first reached out to New Zealand Football.

With her mum being born in Auckland, and her dad’s side of the family also having connections to Aotearoa, the prospect of playing for New Zealand had always been on the right back’s mind, despite playing age group football for England.

“I was actually in communication with one of the New Zealand Football coaches overseeing youth development when I was around 15,” she says.

“They were keen to get me in then. But obviously being over on the other side of the world, and only being young, it just seemed like an easier decision at the time to stay with England!

“But I kind of got to the point where I was like, actually I want to try this opportunity and see what it's like, and if I enjoy it more.”

Neville’s first opportunity to get in the Ferns environment came after being called up as a training player to the Ferns November 2021 tour in Korea Republic. It wasn’t quite as smooth an experience as she would have liked, as she dealt with the continuing effects of long-COVID.

“When I came on that camp I was still kind of ill, and while Jitka liked what she saw, she just needed to make sure I was fit enough, and said I needed to get back my club, and get my game time up,” Neville recalls.

But come January this year, Neville was called up as a full player for the two-game series against the United States of America.

“That was one of the greatest games you could have your debut for, as well as your first start. I was over the moon after that camp.”

Starting at the top: Grace Neville tackles World Cup winner Lindsey Horan on her debut. Credit: Photosport

Grace Neville’s journey might have started nearly 19,000km away from the country she’d go on to represent on the senior international stage, but it’s also a story familiar to many on this side of the world.

“I started playing football when I was about six through my dad,” she says.

“He loved football and played at quite a high level when he was younger, and he still carries on playing now. When I was younger I looked up to him and kind of wanted to play football because he played football, and he was my coach. I played on a boys team and I was the only girl up until I was 10.”

Neville’s career was kickstarted after being scouted by Arsenal as a 10-year-old, where she stayed for eight years before trying college soccer in the United States. Preferring England, she returned and joined Millwall Lionesses.

But it wasn’t to be a straightforward first season: shortly after she signed, the club announced that they were split from Millwall FC. They went down a slightly unusual route by England standards by opting to operate as a standalone women’s club; something that excites Neville about the club.

 “I was there from the start, which is really nice,” Neville says.

“We kept the place in the Championship, they just stripped back the name and kind of changed the board around a little bit, and we became London City Lionesses.”

“Our chair has such ambition for women's football and she runs the club so well. Obviously you were going to have teething problems, but the growth of the club has been fantastic and I now think it's a club that can compete in WSL off the pitch in terms of the board and the committee, but also on the pitch.”

Not only is Grace an original member of London City Lionesses, but she’s also a permanent fixture in the club’s history, having scored their first ever goal – a header against London Bees - in the club’s first win.

“I couldn't have picked a better start and it's always nice to have that to refer back to!”

Having been part of the Lionesses from the start has given Grace a unique perspective into everything that’s involved in making a club tick.

“It's funny because as a football player, I feel like sometimes you just get your head down and like you're in your own little world: you just come in, you do your job on the pitch, so you don't actually see loads of what's going on behind closed doors. But I think because I've been here from the start and I've seen across the club’s development over four years, I feel like I have seen it like progress single-handedly.”

“It's kind of nice to be part of something that you've seen progress and that over time has become something that I'm now proud to be a part of.”

Grace Neville's football journey started like so many others: the only girl on the boys team

Having ensured her place in history for London City Lionesses, including reaching 50 appearances for the club earlier this year, Neville’s now looking to the future for the Ford Football Ferns.

It’s no surprise that securing a place in the squad for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in July is the next goal.  

“Being in the squad for the World Cup would be incredible.

“Me and the team, we've all been talking about, about growing that legacy. I would love to be a part of that and go to World Cups and Olympics and all those kind of things. It’s something that I've dreamed of when I started football at six years old for my dad's boys team.

“I’m obviously in an incredibly lucky position because I've had the option to play for both England and New Zealand, and I wouldn't change my view that England brought me up and kind of moulded me into the player I am today. But I also reflect back to when I was 15 and I was kind of already making that decision, I was already conflicted in what route to take.

“I don't regret any of those decisions. I have very fond memories [of my time with England] and I’ve already made really, really good memories with the Ferns. I feel really feel at home, and it's very special to walk in and already feel part of a little family.

“The journey I've been on has been incredible, and I'm so grateful to be here.”

Article added: Thursday 18 May 2023