Portsmouth goalkeeper Hannah Haughton has experienced a transformative summer, becoming the club’s first professional women’s player after their promotion to the Women’s Championship.
Previously juggling football with her job as a P.E teacher, the 32-year-old’s transition from the classroom to the training ground represents the realization of a lifelong dream.
Haughton spoke about the club’s journey to professionalism, highlighting the financial challenges they faced before ultimately deciding to go full-time, a move that she describes as a dream come true.
The goalkeeper expressed gratitude towards the club’s CEO and owners for their investment in the women’s team, acknowledging their support in making the transition to professional status.
The restructuring of promotion and relegation in the women’s game allowed both winners of the FA Women’s National League North and South to move up, with Portsmouth excelling in the southern division.
The success of the women’s team coincided with the men’s promotion, showcasing the club’s commitment to ensuring both sides thrive at their respective levels.
WE ARE GOING UP! 🤩
⬆️ Promotion to the @BarclaysWC: CONFIRMED ✅#Pompey
— Portsmouth Women (@PompeyWomen) April 27, 2024
Haughton signed a two-year deal to become Portsmouth’s first professional female player, expressing gratitude for the opportunity and historic achievement.
Reflecting on her new professional status, Haughton emphasized the honor it represents and the support she has received from the club.
Having previously balanced teaching and football, Haughton now enjoys the freedom and time that come with being a full-time professional athlete.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead in the Women’s Championship, Haughton remains optimistic about Portsmouth’s prospects in the league, aiming for a mid-table finish.
“I believe that is a realistic and commendable goal for this season.”
For Haughton, this moment is not just a personal triumph, but a sign of Portsmouth’s growing ambitions as they look to work their way up the pyramid. Where Pompey is now could not be further from where they were a little over ten years ago, on the brink of liquidation and saved by fan ownership. Both the men’s and women’s sides have now entered a new, successful era.
“It means a lot,” the goalkeeper concluded. “Portsmouth is a community and family-based club. If you go back to when they went into administration, it was the fans who kept them up and paid the money to keep them [afloat].
“It’s very much about the fans, for the fans, and for the area. You can see that when you go to the men’s games, the women’s games, you can hear the fanbase and the support. They’re positive about the team and want them to do well.
“They feel part of the teams as well. It’s hard to describe. When you’ve been there for a while, you can feel it. If I walk around in Portsmouth now, people recognise me as the Pompey goalkeeper and captain. It’s amazing.”
READ THE LATEST WOMEN’S FOOTBALL NEWS, OPINION & ANALYSIS
It could be rewritten as, “Please rephrase the following statement.”