Latest news with #AbbieSmith
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Smith balancing first NI call-up with GCSE exams
Goalkeeper Abbie Smith said her first call-up to the Northern Ireland senior squad was a "big surprise" as she looks to juggle international football with her GCSE 16-year-old has been named in the senior squad for the first time after training with them last is now officially part of the panel for Nations League games against Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina, but she conceded she was slightly apprehensive when she got the call-up, given the clash with upcoming exams."I got the email on Monday, I was in my room and I said to my mum 'I think I just got into the senior squad' and I showed her the email. I was buzzing when I saw it," she told BBC Sport NI."The GCSE problem came into it, and I was a bit unnerved about that but it's working out in the end." Smith to 'keep revising' for exams during camp With GCSE exams coming up whilst she is away in camp, the teenager says she will have to continue studying during downtime in NI's preparations for games against unbeaten group leaders Poland at Seaview and third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica."I've already had two exams and I have three over the camp, but I'll get it sorted and keep revising," she senior call-up marks another step in the Lisburn native's rapid rise after joining Manchester City on a two-year scholarship from Crusaders Strikers in having aspirations of playing for the senior side, particularly after training with the squad in Leicester as they prepared for their away trip to Romania last month, even Smith did not think the official call-up would come so soon."I thought I was going with the 19s to their camp over the weekend so it was a big surprise but I'm really excited," she said."Everyone was so welcoming when I trained last month, it was a nice experience and a nice intensity. "It has always been my aim and for it to be so early it's unbelievable. I just want to get used to that environment and see what a senior camp is like."Smith believes her experiences at City, where she has trained with senior goalkeepers like Khiara Keating and Katie Startup, can help her adapt quickly to life in the NI squad under Tanya is also excited to train with Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jackie Burns, who she has idolised."It's been really good at Man City to see what the standard is like and where you have to get to, it's so intense but it's really helping with my development," she explained."I always watched Jackie since going to the Northern Ireland matches and she's been someone I've looked up to so just being involved, training with her will be good." 'She's football mad' Abbie comes from a family of goalkeepers, with her father Neil Smith previously lining up between the sticks for Irish Premiership side a result, Neil believes he is his daughter's "worst critic" but that he is immensely proud of all she has achieved so far. "Everything has come so quickly, it has blown up in the last six months, she has done so well but she dedicates herself and is getting her rewards now. She's football mad," he his daughter, Neil was also sceptical of how Abbie would manage to juggle time away with the senior side and her the practicalities have been worked out, he is delighted to be able to go and support her against Poland, even if she does not make it on the pitch at Seaview."After the initial excitement it was like 'What about the GCSEs?' but everything has worked out and the school has been brilliant with her," he added."Nothing fazes her, it is always let's move to the next level and hopefully that continues."We'll be there we don't expect too much but she will be there and about, and we will be there to support her."
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'No doubting' teenager Smith's talent
Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby says she is "really excited" by the inclusion of 16-year-old goalkeeper Abbie Smith in her squad for the forthcoming Nations League games against Poland and has been named in the senior squad for the first time after joining Manchester City on a two-year scholarship from Crusaders Strikers in teenager was brought in to train with the squad last month but is now officially part of the panel after impressing the NI Ireland sit second in Group B1, four points behind the table-topping Poles before the final pair of will play the unbeaten group leaders at Seaview in Belfast on Friday, 30 May and then travel to Zenica to face third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday, 3 June."I think the fact that Abbie came in and she was seamless in relation to training intensity, being in and around the group and the maturity that she showed," said Oxtoby."There's no doubting her talent so that was really impressive. The main thing when we're looking at the younger players coming in is are they ready for that senior environment?"Oxtoby has involved other young players in recent squads also, including Aimee Kerr, Abi Sweetlove, Keri Halliday and Kascie Weir."They're all playing really well and they add a lot. They add a lot of quality to our group," she added. "We know their ability says they are, but from a cultural and an emotional point of view, are they ready? There are elements of that we need to appreciate are quite difficult for young players to come into."Our job is to support them in that and Abbie has really impressed in that area. We're really excited to see how she goes in a full camp." Furness experience invaluable Oxtoby says the retention in the squad of all-time top scorer Rachel Furness, who was drafted into the panel for the first time in 18 months for the game against Romania last month, adds an important element of experience. "She [Furness] has been playing really well for her club, Newcastle United, and she added a fair bit in terms of her experience and versatility and confidence that she brought to the group."Furny will come in and whether she gets minutes or she doesn't get minutes the standard and the professional values she has after all her experience being in and around the game will help lift the group."We've got two massive games where we could top the group and who would have given us a chance of that at the start of the campaign? We need someone who has got that confidence and has been there and done that to help support those younger ones."
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rafferty back in NI squad as Smith, 16, gets first call-up
Central defender Laura Rafferty is back in the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming Nations League double-header against Poland and experienced Rangers defender missed last month's 1-1 draw away to Romania, and the 1-0 win over the same opposition, through is named in a 24-strong squad which also includes veteran Newcastle United attacking midfielder Rachel Furness, who received a late call-up for the League B Group 1 encounter against the Romanians at Windsor Park in Ireland's record goalscorer, capped 96 times, was returning to the squad for the first time in 18 goalkeeper Abbie Smith has been named in the senior squad for the first time after joining Manchester City on a two-year scholarship from Crusaders Strikers in teenager was brought in to train with the squad last month but is now officially part of the defender Abi Sweetlove and Glentoran midfielder Aimee Kerr also retain their places in the squad, with Rachel Dugdale and Megan Bell returning after missing the second of the two matches against Romania through injury. Uncapped Kerr, who turns 18 at the end of May, received her first senior call-up in Burrows is out with an ankle injury sustained while playing for Cliftonville while Glentoran midfielder Chloe McCarron and Nottingham Forest Women striker Casey Howe both remain unavailable as they continue to recover from Ireland will play unbeaten group leaders Poland at Seaview in Belfast on Friday 30 May and then travel to Zenica to face third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday 3 side trail the Poles by three points in the standings. Northern Ireland squad Goalkeepers - Jackie Burns (Calgary Wild), Maddy Harvey-Clifford (Crusaders Strikers), Abbie Smith (Manchester City Women).Defenders - Rebecca Holloway, Rebecca McKenna and Ellie Mason (all Birmingham City Women), Laura Rafferty (Rangers Women), Rachel Dugdale (Blackburn Rovers Women), Abi Sweetlove (Linfield Women).Midfielders - Louise McDaniel and Brenna McPartlan (both Burnley Women), Nadene Caldwell and Aimee Kerr (both Glentoran Women), Joely Andrews (Hearts Women), Megan Bell (Nottingham Forest Women), Connie Scofield (Sheffield United Women, on loan from London City Lionesses), Rachel Furness (Newcastle United Women).Forwards - Emily Wilson and Kascie Weir (both Glentoran Women), Lauren Wade (Hearts Women), Simone Magill (Birmingham City Women), Keri Halliday (Linfield Women), Danielle Maxwell (Burnley Women), Caragh Hamilton (Nottingham Forest Women).
BBC News
05-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Wiltshire in Pictures: Sunshine, wonky roads and pigeons
We're almost a week into April and it's been a particularly bright start to the month with temperatures reaching 22C (71F) on Friday the warmer weather, gardens and outdoor attractions are opening to the public for the first time this year - or, in the case of the walled garden at Bowood, for the first time this week we have had the news the B4069 Lyneham Banks has reopened three years after a devastating landslip, a charity marathon runner is raising money for the air ambulance and a pet pigeon has been getting some attention in Devizes. 270 year wait: Bowood House and Gardens, near Chippenham, has opened its walled garden to the public. The estate opened for the year on Tuesday, but for the first time is allowing access to its usually private garden. Reach for the skies: Charity marathon runner Gary MacAlister is looking to break a Guinness World Record when doing Bristol Half Marathon dressed as a helicopter next Trowbridge native will be running to raise money for the Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance while dressed in an outfit which has been dubbed the Garycopter. Hope for the future: A mural created by young people in Swindon has been unveiled across two sites in the artwork, which appears on both a new youth centre and on a children's hospital ward, features a drawing of a whale guided by butterflies towards a light bulb to show hope for a brighter future for all youngsters in Swindon. Centre stage: Abbie Smith from Chippenham got a selfie with a 5,000-strong crowd at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday. The 24-year-old, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2023, was at a fundraising concert featuring rock band The Who. The event raised money for the Teenage Cancer Trust. It's a bird's life: Pam Welfare has been speaking to the BBC about her pet pigeon Pepper, who accompanies her everywhere she travels with Pam, often on her shoulder and for journeys further afield, she even has her own car seat. Back in business: Lyneham Banks road has opened this week after a three year closure. Dubbed Britain's wonkiest road after a landslip during Storm Eunice, the reopening of the B4069 reconnects Chippenham and Lyneham, saving commuters a lengthy diversion to the south. Railway pioneer: A blue plaque has been unveiled in Swindon, celebrating the life of James Hurst, the first locomotive shunter for the Great Western plaque has been placed above the front door of Hurst's final residence on Taunton Street.
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
NI goalkeeper, 16, realises dream with Man City move
Signing for one of the best clubs in the world is the stuff of dreams for a 16-year-old footballerFor Abbie Smith, that has now become a reality. The teenage goalkeeper, from Lisburn in Northern Ireland, has signed for WSL side Manchester City on a two-year scholarship says it is a "once in a lifetime opportunity" as she makes the lead from Crusaders in the Women's Premiership to the English giants."I'm just excited to get started," said Smith."I went over for a trial in March last year and felt I had done pretty well. I was then invited back in April and I trained with the first team, with Khiara (Keating) and Katie Robinson at the time."I got to eat with them and go to the gym with them at the City Football Academy. It was an amazing opportunity and then I was offered the scholarship."It's a whole different environment, it's amazing. It's great to see how the women's game is developing. I just hope there are opportunities for other people." 'The sky is the limit for her' Smith may only be 16 but her journey to Manchester City has been a long time coming. She started playing at a young age with Hillsborough Boys, before going on to play in the women's game."I've been kicking the ball around the street since I was about three and then about six or seven, I started I playing alongside the boys for a good while and was successful with them."I joined Crusaders three or four years ago. I've been in with the international squads as well and it's just been going from there."Originally playing further up the field, the teenager says she was inspired to take up a position in nets by her dad, who used to be a goalkeeper."It's always been in the family to be a goalkeeper, also being put into nets by the boys in the street when I was younger," she recalls. "My dad deserves a wee bit of credit. He has always pushed me on." Smith will train with the club's Elite Development Squad (under-21s) as she completes her A-Levels, something that was very important to the Victoria College student."My school has been very supportive and they have always made sure I have a backup in my education and it was important to me that I was able to continue my studies in Manchester," she said."I want to play football all the time, I want to make a career out of it and I really think this will help me push that on."Professional football has always been my dream and I want to go as far as I can."Jonathan Tuffey, Crusaders' manager in the Women's Premiership and a goalkeeper for the men's team, said Smith was a "credit to herself and her family"."She's very dedicated to her craft. The past few years with us, after moving from Hillsborough Boys, she has been phenomenal and she is more than ready now for our first team."When we were made aware of the interest from Man City, she got our full support. The hard work starts now for her. I know with her work ethic and the people she has around her, she will take it in her stride. The sky is the limit for her."
