The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness - Millie & Rach BOTH Win POTM, Bunny Shaw Continues To Bang In Goals and Champions League Knockouts Approach

Episode Date: December 17, 2025

Millie reflects on Chelsea’s astounding 6-0 win over Roma, and her well-deserved POTM award, in the Champions League midweek. She also previews their big final group game against Wolfsburg this Wednesday. Rach looks back at an equally superb 3-0 drubbing of Liverpool in the WSL, her first two goals of the season - one scored after just 27 seconds - and her POTM award. A great week to be a Daly Brightness footballer! They also discuss the amazing form of Bunny Shaw as she scores her 100th goal and take a good look at why Manchester City are team to catch in the WSL title race as we go into the Winter Break. There’s an update on Rach and Millie’s young hero Noah Playforth and his admirable fundraising efforts, as well as some superb Block & Deletes. British Gas is proud partner of the Barclays Women’s Super League and The Rest Is Football Daily Brightness. Powering the perfect Sunday with half price electricity every Sunday from 11am-4pm. Over a million people already use it to save money. Search ‘British Gas PeakSave’ to start saving. T&Cs apply - Up to 60 kilowatts per session. Eligible tariff and smart meter required. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is powered by British Gas, who we are buzzing to announce have joined the Daily Brightness Team as our new partners, which is perfect timing because Sundays are our favourite day of the week. Yeah, everyone's switching on for kickoff, kettle, telly, the lot. But with peak save from British Gas, customers can take advantage of half-price electricity every Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Over a million people already use it to save money, helping you make the most of your Sunday.

And it lines up perfectly with a football. You can relax, watch the game and let the house do the work. And it's not just homes they are taking care of. They are backing the Barclays Women's Super League too, showing the same reliability and support on the pitch as they do off it. British Gas, proud partner of the Barclays Women's Super League, search British Gas, peak save to start saving.

Up to 60 kilowatts per session, eligible tariff and smart meter required. Hello and welcome to Daily Brightness. Millie, how's your week been? Bessie, it's been a really good week. It's been really, really chaotic, though, and I've got another busy week coming up. I'm so behind on my Christmas stuff. I thought you were all done.

I know, but Bessie, if you could see my kitchen right now, it's literally like Santa's Grotto. I'm so far behind. Normally, I'm done and dusted, but there's just been so much going off that I'm just falling behind, so I'm panicking a little bit because this is my last week to get everything sorted.

Why, you better crack on then? But how are you? How's your week been? Yeah, all right. I think yesterday was not the nicest day in terms of football, but the week itself was good. I'm a good resort during the week and yeah, I'm just, I feel like I'm feeling a bit Christmassy now. You're looking very pretty today. I'm actually just about to go after this to our team's Christmas dinner, so that'll be nice. I always look forward to that, spending some time with the girls.

Well, you look really nice, bestie. No real time for like a night out or anything because we've got training all this week and then we've got a friend at the end of the week. And so we just said we'd go for a meal instead. So that'll be nice. I think it's nice to get the girls together. That's cute. Just sort of like end off this half of the season together and, yeah, let your air down a little bit.

I have some nice food. But yeah, this week's been all right. I feel like I'm getting into the Christmas spirit. Yeah, not bad, not bad. Shall we start talking about some foot footy? Let's get on to the footy. There's been a lot of football since we last spoke. So we'll start off with your huge six.

win against Roma. Tell us about the game. Yeah, it was a really good game, actually. I think we obviously coming off the back of a loss, I think, with how tight the league is and, yeah, you don't really want to be dropping points. So we needed to bounce back very, very quickly. And I think it's one of those. I think immediately maybe people just thought we'd breeze Roma and, yes, the result. And that might say that.

But I think it was a really good performance in terms of mentality from the girls. And we just wanted to get back to winning weight. We wanted to get back a good performance, get our confidence up. And, yeah, I think it was like a real team performance. And, you know, we had some rotation within the team as well. So it was nice for other players to get some minutes. But most importantly, we put ourselves in a great position to finish where we want to finish, which was in that top four.

But obviously, we've got a massive game coming up against Walsberg, which we need to win to do that. But, yeah, the game itself was brilliant. It was just felt really nice. You know, we just have those games and everything's just click. and working and... And you got man in the match? Whee!

Go on! Yeah, it was nice to be back out there. Just wanted to help the team and perform. And yeah, you just want to have that good feeling again. And yeah, I think everybody got that. So, yeah, it's really good, honestly. Can't complain, 6-0, clean sheet. Happy days.

Lots of different scorers. Confidence. Yeah, on to the next one. Yeah, I love seeing you do well. And obviously, getting man of the match is just in the Champions League. a little bit of an added bonus. Thanks, but it's really pretty, actually. I know, I saw it.

It looked well nice. It's really, really nice. Cute. Other results, we've got, Man United. They got beat by Leon three, and I didn't actually watch that. Leon stormed it. They are, they're looking very, very strong in the Champions League.

Champions League is such an exciting tournament now. I just think their attack was just too strong for United. And again, I'll go back to it. It's back to what I've always said, you know. Once you get up there and you compete, that's not the hardest part. It's staying there. The hardest part is staying there,

being able to consistently do it and repeatedly do it week in week out. You know, you've got tough games in the league every single week now. No matter who you play, it's a tough game. The league speaks for itself and the results. And then you have to pick yourselves up again and do it against the Champions League team, which is even harder. So that's always been the question is, can teams do that?

Can they repeatedly do it and do it against the best week and week out? so obviously not the result they wanted. But like I said, Leon, are looking very strong for me in the Champions League. It's going to be interesting. And then Arsenal, a 1-0 win against Twente. They've secured their spot in knockout playoffs. So that's good for them. We like to see the English team's doing well.

Love this. Yeah. That's enough for the Champions League. We'll go into some WSL action. Right. We have got VILO 3. Liverpool nil, this game, you guys stormed it. Yeah, you know what we actually played really well.

I don't think, like, I obviously had, I've been like hyping Liverpool up a little bit on the podcast because I feel like they've been close, like nearly getting results, like playing well, like only just losing. But I just don't think they turned up against us at all. I think obviously scoring that early on probably wasn't, you know, away from home on a Thursday night. you don't want to concede after 27 seconds. Yeah. But yeah, I didn't think they were at the races at all, really.

But, yeah, I think also got to credit ourselves. We played really well. 100%. You played exceptionally well. Finally scored. It's about bloody time. I mean, I played up front, so that was nice. Player at a match as well.

Get on the score sheet, it's nice. I'm not scored all season in the league. So to score was nice, nice feeling. And then obviously to get to... Yeah, but you've been contributing in many other ways. And like you said, you were playing in the nine as well, which makes it a little bit easy for you to score them when you're lower on the pitch.

But yeah, I thought you guys looked really sharp and again, it's a midweek fixture which sometimes teams aren't used to playing. No, I mean, I was saying that on the way to the game. I was like, I've never played at a Villa Park on like a midweek game. And we're never, obviously, not in the Champions League, never really get those sort of, I mean,

you play cup games occasionally, but it's not always a three-game week. So that was obviously, we had a difficult game against Spurs, obviously conceding late on, getting down to 10 men. So we knew that this game was massive because obviously then we had Citi, so we might as well just go straight into that game.

Really disappointed. I think it didn't start like that. I think we started quite bright. Yeah. I had a huge penalty, like, shout quite early on. It was, I mean, blatant penalty in my eyes, but we didn't get it. And, you know, you think that that's like,

that can be a game-changing moment. And obviously, I think I just missed one, like, inches off, like, slid in. like three yards out and it just got away from me and you know you think back and go oh would that have changed the game

and maybe it would maybe it wouldn't but you know what city are absolutely ruthless Bunny Shore another level at one point I turned to I said can you start

fucking scoring like she is she's a different level at the minute she made history as well didn't she yeah 100th goal I think in all competitions

which was her first goal of fought against us but yeah massively disappointed I don't want to, you know, harp on it too much. City were incredible. I think roofless, they took every chance that they got. You know, I think there had two clear chances in the first half and scored two.

So, you know, it's hard to come back against teams like that. But credit to them, they were firing and also. I think that's something that they've been doing, isn't it? They're really ruthless in front of goal. And I think they're taking, like you said, the chances that they're creating, they're taking all of them. Yeah, exactly. You know what I mean?

They're fully in their momentum. But I also think it's hard, like going back to that point, it's hard for teams that don't normally play midweek and then to them face city after, you know, beating Liverpool away is hard. Like, for teams that don't normally do it, people don't understand how big of a thing that is. Like, it's very, very hard.

And it's not excuses, but it does play a part in it. Like, if you're used to doing it as a team and as individuals, it's okay. But when you're like, you guys stormed Liverpool, that takes a lot of energy. And then to pick yourselves back up, do all the travel, can you recover quick enough to then go and do it again

against the team that's at the top of the league and you know what I mean? Six points clear and absolutely in the best form that I've seen them in for a long time. Yeah, they're flying at the minute. It's hard. But yeah, I think just,

I think lots of positives for yourselves but yeah, Citi R, they're flying at the minute. And then you quickly got back into it, Millie. Three nil against Brighton. Always a difficult team for you guys, I think, Brighton. Always. A great result. They're that team.

Again, we've spoke about it a lot is you don't really know what you get in. You can, you know, you can speculate and have an idea. But I think they're always a team where you don't know if they're going to turn up or not and to what extent. And I think you've seen that with some of their results. But really hard game, like super, super hard. Had to stay so switched on because they've got so many outlets

that Haley so good at holding the ball up rolling and they've got the speed of the other forwards. But, yeah, I think a game, again, we executed our game plan. everyone stayed switched on, did their jobs. And I think you saw from the, well, for anyone that watched the game, you seen from it, it took, you know, some brilliance of Sandy to get the first goal and to break them down. And then obviously, as teams tire, gaps start appearing, we bring fresh players on,

we get the other goals. But I think, again, another really good collective team performance, getting another clean sheet. I think that's, as a defender, I rate that. And that's something that I take a lot of pride in. So really, really nice. But yeah, very, very hard place to go, that always and a very, very hard team to play against.

You can kind of see a little bit of like the old Chelsea back because you've always touched on how you feel like you've not been as ruthless this season. So 6-0 in the midweek and then 3-0 to yesterday. I feel like you're kind of getting back to that, back to Chelsea best again. I'd agree. And just that grit, that like find a way to win.

Like, whatever it looks like, find a way. And that's something that I think for many years we've done so well. and I do think we lost that a little bit and I think reflecting, going back to the Heverting game, I think that's what we lacked, is that just find a way to win, whatever it looks like. Couldn't care if it comes off your shin, your toe, not bothered. Chelsea find a way to win no matter what.

So, yeah, I think we're in really good place and I think it puts us in a really good position, especially for our Walsberg game. On Wednesday, away in Germany, so massive, massive game. So, yeah, we need to be on it for that one. We're in a good spot. Love that. Moving on.

We have Arsenal 3, Everton 1. I actually watched quite a bit of this. Kate McAge's goal was unbelievable. I loved that. But then so was Everton's. Yeah, that was a finish. Yeah, I think when Everton scored so quickly after Arsenal scored, I thought, oh, they're not an easy team to play against either.

No. Everton. So, but I think that Arsenal showed their quality in, you know, taking their chances. So a good win for them, really. But her goal was, I think Katie McKay's goal was lovely. Yeah, really good. Shout out to Alessia Rousseau.

She scored on her 100th WSL appearance. Yes, Alessia. So congratulations, girlie. We're always rooting for her. But yeah, I think they're getting back to their spark again, Arsenal. So a good time to come into form, really, for teams at the minute. Yeah, I think you're starting to see that come back. but Alessia is absolutely flying for them, by the way.

She looks lethal. She's so sharp. We were saying this at the day, actually, and we're watching it. And then we've got Man United Spurs 3-3. Now, I watched this on the bus on the way home from the game, and Spurs went 3-0 up. Yeah, we had it on the bus as well.

And I was like, but I played Spurs with it before, and I thought, you know what? Like, Spurs are a good side. Like, they're not one to be messed with. And I know that if they won yesterday, they'd have jumped United. Yeah. And obviously Martin, Martin Ho, their manager,

going back to his own. old stomping grounds at Man United. I think that was probably an occasion for him that he was probably ready for. But yeah, they were comfortable. Three-nill-up, I thought, yeah. But again, you can't take your foot off the gas against top teams.

Teams at the top of the table will always punish you if you're not. Well, they're always going to create chances. That's how you have to see it. So you have to be able to defend. But I do think out of the two teams, I think Tottenham will be the one that are more annoyed that they didn't take three points.

You've got to hold, do whatever it takes to hold on to that lead and I think obviously that's three as well in like 15 minutes and I think the goals were preventable as well listen if someone scores three screamers against you like McCabe's goals you're thinking shit can't really do you know what I mean like you just got to defend the box you know what I mean but I do think the goals when you watch them and I'm like oh you just cleared it or like out for a throwing or game management in those situations that you can't be three and a little up and then end three three three like for me that That's, yeah, it's wild.

It's a tough one to take that one. I think that one will hurt them. But brilliant game for the fans. Very much so, yeah. Canada's Wonderland is bringing the holiday magic this season with Winterfest on select nights now through January 3rd. Step into a winter wonderland filled with millions of dazzling lights, festive shows, rides and holiday treats. Plus, Coca-Cola is back with Canada's kindest community, celebrating acts of kindness nationwide, with a chance of. at 100,000 donation for the winning community and a 2026 holiday caravan stop.

Learn more at canadaswunderland.com. Before we go to the break, time for something a little different. In this special part of today's show, we are teaming up with Barclays to look at some iconic football moments. Well, actually, we're going to listen to them because this segment, the sounds of the game, is about to get loud. From grassroots cheers to stadium roars, the sounds of football tell their own story. And we're hitting play on the moments that made his.

Well, it's obviously me, Besty. Oh, Vestie you're on screen. Here she goes, look. I've seen this movement too many times. Listen to that crowd at Villa Park. Ooh! Mosh! That's back when I used to be good.

That's back when I used to be good. Shut up. You look so different. What a header though. I think that's literally like trademark for you. What a lovely ball in, by the way. ball in, by the way. Yeah, of course. Scoring at Villa Parks, what she does. Love her in the crowd at Villa Park.

Yeah, I think in that moment I'd scored six in seven games. It was my first season back, I think, in the WSL. So a moment for me to be proud of, playing up front, scoring goals. And, yeah, I think take me back to that season, to be honest. That's the season you were most nervous about returning to the WSL and you absolutely stormed it. So don't be nervous. A good time.

I remember this game. Al J just doesn't need anyone around at all she'll just go do it as hell look at high firing the fans I love that I love her hair like that I know she's proper Chelsea though through and through what a game this was by the way yeah it looks like you got a massive crowd

yeah games at the bridge are special hat trick in this game did she absolute baller we were talking the other day about who we think is like on their day on their best day the best pain of WSA and I was like hands down out LJ, she'll always finish, always, so good. Left foot, right foot.

She's just got it all, aren't she? Yeah, I think obviously when she's running through on goal, I think you can, the anticipation from the crowd, it all goes silent, and then I think as soon as the ball leaves her foot, you know what's come in, and then you hear the rules from everyone at Stanford Bridge. Best stadium, may I add, the best fans. But yeah, incredible, incredible atmosphere. Probably a chip.

Of course it is. and this is a Manchester Derby from a couple of years ago and the classic Caroline Weird Chip God, I forget some of the players that played for the teams Absolute Phil She's done that so many times Honestly Great footwork and then absolutely

Chip It's such a difficult finish as well to pull that out She's so good. That's iconic, that is actually iconic I feel like that's like her trademark finish If you were saying who's going to chip Stop it. I love lifting the trophy at Stamford Bridge.

I love that. Yeah. I actually remember watching this actually live and I was like, there she is. Favorite feeling. I love it. I love having all the fans there. Quality.

And going unbeaten. That was... Look, best it. I'm absolutely getting tortured with champagne. I can't tell you how painful it is lifting a trophy. and you're getting champagne sprayed in your eyes. I love it, though. Giving back to the fans.

That was my favourite, 100%. Good memories, good memories. That's it for our special segment, The Sounds of the Game. For every one of those moments over the last 25 years, Barclays has been supporting football across the whole pyramid.

They've helped the Premier League grow into the Goliath it is today, made the biggest ever commercial investment in UK Women's Sport when they became the title sponsor of the Barclays Women's Super League and invested millions into grassroots programs to help the stars of the future

get the opportunities they deserve today. Search Barclays football to find out more. Time for us to take a quick break. We'll be back in a moment. This episode is brought to you by Barclays. That's right, because this year they're celebrating 25 years of supporting football and let me tell you,

they truly have made a difference. I mean, to start, you can't talk about Barclays without mention the Premier League, can you? Especially when they've helped make it the giant it is today. Don't forget, they ended up being the big, Biggest ever commercial investors in UK women's sport when they start sponsoring the Barclays Women's Super League. But it's not all about the big leagues because there's no football without grassroots football.

So let's talk about how important the support of grassroots football is. How does it help young stars develop? Oh, I think having the right facilities, I think having the right investment, I don't think you should have to wait to be a professional or at a certain age to experience proper facilities, safe environments. Not only is it just football, it creates a community, it creates a safe space for kids to play football and want to start. You know, everyone starts at a certain level and without grassroots football, there'd be no chance of even going pro. It's why Barclays has invested millions into grassroots programs and community initiatives to give opportunities in football to those who need it most. Search Barclays football to find out more.

Welcome back to Daily Brightness, everybody. I hope you all are enjoying the episode so far. This is probably mine and Rachel's favourite part of every single episode. We wanted to give you a little update on Noah Playforth and his incredible achievements and just what a wonderful little boy. So just a reminder of this lovely story. Obviously, Noah's been raising money. He's seven years old.

Just everybody take that into account. And he was on this morning talking about his fundraising for his local hospice, Bluebell Wood. And Rach, you actually got a message from his mom, didn't you? Yeah, I think it's quite worth noting that he, last week, he'd raised over 35,000, and now he's over 40,000. So, honestly, keep smashing it, kid. Keep smashing it, kid.

We're so proud of you. But yeah, I got a message off Noah's mom, and she'd said, Hi, I hope you see this. I'm Noah's mom, and I've been sent your podcast. Wow, thank you so much for recognizing him. I can't wait to show him in the morning. It really means the world to him to have the support of so many people. And I just thought, what a nice touch from his moment.

She was actually on this morning as well. And I thought, you must be so proud to have such a good little boy and like such a ambitious little boy and just wants to help and make change. Heart of gold. Heart of gold. Love that. We do need to get on with sending him a little shirt from us. But yeah, Kigo and Noah, you're doing amazing.

Yeah, keep it up, kiddo. Everybody recognizes you and your efforts because it's incredible. Now it's time of a block and delete. So we've had some again from our guests, which is lovely. And the first one, right, I'm going to say I'm guilty of. So I don't want to block and delete it because I actually do this. And it's from Zoe and she said, she wants to block and delete people cutting her up on a roundabout

because they can't be asked to kill it. Guilty is charged. Gilli is charged. I, I, I, I, sorry. Be honest. I'll be honest. Sometimes it's not even. even about not wanting to queue and other times it's about I actually don't know what lanes

are going. Around here, some of the roundabouts have like five lanes and I'm like, which lane am I meant to be in for this road? Yeah. So, but more often than not, it is about if there's one lane that's just like really queuing, I think because I've got a quick car, I'm like, get on the outside and just burn them. But also, if people are dawdling a little bit, like, I'll be like, oh, I know I can get in there without affecting anyone. I'm not, I'm just minding my business. Yeah, I won't just like indicate for ages and like, cut you up. I'm just like, I'll zoom past you and get in. You won't ever see me blinking, I'm gone.

That is cool. But yeah, sorry, Zoe, that's all. Yeah, my bad. Anyway, next one from Sean, the stigma that still remains around mental health challenges. Green flag. Yeah, I agree with that. I think the more we can, the more we keep talking about it and the more people raise awareness to it, it will stop that stigma.

I do think it's getting a lot better. Yeah, I do think there's more people opening up I think, do you know what it is? I think more people opening up with different backgrounds, different experiences because I think a lot of people seem to think that only a certain like job or a certain environment

makes people struggle with mental health. Anyone, everyone and anyone struggles with mental health. Like, you do. It's just part of being human. It's part of everyone's lives. We train physically, but mentally it gets kind of pushed to the side. You don't train your brain

and you don't train your mental health but you train your physical health a lot and we talk so much on the importance of physical health but yeah, I agree. Block and delete. And start it from a young age. Let's start teaching children about mental health and that actually bringing our kids up

in the right manner helps other people. Be a good person. Be like Noah. Be like Noah. Right. What is your block and delete? Right. This is a really weird one.

But the other day, came home. I was out for the day. came home, Sarah's like, I put dinner on, nice, not knocking of putting dinner on, thank you. But she'd cooked like a cod fillet, like not like a batter, like the fishing chip, like, you know, like just the fish. And I walked in, I'm like, it stinks in here, pure fish. But it smelled for like three days. Like every time I walked food, I was like, oh, you know, but I got out the car in the driveway and I could smell it already. So I'm blocking and deleting cooking fish and making it smell for ages.

because I hate it. You know what she's going to do? She's not going to cook again. Yeah, you can cook, but not fish. What if she wants fish? Go somewhere and get it. Ready made. Oh, best of you are, funny.

Oh, what's mine? I would like to block and delete all the Scroooges at Christmas. Do you know what it is? I've loved my neighbourhood because I've been driving around and there's lights everywhere. everyone's decorating

and then I look at certain houses with no lights and I'm thinking I bet you have kids in that house with no lights on you look just like your sister then that were really weird which one

Toria but just celebrate why you're celebrating Christmas why don't you like it why don't you love it I love it from the 1st of December I love it why aren't I don't understand

maybe some people don't want to decorate their house maybe inside the house have it all decorated yeah but you should be driving around I remember being a little girl and going out with my mum and dad and my sisters at Christmas and we'd go around Matlock and bakewell

and we'd park up and we'd get out and get our little lot of chocolates and then we'd go and just look at the houses that's what we used to do, we'd walk around. You have so many memories from a young age. I have none. Really? Well, not non, but like I feel like you,

or every episode you talk about what you've done when you were a kid. I'm like, how the hell do you remember that? I had a period though of my life where I can't remember anything and I can remember being really young or like my older, like, teens. But other than that, there's bits in between that.

I can't remember. Right, then so with block and deleting Grinchers, fair enough. Yeah, celebrate, be happy, help people. What are you grateful for this week then? This week, I am super, super, super grateful for my people. And I know I say it all the time, but it's important. They've really kept me, my people have really kept me on the straight and narrow. And yeah, I feel like... Straight and narrow. And I feel like you know better than anyone. I had like a really, really rough period. And there's always like at the end of the tunnel, always like at the end of the tunnel. And maybe it's helping

because it's Christmas and I know I'm going home. But yeah, I just think sometimes you need people to pull you out of that place so that you start appreciating what you have and stop looking at what you don't have. And it's so easy to constantly be like, oh, well, this is going wrong and that's going wrong and this and that and that. And people like, are you healthy? Do you have family do you have amazing friends do you have an amazing career do you have an amazing job like they have all these things and I actually did the um I did the charity visit um with Chelsea and just seeing and chatting to people that are either homeless recovering from mental health recovering addicts like just just talking to people that are just smiling and happy with

literally nothing, literally nothing. Yeah, I do like that. But that's why I feel like I like to practice gratitude, because I feel like it's so easy to get bogged down and stuff, but actually, there's a lot to be grateful for. We've all got traumas, we've all got issues, we've all got things that

we would love to change, but equally there's a lot to be grateful for. But do you know what I'm grateful for this week? What? I think calendars. I've not even had one this year. What? I've not had one.

But you don't like Grinchies? Bestie, I've got a bridesmaid dress to fit in love. Do you want me looking like the whale or not? No, but you know what I mean? Like, I don't have mine in the morning anymore, like, when I was a kid. Look at this one. Candy kittens, love that. Well, when you were little and you used to have them every morning, I like, I think now I'm just like to come home from training and have a little sweet treat. So I'm grateful for.

A sweet treat? Have you seen that dude on TikTok? No, I don't go on TikTok. Best it is Australian who calls it a swartra. He's like, do you want a sweet fruit? I'm going to send it here. Yeah. So that's what I'm grateful for. Right, guys, thank you for listening to Daily Brightness.

Get in touch on socials at Daily Brightness. Send us your questions for our Q&A on Thursday. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me, people. Subscribe now. Thank you.