We Are Chelsea - How It Started: Millie Bright

Episode Date: March 18, 2024

We have a very special episode today, with none other than the Chelsea Women's club captain, Millie Bright! Presenter Caz De Moraes sit's down with Millie at Cobham training centre, to chat all about her journey to becoming a Chelsea legend. From being a little menace playing for Killamarsh Dynamos age 12, working a part time job whilst playing for Doncaster, to then winning the Euros with the Lionesses and becoming Chelsea captain. Millie has seen it all, overcome some big challenges along the way (including being in charge of taking out the bins in player houses), and has shared moments with the fans that she will cherish forever. This is How It Started, with Millie Bright.Remember to subscribe and leave a review, wherever you get your podcasts!To watch the full episode on Youtube, click here: https://www.youtube.com/@chelseafc/videosSend us your questions using #WeAreChelsea on socialsMusic courtesy of BMG Production Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's so much that has changed Even from the first season I was here You'd get your lunch in a little bag It was sandwiches and now we have a kitchen And we have a chef When I think of what we've achieved as a club And the trophies that we've won With as little as we had is incredible

It's took us a long time to get the women's section To where it needs to be And that's fine But we've still won Welcome to We Are Chelsea The podcast for the Chelsea Women's team. I'm Kaz de Mores and part of the reason for doing this podcast is to inspire the next generation of players, but also give you all an insight into what it takes to reach the very

top. And it isn't always plain sailing. Even the very best have had to overcome many obstacles and setbacks. We're going to find out how it all started with the biggest stars from the Chelsea women's team. Their origin stories, what inspired them to get into the game, who they were influenced by and all the stories that you've never heard of. And what a great story to start with. She's an absolute Chelsea legend who's been with the team 10 years. It's the captain Millie Bright. Millie, I'm so excited to have you on the podcast. Thank you for speaking to me. No worries. Thank you for having me. I want to go right to the start with you. Paint me a picture of what little Millie Bright was like when she was like a little toddler running around.

Oh, probably Dennis the Menace, if my mum had to describe me. Yeah, I was just fearless. I always wanted to be active, no matter what it was. It didn't even have to be football, although the neighbours absolutely hated me bashing the ball against the wall and, you know, constantly getting complaints. But, yeah, I just couldn't contain my energy. But, yeah, I was little Dennis the Menace, which probably resembles the way I played as well, just running around, pushing people around, even though I was the smallest on the team.

really not that anymore but yeah looking back yeah I had an amazing childhood and yeah I wouldn't change the thing and you're the youngest of three yes did your sisters play football as well absolutely not they're like polar opposite to me

yeah like literally polar opposite I mean we all did horse riding but yeah definitely not the football aspect not even my mom not even my dad I'm literally just I think I got it from my uncles I must have I was gonna say where do you think that your love of football came from? To be honest

I think at first it was just I think like the love of being around my friends and being in kind of a team environment I think that's what I really enjoyed as a kid is being around people and just having fun with like I said my mates at the beginning

and I really had a competitive edge where if I weren't good at something I would have to keep doing it until I got good at it so I think when I first started playing like I said I was Dennis and Menace just absolute chaos on the pitch and I weren't the best on the ball so that then gave me the taste of it

and I was like I've got to go back I've got to be better then I wanted to win I didn't want to lose I hated losing How old were you? I was nine when I started playing for my first team so yeah a little bit later than most of the girls to be fair I think they were all a lot younger

but it was just the off chance that I went with my friend to watch and then I just joined in and then yeah I think it was my energetic that got me the place in the team. And then from there, just, yeah, never looked back. And my mum, my dad, as you say, only do it if you enjoy doing it, like, and always give it 100%.

That was my, the only rule of taking part in anything. Well, so you certainly didn't have pushy parents. No one pushed you into it. No. It's just completely you. Yeah, I think that's the best thing looking back as I'd genuinely join because I just loved going. I loved doing something that I weren't the best out,

but I could still have fun. And, you know, everyone around me was supportive. and I think we were all in the same category which was nice but yeah my mum and dad have never forced me and never pushed me to do anything it's it's always been if you enjoyed doing it you can do it but you have to do it to 100% like you have to give it everything and that's always been the role and that's the nice part is everything that I did was my decision

and my choice but I was just blessed to have the support of my mum and dad through every decision that I made and do you still enjoy it? Oh I love it absolutely love it yeah we all have bad days but I mean at this level you're an elite athlete competing for every single trophy I think it's natural to have bad days and you know you do question yourself sometimes

like why do I do it? Why do I keep running through these brick walls? Why do I keep going through all this pain and you know all it takes is that one good day that one final, that one trophy lift and yeah you're back where you know you just shake it off and it's normal to go through those moments I think anyone that says they don't

might be telling a few fibs but yeah I've definitely learnt to accept those moments and just part of the journey. And it kind of resets me and then I go again. I think I read somewhere that you had asthma growing up. Is that true? Did that affect playing sport? To some degree, but I think, well, pretty much everyone in my family has it as well.

So we've had a good experience of, you know, my mum and dad have really been there on kind of the front of understanding first and foremost what it is and then kind of how to not let it affect me. And again, it goes back to that mentality that my mom and dad always said is, it's just, it's an option. You can let it affect you or you can choose to find a way. And yeah, it was tricky. We spent no end of nights getting the ambulance and going into the hospital, going on the nebulizer, because I weren't old enough to have my own one at home. So, yeah, it was, you know, a lot of faffing around. And, you know, as a kid, you probably don't really understand.

Yeah. I mean, for me, I was just, I knew my routine of when I was having, I had croup as well. So whenever that kicked in at night, I already knew my routine at such a young age, into the bathroom, all the hot taps on, loads of steam, focus on my breathing, and I wait for the ambulance. And then when I was old enough,

I had my nebulizer at home. So, yeah, I was really in tune with my asthma and understanding kind of what it was. And, yeah, I never, ever saw it as a barrier. But, yeah, there's times when I was younger, like it was really hard in the winter, like when it was really cold and kind of when the temperature changes, that was one of my triggers.

But, yeah, I had my inhalers. and I had everything that I needed and yeah, my mum was incredible through that moment because she didn't allow me to kind of let it become a fear. Yeah. It was just something that was part of who I was

and here's how you take care of it but you can still go and do ABC and yeah, whatever you want. Yeah, that's incredible because it would be probably quite easy to maybe molly coddle you a little bit and maybe it sounds like you just went and put all the hot taps on me going in

and do this and wait for the answer. I found it quite fun as a kid. I was like, oh my God, I was in the ambulance again last night. And, you know, other people are like, oh, God, is everything all right? And I was like, yeah, it's great. The sirens were on. Like, we were having a blast. So you were nine when you started playing.

Tell me a little bit about how old you were when you joined Kilmash Dynamo's and what that experience was like. Pretty much straight away. Nine was when I joined the Dynamos. And apart from that, I went straight into a girl's scene, which I was very fortunate to do. I played with the boys at school because we didn't have many girls that took part but other than that, I didn't have to play

in a boys team although I absolutely love playing with the boys. Did you? It was tough and yeah, scrapping, getting stuck in but yeah, I was really grateful to go into, yeah, the Kilmermost Downings, which was all girls and it was just a really, really small group of us but just like, yeah, really good people

and like I said it was all about having fun and then from there we just, you know, you get the you get the kick for going and training and wanting to be there and winning and if you lose you can't wait for the next Saturday game and it was just so easy to access

as well like it was literally two minutes down the road I'd get my studs on and I'd be sprinting around the roads in my studs from like take your boots off you're going to sharpen them so yeah it was just yeah the days have been a kid I wish I could roll back the years oh do you have you got a plaque there now

no maybe I should mention that actually yeah I think if anyone's deserving of a plaque it might be merely bright. Have you been back to see them? We'll see the team, the girls. I still keep in touch. The girls team doing really well.

They've got so many now that player. There's such a big number compared to when I did. And I think just everything in general, how it's running everything, there's so many improvements. But I still keep in touch with my first manager. Because it's still so supportive, like to this day and always messages.

So, yeah, it still lives in the same. same spot. So it's like when I go back home, everything's the same. It's just the same as like, yeah, 20 years ago. So it's, yeah, it's really, really nice. But yeah, the girls seem been doing fantastic. And I get so many messages of one of my friends, her daughter plays for the team. And it's just nice having that connection back home. But yeah, it's incredible to see. Do you think back to the little Dennis the Menace, Millie, and if you could say to her, you know, one day you're going to be playing Chelsea women's team, you're going to be winning. many trophies you're going to captain the lionesses you're going to win the year like do you think

that that feels like a lifetime ago how would you have computed that as your life to be honest I wouldn't everyone always asked this and I wouldn't have wanted to have known yeah I feel like the best thing for me as a kid is there wasn't that pressure there wasn't that side of it which is why I just loved every single minute and I I kind of went through the journey myself of learning to get an appetite for football and learning you know the competition competitive side, which was already in me, but then learning how to channel that into my games. And I kind of went through that journey myself. And obviously, we're always competitive. Like, I'm the world's best player to my mom, no matter if I've had the worst

game ever. Now I'm like, mom, that's silly. I've made X amount of mistakes. It's okay. But, you know, as a kid, like, you were just like, the best player, like you did, in sure as you say, like, you were a really good team player today. And that's one thing that really stuck with me. Or I went and supported someone even at a young age, if they, you know, made a mistake or they were upset or and I think they're things that really stick stick with me when I think back to my but yeah I really wouldn't have wanted to have known because I think that then too much pressure too soon as a kid for me just like I said you got to enjoy it you got to enjoy it and let them figure out if they have an appetite for it and if they you know really want to push on and

really want to make it career or you just want to play as a hobby which is absolutely fine as well but I wouldn't have believed if you'd have said that to me when I was you know 12 13 I'd be like okay, I'm definitely going to be working with the horses and, you know, doing my job and so, yeah, I wouldn't have done. Do you think you would have gone into work with horses? Yeah, I was doing that when I played at Doncaster when I was part-time.

I was a full-time groom, so, yeah, I was already working there, and then I was at the crossroads. I had the opportunity to sign for Chelsea. I didn't, first time. We'd just been relegated at Doncaster after our first game against Chelsea, ironically. So I didn't, yeah,

I felt like leaving was like a bit cowardly and I just saw that as getting relegated was an opportunity to play under those conditions we had to play a whole season knowing that no matter what we were going down anyway and then when we got relegated I stayed another season because I was like that's, for me that's an experience

it's a challenge and I didn't feel ready to step up I didn't feel like I'd got enough experience I didn't feel good enough in myself and I honestly weren't ready to move away from my family and it was a massive decision and people are like, you're stupid, you've made the wrong choice. Well, I've sat here going.

Yeah. What? So it was like, it was, I was at a crossroads. I was like, what did I do? And then so I carried on with Doncaster, carried on working with the horses. And then a year later, gave absolutely everything to Donnie. Couldn't have done it anymore. Like, we were really, we had a really good season when we got relegated. And then Chelsea came in again.

And then I just said yes in a heartbeat, like I didn't even think twice. Were you surprised that they came again? because did you think I've said no the first time that might be it Yeah 100% I knew that these opportunities didn't come

and to be honest I was like oh that must be a mistake anyway like surely they didn't like I was like surely not like they didn't want to come in and then yeah

when they came in again I was just like I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason and your path's already decided and you know you have to decide

whether you jump on board or whether you're going a different route so yeah when they came back again I just fully felt and that goes back to the pressure

because I've always been in control of my decisions and no one's ever pushed me like my family supported me if that's what you feels right then you know you've got to feel like it's your decision otherwise you won't be fully in it and that I'm very yeah

I appreciate that a lot because I think it's put me in good stead to be fully in control but yeah I'd have been a terrible mother to you I'd be going what you go in I'm like call her back now sorry you made a mistake oh my God so what was your day like you were grooming

you were training and you were playing, like what was your average day like? Oh, God, up early, up really early, go and do my horses first, then I'd go to work, then I would come back probably around two, then I'd go and do an evening shift at the leisure center, killer martialiser center where I was a fitness instructor.

You were a fitness instructor. Yeah, so then I'd go do it. Then I'd go do my shift there. I'd always try and train whilst I were there because obviously I was only semi-pro, so I needed the extra sessions I did that on the night so I didn't have training and then

I'd get home and then I'd go and do it all over again I'd maybe go to the odd show like if I've answered it but Chelsea came knocking and you're like no I think I'm going to keep leisure centre and grooming yeah I think I'm going to keep you know battering my body and you know

potentially doing like 12 hours shifts the day in two different jobs but yeah I think it's just if I'd have let the outside pressure get to me oh my gosh you've got to go which Chelsea is massive, you won't get this opportunity again, which was said, but I just, I wasn't ready. And I know if I'm not in something, I'm not going to be at my 100% anyway.

So I still had a lot of doubt probably in myself. So I needed to keep playing, keep getting the experience, and keep going through different, you know, journeys with Doncaster before I stepped into the big world of football and playing with elite players, which, you know, I'd not had that exposure to. And it was a completely different world And I figured that I'm in my first season When I moved out

But that's an incredible amount of self-awareness At a young age to go Because it's tempting, surely it's tempting So it's good that you were able to go Actually, no, I need this for the long term But then when they did come How did that come about? What did you feel?

Who did you tell first? Was it a phone call? Yeah, a phone call instantly just said yes I was like, yes, like, yeah, like I'm ready. And then I came down, did my visit. I told my mum and my dad first. I was like, I'm signing for Chelsea. They were like, what?

I was like, yeah, I'm actually going this time. Like, it's time for me to go. And I was obviously, I was scared to go outside my comfort zone of, you know, having my family and friends so close to me. And, you know, I was coming down to a place that I'd never even been to. But I had, you know, a lot of confidence. I knew Paul from Doncaster when he was there. So I'd already got that connection and I'd heard so many good things about Emma.

and then instantly when I came the players yeah just took me under their wing Katie Chapman was immense she was like a big sister to me and then yeah I'd settled straight away the first year was extremely hard though like I travelled back to Sheffield

any day off I got I was I'd travel back the day of training and then I'd sometimes drive back at like four or five in the morning like on a Wednesday before training because I was like I just need to go home I really struggled like you were homesick

really homesick just for like family friends or just the routine well we lived in players houses so my first year I was with the girls but I didn't know these girls like I didn't know him and I built like really good friendships straight straight off

so it's not as even if I didn't have anyone like I was really close to everyone it was just the fact of when I went home I wasn't home I was just in this strange house where yeah it was so any opportunity I was straight up the M25 up the M1 back home and then I quickly realised after a season of doing that

I was like, oh, God, that's so tiring, I need to stop. And then it's all the effects of, you know, traveling on your body and being able to train at the highest level. So, but I do think you have to experience that. Yeah. Yeah, you have to just do what you need to do to get through that first season or however long it takes to settle. And then, but I was settled on the pitch.

I was settled off the pitch. It was just, I just missed home so much. Yeah, and that's okay. So what was it like in player houses? Did you guys have arguments about who's going to take the bins out and who like left their plate and didn't wash up and the first season was the hardest I'm very clean and

sometimes I expect other people to clean to my level which that's probably my you know I need to accept this different way so I probably ended up just doing it all because I was like if I do it then it's done and I've always been like that I've always lived by if you want something doing it yourself that's how I've always gone about things so

you didn't think to maybe get a cleaning rotor up no it's just easier for me to do it right okay I mean there's pros and cons to that yeah and then I always got left to do it yeah definitely pros for other people oh million although Gigi G was in my first house and she was she's the cleanest person I've ever lived with okay yeah and she was so funny as well and Jim Davidson was there so that was great um I had the second season play a house and then eventually I just got my own place and then I was much much better then do you have any favorite memories of those times though

Yeah, plenty, maybe some for off camera. With Drew, Hannah, Jody Brett Rosella. Yeah, they were like the originals, our original little crew. We were like Dennis and Menaces as well on and off the pitch. But yeah, it was, we had a good laugh. We were just, yeah, we were here for the trophies, work hard, train hard, and then we used to enjoy ourselves.

And yeah, we always used to get together as a group. But yeah, there's some really, really good times, good times. Chelsea was a very different team back then. then to now, it wasn't, I mean, now you guys are just on a winning streak, but it wasn't always the case. Yeah. I guess how has it changed, apart from the obvious, how has it changed from your point of view, from the inside, watching and being here because you've seen it all.

Oh, God, yeah. There's so much that has changed, even from the first season I was here, you'd get your lunch in, you know, a little bag, and it was sandwiches, and now we have a kitchen, and we of a chef and you know I think just in terms of when I think of what we've achieved as a club and the trophies that we've won with as little as we had is incredible like you know as a club it's took us a long time to get the women's section to where it needs to be and that's fine but we've still won I think I've not won in one season that I've been here that's there's only one season that we didn't lift a trophy other than that we've lifted a trophy every single

year that I've been here and we've done that still with so it just goes to show that yeah we need to keep pushing but actually we've won all these years and sometimes we hadn't had you know it's took us a while to get the nutrition to where it needs to be it's took us a while to get the gym to where it needs to be and that's just evolving that's you know that is part of the women's game and I think every club has gone through it but yeah I've seen so much change and I think just each year I think we've always been professional I think we've always had that that professional element. I think that's bread and butter for Emma.

I think that's something that she drives every single day. So it's not really an option. But things don't just happen in the click of the fingers in the women's game, especially. It takes time and we've had to keep performing to gain things. Essentially, that's how it's worked. But I think we've always had the backing. It's just been a bit of a slower process.

But yeah, we've evolved so much, whether it's the amount of pictures we get, the quality of the pictures, the food, like I said, the gym, the facilities. I remember even back playing at Staines and then we moved to Kings Meadow and then we play at the bridge. It's just the journey of everything

and I wouldn't change anything at all because I think as a player it makes you really appreciate and stay humble and it just goes to show you don't. We didn't actually need everything to be successful but as the game grows, we all have to grow and evolve and everything always has to be at the top level especially at a club like we're at.

that's the expectation. So as players, we always push for that and we've had the biggest mentor in doing so, which is Emma. She's been, you know,

without her, probably none of that would have been possible and half of it probably wouldn't have happened. So I think as players we should be extremely grateful of what she's done

and how she's really moulded the club to be just as much as the women's as the men's. Yeah, I think that is down to Emma. Well, I was going to say to you,

I mean, it would be weird for everyone, but especially for you because you've been here for so long now. I'm the last one from the original group. I feel all alone. Yeah. What's it going to? Can you think about how it's going to be when Emma goes?

I've tried not to because I think there's still so much to play for. Like we've got, we're competing for every trophy, which I feel really, you know, that's impressive that, you know, we're the only English team to be doing that. And I think after everything that we've gone through and all the barriers that we face, whether it's the injuries and you know there's so many things going off but as a team

we don't ever mention those we just head down tunnel vision and keep moving forward but yeah I'm not going to allow myself to think of that because I think it will be

extremely hard that is like a big change for me and has been someone that's you know she's like I've always said she's a life coach she's a mentor

she's my coach she's my manager and she's someone that looks out for her she always looks after her players first and foremost as a person and then the footballer

which I think that's the biggest thing so it's going to be extremely weird however she has prepped me for change in life and she's prepped me to deal with these things so i know it's a part of football and a part of business so yeah there's also a side that's exciting for you know it's a clean slate when a new manager comes in it's all to play for everyone's positions up for grabs and then it's that competitive side again and that's a surprise element where you know it's a new chapter a new journey and yeah you have to embrace that and I think all the players will

but right now we've still Emmettia we've still got so much to play for so until then it's tunnel vision you touched slightly on her being a bit of a life coach I completely agree I interviewed her once

and after the interview she said so many things and I was like can I just ring you when I'm having a down day because you really pick me up here she's got all the answers she does

it seems anyway it seems but for fans who I guess might not know what is she like on a day to day What is she like when you're just crossing paths and maybe you're not talking about football? She's just so funny without trying to be funny. Like, Em is so, like, she's so down to earth.

She's just such a normal person. Like, you know, all of her success. She's an absolute icon in the game of football, not even the women's, but just in football. And she's an absolute legend at the club, but she's just literally so down to earth. And she's just so funny. Like, these times when we joke are like,

I'm like, you've got press, have you done? hair like because she's just like so focused on football sometimes she won't mind me saying that because we kill her every day for it um but yeah i think she's yeah honestly she's just an amazing person like even how comfortable she makes everyone be whether you've got a baby you bring love she she brings harry in and you know she's really created a family so that is why we can say like i'm sorry did you do yeah today like you've got media so yeah she's uh she gives it back though so she'll give as good as she gets but yeah Yeah, she's a joker for sure.

And what was her reaction to the lioness's success at the Euros? Oh, she's over the moon. She was, I mean, I don't know she'll be England's biggest fan now. Now she's a rival. But yeah, she's always been England's number one fan and always wanted success and she's always wanted us to lift a trove. So when we did that, she was just like, I think she knows from being a manager and experiencing the women's game

and all what needs to change. She was like, you've just changed, like, the world. Like, you've, like, she knew that it was more than just a trophy. Yeah. And although, like, it's, you know, we've waited for that moment for years and years and years and to do it at Wembley on home soil, like, she knew it was bigger than that. And she knew the change that was going to come from it. So I think that's why she was like, I'm so, she was just so happy for us.

And she's proud to be English. Like, she was a proper fan, like a proper football fan. So, yeah, she was buzzing for us all. I'm going to take you back there because I can't speak to you and obviously not go through that moment. I know you're probably bored of people asking you about it. Ask me again.

But yeah, I mean, talk me through before the match what was going through your mind and then during, and then at what moment did you go, oh my God, we've done this. Yeah. It's crazy because the whole tournament, we were literally in a bubble.

Like we had a number one rule which was nothing gets in and nothing gets out. And we were like, if we want to be successful, that's that's what we have to do and I think the biggest thing is our mentality was to be the best that we could be remove all

everything else like be the best that we can be on every single day every single session every single game we stick together and we were just so tunnel vision it was day by day that's that's that's how we dealt with it we didn't look too far ahead

we just stayed in the moment and that was the biggest the biggest thing and I remember Leah actually wrote me she wrote me a note because we said right at the beginning we literally looked at each and said we're going to make sure we tick every single box and we do everything that

we can possibly do so when we get to the end we can say we regardless of the outcome like we did everything so she wrote me a note the night before which was like really really nice like really like heartwarming and I was like oh my God that was giving me goose and I was like crap we're here

like the finals here and then me and Rachel were just sad obviously every night we'd have like a little debrief like on the day and we'd have a cup of tea and we sat there and we were just like oh my God we could be like European champions tomorrow and it was just so like weird

because it was just like tomorrow we're just playing in the biggest game of our career as like ever and for the country and it was just so bizarre and then we were like what if we win like what do we do what happens like we were just like it was like so not natural for us at all and then we were like no we're fine we know what to do with footballers we've been doing this a long time

we kept like bringing ourselves back down to earth a little bit and then we just said like let's just go and have fun and enjoy it and yeah we were just happy as well our best friends been able to live in that moment and we actually said like my God our kids in the future we can say oh like we were best friends and we played in the final together and we lifted the trophy we were like going through all these different scenarios

and then we was like regardless even if we don't win we're really proud like we're going to give everything and then the game came and honestly it was just a normal day like we were really good as a team at letting everyone do their individual thing and if you needed to put your earphones in and getting your own world, that was absolutely fine. If you wanted to dance around

the train room, that was fine. It was whatever you needed to do to be ready for that game, start a, finisher whatever. We were really good at recognising that. And it honestly was just like so relaxed leading up to it. Leading up to every game, to be honest, it was

really, really relaxed, but the final especially and then we went out and I think it was extra time and there was like 10 minutes ago and I was like oh my God we've done it we've done it. Lear was like keep the ball up there do not let it come down I was like oh my God we've done it we've done it and that's all I kept saying in my head like it was just wild even though there's 10 minutes left I was like we just knew like there was just something inside us that knew that we'd won the game like we'd won the euros wow it's like incredible that if I could go back to one moment I'd always pick that moment when you were saying

that you created this bubble and you wouldn't let anything in or out does that is that also like media were you guys not reading anything were you not maybe talk it was it is that what you meant mentality wise it was all right well every player had a different

so before tournaments that you can decide are you going to stay on social media are you going to stay off it are you going to be on it but don't post like there were so many different options I personally come off for every tournament I've just always done that and I just think it's the best decision

for that minute, I'm totally zoned in. There's always going to be opinions maybe good, maybe bad. And even if they're good, sometimes that can be overconfident. It can overfill you with confidence. Or it can be the opposite side,

which is super negative and completely suck all the confidence out of you. So every player chooses their own decision. Mine is to come off it. But it's just also like even that, if someone that's on social media, say you're on it and you read a comment, that's negative you don't then go and share it to the group that's the rule right okay like so

that's way that's not getting into our circle and equally nothing's getting out um and even things about when family and friends visit and what's best for the group what's going to keep us the right frame of mind there's so many different details that we like thought of and taking care of that we all really like just agreed that we're all in for whatever is the best decision to to get us to the final and get us over that line and we lift that trophy which was the best like togetherness

I've ever come across and this podcast is obviously about the fans and it's about Chelsea fans but it's also just it's about England fans it's about all the fans everyone who loves football

and I guess playing for the playing in the Euros did you feel the togetherness because as a fan we were like so behind all of you we were so excited It was like the dream.

We were like, the men have got us so far and then we, and then they don't do it. And we were just like, oh my God, we're at that final. Did you feel that from the fans? Yeah, it's, we had a bit of a different, especially if you weren't on social media. Like for me, I almost got to relive the euros twice. So when I finally came back on, like we weren't aware of like everything that was happening in the streets. Like, I feel like experiencing a tournament as a fan is completely different to a player. because we're in this tiny little bubble where we're like,

we see all the fans arriving as we're on the coach, and they're all there and we're like, oh my God, the crowd is incredible. We see the atmosphere at the games, but we don't see everyone in the pubs. We don't see everyone in the streets. We don't see the flags.

You see like pictures, but I don't think you can truly like embrace it when you're a player. So I do think actually I'm really excited to experience that when I do retire and I want to be like a fan at like a massive, massive game. But when you come out of the euros, this bubble is burst. you're back to normality and then it's like, whoa, like it just hits you and then you go back on social media and you see all the videos. So you get to like relive it twice and I feel like

I've done that at every single tournament regardless of the outcome. Like the support has been phenomenal and our fans are always like incredible and I came back to like letters from the kids hung in the trees like to be fair that my neighbourhood is amazing because they don't post anything through the letter box like parents must tell the kids like don't go and knock on the door like don't and I'm like oh that's really sweet yeah so someone had got the the whole neighbourhood had got a massive print out of us lifting the trophy at Wembley

and it was like congrats to our lionesses so I came driving back and that was like I was like that is insane so I collected that I was like do you mind if I take it I was like who did this I need to say thank you so I collected that and then they were like England flags in the trees they were like kids had like wrote me letters

and painted me pictures and put them in so I was like going around collecting it all out of the trees So, yeah, it was coming out was like, that's when you realize. We obviously knew the support was incredible. Like, you get family telling you, like, what's going off. But it's not until you see, like, the videos, like, Box Park was like, I remember I saw a video of that and that just stuck in my mind. Like, people were crying, like, the emotions.

I'm getting emotional listening to you getting notes off the trees. Yeah, that was really cute. I was like, my heart was like, Mel. I was like, the kids are so sweet. I've still got every single one of them. and yeah just coming back that was like when it like hit shirt and you're like whoa like we did like change a nation like yeah completely like and almost like got everyone gained new like fans new followers of the game and almost like a new love for the sport I think because it was so it was so like safe but energetic at our games that we gained so many new people

and that's the one thing that the feedback is you know it was so safe like even a soul out Wembley like everyone was safe. The atmosphere was ridiculous. I remember when we played at Brighton as well, that atmosphere was incredible. But yeah, I just think we gained so many new fans from the Euros and just a new love for the sport.

And yeah, we have such a like a good connection with our fans. It's more than just them turning up. Like we genuinely are there playing for the fans. So yeah, it was, yeah, incredible. I mean, it's definitely a moment in history that maybe it's difficult to really, grasp now and it will be a I don't know an 85 year old Millie Bright that will look back and

know like truly what you guys achieved but have you have you managed to see I guess what Emma knew you guys did and what happened if you managed to see the the kind of change especially in women's football after yeah the amount of changes that came after that the amount of messages that was as players we were like my god there's so many people messaging saying my daughter wants to take part now. She's signed for her local team and it's messages like that that's what we want. Like we want people to have the confidence to

then go and try it like even if you don't know if that's what you want to do. Just go and be confident enough to step out into a different situation and we want as many young girls to take part as we can and to have that competitiveness and you know that fire in the belly

to go on and play for your country or playing tournaments, play for your local team. and, you know, maybe go and make it professional. But, yeah, you definitely see now, like, what we actually did achieve. And it takes a while because coming out was a whirlwind. Like, we went into the Euros in one state, and we came out in a whole different world. So it was hard to, like, adapt. But I always say football is so powerful because the change that you can make is so, like,

you can influence so many people in such a good way that that's one of our rules as lionesses. like we want to change the world and we want to make it a better place through football and to give everyone an opportunity to be whatever they want to be. Because I know that when I was growing up and maybe when you were growing up, the football idols were predominantly male. Yeah. But now they've got Millie Brights, they've got Frank Herbitts, they've got all these big names that are women and it's this representation

that they're going, oh, well, Millie's doing it. Yeah, exactly. I'm like Millie, I could do it. That is the main thing. You need to see it to believe it and then you need to, once you've done that then you can dream it. But it's hard to tell people that can do something

and go on and be something if it's never visible and they can't ever see it, which is, you know, that was half the problem when we were growing up. That just wasn't there. And I think that's why it's so important for us to keep being successful, which we want to be, of course.

But it's also to show that it can happen. And with that comes change. And, you know, it shouldn't always have to be a fight for silverware before something changes. However, that is the situation that we're in, but hopefully the next generation aren't in that situation.

That's the ultimate goal is to get it to a place where they've got everything that they need but whilst being humble and I think the biggest thing in the game for me is the people that we are. I think that's why we're so relatable and why we have such a strong connection with the fans is because we're just really good people

that want to make a difference through something that we love doing and we want to be the best at. So hopefully, I mean, I feel like we're doing a good job so far. Yeah, an amazing job. Can I ask who was there watching it? Was your, I mean, now your fiancé? Yes, my fiancé was there.

That's really weird saying that. Does it? Do you call him your fiancé? No, just call him Levi. It probably gets all awkward if I said that. Why are you saying that in public? Just call me Levi. But yeah, I had a massive group there at the final.

And that was the best thing, has been able to finish the game and look up to them and then be there. like I went and I had like a I went through the railings Wemble is really hard to get like to the first layer of fans to go like through these railings I was like squeezing through a gap we weren't the most comfortable thing

and then I was to give my mum and dad a hug and a kiss and yeah that was like a really that was like a moment that and someone got it on video and I was like that is like a cool memory for life like it was just like incredible and then the after part it was even better

so that's for off camera I'm happy to share I've shared a few videos from the party but yeah it was so nice like what england did and just arranging that so that fans could be there and embrace that moment with us because you know it's a moment for a lifetime you never know if you'll get that again oh millie i could talk i'm going to say exactly what i can't know there's so much more i want to ask you i want to ask what you're going to do next i'm going to ask about your wedding i want to ask about your sisters your mom you have been

an absolutely phenomenal guest. I mean, when we say Chelsea Women's team, we think Millie Bright, don't we? I mean, you're as old as the furniture in this team. Like, you're an original. You're a statue when I leave and I'm finished. Well, let's try and work on the plaque first at Dynamo's.

And then we can talk to statue at Chelsea. Yeah, perfect. Sounds good to me. Listen, thank you so much. No, thanks for having me. I hope I speak to you again before the end of the season. Yeah, I'll tell them to get me back on, don't worry. Very good. Thank you for listening to We Are Chelsea. We'll be speaking in depth to other Chelsea players in this series and also have post-match episodes with the players themselves. So subscribe to the feed and give us a review. There will also be video content from the show across all of Chelsea's social media channels and we'll see you next time.