Ireland defender Diane Caldwell has spoken about realising a dream as she lines out for her childhood club Manchester United.
The Balbriggan centre-half has played all over the world during a glittering career that took her from Raheny United to America, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
After five years in Germany with SC Sand, the 33-year-old returned to the States to join international teammate Denise O’Sullivan at champions North Carolina Courage.
Unusually for an Irish international, she’d never played in England before inking a deal with the club she supported as a girl in the winter transfer window.
The 85-times-capped international became the first Irish player since John O’Shea ten years ago to represent the Red Devils in January.
And she told the club’s website that United was always ingrained in her from a young age as supporting the Manchester club was a family tradition.
“I always had a love and passion for football, even from being very young,” Caldwell said.
“I was always running around, just loving kicking a ball about. My father was very clear, very early on in my life, about what this meant. ‘You’re going to support United’.”
“It was in the blood anyway, so it almost went without saying. Everyone in our house, all my cousins, my entire family, we all supported United.
“There was no getting away from it at all, even if I’d wanted to. So, naturally, Old Trafford was always on my horizon.”
Caldwell reflected on her first time seeing at Old Trafford on a family holiday in England as a child, but it would be a little longer before she got to see her heroes in the flesh.
Caldwell was 11 when she first saw United play live at Old Trafford - though she couldn’t share the experience with her mother, who had to sit in the away end.
“My first trip over from Ireland was during a family holiday driving through England and my dad made sure we stopped off to pay a visit.
“It was during the summer months, so there were no games, but we still called in and did the stadium tour. I was around eight at the time and I was absolutely in awe of the place.
“We came back when I was 11 for my first match. We played Sunderland and the whole family was there.
“Although my mum got the short straw and had to sit in the Sunderland end because that was the only ticket we could get for her!
“She maybe didn’t enjoy that day as much as the rest of us, but for me the whole matchday experience was unbelievable to be a part of.
“I remember coming out into the packed stadium and seeing players on the pitch for the first time.
“I remember looking around and seeing everyone wearing the United jerseys, waving the United flags, the banners in the stands.
“I just loved being a part of something I watched on the telly every weekend. Being there in person is a totally different experience.
“United won the game and we stayed afterwards – obviously – to see all the players leave. We tried to get a few autographs.
“I won’t ever forget that feeling of walking away from Old Trafford with few signatures on the ball I’d bought. Looking down and seeing – among some great names – Roy Keane on there…”
She concluded: “There’s something else I vividly remember from my first trip to Old Trafford. I was sat there, looking out onto the pitch and I just told myself… you’ll be out there one day.
“I don’t know how I thought that was possible as an 11-year-old, but it was just some wild dream that I kept with me as I grew up.
“I’ve been a footballer for a long time now, played for a lot of clubs and then,in January, I got my dream move when United asked me to join.
“Ideally, you wouldn’t choose to join a new club midway through the season, but was there ever a chance of me saying no? I jumped at the chance to sign, of course. I’d come here any way I possibly could!
“It's unreal to look down and see the emblem on your chest when you’re going to work every day, representing this great institution.
“I’ve taken pride in every club I’ve played for, in every jersey I’ve put on, but it’s a different feeling when you’re putting on the jersey of the club you’ve supported your whole life.”
