Liverpool singer-songwriter Chelcee Grimes has worked with some of the biggest names in show business, crafting music for the likes of Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue and Olly Murs.
However, on Sunday she'll be battling it out on a pitch in North Manchester in a bid to help Merseyrail Ladies advance past the FA Cup First Round for the first time in their history. Grimes' footballing journey began aged nine, when her grandad's quest to meet a Liverpool legend saw her inadvertently land a contract with her childhood club.
"I went to an Ian Rush soccer school because my grandad just wanted to meet him," Grimes told the ECHO, "I didn’t know who he was at the time but I was the only girl who turned up and it just so happened that where we trained was also where Liverpool Ladies trained and I got scouted and asked to come for a trial."
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After a spell at Liverpool, Grimes joined Everton and subsequently Tranmere Rovers before the financial promise of a music career proved a more enticing prospect than the uncertain landscape of women's football. The 30-year-old said: "At that point, there wasn’t much of a salary for the women so a lot of people around me were getting proper jobs.
"I took music as a GCSE and managed to get a record deal pretty quickly so I ended up swerving football for a bit. I was getting booted and battered every week for nothing and then getting paid to sit in a nice cosy study to write songs and getting paid a lot more money so that was the deciding factor for me at the time.”
While Grimes' music career was thriving, watching the Lionesses in action at the 2015 World Cup inspired her to get back out on the pitch. After a successful trial, she penned a deal with Tottenham before making the switch to Fulham; the club once home to her childhood idol, winger Rachel Yankey.
"I ended up signing for Tottenham for a season which was amazing and got me back into it," Grimes said. "West Ham offered me a contract too but I ended up doing my last season in London at Fulham which was a full 360 moment for me after watching Rachel Yankey growing up and seeing Fulham win the FA Cup."
When the grammy-nominated songwriter returned to her native Liverpool during lockdown, she once again signed for Tranmere before Merseyrail Ladies, an independent women's team founded by a trio of Merseyrail employees, piqued her interest.
"Merseyrail was this new team that everyone was buzzing about," Grimes said. "Most clubs, you’re part of bigger club with a men’s team whereas Merseyrail is its own team. You’re not playing second fiddle and everything there is for the girls."
After a stellar 2021-22 campaign, Merseyrail won promotion to the National League Division One North, where they're up against sides like Leeds and Newcastle, who are backed by Premier League outfits. While Grimes admits the season so far has been a struggle, Sunday provides Merseyrail with the opportunity to progress to the second round of the FA Cup as they take on FC United of Manchester at Broadhurst Park.
Earlier this year, it was announced that there would be a “significant increase” in the Women's FA Cup prize money, following criticism of the discrepancy between the women’s and men’s competitions pots. The uplift will come into place this season, resulting in greater investment across the women’s professional and grassroots game.
“We have a big FA Cup game on Sunday and if we get through that who knows.," Grimes said. "We could be going to Wembley. It’s huge.
"When you come to the National League and you aren’t partnered up with a men’s club, that’s where it hurts you because you don’t always have things like your travel and your kit covered. A lot of us are having to go above and beyond because we don’t have the funding so the FA Cup gives us a bit of luxury.
"Even if its just a bit of paint in the dressing room or a coach for an away game. The FA Cup is the competition everyone's looking at and getting through the rounds is huge for teams like Merseyrail.”
Sunday's tie holds extra significant for Grimes, who recalls the FA Cup as being "probably the only women's competition on TV growing up". Reflecting on the growth of the women's game, the 30-year-old said: "There’s still a lot more work that needs to be done and that needs to filter down to club football and not just the big tournaments.
"But times are changing and I’m happy we’re in a place where there are Lionesses and idols and people for young girls to look up to now.”
Merseyrail take on FC United of Manchester in the First Round Proper of the Vitality Women's FA Cup at 1pm on Sunday November 13 at Broadhurst Park
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