Connect with us

West Ham Dragon

Who is Anouk Denton? All About the West Ham Defender who Made her England Debut Against Ghana

Published

on

Anouk Denton

West Ham United defender Anouk Denton earned her first senior England cap on Tuesday night, coming off the bench in the 72nd minute during the Lionesses’ 2-0 friendly victory over Ghana at St Mary’s Stadium.

The 22-year-old replaced Lucy Bronze to cap a remarkable rise that has seen her progress from Arsenal’s academy to international football.

https://twitter.com/westhamwomen/status/1995965952434078045

From Arsenal Academy to International Recognition

Denton joined Arsenal’s youth system at just 13 years old after being scouted while playing for St Albans Girls’ School, where she occasionally trained alongside first-team players including Leah Williamson. She made her senior Gunners debut in October 2020 at 17, coming on as a substitute in the North London derby against Tottenham, which Arsenal won 6-1 at Meadow Park.

https://twitter.com/Lionesses/status/1990737750216376459

After a loan spell at West Ham in early 2021, Denton opted to pursue college football in America, committing to the University of Louisville. She spent time with the Cardinals before returning to England in January 2023, signing a two-and-a-half-year professional contract with West Ham that she extended until 2028 this past January.

Consistent Performances Earn Call-Up

The versatile defender has become indispensable under West Ham manager Rehanne Skinner this season, starting every WSL match and recording 50 total appearances for the club. She has contributed two goals during the 2025-26 campaign, finding the net against Everton and Crystal Palace, with her strike against the Eagles earning a WSL Goal of the Month nomination in December.

https://twitter.com/England_Pod/status/1990742898317443266

Denton received her first senior England call-up in October after injuries to key defenders created opportunities. She trained with the squad and traveled to Pride Park for the friendly against Australia but didn’t feature. Her consistent performances for West Ham earned her a second call-up for November’s fixtures against China and Ghana.

England’s Defensive Crisis Opens Door

Sarina Wiegman’s defensive options have been severely depleted by injuries. Arsenal duo Katie Reid and Leah Williamson remain long-term absentees with knee problems, while Jess Carter was given time off following Gotham FC’s NWSL Championship triumph.

Alex Greenwood is also unavailable due to ongoing injury concerns.

https://twitter.com/Lionesses/status/1996244238632407482

Despite being an unused substitute during England’s record-breaking 8-0 demolition of China at Wembley on Saturday, Denton’s patience was rewarded three days later when she replaced Bronze with 18 minutes remaining against Ghana.

She impressed during her brief cameo and could now establish herself as a regular squad member heading into World Cup qualifying, which begins in March when England travel to Ukraine before hosting Iceland.

Also read: What Happened to Scarlette Slater-Rowley? All About Why The Goalkeeper Was Laid Unconscious

Aston Villa

‘This’ Manager Named February’s WSL Manager of the Month as He Wins Award for First Time in Career

Published

on

Martin Ho earns his first WSL Manager of the Month award as Tottenham's boss, celebrating an impressive February.

Martin Ho has been named the Barclays Women’s Super League Manager of the Month for February. The Tottenham boss collected six important points last month in the WSL, where Spurs scored nine goals across three games to earn him the monthly award for the first time in his career.

Ho becomes just Tottenham’s second Head Coach to pick up the award in England’s top flight. Joining Spurs in the summer from SK Brann, the Norwegian has enjoyed a tremendous first campaign in North London to date, with his side showing plenty of quality in the forward areas and resilience to bounce back from setbacks.

Responded in Fantastic Fashion

Tottenham began the month with a London derby trip to West Ham United, where they came from behind to earn a 2-1 win at Chigwell Construction Stadium. Despite suffering defeat at home to Chelsea, they responded in fantastic fashion at Villa Park.

A sensational performance in the Midlands saw Spurs hit seven goals against Aston Villa as they ran out 7-3 winners in the second highest goalscoring match in WSL history. This continues to solidify their spot in the top five of the current standings.

Credit to All Staff and Players

Speaking about winning the award, Ho said, “I’m thankful for everyone that voted, but credit to all the staff and players because they are the ones that enable you to be in this position. It’s not just an accolade for me, it’s for all the staff and players around me. They deserve a lot of credit, it’s a collective effort.”

Ho added, “We’ve definitely taken steps in the right direction. It’s seven months into what we’re building here, but it doesn’t just come from me, it comes from everyone. I’m just glad we are working towards the ambitions and goals we have set.”

Tottenham return to WSL action on Sunday, March 15, after the international break as they take on Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Also read: New Date for Arsenal Women Away at Brighton as WSL Game Rearranged to ‘This’ Date

Continue Reading

Liverpool

Liverpool FC Leads New Era of Training to Tackle Matchday Sexism as Anfield Stewards Receive Specialist Education From Her Game Too Ambassador Roopa Vyas

Published

on

Liverpool FC takes a stand against matchday sexism, launching its first formal training session for stewards and hospitality staff in collaboration with Her Game Too.

Liverpool Football Club have delivered their first formal training session to stewards and hospitality staff focused on tackling sexism and misogyny at Anfield. Around 100 matchday employees attended the specialist education delivered by Roopa Vyas, who serves as Her Game Too’s Chief Operating Officer and Liverpool FC Ambassador.

The session took place before the Reds hosted West Ham United in the Premier League and represents a serious effort by the club to address discrimination. Vyas focused heavily on helping staff understand the crucial difference between harmless banter and behaviour that genuinely harms supporters attending matches.

Staff Now Better Equipped to Handle Reports

Frontline employees now possess a much clearer picture of what Her Game Too does and how supporters should expect incidents to be handled when they report discrimination at the stadium. This education gives stewards and managers the confidence to spot problematic behaviour and challenge it effectively rather than ignoring issues.

The training was incorporated into Liverpool’s annual Red Together fixture, which celebrates the club’s diversity and inclusion efforts. The timing proves particularly relevant given International Women’s Day falls this week and highlights ongoing problems women face at football matches.

Setting New Standard for Football Clubs

Rishi Jain, Liverpool FC’s Director of Impact, stated, “Liverpool Football Club’s ongoing collaboration with Her Game Too is an important part of our commitment to ensuring Anfield is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. We’re proud to continue our work with Her Game Too to ensure our staff are equipped, informed and confident in supporting all fans at Anfield.”

This represents genuine progress beyond simply raising awareness. Liverpool are actively preparing their matchday workforce to create meaningful change in how discrimination gets addressed inside stadiums. Other clubs should frankly be following this example rather than paying lip service to equality.

Also read: WSL to Trial New Rule to Combat Goalkeeper Timeouts as IFAB Announce Batch of Rules

Continue Reading

Brighton

West Ham Star Pinpoints Obvious Worrying Trend After FA Cup Exit as She Demands Stronger Starts Following Brighton Defeat

Published

on

Leila Wandeler of West Ham addresses a worrying trend post-FA Cup exit.

West Ham Women crashed out of the FA Cup on Sunday after falling 2-0 to Brighton at Chigwell Construction Stadium. Substitute Leila Wandeler pulled one back with 15 minutes remaining, but Rita Guarino’s side couldn’t complete another comeback, having beaten the same opponents 3-2 in the WSL just two weeks earlier.

https://twitter.com/westhamwomen/status/2025597700386037829

Cannot Afford to Start Games So Slowly

Wandeler believes West Ham cannot afford to start matches so slowly, something that has now happened twice against Brighton. “It’s obvious we have to play from the beginning of the game. We can’t just wait until the end like the last game we played against them. It’s hard to come back all the time,” the midfielder told the club’s website.

She added, “The energy that we brought at the end was very good. We have to be more consistent. I’m very happy to help the team like this, and Brighton were defending well. We showed we are capable, and now we have to do it from the beginning.”

Possession Means Nothing Without Goals

The statistics paint a frustrating picture for West Ham. They dominated with 55 percent possession and registered 10 shots to Brighton’s four, yet couldn’t break down a resolute Seagulls defence. Sophie Baggaley was the busier goalkeeper but made the saves when it mattered. All that pressure ultimately counted for absolutely nothing without putting the ball in the net.

Crucial March Fixtures Await

West Ham sit 10th in the WSL table but are dangerously close to the drop zone, just two points above bottom side Leicester City. The lengthy international break arrives at a tricky time, with crucial fixtures against Manchester United, Arsenal, and London City Lionesses awaiting in March.

Their next league game isn’t until 18 March, and frankly, they need those three points desperately. Guarino must solve these early game issues quickly, or West Ham will find themselves in serious relegation trouble by season’s end.

Continue Reading

Home » Dragon Feeds » West Ham Dragon » Who is Anouk Denton? All About the West Ham Defender who Made her England Debut Against Ghana

Trending