Millie Bright was England’s player of the match against Spain (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
(Picture: Getty Images)The first coach of England star Millie Bright has told how she scored 80 goals in her first season after he convinced her as a schoolgirl to swap her obsession with horses to football.
The Lionesses prepare to face Sweden in the Euros semi-final in front of a packed house at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane tonight and Bright should feel at home.
The Chelsea player, now 28, was snapped up by United’s academy after she played a season of under-12s football for Killamarsh, near Sheffield, where she showed her potential from day one.
Her coach there, Andy Poulsen, already knew her from going into the local school as a father volunteering to help with reading.
He told the Standard: “I went into the school to help Millie and the others read. She was a tiny dot of a girl but a real livewire.
“She listened though and was clever and willing to take advice.
“When she was young she was obsessed with horses, she absolutely loved them and her family had horses, so that was her focus. I was coaching the local team of youngsters and suggested she came along.
“It was obvious from day one that she was amazingly talented. Millie and the other girls put together a team and they played in the under-12s league.
“Millie scored 80 goals in that season, including a hat-trick straight in from corners. She could score from anywhere. We won everything with her, she was unstoppable.
“Who knows, if I hadn’t known her from school it might never have happened and she may have stuck with the horses. Funny how life goes.”
In her early days Bright was a striker but is now a top class defender who has won more than 50 caps for her country.
Although small as young girl, she is now 5 ft 10 in and known for her physical domination over opponents.
She is a rock at the back for the Lionesses and Chelsea in the Women’s Super League.
Mr Poulsen said: “She is now very strong and powerful. Her father is a big strong guy and I think she has inherited some of that power. She is so tough and has a great temperament. She stays in touch with us and just a couple of weeks ago she invited me down to St George’s Park where the England team were training. She said to me ‘you are my hero’ which was so nice to hear but she has to take the credit. We gave her a start but it’s her motivation that has taken her on to great things.”
Mr Poulsen added: “I’m so proud of Millie, she has done so well. Now she has an agent and is very busy but she still finds time for us.
“That’s the sort of person she is. Her parents have supported her all the way and are at most games.
“Her mother has a lot of drive and I think Millie has got that from her. She takes everything in her stride. I had no doubt she would reach the top.”
Bright has been playing at the top of her game in the Euros and was England’s player of the match in their extra-time victory against Spain in last week’s quarter final.
She credited the sell-out crowd with roaring the team on to victory as more than nine million people watched on TV at home. A record TV audience is anticipated for the semi-final tonight.
