Danielle Turner is to leave Everton Women at the end of this month, bringing down the curtain on 15 years with the Toffees.
Joining the Women’s Academy aged 15, the defender has played a pivotal role in Everton’s success over the past decade, playing in two FA Cup finals, winning the Championship title to seal promotion back to the Women’s Super League in 2017, and captaining the team for the past five years.
In an emotional interview with evertontv, Turner reflected fondly on her time with the Toffees.
“I think I’ve felt every emotion possible in the past couple of weeks,” said the 30-year-old.
“There’s a great deal of sadness when you’ve been at a club for 15 years and spent half of your life there.
“This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.
“Everyone knows how much this club means to me.”
When reflecting on her standout moments, 2017 holds a lot of significance for Turner. Having won the Women’s Championship, Turner signed her first professional contract later that year and was named club captain.
“That was a massive summer for the club, in turning professional,” Turner added. “My dream became a reality in becoming a professional footballer.
“Getting the captaincy, too – to lead the girls out on numerous occasions is up there with one of the proudest times of my career.
“It’s something I’ll always look back and be very proud of.”