15:00, 12 February 2025
| by Matthew Brown
Evie Rabjohn and Keira Barry took time out from their schedules at Carrington to support aspiring female players taking part in a Manchester United Foundation tournament at The Cliff Training Ground.
The United Women duo spoke to the participants as they competed for the opportunity to represent the Foundation at a prestigious primary schools’ football tournament to be played later this year.
Evie and Keira shared advice with the players, as part of a wonderful celebration of girls’ football at our men’s team’s historic and famed former training ground.
Evie said: “I don’t remember playing in such a big tournament like this at school.
“We’re fortunate to be in a position where we are role models, but at the same time, we worked really hard for this. It’s nice to show the girls that they can be where we are and this is just the start for them.
“Everyone was really good and it was so exciting for us to come and watch.”
Keira added: “When we were in school, we only really had boys’ tournaments, so it’s great to see that there are so many schools that have a girls’ team.
“The standard is so high, there are so many talented players on every team, and that means they can have good quality matches – so they’re only going to get better from that. Tournaments like this will only help the game grow.”
Eight primary schools from across Manchester took part, with Our Lady of Grace RC Primary school running out winners – and their prize will be to wear the red of United at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux home in June, as part of the Premier League Primary Stars national finals.
Premier League Primary Stars is an education programme that uses the appeal of football to inspire children to be active and develop essential life skills, delivered by the Foundation to support young people in more than 30 partner primary schools.