 Welcome to Toffy TV. It is The Everton Women's Show. I'm happy to say I'm joined by Everton's Megan Finnegan. You're right. Big game on Saturday against Manchester City, Dana Woltmall Park. Before we talk about that, what's it been like this season so far for you? I think it's been, I describe it as steady. I think we've done well in certain games but there's still definitely a lot of work to be done. I feel like the emotions within the squad are all positive because I feel like everyone can see that we're building something. So, yeah, give us time and I'm sure we'll be there. Yeah, three wins, three defeats. But one of those wins was at Anfield where you obviously scored the first goal. It was just an amazing night because Everton don't win. They are that often, certainly the men's team do. I think you've won twice there though in the last few years, haven't you? I mean, what was that occasion like? I think it was 27,000 there. There was a full away end which I think made it really special. And obviously you scored at the cop end which must have been sweet. Yeah, as you say, I think I couldn't really have wrote it better. I wasn't expecting that many fans so it was good to have so many turn up and like you said to have our packed out away end and go over and celebrate with them at the end was special. I never scored that much so I always love it but I think you could tell by my reaction how much that won. Is that something that's changed in the last couple of years because obviously you're at Walton O Park now, it's your ground. You play there every week and obviously I think you played one game before Covid and then went. But from what I'm seeing obviously not from the outside but just looking in. You're starting to get a real fan base now. It's not just people who may have fallen into the game because you're an Everton team but you're really getting a hardcore following now where you've got a proper fan base that are coming every week and going to away games because one of the things I noticed obviously last week was when the Spades game got called off how many fans were really upset by it because they travelled all that way so how important is that being in the last year or so? Yeah it's massive and I think it started last season which is so important because last season was a really hard year but we still had that core group of fans that would come and support us but this year virtually every game that we've played at Walton Hall has been a sell-out so for us as players it's just amazing because we know that it's going to be a difficult place for teams to come and we know that no matter what we've got the fans backing us as well. Is that being important to sort of craft your own identity because again separating yourself from the men's game with being the women's game and how much that's involved? Having that little bit of an identity of having you on ground as well is that being a big important partner? Yeah definitely and I think the investment that the club has put into that ground you know it's unreal that the surface itself is so good, one of the best in the league and like you say it's special for us because that is our pitch, our home and yeah like you say separates us from the men's a little bit. Were you fuming last week when the under 21s were playing on it? I did yeah I said to somebody there's better not be a permanent fit and they're better not quite up before our game against City. I know because we've been in some horror stories you know I spoke to when we did that show last week Keira came in and we were talking about how the Luton game got called off two minutes before it was supposed to kick off because the men were training on the pitch the next day and it was on the same day that your game was called off against Spades and I just thought you know for how far the games come for things like that that's a disgrace and for you to have your home your own pitch I think there's obviously we've got one Chelsea I think have got their own one and there's a few more starting to pop up but that to me shows where as a club we seem to be going and having our own stadium. Yeah like you say I think we're very fortunate that obviously Everton have done that for us but that's where the women's game has still got to go because you know we're all disappointed that the Spurs game got cancelled because that shouldn't be happening you know clubs should be playing at stadiums where you know the English weather isn't going to stop it and we all know that it's not very nice but you know the pitches that we're playing on they should be good enough so that's disappointing and that's where the women's game you know the gap kind of has to be you know lessen in that sense. Yeah I mean obviously in the last 12 months you've had a lot of changes at the club we all know but how's it settled down now with obviously the new manager Brian Sorenson? Yeah he's been a breath of fresh air to be honest he's been really you know welcoming and I think he's such a calm guy you know if you ever speak to him sometimes he's almost too calm but you know he's got a clear identity which is good because I think that's what we lacked last season we all know the way that he wants to play and he's brought in some like really really good players but also lovely girls so I think the team morale this year is a lot better as well. Excellent it does seem to be getting improved I mean you know obviously last season there was a lot of changes a lot of felt like there was a lot of similarities in what was going on the men's team and the women's team but it's great that it's settled down and obviously coming off the back of what we saw in the summer with the lionesses winning the Euros I mean how important did you think that's been for the game so far this season? Yeah it was massive and I think that's part of the reason why we're getting you know sell out crowds obviously because we're doing well as a team but there's a greater interest in women's football which is great and I said on the back of that you know the most important thing to build on was that we got you know bums on seats you know it's great that the games are being televised but we still want to make sure that Walton Hall saw that every week which we are doing right now so you know we're obviously doing something right as a club and women's football in general but it was great it was great to watch that in the summer and I was buzzing for the girls so you've still got aspirations because you're playing under all the junior levels and obviously we've seen I think Jess Park has been in the squad, Gaby George has been in the squad as well recently you've still got aspirations to try and get in that England so I know it's going to be tough Yeah they'll always be a part of me probably until the day I retire that's always was my long term ambition and I'd love to be able to play international football senior international football but right now my focus is at Everton playing week and week out for them and doing well and whatever comes with that will come but you know it's been great to see the girls, Gaby and Jess you know go away and I think Jess was on the pitch for about one minute after her debut and she got a goal so yeah we've got a lot of internationalers within the squad which is why it's such a competitive squad Yeah it's going to say it's good to see, obviously it's good to see plays from Everton being involved and obviously disappointing that Gaby never got the opportunity but she's around it and obviously we've seen in the summer as well a lot of Everton players playing in the Euros that must be great for the squad as well to see so many internationals Yeah definitely every time the international break comes around it's quite hard to keep up with everyone that's playing because there's so many but playing international football it brings a degree of experience with it and so to have them girls bring that back and bring that into the team it's vital To those players, I mean this is a bit of a strange one because I can only look at it from the men's point of view but to those players are they happier than England won the Euros from one point of view because it helps the league and it helps the stand and it helps sell out every and now you're still obviously going to have that bitterness towards England but do they sort of feel it's been a good thing for the league do you think? Yeah I think so you know deep down somewhere obviously you know Lisa Graham and she's obviously Scottish I know that she wasn't happy when they won it but you know they can't complain because the reap and the rewards of it themselves so I'm sure they'll get over it if they're not already Yeah just going back to some men and me there about the pitches and stuff seeing a couple of things this week about things like boots and kit and things like that the injuries some of the users are picking up is there something you want to see change as well in the game going forward off the back of maybe that success where things like boots have to start being more catered to yourselves because I've seen you picking up something like ACL injuries something like three times more often now than men's game is that a struggle things like the kit and things like that Yeah in ways I actually didn't know that there was a correlation between you know boots and the ACLs everyone knows that ACLs are really common injury within women's football and I don't know what you know more research needs to be done into that because it is a big issue you know this maybe isn't related but just on like boots and kit and stuff you know in the men's game if you're a professional you've got a sponsorship do you there's girls you know for example I'm not sponsored a little plug there for me We'll see what we can do No but like some girls are sponsored some girls aren't we shouldn't have to be paid for our own boots you know so little things like that is where it still needs to be a lot better I did see this week though that Nike put out the World Cup at Verte it's amazing and there are quite a few players from the women's game and I think it's really good especially considering it is focused at the World Cup and to see those players and it does show you that you're becoming more marketable I think that's the main thing isn't it you're becoming more marketable I know that's just like a way of looking isn't it but that's important isn't it because when are those the most marketable men's football so if he's benefiting it why not people from the women's game market Yeah exactly I think I switched on the Pride of Britain Awards the other night and I've seen the lionesses run it and you know girls that I've grown up with run it and I just thought you know fair play because like you say the commercial deals and stuff that come out of it they're life changing for people so fair play to them and milk it whilst they can and we've obviously got Jill Scott in the jungle obviously one of your team mates as well that must be brilliant to see is she coming across like you know it Yeah exactly as I expected I thought when I sent her going into it I thought I hope she's not going to be shy because she's not, I've never known her to be shy and she's not at all I think day one she was dancing and yeah just cracking jokes so hopefully she can go all the way Hopefully oh yeah yeah I'd love to see her do a trial or something but yeah Keep her away from the trials that means people don't like her if she's doing a trial leave that to other people in there so three o'clock Manchester City it's going to be a tough game obviously this is sort of where we've fallen down this season isn't it those games Chelsea Manchester United this is again this is one where we sort of have to prove that we are amongst one of the better teams Yeah this is the next step for us like you say when we play against the top four should we say you know we have to start closing that gap and taking points I thought the Chelsea game the result actually didn't reflect the game we actually thought we played really well and we were unfortunate in that game the United game we didn't play well at all and that was that was deserved but the key against these teams is to stay in the game they're obviously really good teams but I think we actually prefer to play against these teams because they like to keep the ball and we like to keep the ball so you know it'll come down to the fine margins on the day but you know we're more than confident that we can take something from it it's sold out so unfortunately you can't go but it's live on Sky but there is a game in December against Durham in the Continental Cup that you can get your tickets for so make sure you go down back back the team it's a brilliant... I love that little grand I just love I want no park it's such a brilliant little just a little throwback to football I used to be go down you can stand and you can watch the women's team play so make sure you get down and check it out Megan thank you for coming in and speaking to us it's been great to speak to you and make sure you check them out thank you for watching we'll see you later