One of the few footballing success stories for Celtic this season was the performance of Fran Alonso’s women’s team in taking the title race to the final day and ultimately claiming Champions League football next season. Following lockdown and a first day back defeat to Glasgow City Celtic went on an unbeaten run that left big spending theRangers in their wake and agonisingly fell short of ending Glasgow City’s stranglehold on the SWPL1 league trophy. Celtic were effectively a missed penalty away from the title, that’s how close it was in the end.
It is fair to say one of the most impressive players in a squad of top performers was Anna Filbey, a player who helped soften the blow of the loss of the excellent Natalie Ross to injury mid-season when she initially joined on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.
When attacking midfielder Filbey then announced she was leaving the North London side it’s fair to say a good few of us hoped the temporary arrangement for Hillingdon born Filbey could be turned into a permanent arrangement, especially by the end of the season where nine goals in thirteen games had us all convinced as to the talents of the 21-year-old Welsh international.
Sadly, it seems those hopes now appear to be dashed as Filbey took to social media to announce her exit from the club today:
“Just wanted to say a massive thank you to @celticfcwomen , the staff, my teammates and our fans for allowing me to enjoy my football again. What an honour it has been to represent such a big club like Celtic and help get them to where they belong, playing champions league football. I loved every minute at this great club and wish them nothing but the best for the future. You will always have a fan in me, Mon the Hoops”
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The attraction of the Women’s Super League is there for all to see, it is an established and heavily funded professional competition and it may well be that Filbey will have many offers to return down south, either that or she’s missing her home town of Hillingdon, the ear-splitting noise of Boeing 747’s and smell of aviation fuel from the Heathrow flight path.
Either way it appears Anna Filbey has decided to look for fresh challenges ahead and even the pull of Celtic’s inaugural Champions League campaign hasn’t been enough to convince her to stay, nor the beautiful surrounding of East Kilbride and K-Park. There’s just no pleasing some people I guess.
Anna Filbey was a vital component of Celtic’s late surge to European qualification, her partnership with Lisa Robertson was a joy to watch and her ability to break the lines and confuse opposition defences is something we’ll all miss out on next season. Though I’m sure a few rival defences will be glad to see the back of Anna’s set piece deliveries we will all miss seeing Filbey in the Hoops next season and harbour hopes that one day further down the line it may just happen again.
Wherever she goes and whoever she ends up playing for that team will be better off for having Anna Filbey in the middle of the park. Best of luck for the future Anna, it was fun while it lasted.
Teammate Chloe Craig commented: “I’m going to miss you. It was a pleasure playing with you and I wish you all the best girl! Don’t become a stranger.” Sarah Ewens simply stated: “My broooo” and Celtic manager Fran Alonso added: “Thank you for everything Anna! All the very best in the future and see you soon! Mon the Hoops.”
Niall J
