Olivia Bishop, formerly of Kentish Town FC, has just started her second campaign at Chelsea after featuring for the club’s training squad

FOR one talented young footballer the return of the Women’s Super League next weekend will come with more than just the excitement of seeing some of her favourite players back in action.

The opening day fixtures on Sunday, October 1, are certainly mouth-watering ones, including Arsenal taking on Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, while defending champions Chelsea will host Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.

Olivia Bishop is as excited as any fan of women’s top-flight football that the new season is finally about to get under way. But for the young winger the big kick-off means that much more as it fuels her dream of one day being among the professional players walking out onto the pitch.

And the skilful 11-year-old is on the right path, having just started her second campaign playing for Chelsea after impressing coaches last term while featuring for the club’s training squad.

“I find training and playing for Chelsea amazing because although it’s competitive, it’s also fun and it’s what I love doing,” said Olivia.

“I was a training player last year but this year I’m able to play in the league matches as I’m now old enough to play for Chelsea’s Under-12s team. It’s really exciting.”

Olivia sharpened her skills while playing in an all-boys team for top youth club Kentish Town FC, taking on the best young players that Camden, Islington and Westminster had to offer every Saturday in the Regent’s Park Youth League.

Olivia with England ace Millie Bright

Now she’s building on her abilities with the Blues, and she is not alone. Former Kentish Town FC clubmate Scarlett Mitchell hit our headlines after being snapped up by Chelsea last season – where she went on to score 26 times in 26 games to earn the club’s Under-12s players’ player of the year award.

Hoping to now follow in Scarlett’s footsteps, Olivia said: “My goals for this season are to impress the coaches, score loads of goals and, hopefully, win the player of the season award.”

Olivia certainly isn’t short of heroines to admire at Chelsea. She recently got to take a tour of Stamford Bridge where the shirts of some of the club’s biggest names – including Lauren James, Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby – were hanging up like beacons of hope for what could lie in store in Olivia’s future.

However, there is one player who inspires Olivia more than most. She added: “I like watching Millie Bright. She’s one of the players that I look up to the most because she’s a great leader and has a calmness both on and off the pitch.”

Bright captained England at this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. Still buzzing from the Lionesses’ efforts in Australia and New Zealand, Olivia continued: “I loved watching England make it to the final, they really inspired me. And although they didn’t win, they were absolutely fantastic and played really well the whole way through the tournament even though they had injuries to key players and had so much publicity and pressure on them to do well.

“I’d love to play, and even captain England one day. I would also love to play for Chelsea in the Women’s Super League, too.”

After seeing another of the club’s emerging young talents depart for Chelsea, Kentish Town FC chairman Thomas Looney said: “A massive congratulations to another one of our female footballers who has signed a contract with Chelsea.

“Olivia has been with the club for the past four years and developed into an outstanding young footballer. She now joins former player Scarlett Mitchell at Chelsea.

“Olivia was in great form last season, often playing up a year with us, and we can’t wait to see her progress.

“Everybody at the club wants to wish Olivia and her family all the best in the future.”