Beth Merrick has expressed her thanks to teammates, staff and supporters as her ‘incredibly special’ three-year spell at Wolves Women comes to an end.
Merrick has made the difficult decision to leave the Old Gold this summer and when reflecting on her time at the club, has explained the decision and described just how special is has been to represent the club she loves.
On how difficult the decision has been
“It’s been an incredibly difficult decision. It’s one that I’ve been sat on all throughout the off-season and since we finished our last game.
“Now, it feels right. It’s been so much thinking, so much back and forth and I wanted to be at a point where it was fair to myself, the staff and the squad to be able to make sure I was in a position to give 100% to the team and to Macca.
“I didn’t feel like this season I was in a position to do that. It’s been an incredibly difficult decision, particularly because I adore the club and I adore all the people there.”
On how she reflects on her three years
“Without a doubt, the best three years of my football career. All of the three years have been spent with the most amazing people – that includes players on the pitch and staff off it.
“The memories that we’ve made along the way, whether that’s winning different things, certain games or training sessions, compare to nothing that I’ve ever done.
“I can’t reflect on my whole time at the club better than what I have. I’m certainly not leaving in a bad light – I’m just leaving in a very much indecisive moment in terms of where I feel football fits into my life.”
On how special it’s been representing her club
“It’s been incredibly special. As Macca’s mentioned, it’s something that I wanted to come back and do.
“I represented the club when I was seven years old right the way through to 12 and I really wanted to come back and do that again. I’ve had the opportunity to do that.
“Stepping out at Molineux couldn’t have been any more special for me and my family, and that includes wearing the badge.
“The fan base is really special and I’ve been able to be in that in two ways – one as a fan myself where I’m equally supporting the women’s team as much as playing for them and then having people who I know have supported me. That’s from people who I sit in the stands with, young girls and boys, and it’s just been incredibly special to be representing the club.”
On her standout moments
“There have been some every year. Whether that’s winning titles with Macca or coming back from how we did against Forest this year – that was a very special moment in a season which wasn’t particularly as good as we wanted to make it.
“We’ve had plenty. Maybe the FA Cup run that we had this year where we beat Reading and I obviously scored in that one. Then the feeling of playing against Brighton was incredible as well and you could feel how much it meant to the staff and the players.”
On her parting message
“It’s just a huge thank you to teammates, staff and supporters. Firstly, the supporters, it’s been incredible to have that ‘one of your own’ feeling and to see it first-hand. When you sit on the other side, it’s quite humbling to experience both.
“The fans have been incredible. I’ve felt it in terms of since I signed to right the way through – they’re nothing but supportive and offer nothing but fantastic words for you.
“To my teammates, there have been some consistent ones over the last three years and it’s been an absolute pleasure and joy to be a part of. They are an amazing group of people that deserve the very best, with some that will go right to the top.
“In every sense of the word, they’ve been the ultimate teammates. They’ve been incredibly supportive and they’ve just been the people that have kept me going all the way through.
“And then to the staff. I don’t think people sometimes realise how much work goes into what particularly Macca and people like Nath (Maxfield) do.
“Macca in particular, it’s a relationship that’s been like no other. I absolutely adore Macca and it’s a very different relationship in terms of what I’ve ever experienced in football. I rely on him heavily and I believe that he relies on me.
“It’s been the most difficult part of me doing this, is how I feel towards Macca. He brings out the best in me as a player, he challenges me when my standards aren’t good enough and I do exactly the same for him.
“Across the board, it’s an absolute thank you. My teammates are nothing but special people who I want nothing but success for and I’ll be looking on fondly as to what they do. The staff, just a thank you – they’ve played a massive part in my football journey and I couldn’t have asked for better staff. And then the fans, just another massive thank you.”
