BROOKE CHAPLEN says home comforts have helped her quickly settle into her new life at Reading Women.
The attacking midfielder, 27, joined Royals last week after her contract with Sunderland Ladies expired, becoming the club’s fourth signing of the winter after Mandy van den Berg, Rachel Furness and Anna Green.
And Portsmouth-born Chaplen, who has spent eight years away playing for Everton and Sunderland, admits it is nice to be near her family again.
“I’m originally from Portsmouth so I’m back with my family and then commuting into Reading,” she told The Wokingham Paper.
“It’s quite easy to settle back in and the commute is not too bad so I’ve actually found it quite an easy week to get into.
“I finished the season with Sunderland in the middle of November so this first week back a couple of months later has been a little bit of a tough one on the legs, considering the other girls are three weeks into pre-season.
“But I’ve really enjoyed it so far and I can’t wait to crack on with games and go into the Spring Series.”
She added: “I signed for Everton just as I was finishing uni and then I’ve not been back since so my mum’s a bit shocked to have me back!
“But it’s nice being home, it’s nice being able to have my family come to all the games again because they obviously haven’t been able to do so for such a long time with my playing so far away.”
READ: Rachel Furness excited by Reading ambition
Chaplen, who represented England are various youth levels, says that while other clubs were interested in signing her, Reading were the stand-out choice for a number of reasons.
“There was a couple of options,” she explained.
“But I think the most important thing for me was being at a club that was full-time and had a professional set-up, good quality coaches with good quality staff right through the club.
“I think that is the foundation to succeeding in this league and I think Reading has that and that was the deciding factor.”
She continued: “Things that women’s football up until now have lacked like the very in-depth side of sports science, that’s probably been overlooked for a few years and the importance that recovery and different kinds of training does, I think Reading have really taken on board that side of it.
“I think that’s what is going to be key in us competing in this league.”
With a gruelling pre-season of training to come, Chaplen cannot wait to get back on the pitch.
“I was actually thinking this week that the first league game is not for two and a half months!” she said.
“But I’m sure most teams, including Reading, will be playing lots of friendlies until then to try and get everyone ready.
“I think there’s an FA Cup game in March, which is obviously important to everyone.
“Although the Spring Series doesn’t start for a little while, there is an important game coming
up that everyone will want to be fit for and I suppose that is when clubs are looking to peak, ready for that fifth round of the FA Cup.”
It has been another busy week for the club with the big news that the top scorer of the last two seasons, Emma Follis, has left to join Birmingham City Ladies.
Follis, who netted 19 goals in 39 appearances for the Royals, was one of the side’s stars but has opted to return to her roots in the Midlands, moving for an undisclosed fee.
Two players who will be staying are captain Kirsty McGee and long-serving left-back Harriet Scott. The pair have put pen-to-paper on deals until June 2018.
