Mary Earps Faces Former Club in Her First Match Back and Says She Is “Very, Very Happy to Be Home”

Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps has returned to the Women's Super League, joining London City Lionesses after spending two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. In the opening match of the new season, she will travel with her team to face Manchester United—the club she played for for five years before moving to France.

Earps said she missed the comforts of home during her two years away, especially Percy Pig sweets, and is excited to return to the WSL, particularly about facing her former club in her first match.

Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Earps spent two years at Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Manchester United, an experience that gave her the opportunity to experience life away from the spotlight in England. She admitted that being away felt “good” and that she experienced the “Parisian way of life,” but conversations with London City convinced her that it was time to return to England.

“I'm very, very happy to be home,” Earps said. “I missed the comforts of being British, I missed my friends and family, and I missed Percy Pig sweets!”

“From a football perspective, I missed the football culture in England—the feeling of walking into a stadium, the electricity of the crowd, the atmosphere around women's football in this country. I knew before I left that I might miss those things, but that's why I'm so excited to be back now. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

“I left to push myself out of my comfort zone and to have a different football and life experience. It's an experience I will carry with me forever.”

“Like a Moth to a Flame”

Earps' reunion with Manchester United in the opening match of the season marks another exciting encounter. She joked that it was almost destined to happen: “Yeah, like a moth to a flame.”

“The club has changed a lot since I left. While some people have moved on as football and life have progressed, there will still be some familiar faces, and the fans won't change—they're still as loyal as ever.”

Competition Excites Her

Earps said she is still unsure whether she will be London City's starting goalkeeper, but she is excited by the competition for places within the team. She believes London City “will do great things for a long time to come.”