Chaney Boye-Hlorkah turns Pro

Chaney Boye-Hlorkah admits it is a dream come true to sign a professional contract with Everton Ladies.

The 21-year-old is the final member of Andy Spence’s first team squad to turn full-time, penning a one-year deal.

It marks a significant moment in the career of the forward, who has graduated through the age groups in the Centre of Excellence and into the senior squad, where she made her debut aged just 17.

“Wow – I have been here for 13 years,” she told evertontv. “It has always been a dream to turn professional with this Club. To go full time after everything that has happened with the injury is great. Everton have always backed me and that has been amazing. I just can’t wait to go and perform at the highest level.

“After the last few years I have had, I couldn’t ask for anything more. To go what I have been through, come out the other side and sign a professional contract and go full time just as we are back in WSL 1 – it is a dream.”

Boye-Hlorkah missed the Spring Series and a large portion of the 2016 WSL 2 campaign with a cruciate knee ligament injury, having suffered the same injury in 2014.

Chaney 470
However, with the support of her teammates, she has regained fitness and has featured extensively in pre-season. With her return to the pitch under her belt, she has her sights set on forcing her way into the first team picture.

“Even when it got tough in my recovery, I never thought anything could stop me,” she added. “I knew I was always going to be coming back. But when it was a massive motivation for me knowing we could be going back to WSL 1. It made me work that little bit harder. Now we are here and it’s a good feeling.

“My teammates have always kept me going. The staff and the players have supported me throughout everything and I’m grateful to them. I couldn’t have asked for anything else.

“I have been getting a few minutes under my belt in pre-season, which has been great. We have been playing against top sides as well.

“Of course I am going to be working hard to get into the first team but at first I need to work my back to full fitness, get my strength and my speed back to how it was. But the ambition then is to make sure I am challenging for a place in that starting line-up.”