On August 1, 2015, Fran Kirby sat in the stands at Wembley watching Chelsea win their first major trophy.
The 22-year-old had signed from Reading three weeks earlier, but was tied for this FA Cup final against Notts County. A first piece of silverware and a star signing both in hand, that month was a coming-of-age moment for Emma Hayes’ Chelsea.
Chelsea had overcome early obstacles under Hayes, appointed three years earlier, to stand at the pinnacle of the domestic women’s game. They battled Manchester City and Arsenal to sign England’s most in-demand young prospect, and the signing of Kirby was proof of their new status. No actor has done so much in the last decade to consolidate it.
On Saturday, Kirby announced she would leave the club when her contract expires this summer. “To walk away with the trophies that I won, with the teammates that I played with – some of the best players in the world – it was one of the greatest privileges of my life,” she said.
Talented, Kirby had made history earlier in the summer of 2015 when she was selected for England’s World Cup squad despite not making an appearance in the Super League feminine. Her goal for Reading in what was then WSL 2, the current championship, had attracted much attention, with 71 goals in 46 appearances, and she duly scored England’s first in that tournament in Canada, where she would ultimately finish third.
On her arrival at Chelsea, Hayes said: “I think she can become a Chelsea great. Our goal is to win trophies here and Fran can play a major role in that in the years to come. Surely neither the player nor the manager could realize how prophetic these words would be.
Kirby’s impact at Chelsea was immediate.
Behind that childish smile was a formidable competitor whose somewhat shy demeanor off the field hid a fierce determination to win. Anyone who has sat close enough to the field to hear Kirby at games over the years will know her frustration with herself and those around her.
Just like his mentor and manager Hayes, Kirby demands the best.
And she delivered.
Four league goals in his first five appearances helped Chelsea win their first WSL title in 2015, at a time when seasons ran throughout the summer. In October of the same year, she scored her first ever goal in the Women’s Champions League. There were notable moments against Arsenal and Manchester City too – Kirby never struggled to adapt to a bigger stage – but 2017-18 was when she really hit her stride.
The individual awards started rolling in: Chelsea Player of the Year, Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year, PFA Player of the Year. She also had her own FA Cup final moment at Wembley – virtually unplayable in a 3-1 win over Arsenal.
Yet injuries and illnesses took their toll.
Kirby missed almost the entire 2019-20 season with what turned out to be pericarditis – inflammation of the fibrous sac around his heart. Doctors said she might never play again. Kirby has always been incredibly open about her mental health, having previously left the game at the age of 17 after her mother died suddenly from a brain hemorrhage.
The support provided by Chelsea and Hayes was clearly crucial in helping him bounce back. “I will never be grateful for what people have done for me over the last few months – the Chelsea doctor was incredible and my teammates were incredible – but Emma is at the top of the list: 100 percent,” Kirby said.
On her return, she admitted she was not sure there would still be room for her at Chelsea, who had signed Australian striker Sam Kerr and Danish striker Pernille Harder in her absence. But the best was undoubtedly to come.
“Kerr-by”, as the Kerr-Kirby partnership was nicknamed, became the most powerful duo English women’s football has ever known.
They have scored a total of 59 goals as Chelsea won a domestic treble in 2020-21. Kirby had two goals and four assists – including three for Kerr – in the 6-0 Continental League Cup final victory over Bristol City. They decimated Arsenal as a duo in a 3-0 FA Cup final victory, delayed until December 2021 by the COVID-19 pandemic, and they helped Chelsea reach their first Women’s Champions League final .
The opening goal in the 4-1 win over Bayern Munich in the second leg of their semi-final summed up their connection as Kirby came off the halfway line with the ball before completing a one-two with Kerr. Kirby later revealed that they had been working on it in practice all week.
Kirby is the kind of club legend no one would refuse to sign a lifetime contract, but she has struggled to return to that form of three seasons ago.
She missed the end of 2021-22 because of fatigue, then half of last season because of a knee problem. And in a current campaign where Chelsea desperately need their senior players to step up, Kirby appears to no longer have that extra gear. As she herself said in her farewell message to fans: “I think we all know it’s the right time for something new.”
With 22-year-old Lauren James and 20-year-old Aggie Beever-Jones, Chelsea have new youngsters with big dreams – those who grew up watching Kirby dominate in the blue shirt.
Chelsea spent almost the entire season knowing that all good things must come to an end, with Hayes leaving this summer to take over as coach of the United States women’s national team. Kirby is as woven into the fabric of the club as Hayes – in some ways it was impossible to imagine one without the other. Their legacy is just as long.
Kirby ends her tenure as Chelsea’s record goalscorer with 115 goals in 205 appearances – a goal contribution every 74 minutes in the WSL. Six WSL titles, four FA Cups, two Continental Cups.
And most admirable and memorable of all, a tireless dedication to keep going.
This unstoppable dynamic has been heroic and it is fitting that tonight (Sunday), as she plays her final home game for Chelsea, the chant that will echo around Kingsmeadow will be: “Great, great Fran, great Franny Kirby”.
(Top photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)