It has been an outstanding season for Charlton Women, and it is not over yet, with one game left to play, which will decide who gets the final spot in the WSL for the 2026/27 season.
The Addicks have continuously defied the odds this season to put the side on the brink of promotion, and that success has been, in no small part, down to Charlton's number one, Sophie Whitehouse.
With the final game ahead of us, we sat down with the goalkeeper to reflect on a great season for the team, and an outstanding season for the WSL2 Golden Glove winner.
Sophie, what a season it has been for you. You've achieved so many accolades on the pitch. Tell us how you feel your season has been?
"Obviously, it's been a really good season for me personally, but we have one more really important game to top off the season, so we're looking forward to that.
"But yes, it's been a really good season. I've been really happy with how I've performed, and as a team, defensively this year, we've been really, really solid, and that kind of helps me perform at my best if the defensive lines are performing at their best."
Something that was so special this season was our FA Cup run. We made it to the quarter-finals. You also captained a few games during that time. Tell us about why that run was so important to you.
"We got really far in the FA Cup this year. We got to the quarter-finals, and for me, coming from when I played at Lewes, we started this campaign called the Equal FA Cup, which is driving to make the prize money the same for both the men and the women.
"Getting to the quarter-finals just shows what we're capable of as a team and that we kind of deserve the same as the men in the prize money. So that's just something that's like really important to me, and the girls have been really supportive in that campaign.
"It's been really nice to be in a leadership role this season, and I'm really proud to have captained the team in a few of the WSL games and the quarter-final."
At the training ground, there's a goalkeeper union. You work under Neil Moore, who's our goalkeeper coach, and alongside fellow goalkeeper Anna Pederson. How important have they been to your success this season?
"I don't think I would be where I am right now without them, and the season that I've had comes down to the season that we've had as a goalkeeper department and unit. Every day, every training session, Neil works so hard to give us the best training and Anna's such a good person to work with.
"It's been a really special year in that regard, and shout out to Sej as well. He's been a super great assistant goalkeeper coach, and that's just prepared me the best that it can for the games and to make the saves that I've made."
Moving more onto Anna, I guess Anna has been a cheerleader for you on and off the pitch. She's always there, celebrating every goal and every save, and she's always the first one to run to you at the final whistle to come celebrate with you and pick you up. How important is it to have such a strong support system between keepers?
"She's been so supportive of me this season, and it's so nice to have that. She's been so good for the team. She celebrates everything. You can hear her the whole game, and she's also performed really, really well when she's played and made some top saves, which I see every single day in training. It's been such a special year for us, and the relationship we have has been really, really good."
This season, you've been a key part to our success, being so solid as a back. How does it feel for your performance to be recognised by fans and also the league?
I think my goals this season were to just go into the season and be as consistent as I can be in every single game. I think that's just been what's driving me, just the consistency of performing every single week. I think it's nice to get some recognition for that from the fans and obviously the league.
"[I'm] just really proud of the saves I've been able to make and the moments and games that have kept us in games, and obviously being nominated for a few awards is just special, not only for me but for goalkeepers in general.
"I feel like we don't get enough credit a lot of the time. Strikers get a lot of credit for scoring goals, but they've only scored because the goalkeepers made a save five minutes earlier, so I think it's nice to see, finally, goalkeepers in the league getting some credit."
It must be so lovely to see the love from young fans singing your name to them, also having your name on the back of their shirts. How does it feel to inspire the next generation of goalkeepers?
"Yeah, it's amazing. I think when we finish a game, sometimes you're caught up in the moment of the game.
"There's been some games that have been tough this season, but then as soon as you walk over to the fans and you see them with their purple shirts with my name on the back or players' names on the back, it's just amazing to show how inspiring we actually are.
"It really puts things into perspective that this isn't just football for us; it's football to inspire generations to come."
This season, you've made some incredible saves, earning the tagline, "Super saves from Sophie Whitehouse." Talk us through which saves have been your favourite this season?
"It's hard. There's been a few that I've been really happy with. The save against Birmingham away is up for save of the season, and I think that's one of my favourites because I think my favourite moment in games is when people start celebrating, and then I somehow claw it out from the goal, and they are all shocked.
"In that game, I think everyone was a bit shocked. I even shocked myself a tiny bit. I was like 'how did I keep that out?', so probably that one.
"Then, I think a couple of saves away to Forest. They were pummeling us in the last few minutes, and I remember making a save and thinking we're going to keep a clean sheet. I felt really good about those."
Moving away from Charlton, you've also had success with Ireland, getting your first-ever start in a behind-closed-doors friendly. Talk us through the call-up and how it felt to be in goal for Ireland?
"It's a really, really proud moment for me, and I think with the season that I've had, I felt that was a top moment as well, getting my debut.
"I think I've been working really, really hard [for Ireland], and it's a really proud moment for me and my family. It's been a long time coming, and the work that I've put in showed this season. So I'm really happy with that."
This season, you won the Golden Glove for WSL 2. Tell us how special that is?
"It feels really good. Like I said, one of my goals this season was consistency. One of my other goals was actually the Golden Glove, and I thought, going into the season, our goal was promotion.
"The best way that we can do that is to keep clean sheets and stop teams from scoring on us. I think as a defensive unit, we've been so solid, so it's not just a golden glove for me, it's a golden glove for like everyone in the back line, even the strikers defending from the front, so it's a really proud moment.
"I've been inspired by David Raya a bit this season, and he's had a really good season, and I feel like I'm kind of like trying to be just like him. He's won the Golden Glove, and I have now, too."
Not only the Golden Glove, but you also won Player of the Season, voted for by fans and Players Player of the Season. What do these awards mean to you?
"Being nominated for Player of the Year was really special and I just want to thank the fans for supporting me and coming to every game and cheering me on.
"Then to be voted player's player by the players is extra special because they're the ones that see everything that we do every day, so that just feels really special to me for my team to vote that."
We have one more game left, and it's a huge one, the first-ever play-off in WSL history. What is your message to your teammates, to fans, and yourself ahead of this game on May 23rd?
"It's a huge game for us, and it's a chance for us to make history for the club and for the fans. We heard you the whole time against Liverpool, against Birmingham, the big games that we've been in this season, so it would be great to have you back at the Valley supporting us, and I'm looking forward to making history with such a special group of girls."
You can catch Sophie and the Addicks in action at The Valley in The Play-Off, presented by Mercedes-Benz, on Saturday, May 23rd (KO 12:30pm)
Tickets for this huge clash are on sale now, and you can purchase your ticket here!
