Rogers discusses her inspirations in the women's game, and how she aims to drive standards from between the sticks in Sheffield.
Header image: Sportimage
The 2024/2025 season was a punishing one for Sheffield United Women Football Club (W.F.C). Rooted to the bottom of the WSL2 table, The Blades managed just one victory all season, which was a narrow 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers, who finished five points ahead of the South Yorkshire club.
However, United were handed a reprieve when Rovers were relegated to the fourth tier for failing to meet the Championship’s criteria towards operating as a fully professional model. For goalkeeper Sian Rogers, this campaign was her debut season at the club, having joined from Charlton Athletic that summer.
Speaking exclusively to Goalkeeper.com, Rogers discussed the decision that swayed her to join Sheffield United W.F.C.
“It was a no-brainer in that sense,” she explained, "but it was more so I wanted to go to somewhere that was a team I knew a lot about, so that, first and foremost, helped me out with making that decision.”
Rogers described The Blades as a "well-known" team, and has herself has become a well-known figure in the Women's Championship, earning recognition during multiple spells in the league for Aston Villa and Charlton Athletic. Rogers has proven to provide a safe pair of golden hands at the professional level.
In 2024, the club was in search of experience between the goalposts following the departure of first-choice goalkeeper Fran Stenson to Southampton.
“I was brought in for my experiences of playing at this level for quite a long time,” Rogers stated. “I felt it was a team where I knew I could impact coming in and bringing my experiences, which is one of the reasons they brought me in.”
She added that the process was made simple by the club’s desire to sign her. “I think as a player, first and foremost, when a club wants you, it kind of makes that decision a lot easier for you."
Rogers repaid that trust by collecting personal accolades such as Championship Save of the Season, and the Club’s Player of the Year award in her debut campaign.
She recalled the mixed feelings attached to the personal recognition. “It was tough because winning the award was at a strange time, with how the season ended. But to win that award, it highlighted personally that I had had a good season. Collectively, we did not have a great season.”
Rogers felt the award validated her effort throughout the campaign. “For me, the [Club Player of the Year] award highlighted the efforts that I put in to try and make sure the club did stay up, and unfortunately, we did not. But it highlighted, for other people and to myself, I had given the best of myself and shown what I was about as a player.”
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Bramall Lane is a historical stadium shared between the women's and men's teams. As many as eleven WSL and WSL2 teams currently play their home games in the same stadium as their men's team.
Built for purpose in 1855, Bramall Lane has a rich history in cricket, football and since 2022 has been the home for United’s W.F.C. While many women’s clubs have built their own history in separate venues, Rogers believes that "more clubs need to put their women's team" in the same stadiums and described herself as being “very fortunate” to play in a “fantastic stadium”.
Rogers arrived at Bramall Lane as a senior figure. “When I came in, I acted like an older player. I know saying that at 27 sounds a bit silly, but coming in at 26 is still young as a goalkeeper," she reflected. "I came in with these experiences, but I am still learning myself. Coming into a young group, I had to mature in a way that did not take away from my game.”
Satara Murray served as captain, as Rogers was appointed as co-vice-captain alongside Ella Kinzett for the 2024/2025 season. Since then, Kinzett has taken on the captaincy following Murray’s retirement. The different personality traits among the three senior players in Roger’s first campaign helped to create a positive environment during a challenging season.
“We all had different skillsets. Mine was being more the vocal person, driving communication. One of the other girls [Kinzett] led in the way she played. And the captain [Murray] herself was a mixture of the both of us.”
When asked about setting expectations and leading by example with younger players, Rogers emphasised the importance of “driving the standards” and creating an environment where “your day-to-day approach with people is one where they feel comfortable.”
As a goalkeeper, it can be advantageous to lead with communication with the full view of the pitch in front. "You have to be calm and relaxed. You must have that calming influence where everyone around you feels that calmness in those chaotic moments, and for me that season had a lot of responsibility.”
Despite being in that role, the learning never stops. Goalkeeping has experienced a shift in the modern game where distribution is seen as just as imperative as shot-stopping. Rogers recognised that: “If you want to progress further, you have to adapt to changes [in the game].”
“I'm always wanting to learn different ways of goalkeeping, and you'll find as you get older and you have different coaches, you do that anyway. Every coach has a different style or way of teaching, and you have to learn that style and adapt.”
Before Rogers began inspiring a younger generation, she had her own inspirations which started at home.
“My dad played as a goalkeeper, so I had seen him from a young age. For a while I was in an all-girls team, and then we got asked who wants to go in goal. I put my hand up, and I have never looked back.”
That tradition continues through her own niece, who is now able to watch Rogers in a professional game increasingly accessible to young women.
Euro winning Lionesses Millie Bright, Ellie Roebuck, and Bethany England all came through Sheffield United’s Centre of Excellence. Back then, the set up presented limitations in their pathway to success within Sheffield, meaning they all left for other academies to excel. It has since been replaced by a Category One elite academy, licensed by the FA at the highest grade within the women’s game.
Speaking on the successes of the trio, Rogers highlighted the national shift in visibility. “The progression that you have seen, especially from the Lionesses, the kickstart that it has had, and how young girls can see it. It is hard work to get to any elite level of performance. But if you can see it, you know that it is achievable.”
“If young girls can see successful stories, then they know it is achievable. Year on year, the opportunities are increasing.”
