Wolves Women legend says it's time to retire

Anna Price is hoping to remain involved in the sport

A former Wolves Women captain has announced her retirement from playing competitive football after 30 years of doing so.

Anna Price, who made 358 appearances for the team, said it was "definitely the right time" to retire.

The footballer and Wolves fan, 38, joined their set-up at the age of eight, with the only gap coming when she spent three years at university in Sheffield.

The midfielder said it was obviously a big decision to retire, because playing football was all she had ever known.

She added: "Over probably the last season... I did start to think about that and getting injuries and things like that and obviously getting older.

"So, yeah, it wasn't a quick decision by any means.

"When it come to the end of the season, I definitely knew it was the right step to take."

Anna Price played for Wolves as a teenager and became captain aged 21

Wolverhampton-born Price's football journey started by watching her brother play before joining and turning out for her primary school's boys' team.

She made her first-team Wolves debut when she came off the bench aged 15 in a home defeat against Aston Villa in the Birmingham County Cup in 2001.

Her first Wolves goal was a match winner at Oldham Curzon in 2003 and she later became the captain, aged just 21.

In the past Wolves Women would take on local teams and she recalled playing against Birmingham City when they had names like Eni Aluko and Karen Carney.

Price [centre], pictured with Anne Johnson and Amber Quick, made more than 300 senior Wolves Women appearances

Two seasons ago Wolves Women won the Northern Premier league at "the first year of asking".

Lifting the trophy had been a really proud moment, she said, but then, to reach the Championship, the team had to play the southern winners.

The game at Stockport was streamed live on the BBC.

She said: "That was an amazing day and experience, but unfortunately we narrowly missed out, 1-0 to Southampton... but it was still a special time to be at the club."

The season-ticket holder, who has a degree in sports development and coaching, has been an ambassador for the club's official charity, the Wolves Foundation, since 2021.

She is now hoping to remain involved in the sport.

"I've got my coaching badges. I've been doing those the last few seasons, so, yeah, I'm still involved at Wolves at the minute."

Price is assistant head of key stage at Thomas Telford School in Shropshire, running the girls' football programme.

Wolverhampton-born Price has supported the club since she was a child