Ipswich Town Women: Natasha Thomas 'proud' of unconventional career path

Thomas has scored 16 goals in 11 games this season, already outscoring her previous two season totals of 15 and 12

Ipswich Town Women's record goalscorer Natasha Thomas says her career journey, which was outside an academy, offers hope to youngsters in the game.

The striker has scored 142 goals in 191 games since signing in November 2015.

The 27-year-old, who signed from Lowestoft Town, says she is proud of her unconventional journey to professional football.

"It's not about going through an academy," she said. "Yes that's a route, but for me it wasn't."

The striker put pen to paper on a first professional deal, one of 10 players to be given a professional contract in 2021

Thomas' journey began by progressing through grassroots level at Waveney from the age of nine, before joining Lowestoft Town.

She was signed by Ipswich Town as a 19-year-old, but unlike many of her teammates, Thomas was not in an academy growing up.

"It just shows all the younger players out there, wanting to get to a higher level in football, there isn't one way to get there and I've proven that.

"I'm proud that I've been able to play at a higher level."

Natasha Thomas says her family always believed in her, and "supported her dream"

Thomas put pen to paper, alongside nine teammates, in August 2021 for her first professional contract.

"It was a lifelong dream, and when I signed that first contract, that's when things started to click a bit more in my brain," she said.

The Tractor Girls are still a part-time outfit, playing their football in the third tier of the women's pyramid.

Thomas, who also works as a gym instructor, says playing football comes with sacrifice.

"I'm a family orientated person," she said. "They've always believed in me. The support I get from them, I want to repay them.

"I want to show them that although unfortunately I couldn't get to my niece's christening or I couldn't make someone's birthday, there's a reason behind that and I hope I can repay them all back through what I do on the pitch.

"That's why I push myself so much, both on and off the pitch. I don't want the sacrifices to be sacrifices for no reason."

Ipswich Town Women are back in FA Cup action on Sunday, looking for a place in the third round.

A win over fourth-tier side Sutton Coldfield Town would bring in £8,000 prize money, with the third-round winners earning £35,000.

Thomas' 142 goal tally for the club leaves her just eight short of the 150 goal milestone

In 2022, they reached the quarter-finals of the competition, eventually bowing out to Women's Super League side West Ham.

Thomas said: "We all love the FA Cup. We always do so well in it.

"The incentive of the money does really helps us, as a club too. Also, playing the best clubs in the world, from the WSL, we want to play against the best, to not only see where we are, but where we could go."

Thomas is currently the top goalscorer this season, boasting 16 goals in 11 games.

Just eight goals and nine appearances short of 150 goals and 200 appearances for the club, Town's number 7 says she's got those milestones in sight.

"I want to win the league, go as far as we can in the cup," she said.

"Both milestones are going to come, and when they do, I'll really enjoy them. But then, it will be 'what's the next milestone?'"

You can listen to the full interview here.

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