'I have to pinch myself' - Blackburn Rovers and NI keeper Lauren Perry on her rise to the top

Lauren Perry moved to Blackburn Rovers in October 2019

Three league titles, Champions League experience, five senior Northern Ireland caps, which included being named Player of the Match on her international debut, and a move to Blackburn Rovers.

That's not a bad résumé for a player who has just celebrated her 19th birthday - especially when you throw in Ulster Women's Player of the Year, NIFWA Women's Football Personality of the Year and NIFL Player of the Year awards too.

With a CV as impressive as it is, Lauren Perry admits the scale of her achievements to date "are the stuff of dreams".

After breaking into the Linfield first team and winning three NIFL Women's Premiership titles in as many years, Perry was offered the chance to jump up the football ladder with English Championship side Blackburn Rovers in October.

"When I moved to Linfield I just wanted to get a season under my belt to adapt to playing in a higher league, I never thought I'd get this far," said Perry.

"I do have to pinch myself a bit at my journey to date."

Making NI debut at 16

Perry rose to prominence after making her senior international debut in September 2017, against former World Champions Norway at just 16 years of age.

Northern Ireland fell to a 4-1 defeat in Fredrikstad, however the young debutant collected a Player of the Match award after making several fine saves.

"Growing up I always wanted to play football and represent Northern Ireland, so making my senior international debut is something I will always cherish," said the Ballynahinch native.

"Being in the senior international environment at 16 made me mature quickly because there are so many experienced players about."

She admits receiving the international call-up by Alife Wylie was a complete surprise just weeks after featuring in the under-19 European Championships in Northern Ireland.

"I remember walking out at Windsor Park in front of 4,000 people against Spain and thinking, 'wow, this is unbelievable'," she recalls.

"After the final group game against Germany, a journalist asked me if I thought Alfie would call me up to the senior squad, and to be honest, I was thinking he was mad.

"A few weeks later I got the call and I remember being so nervous."

Perry made her senior debut against Norway aged just 16

Perry credits Ashley Hutton, Kirsty McGuinness and Simone Magill for helping to dampen down any pre-match nerves.

"Kirsty was a great help, she told me I had earned my chance and I had to enjoy it," she recalls.

"Simone came over to me in the changing room and said me there was no pressure on me, which really helped.

"I know it wasn't the result that we wanted but to come out as Player of the Match was a great feeling.

"Alfie has given me so many opportunities and I'll forever thank him for them."

I had to swallow a lump in my throat

While riding on the crest of a wave, Perry sustained a freak knee injury when catching a ball in August 2018 on under-19 duty with Northern Ireland.

"Initially we weren't aware of the full extend of the injury," said Perry, who was meant to be with the senior set-up a few weeks later.

"I've done it a thousand times during matches and for it to happen that one time was awful.

"I was able to walk around a good bit and we didn't think it was an ACL.

"I was actually with the senior squad when I got told the extent of the damage when I went up to see the team doctor.

"Everyone started clapping when they saw me as I was off my crutches and I had to swallow a lump in my throat because it wasn't good news."

Perry won the Women's Premiership title with Linfield, where her father, Alan, is a coach, on three occasions

With injury firmly halting her momentum, Perry says the support of her team-mates enabled her to deal with the challenge, both physically and mentally.

"Everyone at Northern Ireland and Linfield were very good with me and I didn't have any setbacks in my recovery," she adds.

"I didn't really have time to process it because I was staying in and around the squads when I was doing my rehab.

"My recovery was very smooth and that has helped me come back as quickly and as strong as I did.

'Why would I go home?'

After initially moving to Blackburn with fellow Blues, Louise McDaniel, Kelsie Burrows and Abbie Magee, Perry split her time between football and her degree in Sport and PE at the University at Central Lancashire.

The coronavirus pandemic has meant she has had to finish her studies from home in Northern Ireland, which has included coursework and doing "Joe Wicks-style exercise videos" for kids.

"Four of us went over together from Linfield but Louise, Kelsie and Abbie have all moved on from the club.

"I had to adapt when they left but it has been good to learn and have that independence.

"I thought, 'why would I come home?'. I wasn't struggling and I was enjoying both the course and the football side of things."

Blackburn, who had earned promoted into the second tier, were sitting in seventh position by the time the league was suspended.

Gemma Donnelly's side are on track to see out their survival ambitions, however Perry admits that "the biggest challenge" for Rovers is that the players are part-time in a competitive league.

"If we have an away game in London or if we need to stay over somewhere overnight, players often need to try and get out of work early," she said.

Perry got to taste FA Cup action against Liverpool

While on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper Fran Stenson has been seeing the majority of league action, Perry has managed to get a run out in the cups which has included ties against Liverpool in Continental Cup and the FA Cup.

"It's my first year so I'm hoping I can push on a bit next season and I have been learning as much as I can off Fran," she added.

"Coming from Linfield, playing Liverpool in the cup was a surreal experience.

"We lost both times, but they are games that you have to learn from when you look at some of the players you are facing.

"It's a great opportunity to play against them because you know where you have to aim for."

Turning professional 'would be a dream'

After recovering from injury and settling into life at Blackburn, Perry has her sights on returning to the senior Northern Ireland squad under new manager Kenny Shiels.

"It's a great time to be in the international squad and we are really going in the right direction," adds Perry.

"I'm now at the end of my time with the under-19s so my focus is getting back in the senior squad.

"Kenny has been keeping in touch to make sure everyone is keeping okay and we're not feeling down.

"The team is on such an up and every time we were playing we were progressing."

Perry back in action after her ACL injury

The Covid-19 outbreak has interrupted her maiden season in England but Perry is working hard on training at home to be in the best possible shape when it is safe for football to return.

"I have a programme with Blackburn and I'm doing some extra stuff on my own too," she says.

"I'm lucky enough to have a few weights and I've been splitting my time between my garden and a local pitch.

"Sometimes it can be hard to find the motivation to go out and train, but I know what I am aiming for and that's the top.

"To get a professional contract would be a dream come true and all my hard work would have paid off.

"I can't wait for the rest of the journey."