DIVA caught up with this midfielder to chat about her wedding, the WSL and the growth of women’s football
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES SUPPLIED BY ASTON VILLA
Miri Taylor started playing football as a kid with too much energy and a competitive streak. It was her avenue for fun, kicking the ball around with her mates after school. Before she knew it, she was a teenager playing with Chelsea’s youth club. Soon, she was being flown out to the States. It was more competitive, sure, but at the heart of it was still her love for the game.
Now, Miri has captivated fans as a midfielder for Women’s Super League (WSL) club Aston Villa. On the international pitch, she now plays for the Scottish National Team. Off the pitch, Miri has also built up a dedicated fanbase of supporters, notably from the LGBTQIA+ community.
We catch up just a couple of months after Miri tied the knot with her wife, Sammi. The pictures are breathtaking, with the couple saying “I do” in a beautiful French château. Miri describes the day as being “absolutely gorgeous” but also “absolutely sweltering”. And how is married life? “It’s absolutely amazing. Sam’s my little rock. She’s the best thing ever. We’re in this beautiful little married bubble right now.”
It’s no secret that the WSL has been a home for both LGBTQIA+ players and fans. Aston Villa even has its own LGBTQIA+ supporters’ network called Villa And Proud. “People are not afraid to be who they are. That’s the 101 of women’s football,” Miri explains when I ask what creates this inclusivity. “It’s such a beautiful, unique environment which allows people to thrive and feel safe. People can be authentically happy and content.”
“It’s a beautiful thing that sadly not a lot of workplace environments or other sports provide for people. It’s just home. People just are themselves. It’s beautiful to allow people to have that because it breeds the most professional and thriving environment,” she adds.
And this inclusion doesn’t just stop at the players on the pitch. This ethos of belonging trickles down to the stands. For Miri, the fans’ response to the team is “unbelievable”. “It’s so beautiful to hear that young girls have started football because of us,” she says.
Following the Lionesses’ back-to-back Euros wins, women’s football in the UK has continued to grow from strength to strength. Miri tells me that it’s a constant pinch-me moment that she gets to be a professional footballer for a living. She cites the footballers who came before her, like Lucy Bronze and Gemma Bonner, who had to work part-time jobs alongside football, and how much has changed since then.
Speaking about the WSL now, Miri says, “I think it’s incredible how many foreign players come to the WSL. I’m biased, but I think the WSL is the best league in the world.”
It’s evident that while Miri may be a professional footballer now, she has never lost the joy that she got from the game as a kid. “If you love what you do, you’re never going to work a day in your life,” she smiles.
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