Chelsea has been Millie Bright’s home for the last decade and our captain has explained how she stays not only because it’s where she feels comfortable, but because she is continuously challenged.
That’s why she has extended her stay at the Blues until the summer of 2026, with the option of another year. She is not done yet, with many more experiences still to be had.
Millie speaks to us at Stamford Bridge where she has taken a trip down memory lane to help announce her new contract.
From a dressing room adorned with the Chelsea shirts she has kept over the years, to celebrating the trophies she has won by visiting the club museum, this has been a day for the 31-year-old to reflect upon a decade’s worth of achievements. And she has done so with her loved ones by her side, with mum Nicola and dad Steve joining Millie in SW6.
It is undoubtedly rare for a player to stay at a top club for as long as Millie has. But, to her, it comes as no surprise. When she arrived at 21 years old from Doncaster Rovers Belles, she immediately knew this was the place for her.
‘I knew I was ready for a change,’ she explains. ‘First and foremost, you have to be ready as an individual. You have to be ready to step into something unknown.
‘When I spoke to [Paul Green](/en/teams/profile/paul-green) and Emma Hayes, I was sold. She doesn’t sell you the dream, she tells you the reality. I’m a cut-to-the-chase kind of person so I appreciated how straight up she was.
‘Straight away she was talking about what the club wanted to achieve and how I had to work on X, Y and Z but they believed in me. Having that belief and coming forward to sign me gave me a lot of confidence.
‘I knew I would be here ten years on. I knew straight away that I was in the right place and was where I needed to be to succeed.
‘Every season has had its challenges. I’ve developed here every single season. I’ve had personal challenges off the pitch and injuries. I feel like I’ve experienced everything you can as a player.
‘I always want people to know that I haven’t stayed for comfort, I stay because I feel challenged.’
Football is ever-changing and Millie has had to adapt to that at Chelsea. But, one constant throughout her journey has been the head of women’s football Paul Green.
The pair had worked together at Doncaster before moving to the Blues, and as we chat today, we recall a story we heard about the first time Paul met a young Millie. He knew then her potential and that feeling has never wavered.
He also joins us at the Bridge and we meet him in the press room to take signing photos. A routine the pair are used to doing together, thanks to the number of contract extensions Millie has signed during her ten years.
‘Ten years later, PG!’ she says to him.
They share a smile whilst getting their photo taken shaking hands, the defender adds: ‘I don’t think we’ve done this pose before.’
It is clear how much they respect each other. Both have played their part in making Chelsea the successful team it is.
‘Paul has been massively important for me,’ Millie later tells us when we sit down to chat. ‘He was the only bit of comfort I had coming to the club. He was at Doncaster before and he knows me inside out as a person.
‘To have someone on your journey who knows where you’ve come from and your roots as a person is so valuable. To be here today ten years on and to still be working with him is pretty incredible.
‘When you come into a new environment and nobody knows you, everyone is trying to figure you out, but Paul knew who I was deep down. It always made me feel supported.’
That support has paid dividends as Millie has continued to be an ever-reliable player for the Blues and a huge part of our success. She has lifted every major honour we have won and still has a desire for even more.
But, it is not only trophies she hopes to lift in the year to come. There are still improvements, the captain believes, to be made in her own game and the bigger picture of our sport.
‘I have to say trophies,’ Millie replies when asked what is still to come from her time at Chelsea. ‘But, I also want to play a part in the development of the women’s game.
‘We want to continue leading the way as a club and be the first to do whatever’s next and required for the game. I want us to be at the forefront of that.
‘I want to help develop the youngsters and help push the next generation because they are the ones who are going to be taking over.
‘But, really, I still want to be that reliable player and want to drive the standards within the team.
‘Sonia (Bompastor) has come in and has challenged us all on new levels. Every player is developing and no matter your age or how long you’ve been here, everyone is improving and getting better.
‘It’s exciting to know the ceiling is not set. We’ve moved it to a whole new level. That’s really exciting to know there’s more to come.'