Erin Cuthbert left her native Scotland at only 18 years old to join Chelsea. What she found with the Blues was a home away from home. In this piece, she speaks candidly of what that has meant to her over the years…
_Moving to the unknown in London from Irvine on the seaside…well, it was a stark contrast. That’s putting it mildly! But, I knew I had to take a leap of faith._
_It wasn’t always easy. I doubted myself. I had people in Glasgow telling me how big a jump it would be. They questioned if it was the right decision. As time passed, I knew it was._
_You have to build your home. Nest, slowly. As I said, these surroundings – both on the pitch and off it – were unlike anything I had back in Scotland._
_But, I started to grow a strong affinity with this club. It’s only increased year after year. Eight and counting._
_The fans came to love me and that was a mutual feeling. I earned the trust of my fellow players. The staff always supported me. All of it helped make this place home._
_Things started to become familiar. Between the big waves from security as I drive to training in the morning and the greetings from the kitchen staff when I make my first coffee of the day, I felt welcome here. I still do. The feeling has never wavered._
_In the years that have passed, all of those people have felt like my second family. We share the same Chelsea blood._
_I see them almost every day and they probably know more about me in some respects than my family back home in Scotland do. And I know about their lives, too._
_That’s what I love about Chelsea. No matter who you are or what role you play. It is a family. We are all aligned in where we want to go and what we want to achieve._
_But, even if I had won zero trophies at the club, I would have still felt satisfied that I’m exactly where I should be. It’s the behaviours that count and we do the right ones here._
_I have been here for almost a decade and I’m just a small cog in the wheel. That’s the beauty of it._
_We are all a small part of a much bigger thing. I do my best to contribute to that every day and so does everyone else._
_Things may feel familiar, but they aren’t comfortable. I feel challenged in this environment every single day. I know I can still become a better player and this is right where I want to be to do that._
_My mum and dad watched me leave Scotland as a naïve teenager. I had never lived away from home before and I had to learn to fend for myself._
_I know they were worried. They watched their little girl fly the nest and step into the unknown. We all made sacrifices and for that I’ll forever be grateful._
_But, if you don’t take that shot in the dark then you will never be where you want to be in life._
_It took time for their worries to fade away, but when I started calling them and they could see the big smile beaming across my face, they knew I had found my people. Best friends and connections made for life._
_One of the biggest thanks I have for that has to go to Fran Kirby. She never wanted me to feel alone in those early days. I don’t think I can ever express in words how much she did for me._
_When new faces arrive at the club now, I try to be like Fran. I want to be one of the first to greet new players and make them feel at home. I want them to feel what I feel._
_Eight years ago, I left my home and found another one. Thank you, Chelsea._