“Football is not a smooth path, there’s going to be moments where it’s rough, and that’s something I took on. I didn’t get myself down because of that.
“When I got back, being on home ground, it just unlocked me to be that person, I’m always going to be calm. It’s always nice to be here because it’s home ground. I’m always collected and confident on the ball.”
Following Ademiluyi’s return to east London in January, the turn of the year brought the women’s team a lot of joy, both in the WSL and in the Subway® Women’s League Cup - particularly against the league’s big-hitters - as they finished the term eight points better off than the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
The striker was sent on as a second-half substitute at home to Manchester City in March, as Skinner’s team hunted a late equaliser under the lights, and they got what they craved with one of the last kicks of the game via a strike from livewire Manuela Paví.
Post-match, Ademiluyi spoke about how overjoyed she was to get back the feeling of celebrating with her teammates in Claret and Blue, and that emotion has remained.
“I’m definitely a team player,” she said.
“I’ve been in the first team for the past couple of seasons, and I’ve seen what it’s been like when we weren’t so good on the pitch and we didn’t have the momentum. Now we have the momentum, I can see everyone in training [is] ten times happier, so it’s nice to see my teammates happy, and that makes me happy. It makes my day for the rest of the week.”