“It was really enjoyable,” she reflected. “I learned a lot on and off the pitch. It was a really good life experience as well, moving away from home.
“I learned a lot from the coaches and the girls at Sunderland, and had a lot of good experiences up there.
“I think I learned a lot about the different styles of play, trying to implement different gameplans, and learning from different coaches. I’ve always loved picking things up from multiple coaches, and I’ve done that throughout the time I’ve been playing. That’s been a really enjoyable process.
“I’ve always been in east London, always lived here, so it was different, but a really good life experience, just to go and experience new things - and you couldn’t really get much further away!”
Sunderland boss Melanie Reay clearly trusted Flannery, as she played all of Sunderland’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup quarter-final away at Manchester United in March. The Black Cats were within touching distance of their opponents for the majority of the contest, but a 91st-minute goal from Ella Toone put the game to bed, as the hosts secured a 3-1 victory.