Everton Women’s Ruby Mace has given a positive nod to interim manager Scott Phelan at the 2025/26 Player of the Season Awards.
The glitzy event, held at Hill Dickinson Stadium’s The Yard, paid tribute to those players that have been recognised by fans and colleagues alike.
Blues’ keeper Courtney Brosnan scooped both Women’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season, with Mace scooping the Women’s Young Player of the Season in her first season with the Toffees.
And in a brief but impactful speech, the 22-year-old was open and honest about the team’s inaugural campaign at Goodison Park, but gave credit to Phelan’s impact upon his arrival in February.
“I think it’s bee a bit up and down if I’m honest with you but I think without the girls it wouldn’t be where it was today,” said Mace. “I think Scott coming in has made a real change and really helped us to be the best we can be.”
In his first three months in charge, Phelan accomplished three straight league wins before form slipped again with four straight losses, although three came against the WSL’s top four.
Everton Women did end their season with victory though thanks to Maz Pacheco’s first goal for the club in a hard-fought win over Leicester City at Goodison Park, which ended a mixed campaign for the Blues.
Mace was one of the season’s biggest highlights; signed from the Foxes in the summer for a club record fee the midfielder, who has been largely deployed as a centre back for the Toffees in her 21 appearances, winning 43 tackles and making 33 interceptions.
One of the game’s finest distributors of the ball, the former Arsenal graduate earned a senior England call-up during her tenure with the Blues and made her international bow against Switzerland in December.
And it wasn’t just the international stage where Mace was recognised, as she was also one of eight players nominated for the Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Season, eventually losing out to the division’s top scorer, Khadija Shaw.
Call ups for Wheeler and Brosnan
With the season barely over, Brosnan will have little time to enjoy her double gongs, following the news that both she and Clare Wheeler have been called up for Australia and United States of America, respectively.
Wheeler, who has over 40 caps for the Matildas, will be looking for victory over Mexico on Saturday, 6 June, while her teammate, who has shared captaining duties with Wheeler for Everton this season, will be looking for an international shut-out against Brazil, also on 6 June.