Lily Agg
{{Short description|Irish footballer (born 1993)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lily Agg
| image = Lily Agg - Bristol City match prep (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|12|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Brighton, England
| height = 5 ft 5 in
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Birmingham City
| youthclubs1 = Eastbourne Borough
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs2 = Polegate Grasshoppers
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs3 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| youthyears3 =
| youthclubs4 = Arsenal
| youthyears4 = 2010–2012
| clubs1 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| years1 = 2012–2014
| caps1 = 26
| goals1 = 7
| clubs2 = London Bees
| years2 = 2014
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| clubs3 = Millwall Lionesses
| years3 = 2014–2016
| caps3 = 22
| goals3 = 6
| clubs4 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| years4 = 2016
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| clubs5 = Cardiff Met
| years5 = 2016
| caps5 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| clubs6 = Bristol City
| years6 = 2017
| caps6 = 3
| goals6 = 1
| clubs7 = Frankfurt
| years7 = 2017–2018
| caps7 = 13
| goals7 = 1
| clubs8 = Charlton Athletic
| years8 = 2018–2019
| caps8 = 19
| goals8 = 7
| clubs9 = London City Lionesses
| years9 = 2019–2023
| caps9 = 36
| goals9 = 4
| clubs10 = Birmingham City
| caps10 = 29
| goals10 = 7
| years10 = 2023–
| nationalyears1 = 2022–
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland
| nationalcaps1 = 11
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| pcupdate = 00:50, 6 November 2024 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 24 September 2023
| clubnumber = 12
}}
Lily Maria Phoebe Agg (born 17 December 1993) is a professional footballer who currently plays for Birmingham City W.F.C. and the Republic of Ireland women's national football team.
Agg studied at the University of Brighton and has got a teaching degree. Alongside her football career, Agg also currently works as a Sports Lecturer at Academy 1 Sports in Essex.{{Cite web|last=Agg|first=Lily|title=Lily Agg linkedin|url=https://uk.linkedin.com/in/lily-agg-907060106}}
Early life
Agg grew up in Eastbourne with her mother Ruth and three siblings including Poppy Agg. She attended Bishop Bell School and began playing youth football for Eastbourne Borough when she was five years old, before joining Polegate Grasshoppers when she was 11.{{cite news |title=Schoolgirl Lily's football dream could slip away if funding not found |url=http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/Schoolgirl-Lily39s-football-dream-could.6519605.jp |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=Eastbourne Herald |date=10 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100911172953/http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/Schoolgirl-Lily39s-football-dream-could.6519605.jp |archive-date=11 September 2010}} Afterwards, Agg earned trials with Chelsea and Arsenal and would end up joining the latter.{{cite news |title=Lily Agg: Driven by the love of place and the strength of those who came before |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/lily-agg-driven-by-the-love-of-place-and-the-strength-of-those-who-came-before/a2028148038.html |access-date=12 August 2023 |work=Irish Independent |date=16 July 2023 |last=Kelly|first=David }}
Club career
= Arsenal =
After moving away from her home in the South East, Agg joined the Arsenal W.F.C. Academy. She did manage to get into the first team squad, but made only a handful of appearances.{{Cite web|title=Former Arsenal Women striker Lily Agg signs for 1. FFC Frankfurt|url=https://ladyarse.tumblr.com/post/163981619030/former-arsenal-women-striker-lily-agg-signs-for-1|access-date=2021-04-14|website=LadyArse/Daily Cannon|language=en}} She declined the offer of a full-time contract from Arsenal, preferring to prioritise her university studies.{{cite web |title=Lily Agg (ST/CAM) |url=https://medium.com/ignitetalent/lily-agg-st-cam-9c261d6939fa |publisher=Ignite Talent |access-date=2 July 2022 |date=7 June 2018}}
= Brighton & Hove Albion =
Agg started her professional career back at her hometown club, Brighton & Hove Albion, which she had initially joined at the Under 12's level in Brighton Centre's of Excellence before moving to Arsenal.{{Cite web|last=Coombes|first=Cassie|title=Lily Agg {{!}} London City Lionesses|url=https://www.londoncitylionesses.com/lily-agg|access-date=2021-04-14|website=Lionesses|language=en|archive-date=20 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620120726/https://www.londoncitylionesses.com/lily-agg|url-status=dead}}
= London Bees =
In January 2014 Agg left Brighton & Hove Albion, in order to play at a higher level.{{cite news |last1=Hilsum |first1=James |title=Agg Moves On |url=http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/agg-moves-on-1303743.aspx |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |date=19 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121220009/http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/agg-moves-on-1303743.aspx |archive-date=21 January 2014}} She returned to London, joining the London Bees for a short period. She scored the club's first ever goal in their 3–1 FA Women's Cup win over Leeds United.{{cite news |title=Newly-formed women's club London Bees defeated Leeds United 3–1 in the Women's FA Cup |url=https://www.times-series.co.uk/sport/11039047.newly-formed-womens-club-london-bees-defeated-leeds-united-3-1-in-the-womens-fa-cup/ |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=Times series (north London) |date=24 February 2014}}
= Millwall Lionesses =
She left the Bees after a very short spell to join the Millwall Lionesses for a season. She made a promising start, as the club's joint-leading goal scorer for 2014, and extended her contract for another year at the end of the campaign.{{cite news |title=Millwall tie down top scorer |url=https://www.womenssoccerscene.co.uk/womens-football-news-2014-2015/150121-02-womens-football-news.htm |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=Women's Soccer Scene |date=21 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414170859/https://www.womenssoccerscene.co.uk/womens-football-news-2014-2015/150121-02-womens-football-news.htm |archive-date=14 April 2021}}
= Return to Brighton & Hove Albion =
After a two-year period away, Lily rejoined her hometown club in 2015. During this spell she helped the club gain promotion, after winning the FA Women's Premier League Championship Play Off.{{Cite journal|last1=Weston|first1=Matthew|last2=Drust|first2=Barry|last3=Gregson|first3=Warren|date=March 2011|title=Intensities of exercise during match-play in FA Premier League referees and players|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2010.543914|journal=Journal of Sports Sciences|volume=29|issue=5|pages=527–532|doi=10.1080/02640414.2010.543914|pmid=21294032|s2cid=37554696|issn=0264-0414}}
= Cardiff Metropolitan Ladies F.C. =
Agg played for Cardiff Met. Ladies F.C., including during their 2016–17 UEFA Women's Champions League campaign,{{cite news |last1=Swift |first1=Chris |title=Women's football Keynsham set for 'biggest game in six years' |work=Bristol Post |date=2 February 2017 |page=41 |id={{ProQuest|1863831160}} }} where she scored both goals in Cardiff's 3–2 loss to Spartak Subotica.{{cite web |title=Spartak Subotica-Cardiff Met – UEFA Women's Champions League |url=https://www.uefa.com/womenschampionsleague/match/2020206--spartak-subotica-vs-cardiff-met |publisher=UEFA |access-date=8 May 2021 |date=25 August 2016}}
= Bristol City =
Agg moved to Women's Super League side Bristol City in January 2017. She paused her teaching career in order to join her new club on a full-time basis.{{cite news |last1=Dunn |first1=Carrie |title=Bristol City's Lily Agg quits the classroom for full-time football |url=https://www.shoot.co.uk/bristol-citys-lily-agg-quits-the-classroom-for-full-time-football/ |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=Shoot (football magazine) |date=15 February 2017}} Making the move to England's top division is something that she has described as one of her greater career achievements. She made only three appearances, with one start, and scored one goal.{{Cite web|title=Lily Agg – Soccer player profile & career statistics – Global Sports Archive|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/lily-agg/363298/|access-date=2021-04-14|website=globalsportsarchive.com}}
= FFC Frankfurt =
In August 2017, Agg moved to the Frauen-Bundesliga to join FFC Frankfurt, after a successful trial.{{cite news |title=Engländerin Agg stürmt nun für den FFC |url=https://www.soccerdonna.de/de/englaenderin-agg-stuermt-nun-fuer-den-ffc/news/anzeigen_4818.html |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=Transfermarkt |date=9 August 2017 |language=German}} At the time, she was the only British player play in Germany and it was seen to be a step up in her career.{{Cite web|last=Jamet|first=Sylvain|title=Former Arsenal Women striker Lily Agg signs for 1. FFC Frankfurt|date=9 August 2017 |url=https://dailycannon.com/2017/08/former-arsenal-women-striker-lily-agg-signs-for-1-ffc-frankfurt/|access-date=2021-04-14|language=en-US}}{{cite news |last1=Frith |first1=Wilf |title=Lily Agg Becomes 1. FFC Frankfurt's Final Addition |url=https://shekicks.net/lily-agg-becomes-1-ffc-frankfurts-final-addition/ |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=She Kicks |date=9 August 2017}} FFC Frankfurt had won seven Frauen-Bundesligas, eight German Cups and the Champions League on four occasions. Agg enjoyed playing in Germany, praising the professionalism of the club and the competitiveness of the Frauen-Bundesliga.{{cite news |last1=Garry |first1=Tom |title=Phil Neville: Why England Women boss has Bayern and Juventus on his radar |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42864732 |access-date=2 July 2022 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 February 2018}} In her only season in Germany, the club managed an average 6th-placed finish. However, Agg struggled for game time, making only 13 appearances, with nine of them involving her coming on as a substitute. Her only goal came in a league defeat to Freiburg.
= Charlton =
After a short stint in Germany, Agg joined Charlton for what was their inaugural season in the Championship. She made a total of six appearances and scored on two occasions on her return to English football.{{citation needed|date=May 2025}}
= London City Lionesses =
Agg subsequently joined Championship club London City Lionesses, ahead of the 2019–20 season. However, due to suffering a fractured tibia against Reading in a pre-season friendly, she missed the entirety of her debut season at the club.
She returned to action in the 2020–21 season against Sheffield United. In total, she made eleven appearances that season, being rewarded with three player of the match awards netting her one and only goal against champions Leicester.
Following the conclusion of the 2022–23 FA Women's Championship season, Agg left London City Lionesses.{{cite news|last=Kelly |first=David |title=Lily Agg not rushing to find new club after London City Lionesses exit, who she claims are 'a bit of a shambles'|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/lily-agg-not-rushing-to-find-new-club-after-london-city-lionesses-exit-who-she-claims-are-a-bit-of-a-shambles/a2097099003.html|access-date=29 July 2023 |publisher=Independent.ie |date=13 July 2023}}
= Birmingham City =
On 19 August 2023, Birmingham City announced they had signed Agg on a one-year deal.{{cite web|title=Lily Agg joins Blues Women!|url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/womens/lily-agg-joins-blues-women|access-date=20 August 2023|website=Birmingham City Football Club|date=19 August 2023}} On 27 May 2024, she signed a new one year contract, with the option of a one year extension, with the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.bcfc.com/pages/en/media-article/lily-agg-signs-new-deal|title=Lily Agg signs new deal|website=www.bcfc.com}}
International career
On 19 June 2022, Agg made her debut for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team in a friendly against the Philippines in Antalya, Turkey.{{cite tweet |user=FAIreland|number=1538519468518825986|date=19 June 2022|title=WNT LINE-UP {{!}} 🇮🇪 v 🇵🇭 🟢 @LilyAgg8 makes debut 🟢 @StephanieRoche9 gets nod up front 🟢 @Katie_McCabe11 leads as captain 🏟 Bellis Sports Centre, Antalya, Turkey ⏰ KO 16:00 (18:00 local time) 💻 LIVE 👉 https://youtube.com/watch?v=iqkwq4sDas4 #COYGIG {{!}} #WeAreOne {{!}} #OUTBELIEVE}} She marked the occasion by scoring the only goal in Ireland's 1–0 win.{{cite news |title=Agg marks her Irish debut with winner in tough battle |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/agg-marks-her-irish-debut-with-winner-in-tough-battle-41768632.html |access-date=25 June 2022 |publisher=Irish Independent |date=19 June 2022}} Agg had previously represented England up to under-19 level, but changed her allegiance to Ireland after an approach from the team's coach Vera Pauw. Agg was eligible for Ireland due to her grandmother Breda Greene being from County Cork, but the process of obtaining citizenship and switching her football eligibility proved to be protracted, delayed several times by injury and the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland.{{cite news |last1=Hannigan |first1=Mary |title=Lily Agg expects Ireland debut to be 'really emotional' after long wait |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/lily-agg-expects-ireland-debut-to-be-really-emotional-after-long-wait-1.4846407 |access-date=19 June 2022 |publisher=Irish Times |date=7 April 2022}}
On 1 September 2022 Agg was named player of the match in Ireland's 1–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A win over Finland at Tallaght Stadium. She entered play as a first-half substitute for the injured Ruesha Littlejohn then headed the winning goal, which secured Ireland's place in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA play-offs.{{cite news |last1=O'Brien |first1=Brendan |title=Lily Agg an overnight star years in the making |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-40953557.html |access-date=3 September 2022 |publisher=Irish Independent |date=3 September 2022}}
Career statistics
| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | ||
| scope="col" | National team
!scope="col" | Year | scope="col"| Apps | scope="col"| Goals |
|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2"|Republic of Ireland
|scope="row"| 2022 | 6 | 2 |
| scope="row"| 2023 | 5 | 1 |
| colspan="2"|Total | 11 | 3 |
:Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goals first. Score column indicates score after each Agg goal. Updated as of 24 September 2023.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+International goals scored by Lily Agg |
| scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Cumulative goals total}}
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Cap ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Venue ! scope="col" | Opponent ! scope="col" | Score ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" | Competition ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | 1
| align=center | 1 | 19 June 2022 || Bellis Hotel Sports Center, Antalya, Turkey || {{fbw|PHI}} | align=center| 1–0 | align=center| 1–0 | Friendly || {{Cite web | url = https://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/55501/2022/999948439 | title = WNT 1–0 Philippines | date = 19 June 2022 | access-date = 11 May 2023 | publisher = FAI}} |
| scope="row" | 2
| align=center | 3 | 1 September 2022 || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, Ireland || {{fbw|FIN}} | align=center| 1–0 | align=center| 1–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification || {{Cite web | url = https://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/39/2023/999947161 | title = WNT 1–0 Finland | date = 1 September 2022 | access-date = 11 May 2023 | publisher = FAI}} |
| scope="row" | 3
| align=center | 12 | 24 September 2023 || Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland || {{fbw|NIR}} | align=center| 3–0 | align=center| 3–0 | 2023-24 UEFA Women's Nations League || {{Cite web | url = https://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/500064/2023/999948810 | title = WNT 3–0 Northern Ireland | date = 23 September 2023 | access-date = 24 September 2023 | publisher = FAI}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.londoncitylionesses.com/lily-agg Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620120726/https://www.londoncitylionesses.com/lily-agg |date=20 June 2023 }} at London City Lionesses
- {{soccerway|lily-agg/340323}}
{{Birmingham City W.F.C. squad}}
{{Republic of Ireland squad 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agg, Lily}}
Category:2023 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Category:Alumni of the University of Brighton
Category:Arsenal W.F.C. players
Category:English women's footballers
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C. players
Category:Bristol City W.F.C. players
Category:Charlton Athletic W.F.C. players
Category:Eintracht Frankfurt (women) players
Category:England women's youth international footballers
Category:English expatriate women's footballers
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Category:English people of Irish descent
Category:Expatriate women's footballers in Germany
Category:Footballers from Brighton
Category:Footballers from Eastbourne
Category:Frauen-Bundesliga players
Category:London City Lionesses players
Category:Millwall Lionesses L.F.C. players
Category:Naturalised citizens of Ireland
Category:Republic of Ireland women's association footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland women's international footballers
Category:Women's association football midfielders
Category:Women's Super League 2 players
Category:Women's Super League players
Category:21st-century English sportswomen