Ahead of the Fulham game last Sunday, Dave Rogers spoke to our American defender Erin Corrigan about her footballing journey and more!

You started your playing career in Milwaukee. How did you make your journey to Dulwich Hamlet?

I grew up just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and spent 5 years playing college (university) soccer 20 minutes away from home. During college soccer I wasn’t able to take an Erasmus year, but I always knew that I wanted to experience living and playing abroad after I graduated!

An opportunity to teach English and to play semi-professional soccer in Madrid, Spain fell into my lap so I went with it! I was able to travel all over Spain with my team and play at a pretty competitive level! Something I will never forget.

After spending two years in Spain, I wanted a change of scenery but was still keen to experience living overseas. London had a few Masters programs I was interested in pursuing so I applied and got accepted! I moved to London last September and went to the University of East London for my MSc Sport Management degree and to play for the University team.

After a year playing for UEL, I definitely wanted to continue playing for a competitive club team and Dulwich Hamlet was the perfect fit!

What made you decide to sign for Dulwich Hamlet?

I briefly met Ryan Dempsey in the summer of 2021 when he was recruiting me to play for UEL! So having him as a connection was definitely helpful when I started thinking about playing for a club. I didn’t know much about Dulwich Hamlet but I learned so quickly about how great of a club it is. I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of a club with so much unique history and character. The tight-knit community, incredible fan base, and strong, progressive values of the club definitely make DHFC special.

My parents are also especially happy I chose Dulwich as they listen to the matchday radio broadcast every Sunday all the way from the States!

You got off to a flying start winning player of the month in both August and September. How did that feel?

Well I really wasn’t expecting it but nonetheless it felt very nice to be recognised! I have to give credit to and thank all of my teammates, the coaching staff, the fans and everyone else involved at the club for making me feel super welcome from day one. The support has given me confidence to bring my best both on and off the pitch each week.

What are the main difference between playing women’s football in the United States, Spain and the UK?

That’s a super tough question! Even though it’s the same sport, the styles of play and team mentality has been significantly different in each environment.

I would say the main difference I’ve noticed is the level of opportunity for young girls in the US. Growing up in Wisconsin, there were a number of competitive clubs (some even girls only) within miles of my home. This is something I know is a huge focal point for England and other European countries to prioritise and develop.

With that being said, I was really blown away with the amount of opportunity for women to continue playing football here. The structure, the tier system, and the sheer amount of competitive players that still enjoy the game as we get older. In the US, after your 4 year eligibility in college is done, there is very limited opportunity to continue playing (unless you’re in the top 2% and go on to play in the NWSL). So I feel very grateful that I am still playing in a competitive environment and feel a lot of joy doing it!

For differences on the field- I would say my teams in the US were very disciplined and tactically focused. My team in Spain had some of the best talent I have ever played with and an incredible amount of individual flair.

Dulwich Hamlet is a nice blend of both of these attributes, with a good balance of team strategy and tactics and also individual prowess.

I assume you were glued to the Women’s Euros in the summer which was an excellent showcase for the game! What positives do you see come out from it and what changes do you hope will come of it?

It was incredible!!! I went to two of the games and planned to go to the final but had some last minute travel plans back to the US.

For me, the beauty of women’s football is that it is its own market. We cannot simply just copy and paste everything over from men’s football. Women’s football attracts a completely different audience and generates a new and exciting fan experience. Female players offer an elevated level of relatability, genuineness, and spice to the world of sport. So I think the momentum from the Women’s Euros is a huge step in branding women’s football as its own experience, passion, way of life, separate from the men’s game.

Overall, I think this summer has already shown to be a huge domino effect for not only women’s football but all women’s sports! Having young girls and boys idolising the Lionesses will be incredibly significant in breaking down gender barriers in sport as their generation gets older.

We have seen slow and steady progress when it comes to supporting and investing in women’s sport- attending matches, buying merchandise, improving media representation, and ultimately driving commercial revenue. The Women’s Euros this summer and the World Cup next summer will most definitely accelerate this progression, but I think we need to continue pushing for more and more.

Do you have a team you support (aside from Dulwich Hamlet?)

This is a question I get all the time being American and I’ve never really been able to answer confidently! I’ve never had a Premier League team before even though my mom supports Manchester United. Growing up I just couldn’t hop on that bandwagon. I’ve supported League 1 side Plymouth Argyle for a while now. I half-heartedly say I support Chelsea only because my favourite men’s player is Christan Pulisic.

However! I have just started working for Crystal Palace so I can confidently say they are my premier league side and now have my heart!! Of course still third to Dulwich Hamlet and the USWNT.

Do you have a favourite player?

Women - Rose Lavelle (who I actually played against in college and very proud to say she did not score on me!!). Julie Ertz is a close second.

Men - Christian Pulisic

Any other passions/hobbies apart from football?

Reading, traveling, hiking, recording podcasts, keeping up my Spanish as much as possible, craft beer, exploring London, supporting women’s sports any chance I have, and hanging out with Dulwich teammates!

We have made club history by making it through to the first round proper of the FA Cup. The fans want to know. Are Dulwich going to win the FA Cup?

YES!!!! Who doesn’t love an underdog!