Feature

Young Gun: Jessie Gale

Gale

Follow our 2024/25 Young Gun series as we get to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at Sobha Realty Training Centre.

Striker Jessie Gale has only been at the club for less than a year but she's already made big strides. She chats with us about her journey to Arsenal, her senior debut, and her hopes for the future.  

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Thanks to my dad, football was brought into my life the minute I was born. I've got an older brother who's now a professional footballer so he's played since he was really young and we grew up playing in the garden together. Funnily enough though, it wasn’t always just football. I chose to pursue cricket initially and that’s how I spent most of my early teenage years. Then one year, I decided to make the switch. I’d seen how much women’s football was growing in this country and I remember telling my parents that I was interested in swapping. I think my dad was pretty happy! 

We always used to kick a ball around in cricket warmups and I’d been playing at the grassroots level for years and years, so it just felt like the right moment to go for it. So I went for a trial at Charlton Athletic - I think I was about 15 at the time - got in and I’ve never looked back. It’s weird to think that I've only been playing academy football for about three years now! I’d still play cricket for a bit of fun but because it’s such a long game, it’s not something I can do casually on the side.

"The first team are so generous with their feedback and guidance"

I’m a fairly new addition to Arsenal. I only joined the club in January and it was a sudden move - everything basically happened at once. It meant I was thrown in at the deep end but I think that was the best thing for me because it made me grow incredibly quickly as a person and develop technically as a player. With the history the club has and the standards we set ourselves, it was quite daunting going into the environment for the first time - it's Arsenal! But it hasn’t taken long to find my feet. I’ve already had some incredibly special experiences here but my favourite is probably winning the FIFA Youth Cup back in May. Playing in the final in Zurich and then winning on penalties is a memory I’ll keep with me.

A lot of defenders might describe me as a menace! I take a huge amount of pride in my work rate - I’m a workhorse and I don’t stop until I make something happen. Whether that’s making explosive runs in behind or being clinical in front of goal, I’m always trying to bring something to the team. I've always bounced between winger and striker, but definitely this year, I’ve settled into that number 9 role. I'm really enjoying that position. 

I'm not massively superstitious, but I do have one ritual before a game: I never warm up in my shin pads. Putting my shin pads on is the very last thing I do is before I play. Otherwise, I actually enjoy a random matchday because I get bored of a set routine. I always change what I'm doing if I can. 

Gale

Since I joined Arsenal, I’ve focused a lot on my technical ability, particularly my first touch and close dribbling. Coming from grassroots, that isn’t something I necessarily had as much when I was younger so I’ve been really working at that during pre-season. It’s great when you can see proof of that hard work in your performances. I’ve definitely improved. 

One of the things I enjoy most about this club is how everyone looks out for one another. From the girls to the coaching staff and the support systems - it’s incredible. Everyone is always looking to help you in any way they can. Even with the first team, they’re so generous with their feedback and guidance. People like Kim will come over to me and share really small details that can change the whole game. Having that level of leadership and instruction across the board makes me feel really comfortable in this environment. 

It was surreal making my debut in our friendly against West Ham earlier this month. I trained the day before with the team but I wasn't expecting to be included. But when Jonas told me that I was in the squad, I immediately got on the phone with my mum going “Oh my god! Oh my god!” Even on the day itself, I was just so grateful to have that matchday experience and be around players who I look up to. Getting on the pitch was an even bigger real honour. To have Alessia Russo working with me and giving me instructions - it was a moment you dream of when you start playing football.

Right now, I'm on a dual registration with Watford and it would be incredible to help the team get promoted back to the Championship this season. Beyond that, I want to keep working hard, train with the first team more and hopefully get a professional contract. That’s every girl’s dream in football.