Born and raised in Oxford, Ellie-Mae Richardson’s journey with Oxford United is a story of loyalty, passion and hometown pride. Having joined the club at just seven years old in 2014, she has grown up in the yellow and blue, developing her game in central midfield and embodying what it means to represent her city.
A lifelong Oxford supporter – while also keeping an eye on West Ham thanks to her family’s allegiances – Richardson’s deep roots in the club made her the perfect player to catch up with as it embarks on what could arguably be the biggest game in its history as they clash with Barclays WSL2 leaders Charlton Athletic.
Growing up in football, inspiration can come from many places, but for this Oxford United player, it started closest to home. “Both my parents have inspired me in football,” she says. “They constantly push me and support me to be the best I can be and have definitely helped the growth I’ve had so far.”
Alongside that family foundation, she has always drawn motivation from the professional game, admiring players who combine quality with leadership. “Some role models from football I like to constantly look to are the likes of Declan Rice — the way he plays, leads and conducts himself are all aspiring traits.”
From the women’s game, her influences have evolved over time. “I love the way Mariona Caldentey plays and when I was younger, I would watch players like Jordan Nobbs.”
That grounding has been shaped further by her long association with Oxford United, her hometown club. Reflecting on her time in the set-up, she explains, “the treble-winning year with the devs is my main highlight, alongside obviously signing my professional contract.” That season stands out not just for the silverware, but for the bond within the squad. “The treble-winning year was my most enjoyable season of football by far, with girls I’ve never been so connected with… so when the season was topped off with the treble it felt like a great end to a chapter.”
Ellie-Mae Richardson, opening the scoring last night in style…
— Oxford United Women (@OfficialOUWFC) August 29, 2024
Not a bad hit for your first senior goal 😍 pic.twitter.com/FLLPa6fNsQ
That chapter led seamlessly into another milestone in October 2024, when she signed her first professional contract. The moment remains deeply personal. “When I was offered the contract, I was so excited and grateful,” she says. “I’ve put in a lot of years at the club, and a lot of hard work has coincided with that so to earn that made me feel like I was taking a step forward in the right direction for my career.” Staying at Oxford made it even more special. “To further my career at Oxford was amazing as I absolutely love the club. I would consider it a second home and feel like it partially raised me in a way.”
Transitioning into senior football is never simple, but having familiar faces around has eased that step. With other pathway graduates like Lucy Trinder alongside her, she values the shared experience. “Having familiar faces around when entering a senior set-up is definitely so helpful,” she explains. “It gives you someone to turn to as you’re both in similar positions with adapting to a new and more serious and high-pressure environment.”
Now more established, she feels a responsibility to help others make that same leap. “When you first come up it is quite nerve-racking and daunting… I think it’s good to make girls coming up feel as included as possible so they can enjoy the experience and feel like they can belong in a senior environment as well.”
That blend of youth and experience has been crucial, particularly with seasoned winners in the dressing room. “Playing alongside senior teammates like Shelly, Nico and Riva as well as others, is so valuable as they’ve been there and done it,” she says. “I try to gain as much knowledge from them as possible by watching how they conduct themselves both on and off the pitch.” Their standards, she adds, are infectious. “They have a winning mentality that helps drive and keep standards high amongst the group.”
This season has been one of dramatic change for Oxford. Sitting ninth in November and just two points clear of relegation, the return of head coach Liam Gilbert sparked an extraordinary turnaround. Seven wins from seven followed, propelling the side into fourth. For her, the shift has been clear. “Liam coming in has obviously given the group a massive boost,” she explains.
“When you start picking up wins in the way that we have the confidence amongst the group continues to grow.” The belief has snowballed. “The morale and momentum we’ve developed alongside these wins only carries us forward.”
Combined with a more demanding and attacking style of play, she believes the best is still to come. “As our understanding of what he wants from us and of each other continues to grow I have no doubt our performances will continue to follow suit.”
Few matches have embodied that momentum quite like the dramatic Adobe Women’s FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough. “The final ten minutes against Middlesbrough was the most chaotic and incredible scenes,” she recalls. Even from the bench, belief never faded. “I had a feeling we weren’t going to lose and I could see goals coming as we were continuing to push on and apply pressure.”
When the equaliser and winner arrived, the emotion was overwhelming. “When the second goal went in I think we were all in a state of shock. Celebrating all together after coming back was such an amazing feeling to experience together.” Called upon late, her role was clear. “I was told to bring the team energy and keep the ball in front of me… which we managed to do so overall it was a great day.”
Going into Charlton Athletic, the group is confident and we want to cause an upset.
“We know of Charlton’s current form, however we have no doubt that we’ll give them everything we have.” Playing at home, she adds, could be decisive. “Being at home is a massive advantage being in a familiar setting and we want to get as many fans down as possible to get behind us.”
In the league, Oxford may not control the title race, but upcoming fixtures against promotion contenders still carry weight. Even so, the focus remains narrow. “We try to focus one game at a time and focus on the task at hand,” she explains. “We are purely just working on ourselves, and trying to get the most out of each game as it comes.”
Personally, the remainder of the season is about building back momentum after injury. “My personal targets for the rest of the season are definitely more minutes,” she says. “I had a difficult first half of the season as I was injured for pretty much all of it.” With patience and perspective, she’s embracing the process. “I know I have a part to play and I look forward to growing more and more back into the team.”
Looking beyond Oxford, she has clear views on the future of the women’s game. If she could change one thing, it would be exposure. “I think there’s so much potential for women’s football, especially the FA Women’s National League, but we haven’t quite reached its full potential yet.” For her, increased coverage is key. “By securing a TV deal, it would be able to reach more people and grow a stronger foundation of fans and interest… I think growing media platforms will definitely be a step in the right direction.”
