Quotes from Karen Bardsley

It took me a while to accept everything, but I am so grateful for the way my parents raised me. It's my life, it's unique, and I think it's so meaningful to me as I get older.

I think City is a really good example of how you shift the culture internally. We've had a big culture shift, particularly in the academy. Young boys are now more comfortable with strong female athletes being around.

There's no pressure on a goalkeeper in a penalty shootout. So it's a nice opportunity for us to have some fun and try and make some saves.

If you speak to girls who play football alongside lads, they'll tell you that you almost have to earn the right to play with them. It's annoying that you have to do that, but once you've done it, the barriers are down.

You can make loads of great saves, but if you concede, it's, 'That's what we will show the world.'

One of my core values is that credit should be due, wherever it is needed.

I don't see why people can't praise when they see something done well - even if it is by a woman.

My teammates always have my back on the field, and I will do everything in my power to make sure I always have theirs.

Goalkeeping in women's football is catching up slowly. It is continuing to modernise, improving technically and physically.

The only technical difference you will find is, if you are keeping goal as a male, they will play a bit further out, but set positions are the same, and techniques are constantly evolving.

Everyone provides a different experience, and for me, personally, it's important that all perspectives are seen.

You try to do the right thing at the right time and make a good impression on people.

My goal has never been to see how many stats I can rack up.

Beating the Germans for the first time in our history was massive.

What goalkeeper doesn't like a little action?

Female goalkeepers are seen as equals in academies now. We're trying to set a good example for the younger boys so they're used to seeing us women around, making great saves and scoring great goals.

Road wins are critical, and it's huge for you as a team when you can pick up three points on the road.

It just goes to show how much the women's game has improved over the years: there are some outstanding goalkeepers capable of fantastic reaction saves.

When I was a kid, the women like Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain were paving the way for female players in the States. Things like that are important so girls realise there is a future for them if they want to play. It is something they can aspire to, to be not just a hobby.

In my position, I'm always going to get a bit of flak. I take it with a grain of salt.

I graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Art in Graphic Design, and all in all, I can look back on my collegiate experience and say that I really did enjoy myself.

Everybody wants to score. It's a great feeling. But making saves is a great feeling as well.

I think the work ethic will take me wherever I want to go in life. It's my mindset that determines how, when, and if I'll get there.

I've lived all my life in the U.S., but to be brutally honest, I don't really have any ties to the country apart from my mum and dad. Most of the rest of my family live in the Stockport area, and I've always related more to that side of my background.