20 questions with Fran Kirby

1) What’s your earliest memory?

It would be playing football with my brother and playing football in the street, always trying to play nutmeg games and stuff like that.

2) If you could go back in time, would you? And where to?

Good question. I've never really thought about that. I would probably go back to playing football as a kid, with all my friends and just playing. I played with a lot of my best friends back in the day, so I'd probably just find a memory from then to go back to.

3) What do you like most about yourself?

Probably that I don't take things too seriously. I think I'm quite chilled and quite relaxed. In any type of moment, whether things are good, whether things are bad, I try not to take it too seriously, especially in football.

4) What's you biggest achievement?

My biggest achievement probably would be coming back [to play football] from the illness that I had a few years ago.

5) What’s your worst habit?

Probably that I sleep too much. I'm quite a big napper and I'm quite chilled, so some people maybe see that as being a bit boring!

6) What makes you most angry?

Losing. I'm super competitive, whether that's in football or in training.

7) Who is your biggest influence?

I'd probably say my friends and family. I think they've always been my biggest influences. I play a lot of times to make them proud and to play with my friends and achieve amazing things with them.

8) How do you react under pressure?

I think it goes one of two ways. Either you thrive under it or it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes I thrive in occasions and then other times, maybe not so much. So I wouldn't have one certain way of how I am under pressure.

9) When do you do feel most at ease?

Probably when I'm at home. When I'm at home relaxing with friends or dogs.

10) What do you dream about when you sleep?

I don't really remember many dreams. Most of the time before sleep, you always think about the game that you just played or the game you had before. But I wouldn't say there's any specific dream. Maybe if I keep dreaming I'm going to win the lottery, then maybe it will happen!

11) Favourite phrase or word?

I'd probably say my favourite phrase is don't get too high when things are going well and don't get too low when things are going badly. That's one that I've always tried to stick to.

12) What reminds you of home?

Good question. Probably my dog, my cockapoo called Cody. That's when I'm home; I can relax and I can chill when I've got him.

13) Are you superstitious about anything?

Little bits, but not too much. And only things that I can control. For example I always like to have a carbonara the night before a game when I'm at home when we have a home game. That's become a bit of a superstition. But other than that, I don't really have one because I don't like not being in control.

14) What makes you cry?

I'm a big crier at movies, especially when dogs are involved. They only have to have a dog in it and I'm crying!

15) One song that makes me feel good?

I probably wouldn't say there's one go-to song but I really like older music. Like old pop music or R&B or even cheesy pop songs. Bit of Whitney Houston here and there, Stevie Wonder, people like that. I wouldn't say there's one specific song, but if I wanted to get into a feel-good moment, it would definitely be Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Queen or someone like that.

16) Biggest obstacle?

Probably myself and my own expectations of myself. I have very high expectations of myself, and sometimes maybe I have those expectations of others because I have the expectations for myself.

17) Favourite place in the world?

Either my home or if I'm going somewhere, it would be the Caribbean.

18) Most valuable possession?

My dog. I think every question you ask about will come back to being about him!

19) Worst fear?

My phobia is when I don't have my feet on the floor. Anything to do with not having my feet on the floor freaks me out, like bouncing on a trampoline or flying, because my feet aren't on the floor. It's a weird phobia, but it's definitely a phobia.

20 How would you like to be remembered?

Just as someone who gave everything for the sport they love and gave everything for the friends that they play football with.