NewsAcademy honours Gemma Bonner with dressing room naming tribute

Several dressing rooms at the youth complex are named after Reds legends and those with a special relationship with the Academy, but this is the first to mark someone from the women’s game.

The idea came from Academy director Alex Inglethorpe and the installation was led by the Academy’s head of facilities, Andy Rice.

Bonner recently visited the site where the dressing room was unveiled, much to her surprise.

“It’s such a huge honour, I’m not quite sure I can put it into words,” the defender told Liverpoolfc.com. “Being a young girl growing up as a Liverpool fan, I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet.

“It’s extremely special and I’m super-grateful, just having the conversation with Alex and seeing the other people who have the dressing rooms in the corridor, there’s some incredible people there.

“I’m extremely proud to be the first female recognised. We’ve achieved a lot here at the club and for young people to see this as they walk down the corridor is another step and hopefully it can inspire not only the next set of young girls coming through but young boys as well.

“I’m extremely proud of it and I’ll always keep pushing and keep striving.”

Inglethorpe said: “Liverpool Football Club is lucky to have had many icons of the game and we felt at the Academy the time was right for us to recognise someone special from the women’s game.

“As the record appearance holder for LFC Women and captain of two title-winning teams, Gemma was the obvious choice and someone who can act as an ongoing inspiration for our Academy boys and girls alike as they walk down this corridor.

“The dressing rooms recognise some of our most famous players, like Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler, but also a young player like Stephen Packer, who was taken far too soon and will never be forgotten here.”