Liv Watt: 'I have absolutely no regrets' | OneFootball

Now a regular in the Barclays Women's Championship, Watt cut all ties with club football due to her studies at Northumbria University before returning to the sport and making incredible memories in black and white.

United's number five has already turned out for Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland Women during an illustrious career in the North East.

But the 24-year-old explained: "When I finished playing for Middlesbrough Women I was in a pretty low point and had stopped playing club football altogether.

"I was only turning out for the Northumbria University team, of which Becky (Langley) was the manager.

"Mentally, I was in a pretty poor place and was struggling with anxiety at the time. I had a lot of work going on with my degree at university and knew I couldn't give my all to football and education.

"So with my own mental health in mind, I decided to focus on uni. I certainly don't regret taking that time out of football and I wouldn't change anything because it helped me mentally."

A former England youth international, Watt joined the Magpies in the summer of 2021, with the club going professional two years later.

And she admitted: "When I got offered the chance (to go full-time) I jumped at it. I was always going to take this chance, no matter the sacrifices and what I had to give up. I knew I had to try this and see what it was like.

"I have absolutely no regrets because this is the best decision I've ever made and I've made memories which will stay with me for my entire life."

Watt is a fan favourite at Kingston Park, largely down to her no-nonsense attitude at the back, and that mentality was developed from a young age.

"I first got into football through my brother," she explained. "I used to go and watch him play every week and that's when I realised I could actually kick a ball, so my dad found a local boys' team (Seaburn Juniors) and then it took off from there.

"It was a little bit daunting, to be honest, playing in a boys' team and I always remember in training when we had to go into pairs, nobody wanted to be with me because I was a girl.

"We used to play against a lot of teams who would just target me as a girl and they clearly thought I was no good, but I always just thought, bring it on and try to get past me - something they didn't succeed at.

"I actually loved it though because I ran rings around the lads and I was the best player on the team. I really enjoyed it and if I could go back and change it, I don't think I would."

The versatile defender was first picked up by North East rivals Sunderland, before moving on to Middlesbrough, and while her best memories have been made in black and white, Watt can't forget her roots.

Having previously been named in Women's Super League matchday squads, it was a shock for Watt to finally get her first-team opportunity - especially when it came just 20 minutes before kick-off.

"I remember I got a letter inviting me to trial for Sunderland's under-tens, so I was still quite young," she recalled. "I got picked up from there and slowly made my way up the age groups.

"I first started training with the first team when I was coming to the end of my last season with the under-17s and loved it straight away, although it was a challenge.

“It was actually a big surprise (making her debut against Notts County Women) because I was only supposed to be on the bench, but someone got injured in the warm-up.

"Then all of a sudden Mel (Reay) pulled me to one side and said I would be starting, and this was all just 20 minutes before kick-off.

"I couldn't wait to get stuck in at that level and I really enjoyed myself. I'm sure I had a very good game too, especially for being shoved in at the deep end. I ended up playing the full 90 minutes and we drew 1-1, and Emma Kelly was actually on the pitch with me that day."

Watt has enjoyed incredible highs while playing under Becky Langley, but her career at Newcastle may well have been in the balance just a week before the 2021-22 campaign.

As she was starring in pre-season, and coming off the back of a campaign in which Newcastle missed out on promotion by three points, her world was rocked after picking up a serious knee injury.

The defender admits she knew the moment it happened that the diagnosis was not going to be good - and perhaps so did many of her team-mates, such is Watt's refusal to stay down after a tackle.

“Everyone was raring to go again, but then the week before the season started I picked up an injury," she said.

"I think every player can tell when an injury is going to be bad, and especially for me because I'm not the sort of player to go down easily, so when it happened I knew something was wrong.

"It was utterly devastating at the time and I was thinking how it couldn't have come at a worse time and point of my career.

“I was really thankful that Becky saw the bigger picture and envisaged the long-term success I could have at this football club once I came back from my injury and she wanted to keep me around.

"I worked so hard in my rehab to get back out on the pitch and once I was able to get on the grass with the team I ended up signing a professional contract, so it's all worked out in the end."

While Watt wasn't starting too many games at the beginning of this historic season for Newcastle, she was still revelling in the success of last term from both a personal and team point of view.

The Lasses achieved promotion to the Barclays Women's Championship at the first time of asking and while a lot of the headlines were about Newcastle's incredible talent going forward - which saw them score a league-high 79 times - they were also watertight at the back.

Langley's side managed to concede just 11 league goals across the entire season, and with those outstanding numbers, coupled with her galloping runs up the pitch, Watt managed to capture the hearts of the fanbase.

"I think last season was when I really started to believe in myself and think that I can go far in football," she admitted.

"I'm not sure when it was, but I just remember thinking that I do belong here and now I can't wait for the rest of my journey to see how high I can take it.

"But honestly, I had absolutely no idea (about winning the Fans' Player of the Year award). There were a few people in my mind who I thought could win it but I was not one of them; it was such a surprise.

"It was such a nice award to pick up because I was totally taken aback and it's just so nice to know how many of the fans support me after everything I've been through.

"Sometimes I feel as though defenders don't get the recognition they deserve as a lot of football is about the goalscorers and playmakers, so to pick up an award like that was surreal. I was so proud and my family were extremely proud."

Watt has been able to match the club's meteoric rise on and off the pitch, taking life as a full-time footballer in her stride, and while it may have been viewed as a gamble, there was no way the defender was going to let down her younger self.

As a girl growing up and playing football, Watt never knew that women could be professional footballers, so although she loved working for a mental health charity - and is open to returning one day - signing full-time for Newcastle United was an opportunity which she could not pass up.

"I never thought I would be a full-time professional footballer, because I never knew it was an option," she added.

"Before I went full-time at Newcastle I was working at Mind - and that's something I would certainly want to pick up again once football is over."