City captain Siobhan Walsh has confirmed her decision to retire from football with immediate effect after a fantastic spell in the Welsh capital.
Having joined the Club in 2011, the defender has been an integral part in the growth of the Women’s programme and was key in all three of our title victories in 2013, 2023 and 2024.
Last season, Siobhan led the Bluebirds to completing a domestic treble for the first time in Club history; her last act in a City shirt was to lift the Bute Energy Welsh Cup.
Reflecting on her time at the Club, she said: "I signed for Cardiff City when I was 17 years old, so it’s been a very long time. I’ve grown as a person through the Club. When I was asked to be captain, I was still quite young, I was only turning 21, so it was a bit of a daunting thing for me. I didn’t know if I could do it at the time, but I’ve definitely grown into the role and got better throughout the years. It’s been a massive honour to be captain of this Club.
“When I first started, we would only have a couple of fans in the stands and our families and now, we have thousands in the stadium watching us. It’s grown massively. I think that goes down to the support from the Club themselves investing in the team and I can only see it growing more and more.
Head coach Iain Darbyshire added: “Siobhan has been a massive part of Cardiff City Women ever since she joined the Club. She has been a fantastic leader and a great servant for us. We have enjoyed great success, particularly in the last three seasons, and Siobhan has been a key part of that.
"We wish her all the best in her retirement from football and thank her for her brilliant service to the football Club.”
Words from her teammates
Having been a key part of the City squad for over a decade, some of Siobhan’s teammates commented following her retirement.
Lisa Owen: “Siobhan is the definition of a captain, she’s a born leader and an absolute legend. Nobody will ever compare. She’s been an absolute rock at the back and someone you could always count on. My time at Cardiff City wouldn’t have been the same without her and she will truly be missed both on and off the field.”
Ffion Price: “I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the opportunity to play alongside a player like Shiv. She’s an absolute credit to the team and will be truly missed. Her impact both on and off the field is testament to the success of Cardiff City over the last few seasons.
Danielle Green: “Siobhan has been a part of this Club since I arrived here. She’s been at the heart of the women’s team’s development and has given her everything to get it to where it’s at now. What she’s achieved, on and off the pitch, by captaining this Club, competing in the Champions League and what she’s done to help progress this team to the highest quality, is something not many people have done throughout their careers and I’m extremely grateful for that. She’s going to be missed by all of us and we hope we can continue to carry on the standards and quality she’s set, but for us at Cardiff City, she’s irreplaceable.”
Megan Bowen: "You learn so much from watching and playing alongside Shiv. She leads by example both on and off the field and is an example to all."
Eliza Collie: "She's the best player I've ever played with. She's more than a captain to us, she's an amazing person and she'd do anything for us on and off the pitch. Shiv has played a massive part in my development at the Club and I can't thank her enough for what she has done for me and all the girls."
Hannah Power: "Siobhan has been the best captain, team mate, and friend to everyone. She’s everything you want in a team mate and captain - loyal, hardworking and so humble. I feel like we really hit the jackpot at Cardiff City having Siobhan as our captain. I’ve loved every minute playing next to her in defence. She has been the heartbeat of our team and I cannot thank her enough for how she’s helped me develop as a player and how she’s inspired so many young players in our team over the years. She truly is a Cardiff City legend and what she’s done for this Club should never be forgotten because without Siobhan Walsh, we wouldn’t have achieved what we have and I’m forever grateful I got to share a pitch with her."