For Sunday's match-day programme, Roisin Kivel talks candidly about her career, and the transition from Stoke to the South West.
Read a snippet of the interview below, and be sure to buy a programme before the Bournemouth game to read the full chat!
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After over a decade playing in the Midlands, green became the new red and white for Roisin Kivel in the summer.
Stoke City was home for the defender, but now, there is only one location: Home Park.
As one of several players to follow Head Coach Marie Hourihan to the South West of England, Kivel has played a key role throughout the opening months of the season and has fit into the system comfortably.
The move to PL2 was not as simple as it seems, but leaves Roisin with no regrets, with the 25-year-old loving playing in Devon.
“There were some initial doubts in making the big switch down here to join Argyle,” Kivel said. “I had quite a secure job, so it was a massive decision to leave that job, but I just thought ‘Marie's down here, a couple of faces I know are now down here, it's now or never really.’ If I didn't do it, I'd regret it, and I do really enjoy it down here.
“Stoke was my home for 11 years, and it very much was a part of me, so it was a big decision to come down here, but the direction the club is going in made it quite easy overall. I came down quite early on, just after Marie got announced, to have a look around, and I was just amazed by everything. You get everything down here. They treat you so well.
Roisin’s love for football started as a child. Her dad, a big Manchester United fan, played at any given opportunity, constantly has it on in the house – there was no escaping it, but by no means is she complaining.
Starting out playing at school, as one of just four girls in a small year, followed by kicking the ball around with her dad, Kivel soon attended summer camps, which furthered her place within the sport.
One summer, football changed for the defender. Vicky Jepson, former Tottenham Hotspur Women assistant coach and current United States of America Under-20s Head Coach, handed an opportunity to her at Macclesfield Town.
After a year featuring for the Silk Girls, the connections from Jepson resulted in a trial for Liverpool, which was successful. The tough factor, however, was the travel. A four-hour round trip three times a week was made by Kivel and her dad, but the continued development meant it would all be worth it in the long run.
Manchester City was the next stop for Roisin, after just one year in Liverpool, before she joined Stoke City at the Under-14s level and progressed all the way to being a mainstay of the first team and captaining the Potters to the FA Women’s National League Cup final last season.
Whilst playing for Stoke, Kivel featured up and down the left flank, only recently being converted into a full-back. This, however, is just one of the many stories of her playing career so far, much like being in the same under-15s side and playing alongside this year’s Yashin Trophy and Euro 2025 winner, Hannah Hampton.
Kivel said: “Funnily enough, there isn’t anyone from Liverpool or Manchester City that I can name drop here, but I played at Stoke with Hannah Hampton. I had one season with her. She was in goal at this point, after her time at Villereal, but there is one funny factor.
“She was a goalkeeper for Stoke, but then also led the line for Staffordshire County! We were unbeaten that season, and now you can see why.
“I actually changed last year, into the back four, when unfortunately, our left-back had a serious injury and I was the only left-footed player, so Marie just thought, ‘let’s just stick Rosh there. She might do a job,’ and I did! I really enjoy it, though. I used to hate defending with a passion, but now I think I prefer it more than attacking!”
