Aston Villa Signs Jordan Nobbs From Arsenal

January 5, 2023 James Gregory Women Football 1

(Image credit: Aston Villa FC)

Aston Villa have signed midfielder, Jordan Nobbs from Arsenal on an 18 month contract.

Nobbs’ move to Villa comes after she started just four of her 14 appearances appearances for Arsenal in all competitions this season – despite scoring three goals, of which two goals were scored in the Women’s Super League.

Nobbs has signed an initial 18-month contract until June 2024 with option to extend the contract for a further season at minimum.

Addressing the decision to sign Nobbs, Villa Women manager, Carla Ward described the midfielder as “a big signing” and a proven “winner”, who “will bring a wealth of experience that her new teammates will thrive off.”

Her departure also brings’ Nobbs’ 12-and-a-half year tenure at the Gunners to a close in a spell where she scored 81 goals in 270 appearances, plus helped the club to the following 12 titles in total;

  • 5 x FA WSL Cup
  • 4 x Women’s FA Cup
  • 3 x Women’s Super League

Nobbs also managed eight goals in 69 senior international appearances for England whilst playing club football for Arsenal, during which she helped the Lionesses to Cyprus Cup titles in 2013 & 15 plus 2022 Arnold Clark Cup.

“Jordan has been a wonderful servant to Arsenal Football Club,” commented Arsenal Sporting Director, Edu Gaspar as he paid tribute to Nobbs’ loyal services to Arsenal since the Stockton-born midfielder joined from Sunderland in 2010.

Reflecting upon Nobbs’ popularity and success in North London, Gaspar said: “Over the past 12 years, she has written her name into the Arsenal history books and forged a deep connection with our loyal supporters.

“We would like to wish Jordan health, happiness and success on and off the pitch in the future – she is a member of the Arsenal family for life.”

Arsenal’s Head of Women’s Football, Clare Wheatley added that Nobbs had played “an integral part” in the club’s success over the last 12 years with incredible “contribution and achievements” throughout her time at Arsenal.

Describing Nobbs’ legacy, Wheatley said: “She embodies what it means to be a Gunner and will go down as a true Arsenal legend. We wish her all the very best in this next chapter and look forward to welcoming her back here as our guest whenever she likes.”

 

“never could have dreamed that this would be my home”

Nobbs also penned an open farewell letter to Arsenal supporters as she spoke of her surprise at how far she and Arsenal have come in 12 years, as she said: “When I think back to first arriving at Arsenal, I never could have dreamed that this would be my home for the next 12 years.”

Although the move meant she left a club she “love” in Sunderland – close to her birth town of Stockton-on-Tees, Nobbs is proud to have joined the list of Arsenal icons that she grew up idolising throughout her childhood.

“Trophies, titles and honours are what’s expected at this club and it’s something I’ve always given everything to achieve, but being able to call Arsenal my home and to create a special connection with the fans is something I’m incredibly proud of.” commented Nobbs on life at Arsenal.

Addressing her favourite moment, Nobbs admitted that she couldn’t choose a single moment because her debut, every trophy and becoming captain all fill her with immense “pride”, whilst she also described her teammates as “special” who she “can genuinely call friends for life.”

Nobbs added that saying her “goodbyes” to her former teammates was emotional because she felt at “home” at the club which has been “everything I’ve known for the past 12 years and now I’m having to say goodbye.”

Summing up her time at Arsenal, Nobbs described the experience as “the perfect fairytale” in which she has achieved plenty of success, despite finding the move to Aston Villa “quite scary” and like “leaving the love of my life behind…”

Nobbs acknowledged that spending over a decade with one club is rare and is happy to have enjoyed that lengthy spell at Arsenal, as she added: “It’s very rare these days to stay at a club for such a long time, and quite simply, there’s no other club I would have rather done it at.”

Concluding her open letter, Nobbs turned attention to Arsenal supporters as she described their support as “such a key part of my life” and like “family” who have always been loyal despite “the ups and downs together.”

Nobbs will return to Meadow Park with Aston Villa for a WSL League Cup Quarter-Final against Arsenal on 25 January, which she admits will “be really hard” just mere weeks after leaving the Gunners, but acknowledged that the game will be a chance to personally say goodbye to fans.

On how she would like fans to remember her, Nobbs wrote: “From the bottom of my heart, I just really hope that you will all remember me as a player who wore their heart on their sleeve and would give anything to play for Arsenal.

“Hopefully, I’ve been someone that when you think of Arsenal, you think of my name because of what I’ve done and given on the pitch because that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

Finally, Nobbs concluded that she is “leaving with my head held high” but “there was never going to be an easy way for me to leave Arsenal. It was always going to hurt.”

 

‘Done so much for this club,’

Some of Nobbs’ former Arsenal teammates took to Twitter to share their messages of support for the midfielder, with 2022 BBC Sport Personality of Year winner and fellow North-East star, Beth Mead leading the tributes.

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