Former Chelsea defender Gilly Flaherty’s illustrious career has been acknowledged with her being inducted into the Barclays Women’s Super League Hall of Fame.

The 33-year-old has earned formal recognition for her achievements by being included in the latest cohort of inductees.

She joined the Blues from London rivals Arsenal in January 2014 in a double transfer alongside Katie Chapman. Their arrival was a statement of intent, as we looked to become title and trophy challengers.

In her second season at Chelsea, Flaherty played a key role in helping the club win their first-ever major honours: a domestic double. The FA Cup was lifted at Wembley in August 2015, before a maiden WSL title arrived two months later.

When Flaherty joined the Blues, then-manager Emma Hayes described her as the ‘best uncapped player in the country’ – and international recognition did soon arrive. She made her first appearance for England in 2015 and would go on to earn a total of nine caps.

The Blues repeated our domestic double feat in 2018 with another league title and FA Cup to boast, with Flaherty playing her part in those triumphs once again.

Flaherty would leave Chelsea after four-and-a-half years in the summer of 2018, joining West Ham United. She left the club having made almost 100 appearances and as a winner of two WSL titles, two FA Cups and a WSL Spring Series.

Everyone at Chelsea would like to congratulate Gilly on her induction into the Hall of Fame, and we wish her every success in her future endeavours.