After becoming a Blue for the first time in 2012, Ingle went on to represent Bristol City and Liverpool before returning to Chelsea ahead of the 2018/19 campaign. She has made hugely significant contributions to the success we have enjoyed since.

With Women’s Super League, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield medals around her neck, the 32-year-old has received plenty of personal recognition for the impact she has made both on and off the pitch.

A contract extension in December 2022 was followed by the awarding of an OBE for her contributions to football and her role as Wales captain.

Almost 12 months on, she has broken the all-time WSL appearance record and rounds off another successful year by reaching 200 appearances for Chelsea.

Looking back on the trophies won, the records broken and the milestones reached, Ingle attempts to summarise all she has achieved.

In typically humble fashion, the central midfielder is focused on helping take the game to the best possible place and to support the next generation of up-and-coming talent.

‘These achievements have all come in the last couple of years,’ she says. ‘It’s crazy because I’ve played for so long, but I didn’t really win silverware at professional level until I came to Chelsea.

'The OBE came with that, my contributions to Welsh football and captaining my country. There has been a lot going on and that’s why it’s hard to process.

‘You just move on to the next one, which is the harsh reality of being a professional footballer. When you sit down and realise what you’ve won, what you’ve given to the game, it’s a massive honour. It’s not just about me and I hope I can leave the game in a better place than it was when I started.

‘To see the youngsters come through now in academies, they have everything set up and ready. It's really exciting. I’m glad that when I do retire I won’t have to be facing those types of players!

'I believe the game is going to go so big that the quality is going to improve massively.’

Ingle's journey to WSL legend and Chelsea mainstay was far less smooth. She took promising and exciting steps at an early age but was left frustrated by Association rules, which left her unable to play the game for an entire year.

‘I’ve got an older brother, he’s two years older,' she recalls. 'He used to play football and my Mum used to take him on a Saturday. I’d be stood on the sideline kicking the ball against the fence.

'I saw my brother playing and I wanted to compete with him. When I was playing with the boys' team, I had to stop at age 12 in Wales.

‘My Mum and Dad wrote letters to the FAW to see if they could change the rule, but it didn’t come to anything. My coach at the time for the boys' team set up a girls' team. There weren’t many girls playing so we had to find some girls to play and get a team going.

‘I had about a year out from age 12-13. I was playing at school and in the street, but not for a team. It was tough for me because all I’d ever known was playing with the boys and being competitive. Then I couldn’t do that.’

Fast forward to the present day and Ingle has become a trailblazer for the game and a Chelsea legend. And somewhat unsurprisingly, it's silverware, supporters and teammates at the heart of her favourite recollections.

‘The FA Cup after the Covid break, I always say that one,' she explains. 'Covid was a tough time and it was one of the first games back with fans at a big event.

'I believe it was in December, which was a strange month to have the FA Cup final, but it was an amazing occasion. We missed the fans during Covid and we went onto win, which was the icing on the cake.

‘My first trophy was the Continental League Cup, that’s always a special one because it’s the first trophy that I won with Chelsea. Playing with great players too, every year we’ve had new signings and a chance to learn about different nationalities and the way they do things.

‘Playing with Ji So-yun is up there as well. She was one of my favourite players to play with and made everything look so easy.’

There is special praise from Ingle for her manager, Emma Hayes. The pair have enjoyed immense success together at Chelsea and while Hayes has spoken of her admiration for Ingle, the feeling is mutual.

She says; ‘Emma understands me as a person, I’m very laid back and I just get on with things. I don’t need much from her and the coaching team and I think she knows that. She knows when to pull me in for a chat and when not to.

‘It’s important she understands me as a person, and I understand her. I always respect her decisions throughout the season. She has a tough job because we have so many great players here and you can’t be happy week in, week out.

‘We’re all here for the same goal and she epitomises what it is to be Chelsea. The result is lifting those trophies and then it’s all worth it.’

On reaching 200 appearances, Ingle is grateful to those who have given her the platform to build the consistency she has shown over the years, saying there is no place she would rather be.

‘It's a big number! This is my sixth season in a row now and I had the spell before. It’s all the sacrifice you give over the years to reach a number like that, it’s just incredible.

‘To be consistent at such a big club, and to work under people like Emma for so many years, has helped me to grow as a person and a player. It's really nice because when I came back to Chelsea I remember my Mum asking: ‘Do you think you will be there for long?’

‘Fast forward six years, I’m still here enjoying it. I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d want to be right now.’