When Vic Akers, the legendary Arsenal manager, was coming to the end of his tenure in 2008, his assistant, a then relatively untested but highly regarded coach, was asked to stay. Emma Hayes was told that if she remained at the club she would have the chance to take over from Akers and lead the most dominant team in the history of women’s football. She said no. A decade and a half later Hayes, now 46, reflected on that decision as she celebrated her fourth successive Women’s Super League title with Chelsea
Waterford, Arsenal and Ireland legend, Ciara Grant with one of her many medals for the Gunners and below the artwork which she is in that now adorns the…