Inside Molly Pike's progress at Newcastle United Women | OneFootball

"I love him. My boyfriend and I share him, and I just absolutely love it when he comes up here and stays with me because it's such a nice feeling to come home to him after training or a match.

"We usually do a week or two at a time, so if we have a home game, then I'll have him. If we're away, then my boyfriend will look after him. He's a really good boy and amazing in the flat when I'm away training - he doesn't make any mess, which is amazing."

Pike has settled into life on Tyneside since her switch from Southampton last summer and "will never say no to a dog walk and a coffee" in the city that is now her home. The Bournemouth-born midfielder has become a dependable member of the United squad this term - she is yet to miss a league game, and has only not started twice in the WSL2 - with the goal of helping the Magpies reach the WSL at the forefront of her mind.

Her dream of reaching the top shouldn't come as much of a surprise to people who know Pike, given that at the age of just 13 she climbed the famous Wembley steps to collect some silverware. She was playing for Broadstone Middle School, who were representing AFC Bournemouth - then managed by Eddie Howe - in the National Championships in 2014.

"They marked out a seven-a-side pitch for us," she says amidst laughter at being shown an interview of herself with the trophy. "I scored in the final, and we got to go to the top of the Wembley steps to lift the trophy, which was good.

"My parents were there watching, which was amazing, and I just remember being out on the pitch and feeling how surreal it all was. I had to keep pinching myself after the game because I couldn't believe I'd played at Wembley."

A reminiscent Pike is all smiles as she watches back her interview from pitchside where she proudly held the National Championships trophy, and little did she know how far she'd end up going in such a short period of time. Pike was quickly taken in by Chelsea’s Women's team following her success in the competition, making the grade at the second time of asking with the Blues.

However, first-team opportunities were limited so she moved north to Merseyside to sign her first professional contract with Everton - a decision that would soon see her return to a familiar place.

"It was unreal to just be in and around the set-up at Chelsea, and that was certainly where I grew up the most, especially as I got to train up with the first team when I was only 15 or 16," she says.

"I was playing in my first pre-season friendly with the first team, and I got the chance to start, so I was absolutely buzzing. But I only lasted 20 minutes before tearing my ACL, so that wasn't a great start for me."

With a pathway into the first team not presenting itself after her injury, Pike decided to jump into the WSL.

She said: "I signed my first professional contract at Everton, and I just thought it was a good option for me at that stage of my career, because I got to move away from home and play first-team football.

"In my first year, I got to play a lot of football before Covid hit but then when we returned to playing - in front of no fans though - I was so excited, and we had a great run in the FA Cup."

Before turning 20, Pike returned to Wembley with the Toffees when they reached the Women's FA Cup final in that 2019/20 campaign, coming off the the bench to face Manchester City Women - and a future teammate and captain in Demi Stokes - just before extra time in their eventual 3-1 defeat.

"When I got called from the bench to go on in an FA Cup final at Wembley, it really did feel like a full circle moment for me, having done so with my school earlier in life," she adds. "Obviously, the result didn't go our way, and I wasn't able to lift another trophy at Wembley, but to have played there, on a full-size pitch this time, was amazing.

"It was during Covid so nobody was allowed to attend the game. Not even my parents could come and watch me, which is still sad for me to think about now as it would've been nice for them after everything they did for me growing up.

"But when I think about it, not many people can say they played at Wembley twice in their whole careers, so for me to have done it so quickly is a good feeling."