The latest documentary from City Studios was released on CITY+ on Saturday, providing unrivalled access to our Women’s team across the 2022/23 campaign.
Including candid interviews with both players and coaches alike, ‘Rise’ captures the highs and lows of one of the most tightly contested WSL title races in recent memory.
From close bonds in the squad to prophetic pre-match predictions, check out some of the best bits from the documentary that you might not have previously known below…
CITY+ | SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH ‘RISE’
Everyone loves Yui
Yui Hasegawa has firmly established herself as a key member of Gareth Taylor’s squad, exemplified by her inclusion in the 2022/23 PFA Team of the Year.
However, she’s just as influential off the pitch for City, with her popularity among her team-mates evident from the get-go.
From sharing a bib with Chloe Kelly to stealing the show in a game of two-touch, there are nothing but glowing references towards the Japanese international from the rest of the squad.
However, Kelly does admit her English is better than she lets on!
“She pretended to a few people that her English was slightly off but it’s definitely not, she knows exactly what’s going on!”
Gunning for glory
One of City’s finest performances of the 2022/23 campaign came at the Joie Stadium against Arsenal, with quickfire goals from Lauren Hemp and Kelly earning a crucial 2-1 win.
The victory came less than 72 hours after an extra time defeat to the Gunners in the Continental Cup semi-finals.
However, as soon as the players arrived back at the City Football Academy in the early hours of Thursday morning, they set their sights on gaining the upper hand in the WSL encounter set for Saturday lunchtime.
In the documentary, Bunny Shaw reveals how she helped to motivate her team-mates ahead of the encounter.
She explains: “My energy, I just tried to share it in the group and tell the girls: ‘listen, they aren’t beating us at home. No matter what they come with, they aren’t beating us.”
The gloves are off
The team enjoyed a phenomenal run of form in the league between October and April, going unbeaten for 14 matches while getting the better of both Chelsea and Arsenal in the process.
Steph Houghton joked that the reason behind that purple patch was a tradition which she and Shaw developed on the training pitch.
“We had training, and it was absolutely freezing in Manchester,” our captain recalls.
“Bunny doesn’t like the cold, I had my gloves on, and she was like ‘can I borrow one’.
“It just became a thing so every matchday it’s a superstition that we wear one glove each. I don’t know what’ll happen when it gets a bit sunnier but as long as we win, I don’t care.”
Sandy’s bet with Bunny
It’s early March 2023 and City are preparing for what is seemingly a normal training session after a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
But there’s one major change which is grabbing all the attention, goalkeeper Sandy MacIver’s hair!
The stopper had jokingly made a bet with Filippa Angeldahl and Shaw that she would get braids if the Jamaican scored a hat-trick against Spurs.
And our forward held up her side of the bargain, grabbing all three goals at the Joie Stadium.
MacIver obliged, sporting her new cut at training the following week, much to her team-mates’ amusement!
Bunny & the Goat
With 31 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions, Bunny Shaw enjoyed a phenomenal 2022/23 campaign with City.
And her form was helped by the addition of a familiar face to Gareth Taylor’s coaching staff midway through the campaign... none other than City legend, Shaun Goater!
In one particular clip, the Bermudan guides the Jamaican through some clever movement which he would look to employ in his playing days, before describing his influence on Shaw as ‘sprinkling some strawberries around it all’.
RISE: THE STORY OF OUR SEASON
‘Rise: The Story of our Season’ – the latest feature from City Studios - is now available to watch live on CITY+.
The documentary charts the progress of Manchester City Women across the 2022/23 campaign.
Records were broken, reputations were forged, and an exciting young squad showed they could go toe-to-toe with the best that England has to offer.
Our cameras were there every step of the way, capturing the thrills and spills of a compelling WSL title race which went down to the wire.
SUBSCRIBE TO CITY+ TO WATCH ‘RISE’
With candid reflections from players and coaches alike, ‘Rise’ provides a window into the personalities behind the stars you’ve seen on the pitch, while also nodding towards what should be another enthralling campaign.
Keep across mancity.com, the official Man City app and our social platforms across this week for teaser clips from the documentary.
For more information on subscribing to CITY+, click here.
