The City captain has witnessed the growth of women’s football first hand, having been a part of our first-ever professional side a decade ago, as well as a key figure in the iconic London 2012 Great Britain Olympics team and three England World Cup squads.
That responsibility as a role model is something Houghton holds in extremely high regard, and she says that mentality is also shared by the rest of Gareth Taylor’s squad.
Indeed, she believes her team-mates’ hard work on the pitch and disciplined lifestyle off it is a brilliant lesson for any aspiring young footballers.
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“We have a great group of girls who can be role models for any boy or girl that’s growing up,” she explained in a special International Women’s Day Roundtable discussion.
“That’s because of what we do on the pitch but also away from it as well. As a team, we take that kind of role seriously.
“We get the chance to play on TV every single week now which never used to be a thing, and you never know who’s watching or coming to a game.
“It’s important that we are professional and are able to do our job but also show our personality as well because we are still people at the end of the day as well.”
Houghton also highlighted City’s desire to provide opportunities for everyone at the Club, regardless of their role or experience.
In a rapidly developing landscape, the captain feels that City’s desire to constantly be at the forefront both on and off the pitch has always been clear to see.
She added: “This Club’s amazing in terms of, yes, we all have different roles but at the same time you’re not seen as a male or female.
“If you’re good enough and can bring something to the club where we can strive to be the best in the world, then there’s no reason why people can’t be involved.
“In terms of the women’s game, it has massively changed over the ten years that I’ve been here, but we’ve always been at the top of what we’re trying to do.
“We try to make sure it’s a place where women want to come to work, whether it’s play or work behind the scenes as well.”
