Newcastle's New Starlet Has Arrived: Emily Murphy is Heating Up the Championship

PitchToPen caught up with Newcastle Women’s newest star, Emily Murphy, to talk about her electric start with the Magpies, the crucial final six games of the season, and the push for Championship promotion.

Murphy kicked off her senior career in England’s capital, before heading to the U.S to pursue her dreams of playing professional football. After four years playing and studying abroad, she’s back-this time to the North, to wear the famous black and white.

“Playing in America, it was a completely different style of football that I was used to… although the NWSL (The National Women’s Soccer League) was an option, I was always coming back to England to play.”

“I had offers in the WSL (Women’s Super League), but it wasn’t guaranteed minutes – they weren’t guaranteed in the Championship either, but I backed myself, as a younger player coming in, playing is the most important thing.”

With experience at five clubs across two continents, Murphy knows the game inside out, at only 22-years-old. She made her professional debut for Chelsea at just 16 and now joins a Newcastle fresh off back-to-back promotions in their first Championship season. Determined and ambitious, she’s confident there’s more success to come.

With six games left in the league; there is everything to play for.

“I’ll be honest, I still think we can win it – every game is a must win” says Murphy.

Newcastle sit 7th in the Women's Championship with two games in hand, set to face 10th-place Blackburn next. Winning both would lift them to joint third—just six points behind league leaders Birmingham.

So, can the league be stolen, and can Newcastle go back-to-back-to-back? “100%, that’s been the aim from the beginning of the season – it’s never been done before.”

Joining a team mid-season is never easy. There are countless adjustments, but one often goes unnoticed.

“The biggest transition has been living so far away from home. Even though it was a big reason I came home… I’m still six hours away from my family, but the girls have been great. At the end of the day, they want to be promoted. They want the best girls on the field. There was no real struggle to gel, it’s never been my issue, but the girls have been really lovely and really welcoming.”

The transition period has been seamless for Murphy, especially on the pitch. Since joining in January, the young superstar has made four appearances for the Magpies, quickly making her mark with two assists and, most recently, her first goal against Durham on Sunday.

Newcastle boasts a wealth of experience, with former England internationals and WSL players inspiring and pushing the young players.

“They’re the utmost professionals; a combination of everything. We’ve got a young squad and that’s exciting – I also think that sometimes you do need players that are proper professionals… players who have been there and done that. I’ve played in the WSL but not week-in week-out, it’s a different kettle of fish, whereas certain players have that experience and that is what we need.”

With promotion to the WSL within reach, the challenge isn’t just avoiding instant relegation-it’s staying there and proving you’re good enough to be in the starting eleven. Competing in the WSL is tough; the club will need to invest and fight hard to maintain their sport in a league that grows stronger each season.

“We could get promoted and the gaffer could turn around and go, I want a brand new eleven, which then you have to compete. You have to turn up every day and show you can earn your position on the pitch.”

With six games remaining, the gape is still close, and a new leader could emerge in the coming weeks. For Newcastle, it’s a challenge they’re eager to embrace, but tough games lie ahead.

“I’m looking forward to all of them (the remaining games), if we want to get promoted, every game is a must win. The upcoming derby (against Sunderland) and the hype around the game is massive, we’ve sold around 30,000 tickets and it’s being played at the men’s ground… for a Championship club it’s unheard of, it doesn’t matter if your men’s, women’s, or academy up here in Newcastle;

Everyone just loves football.”

Murphy, an Irish international who debuted in 2024, narrowly missed out on this year’s European competition but still dreams of representing her country on the international stage.

“With Ireland, we fell short of the Euros this year, which was gutting, it still stings, but it doesn’t mean its forgotten about. It’ll always be on my list, it’s a bit further out of reach at the minute but it’s always there, it’s always something I’m going to push for.

But something to add to that list (of biggest dreams), right now, would be winning the Championship.”

At only 22-years-old, Emily Murphy is a shining prospect in the Championship. Newcastle have secured a true talent with an unwavering winning mentality. If promotion is clinched this season, the WSL will have a new challenge on its hands: stopping Murphy’s unstoppable rise.

And if not this season, don’t be surprised when it’s the next.