Growing up, there was one item that always featured on Gemma Bonner’s Christmas lists.
“Dear Santa,” reads one letter the defender handwrote at the age of five. “Please may I have a computer and a Liverpool football kit.”
More than two decades on, Bonner has grown accustomed to donning the famous red shirt she once so coveted, having since made 138 appearances for her childhood club. It is a tally that sees the centre-back take the crown for the most Liverpool appearances in the Women’s Super League (WSL) era and, to celebrate that feat, men’s record appearance holder Ian Callaghan presented her with a commemorative shirt ahead of the Reds’ 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion last month.
“I actually got a little bit emotional because, being a Liverpool fan, I realise how significant it was for Ian to come to the game with his family and present me with the shirt,” Bonner told the ECHO. “It showed a huge amount of support from the club and it was a really special moment for me.
“I’m lucky I got to share it with my family and my boyfriend too. My mum’s not able to get to many games now but both her and my dad have been so important throughout my entire career. I would never have gotten to this position if it wasn’t for them so to have them there, being made a fuss of, was extremely special.”
It was the latest in a long line of special moments Bonner has encountered while playing for Liverpool. Having grown up in Leeds, she recalls trips to watch the Reds play at Elland Road as well as countless hours spent watching a VHS tape of ‘Michael Owen’s Soccer Skills’.
With that in mind, it’s little surprise that when the opportunity to join Liverpool arose back in 2012, Bonner jumped at the chance. She had already worked with manager Matt Beard during her time at Chelsea and was appointed club captain shortly after her switch to Merseyside. And, though she was only in her early twenties, she managed to lead the side to successive WSL titles in 2013 and 2014.
“Those early years were incredible,” she said. “Being a fan of the club and captaining the team to back-to-back titles, especially when I was so young, was amazing. We had such a great team and a great camaraderie and those years hold special memories for me.”
Liverpool’s well-documented decline in the years that followed posed a dilemma for Bonner, who had cemented her status as one of the best defenders in the top flight. In 2018, after six years at the club, she opted for a move to WSL rivals Manchester City, winning the FA Cup before a spell in America with Racing Louisville.
“It was a difficult decision to leave,” she said. “I was one of the longest-serving players at that time but I wanted to keep on winning trophies, which I managed to do at Manchester City. I won everything domestically in England between the two clubs and I saw it as a challenge I needed to take for my career.
“I wanted to go and win the trophies I hadn’t managed to win at Liverpool and to push myself out of my comfort zone. I think looking back at when I left Liverpool to now, I hope I’ve improved – not just as a player but as a person too – because of the experiences I’ve had.”
Certainly, anyone who has watched Bonner turn out for the Reds this season would struggle to refute that the centre-back is in the best form of her career. Her return to Prenton Park was confirmed last December and her quiet consistency over the past 12 months has been central to Liverpool’s rise up the WSL table.
“I was very aware that I didn’t want to make an emotional decision and only come back because of my attachment to the club,” she said. “But I also knew there were a lot of plans in place and the ambition was there from the club to get back to competing at the top and I think that’s shown in the players we’ve managed to attract here.
“The club got a lot of criticism for the investment being put into the women’s team. But think for us now to call Melwood our home is a huge statement. For us as players, we know we’re coming here and getting fueled correctly, we’ve got the best training facilities whether that be recovery, in the gym or out on the pitches.
“The game has grown so much over the past couple of years so I think it’s important that we strive to be there too because we know on the pitch we want to be pushing to win as much as we can. Training in this environment allows us to go out and push ourselves to be the best we can and not have any excuses.”
Indeed, if the early months of the season are anything to go by, the Reds’ move to the AXA Melwood Training Centre, coupled with some shrewd summer recruitment, has had a transformative impact on Beard’s squad. They currently sit fifth in the table, just two points off a Champions League place – but Bonner is hopeful this is just the start of an exciting new era at Prenton Park.
“I’m still ambitious and I want to win every single game,” she said. “Being realistic, we know we’re in a tough league now and any team can beat anyone but the results and the performances we’ve had lately show there’s no reason why we can’t keep pushing and get stronger every single game.”
“Personally, I’m feeling good. It’s the first time in such a long time – probably seven or eight years – that I’m playing without any pain in my knee. That helps a huge amount, being able to train and feel good. There were a lot of signings made over the summer so it’s a competitive squad and I’ve just tried to use my experience and get my head down.
“I have confidence in my own ability and I’ve been in the game long enough to know my strengths and what I can bring to this team. That’s what I wanted to do when I signed. I knew I could help this team and that’s what I’m trying to do every single week.”
With Bonner’s imperious recent form in mind, it’s no wonder many fans have been clamouring to see her recalled to the international scene. The 32-year-old has 12 senior caps for England but hasn’t featured for the Lionesses since 2019. So, would she like the chance to make a few more appearances under Sarina Wiegman?
“100%,” she said. “I’ve probably not played for England as many times as I would have liked to over the years but I just have to concentrate on what I do every single day in terms of playing for Liverpool. If anything comes after that then so be it but for me I have to keep on working hard and keep my head down and that’s all I can do.”
For Bonner and her Liverpool teammates, focus now turns to their final home game of the season. The Reds will host newly-promoted Bristol City on Sunday afternoon, with Beard’s side hoping to make it four straight WSL wins at Prenton Park.
“The international break probably didn’t come at the time we wanted due to the form we were in but we’re really excited to be back at home,” she said. “We know we’ve got a big week coming up but first and foremost our priority is Bristol City. We’re aware they’ve made it difficult for a lot of teams so we have to make sure we put in a strong performance.
“The fans play a huge part. We love playing in front of our home crowd and every game we can hear that support which probably gives us an extra push on the pitch.”
With Bonner at the heart of Beard’s new-look rearguard, Liverpool have given the fans plenty to cheer about so far this season. And, while this weekend will see the defender make a record-extending 139th appearance for the club, she has no plans to hang up her boots any time soon.
“Getting the record is something I’m sure I’ll look back on one day and be extremely proud of,” she said. “But for now I want to try and get as many appearances as possible and just keep on improving every single day.”
