England Aston Villa goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck to return to competitive action! After surviving a difficult 19-month rehabilitation from a debilitating stroke, she’s back in the news making headlines again. The 24-year-old athlete, who spent a significant part of her career with Manchester City, has recently signed with Aston Villa after a year-long stint at Barcelona. Roebuck’s journey has not been without personal or professional adversity. Her fierce spirit and poise for purpose glow as she steps confidently into this next chapter.
Career Club Roebuck began her career with Manchester City. Over the course of those eight years, she rose through the ranks from the academy to the first team. She took the field for Spurs her last season on loan with FC Barcelona. This loan deal had been set up long before she experienced a health crisis with a stroke at the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign. The stroke ultimately left her sidelined for nearly two years, forcing her to miss a large chunk of her career.
After spending this time in Spain, Roebuck discovered about herself what she is capable of and what barriers she can overcome.
“Nobody can say they’ve ever done that before or even give that a shot. For me, it was something I wanted to do and something I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of doing. That really set the bar for me. I know that I’m limitless within that now.” – Ellie Roebuck
Overcoming Adversity
Roebuck’s road to recovery was not easy. After suffering a stroke, she went through a long process of rehabilitation and going in retrospective. Her path took a deep well of mental toughness, something she developed during her time away from the pitch.
On December 2024, Roebuck was back in action, a testament to her dedication and drive to play the game she loves again. She wrote about the difficulties of reentering the sport after a long absence, owing to injury and other factors.
“It’s a scary thing coming back to play football after not playing for six months, throwing your head at people’s feet and to do that there, it gave me the confidence that I can do that anywhere.” – Ellie Roebuck
Her experience has given her perspective, and a deeper gratitude both for the sport and what her body can do.
“I’ve learned a lot in terms of resilience and the body is such a powerful thing. I don’t want to say it’s a comeback because it’s not necessarily something that I could have done anything about, but it adds fuel to the fire that’s always been burning in the background to get back there. I believe in myself.” – Ellie Roebuck
New Beginnings at Aston Villa
For Roebuck, her transfer to Aston Villa marks not just a different club, but a new chapter in her career. In interviews, she’s raved about her new teammates, the combination of seniority and youth on the squad. Finding this balance will be key. They’ll need to find out what works best for their rapidly developing crew as they continue their push towards the playoffs.
“This year, it’s about looking internally and achieving from within. Aston Villa put on an amazing run of games towards the back end of last season and it’s something that I noticed from the outside.” – Ellie Roebuck
Roebuck is up for the adventure and dives into her unfamiliar surroundings. She remains committed to perfecting her craft and pushing her squad towards the top of the table in the Women’s Super League (WSL). Aston Villa were the surprise package of the WSL last season, finishing sixth under new management. Roebuck hopes to expand on that promising performance.
Roebuck’s relationship with her England teammates is just as close. During Euro 2025 tournament, she stayed in contact with several of them.
“Those girls amaze me every single day. I’m super close with loads of them so I was in contact with them throughout the tournament.” – Ellie Roebuck
Looking Ahead
Roebuck is entering the next chapter of her career with Aston Villa. She would love to be back in the England squad but knows she needs to be patient and focus on her short term goals first.
“In terms of getting back in the squad, of course that’s an aim. But I know I have to be patient and focus on the here and now.” – Ellie Roebuck
Her journey from Manchester City to Barcelona and now Aston Villa illustrates her tenacity and desire to overcome life’s challenges.
Roebuck’s story should be an inspiration to every budding athlete. She demonstrates the utmost dedication to self-improvement. Her resilience displays as she prepares to tackle the uncertainty of what’s next in her football journey.
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