Alex Scott leaves Arsenal after winning the FA Tesco WPL Cup.
Arsenal 5-0 Doncaster Rovers Belles
FA Tesco Women's Premier League Cup
The Final
Glanford Park, Scunthorpe United FC
7pm, Thursday 26 February 2009
Live on Setanta
Alex Scott bid an emotional and fitting farewell to the team-mates and the fans that have been a part of her life for 16 years.
In her final match for Arsenal before she joins Boston Breakers in America, Scott scored the Gunners’ fourth goal in their 5-0 FA Tesco Women's Premier League Cup Final victory over Doncaster Rovers Belles at Glanford Park.
Scott admitted there were tears in her eyes during the victorious lap of honour and says she didn’t think her last match would conclude so triumphantly.
"It was an emotional day for me," she said after the trophy presentation.
"I’ve been at the club since I was eight and it’s going to be sad to leave a great bunch of girls. But tonight we put on a great performance and to get a goal and a win was just fantastic."
Scott will leave for the USA next week and she will be joined in Boston by her Arsenal and England colleague, Kelly Smith, who herself signed off in style with a hat-trick. But as a defender, goals from Scott are understandably fewer and further between though she concedes that she should have scored more in her time at the club.
"That goal has been coming for a couple of years. I'm an attacking full-back, but my shooting’s been a bit wayward this season," she admitted. "The boss has always told me to just hit the target, and to see the ball go in tonight was amazing.
"I’ve gone close in The FA Women’s Cup Final a few times, but to sign off with a goal means everything to me."
Scott’s next challenge lies ahead on a different continent, but she admits it’s one she is looking forward to.
"I'm really excited. Every player wants to play in a professional league and test themselves, and it’ll be nice to have Kelly with me as well. But Arsenal have got some very good younger players coming through, so I'm sure I won’t be missed too much."
Having played for the club for so many years and having enjoyed so much success, Scott will undoubtedly leave behind many fond memories of Arsenal Football Club and this Cup Final victory will be right up there with them.
"I can’t pick out a certain memory," she says, "but tonight will stick in my mind for a very long time."
The Teams
Arsenal
1 Emma Byrne, 2 Alex Scott, 4 Jayne Ludlow (C), 7 Ciara Grant, 8 Kelly Smith (26 Lauren Bruton, 88), 11 Rachel Yankey, 12 Gemma Davison (9 Susanne Grant, 77), 15 Laura Bassett, (5 Gilly Flaherty, 81), 16 Kim Little, 17 Katie Chapman, 19 Niamh Fahey
Goals
Smith 5, 32, 58, Scott 67, Grant 89
Substitutes not used
18 Natalie Ross, 24 Sarah Quantrill
Manager
Vic Akers
Doncaster Rovers Belles
1 Nicola Hobbs, 2 Chelsea Weston, 3 Vanessa Leat, 4 Rachel Williams, 5 Claire Utley, 6 Amy Turner, 7 Emily Heckler, 8 Vicky Exley (C), 10 Vikki Stevens (15 Natalie Shaw, 77), 12 Natasha Hughes, 14 Emma Johnson (16 Naomi Chadwick, 88)
Substitutes not used
9 Suzanne Davies, 13 Claire Farrow, 17 Sarah Owen
Referee
Steve Rowntree
