Lasses Spotlight: “Pocketed By Paxton!”

Chloe Paxton’s name has been floating around the Sunderland senior setup for months; a quiet presence in training, a young player absorbing everything, learning the pace, the physicality, the demands of senior football albeit without being handed the chance to show what she could do. Every time the squad list came out, you could sense the anticipation from those who knew her potential. She’d been training with the first team since the start of the year, growing sharper, stronger and more confident, but waiting for the moment where preparation becomes reality.

However, on Sunday, that moment finally arrived — and in the most intense setting imaginable. A derby against Newcastle isn’t a gentle introduction nor a soft landing. It’s a cauldron and a match that exposes you if you aren’t ready; something that tests your nerve before it tests your ability.

When the teamsheet dropped and her name appeared — not just in the squad but in the starting eleven — it felt like a shock that carried excitement and disbelief in equal measure. Starting a derby is one thing, yet starting in a derby at centre back is something else entirely. It’s a position that leaves you open to scrutiny, where every decision matters and where a single misjudgment can change the entire match.

It’s a role that demands courage, clarity and composure, and can overwhelm even experienced players. Yet from the moment she stepped onto the pitch, Paxton looked like she’d been waiting for this for her entire life. The first thing that stood out was her composure — not the kind of composure that comes from arrogance or overconfidence, but from understanding the game deeply.