Nathan Blake: "The Best Player on the Estate” – Wendy Reilly | The Dragon on My Shirt

Football

Year2026

Duration17m

Watch Now

7.5

The Dragon on My Shirt is a powerful documentary series that explores the stories of Black and Asian heritage footballers who have represented Wales, and the ongoing work to make football in Wales more inclusive. This episode brings together two generations of Welsh women’s football through the stories of Wendy Reilly and Safia Middleton-Patel. Wendy Reilly was Wales’ first Arab-heritage woman international. Raised in Newport, living in Pill and playing football on the Ringland Estate, Wendy was known as a talented, committed midfielder and a natural leader. Former Wales international and Premier League footballer Nathan Blake, the first Black player to score for the Welsh men’s team, remembers Wendy as the best player on the estate growing up. Wendy began her football journey at Newport Nightingales aged just 13 in 1975, later joining Llanederyn Ladies (now Gwalia United). She earned 34 caps for Wales, captaining the side in 1996, and played alongside pioneers of the women’s game, including Laura McAllister, Michelle Adams and Karen Jones. Her story reflects both the challenges faced by women footballers and the resilience that helped shape the modern game in Wales. Alongside Wendy’s story is Safia Middleton-Patel, a current Wales international and Women’s Super League player for Manchester United. Aged just 21, Safia represents a new generation of Welsh footballers, making her senior debut for Wales in 2023 after her first call-up in 2022. Her journey highlights how far the game has come - and the work still to be done. Together, their stories trace a line from the early emergence of women’s football in Wales to its present and future. ► Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com//FAWales?sub_... ► X:   / fawales   ► X:   / cymru   ► Facebook:   / fawales   ► Instagram:   / cymru   ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/cymru #Cymru #Wales #Football #Soccer