Young Manchester Footballer With Strong Wexford Connection Making Waves

A young footballer from Manchester with a strong Wexford connection is making a name for herself after a remarkable season on the pitch.

Laya Gunning started playing football during the Covid-19 pandemic and spent her first four years playing as the only girl on a boys’ team.

She later moved to an all-girls team before getting the opportunity to trial with Stockport County.

Although she was initially told there wasn't enough space for her, Laya continued to impress after joining another girls’ team.

At the end of that season, Stockport County approached the family and invited her back for another trial and this time they were determined to sign her.

Laya officially signed for Stockport County on the day of her trial and has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Her achievements over the past season have been remarkable.

She was named Player of the Year at school, Player of the Year for Stockport County, and Player of the Year for her Sunday team, Abbey Hey.

She also scored an incredible 46 goals in one season, while providing more than 50 assists.

Laya's footballing journey is also a family affair, with her mum Chelsea being the niece of well-known Wexford broadcaster and sports personality Larry O’Gorman.

Despite her growing collection of trophies and accolades, Laya appears to be taking it all in her stride.

In fact, when asked about her success, she had a particularly memorable way of putting it:

“I’ve got more trophies than my Uncle Larry O’Gorman!”

With her goalscoring record, determination and growing list of awards, Laya is certainly a young footballer to keep an eye on as her career develops.