Crystal Palace legend Bryan to resume career with Millwall Lionesses

Daniel Pentland

4 years ago

Crystal Palace legend Gemma Bryan will resume her playing career next season with Millwall Lionesses.

The 34-year-old hasn’t played competitive football since she sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury whilst at Crystal Palace in 2019.

It has been a long road back to fitness for Bryan but the player has agreed to join London & South East Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division club Millwall Lionesses, a move which was reported by the South Londoners earlier today. The player returns to the club that she represented in her youth.

After securing her Millwall Lionesses return, Bryan said “I started my career with Millwall at the age of 17 so it’s pretty much the full circle completed now with South London clubs. Being from South London, it’s always special to represent your local football team. Also, the players and coaches here are a very open and welcoming.

“It feels great to be back training after such a long time out, I’ve just completed my first session back yesterday. I wanted to be able to determine when I decide to stop playing rather than it be injuries that decide it.”

In two spells with former club Crystal Palace, Bryan wrote her name into the history books by scoring 107 goals for the South Londoners in all competitions. The forward’s second spell saw her play for just two months prior to her injury but Bryan was in good form up to that point, scoring three goals in five games for The Eagles.

Bryan has been fighting her personal fitness battle for the last three years without being contracted to a club.