Grace Horrell
# Grace Horrell

Grace Seren Horrell-Thomas (born 25 November 2001) is a Welsh footballer who plays predominately as a forward for Cardiff City Ladies and the Wales Women's National team.

## Early life

Horrell-Thomas was born in Cheltenham, England. Not long after her birth, she moved to Cardiff with her mother and two older sisters. Both of Horrell-Thomas's parents are Welsh and due to spending her school years in Wales, Grace was able to represent both Wales or England. She attended Birchgrove Primary School and went to three different high schools, before attending Coleg y Cymoedd.

## Early career

Horrell-Thomas started her career at Cardiff City Ladies when she was 9 years old. She also played for The Vale (now Barry Town Women) at age group level. Throughout her teen years Horrell-Thomas made appearances for the Cardiff and Vale County team and also the South Wales Women's Girls League Representative squad. She made her senior debut for Cyncoed Ladies (now Pontypridd Town) at 15 years and one day old, setting the record for the youngest ever player to play in the Welsh Women's Premier League. Among other Welsh youth prospects such as Gwen Davies and Alice Griffiths, Horrell-Thomas helped Cyncoed win a trophy during the 2018/19 season as they brought home the Welsh Premier League Cup after beating Cardiff Met 1-0 in the final. Cardiff City Ladies then re-signed Horrell-Thomas for the 2018/19 season. Horrell-Thomas stopped playing football during the pandemic and didn't return for nearly two years. In her first season back on the pitch, Horrell-Thomas played a key role in Cardiff City Ladies' 2022/23 title winning and promotion gaining campaign, making appearances as a forward, a full back and even a goalkeeper in an FA Cup match against local rivals, Bridgwater Town, in which she kept a clean sheet in a 4-0 win.

## Break from football

Horrell-Thomas posted to Instagram on 30 January 2023 announcing that the reason for her absence from football was due to depression.

## International career

Horrell-Thomas has represented Wales at all age group levels and was given her senior debut by Jayne Ludlow on 22 January 2019 in and against Italy during a friendly in which Wales lost 2-0. She appeared as an 87th minute substitute. All of Horrell-Thomas' senior appearances came in friendly fixtures, despite being named in the squad for many European Qualifying campaign fixtures.

