Whitworth student’s Man United goal

Brooklyn Hernon with her Manchester United shirt

Rising football star Brooklyn Hernon is only 12, but has already been offered a training registration with Manchester United’s Under 13s.

Brooklyn said: “I started playing for Whitworth Valley after I watched a match where Manchester United were playing Rochdale.

“I saw the goalkeeper making good saves and I wanted to become one.”

She has been playing with Liverpool for two seasons and recently trialed for Manchester United.

She really is a girl in a boys’ world as she has honed her goalkeeping skills by playing for boys’ football teams and also plays with Shawclough.

Fearless is the best way of describing Brooklyn who admitted that goal keeping has cost her five broken fingers over the years along with two broken and two sprained wrists.

She added: “I have also played outfield and I am a good all-rounder. Confidence is the key and even though I have had a few balls in my face, I just get through it.”

Her idols are Manchester United goalkeepers Mary Earps and David De Gea.

She began training with Manchester United on 17 July and will have her first pre-season game on 5 August.

Over the six-week holiday, she will also be training on the Football Association Regional Goalkeeper training programme.