Lily Agg signs with 1. FFC Frankfurt
Four-time Champion’s League winners 1. FFC Frankfurt have today confirmed the signing of former Bristol City striker Lily Agg on a two-year contract in one of the first moves involving a British player joining the Frauen-Bundesliga.
Following promotion with Brighton & Hove Albion in May 2016, the 23-year-old joined Welsh title winners’ Cardiff Met LFC for their Champion’s League qualifying campaign in August, before signing with WSL1 club Bristol City for the Spring Series.
Agg becomes the first British player to join Frankfurt since Welsh international Jess Fishlock joined on loan during their 2015 Champion’s League-winning campaign. She will become the only English player present in the Frauen-Bundesliga, and the second British player along with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s Scottish international Sophie Howard.
The striker had previously been selected to represent Great Britain in the forthcoming World University Games summer in Taipei, Taiwan. However, she will instead fly straight to Frankfurt to join up with the squad ahead of the forthcoming pre-season friendly on 20 August vs. Manchester City and season opener on 03 September against 1. FFC Köln - both at the club’s Stadion am Brentanobad.
Frankfurt unveiled their new signing today (Wednesday), with Head Coach Matt Ross describing Lily as “a young and ambitious striker with an impressive goalscoring record in the English Super League and the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Typically English, Lily has a great fighting spirit and a determination to sacrifice herself for the team.
“During her trial with us, Lily showed the necessary spielintelligenz and full range of strikers skills to complement our existing attacking players. But it was also her strength of character, self-belief and immediate integration into our team that convinced me that Lily is the right player for us.”
Speaking about the opportunity, Agg said: “I’m delighted to be joining 1. FFC Frankfurt, a club with fantastic history which has been home to some of the game’s finest players.
“It’s an exciting challenge in a beautiful city and the ambition is to compete in one of the top women’s leagues in the world. There was a natural bond with the staff and players when I visited and I can’t wait to get started with the squad.”
A former youth international with England, Agg began her career in Arsenal’s Academy before leaving top-level football to complete her off-pitch ambitions. After receiving Player of the Season honours with Brighton in 2013, Agg returned to the WSL2 with Millwall Lionesses over two seasons, before returning to Brighton as they sealed promotion to the WSL.
Alongside her footballing career, Lily has developed her business skills as the Sales Director of Soccerella, a dedicated female teamwear business in the UK. As part of the role, Lily and Georgia Bridges from RMA Academy recently organised a girl’s football tournament that welcomed over 250 girls in their hometown of Brighton.
Founder of ignite Talent, Ashley Brown added “I’m delighted that Lily has been offered the opportunity to challenge herself in one of the toughest league’s in the world. The club has shown itself to be the perfect place to settle and establish her career at the top level. Lily has performed well at every level she’s played at — including Champion’s League, WSL1 and WSL2 — and has shown that she is ready for the opportunity. I’m looking forward to Lily getting started with her new teammates this weekend, and pulling on the Frankfurt colours for the first time against Manchester City.”
