Matilda and A-League champion signs with Mariners

Matilda and three-time Liberty A-League Champion Taylor Ray has signed with the Central Coast Mariners for the upcoming season.

The 23-year-old joins the club after spending seven seasons with Sydney FC, amassing 64 total appearances after making her debut in 2017 aged just 16.

An energetic and tough ball-winning midfielder, Ray came off the bench and played more than 30 minutes in Sydney’s grand final triumph last season against Melbourne City, rounding out her sky blue career with another trophy.

Ray now joins the Central Coast Mariners fresh off the back of its successful return season to the Liberty A-League competition, where the team made the semi-finals.

The 23-year-old will add extra experience and tenacity into an already strong midfield, having made her Matildas debut against Spain in 2022.

Ray said she was excited to start the next chapter of her footballing career on the Central Coast and was eager for the season to get underway.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Central Coast Mariners ahead of the upcoming season,” Ray said.

“Looking back at the team last year, they really flourished under Emily, and that is something that has really drawn me to the club.

“The team worked so hard to achieve success and were really ambitious, so I look forward to learning and growing alongside my new teammates.

“Ever since my first conversation with Emily, she made me feel so welcome, I can’t wait for the season to begin and to be able to work with her.

“Mariners fans have always been incredible, and their support for the women’s team last season was amazing to see.

“I look forward to meeting them all this year and continuing to give them lots to cheer about.”  

Central Coast Mariners head coach Emily Husband is pleased to have the midfielder join the club, seeing her as an important addition to the team.

“We are really pleased to have Taylor join us this season,” Husband said.

“Despite her young age, she brings a wealth of experience having been an established player in the league for some time.

“She has a fantastic technical foundation and will add a lot to our midfield, complimenting the players we already have really well.

“Taylor is not only good on the ball but is excellent at winning it back as well and has a lot of the qualities that we look for in someone to become a Central Coast Mariner.

“This is the first of many exciting player announcements that we have coming up which we look forward to being able to share with the Mariners family.”