The North East has always been a region that reveres its footballers not only for their talent, but for their graft, their character and their connection to the community.
It’s a place where supporters value honesty as much as flair; where determination is celebrated as loudly as a goal, and where players who give everything for the badge are held in the highest regard. In 2025, two Sunderland AFC Women players embodied those values so completely that the North East Football Writers’ Association could
hardly look anywhere else.
Katie Kitching was named the NEFWA “Women’s Player of the Year”, while the electrifying Watson was awarded the title of “Young Player of the Year”. For Sunderland supporters, the news has been met with immense pride, joy and a sense of deep satisfaction.
These honours feel not only deserved, but inevitable — and they’re more than individual accolades.
They’re markers of a season during which Sunderland Women continued to evolve, continued to defy expectations and continued to show that the club’s identity, built on resilience, ambition and unity, is alive and thriving. Kitching and Watson have been central to that journey. Their stories are different and their roles distinct, but their impact has been equally profound.
Kitching: “Engine, Architect, Leader”
Kitching’s 2024/2025 campaign was the kind of season that transforms a player from “important” to “indispensable.”
Already recognised internally after having been named as Sunderland’s Women’s Player of the Season at the club’s own awards night earlier last year, she carried that form into every competition, every fixture and every minute she played.
Her style is unmistakable: dynamic, creative and fiercely intelligent.
She reads the game with a clarity that allows her to dictate tempo, break lines and unlock defences with passes that seem to come from a different dimension — yet what truly sets her apart is her work ethic. Kitching is the kind of player who covers every blade of grass, who presses with purpose and who leads by example even when the game becomes chaotic.
Supporters often describe her as “the engine of the team” but that undersells her artistry. She’s both the metronome and the spark; the player who keeps Sunderland ticking and the one who ignites them when they need inspiration.
In 2025, she delivered match‑winning performances with a level of consistency that few in the league could match.
Whether orchestrating play from deep or driving forward to create chances, she was at the centre of everything Sunderland did well. Her influence also extended beyond the pitch, and younger players speak openly about how she guides them, encourages them and sets standards that elevate the entire squad.
The NEFWA Women’s Player of the Year award is in many ways the natural culmination of a season in which she was impossible to ignore. It was also a recognition of the kind of professional she is — hardworking, determined and utterly committed to her craft.
Watson: From Prodigy To Powerhouse
If Kitching is Sunderland’s conductor, Watson is their lightning bolt.
Still only in the early stages of her senior career, Watson has already carved out a reputation as one of the most exciting young forwards in the WSL2. Her 2024/2025 season was a showcase of everything that makes her special: pace, intelligence, composure and a natural instinct for goal that cannot be taught.
Winning the NEFWA Young Player of the Year award for the second time in three years is no small feat. It speaks to her consistency, her growth and her ability to rise to every challenge placed in front of her. Many young players struggle with the weight of expectation after early success, yet Watson seems energised by it.
Her goals were crucial but her all‑round game developed just as impressively.
She pressed defenders relentlessly, linked play with increasing sophistication and showed a maturity in decision‑making that belied her age. There were moments when she looked unstoppable, with darting runs behind the back line, fearless dribbles into crowded boxes and finishes struck with the confidence of a seasoned striker.
But perhaps the most striking thing about Watson is her mentality.
She’s humble, grounded and fiercely driven. Teammates describe her as someone who is always the last off the training pitch, always asking questions and always pushing herself to be better. That hunger is what makes her such a formidable prospect — not just for Sunderland, but for the future of English football.
A Season That Defined A Club
The 2024/2025 season was one of growth, grit and evolution as Sunderland continued to build an identity based on hard work, tactical intelligence and collective belief.
They weren’t intimidated by bigger budgets or more established sides; instead, they played with courage, clarity and a sense of purpose that made them one of the most compelling teams to watch, with Kitching and Watson central to that identity.
Kitching’s control of the midfield was often the difference between Sunderland surviving pressure and turning it into opportunity. Her ability to break lines, to find pockets of space and to transition from defence to attack with precision made her indispensable. She was the player who made Sunderland tick — the one who ensured that the team’s structure held firm even in the most challenging moments.
Watson, meanwhile, provided the spark.
Her goals were vital but her evolution as an all‑round forward was just as important. She became stronger, more confident and more assertive. She also learned when to drop deep, when to run in behind, when to press and when to hold her position.
Her development was testament not only to her own work ethic, but to the environment Sunderland have created — one that nurtures talent, encourages growth and demands excellence.
The Importance Of Recognition
The NEFWA awards are among the most respected honours in the region, being voted on by journalists who watch, analyse and critique football at every level. To win one is a significant achievement — to win two in the same year and with both players playing for the same club is a statement.
For Sunderland Women, it’s a moment of validation, a reflection of the progress the team has made, the culture they have built and the calibre of players they’re developing and attracting. It also shines a spotlight on the women’s game in the North East — a region with deep footballing roots but one that’s often been overlooked nationally.
Kitching and Watson’s wins ensure that conversation changes. Their success tells a story of a club moving forward, of a squad full of belief and of a fanbase that has embraced its women’s team with passion and pride.
Players Who Represent The Best of Sunderland
Sunderland fans value honesty, effort and connection — and Kitching and Watson embody all three. They are hardworking, determined and creative. They play with heart, they play for the badge and they play in a way that resonates deeply with the community.
Fans speak of Kitching’s intelligence, creativity and ability to make the game look effortless, and they also speak of Watson’s fearlessness, energy and instinctive brilliance. They speak of both players with pride, admiration and affection.
Their awards feel like victories — not just for the players but for the supporters who’ve followed their journeys, celebrated their successes and recognised their potential long before the wider football world took notice.
A Future Built On The Foundations Of Excellence
Together, Kitching and Watson represent the present and future of Sunderland Women.
Kitching provides the foundation, structure and flair; Watson provides spark, unpredictability and excitement. Their partnership — even though they play in different areas of the pitch — has become symbolic of the balance Sunderland are striving for: experience and youth, control and creativity, stability and ambition.
Their achievements are reminders of what’s possible when talent meets character, when ambition meets opportunity and when players embrace the responsibility of representing their club and their community.
Sunderland supporters are rightly proud of them both. They’ve witnessed Kitching become the engine of the team, the architect of its play and the leader who holds everything together. They’ve also watched Watson blossom into a forward of extraordinary promise and a player who excites, inspires and delivers.
They’ve watched both players grow, evolve and shine, and their pride isn’t just in reflected in the awards, but in the journeys that led to them.
