Nottingham Forest is delighted to announce the signing of Kate Longhurst.
Two-time Women’s Super League winner Longhurst joins The Reds on a one-year deal from Women’s Championship side Charlton Athletic.
The midfielder signs with a wealth of experience playing in the top tier of women’s football for a number of clubs. In 2023, Longhurst equalled the record for all-time Women’s Super League appearances with 182 games played in the WSL.
Longhurst started her career in Essex where the midfielder came through the ranks at Colchester United, scoring 18 times in 32 appearances for the club.
The now 35-year-old then had stints at Watford and Millwall Lionesses, before a move to Chelsea. Longhurst was a member of the side that reached the Women’s FA Cup final in 2012, scoring in the final for The Blues.
In 2013, Longhurst made the switch to Liverpool, where she would enjoy the most successful spell of her career, winning back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014. During her stint on Merseyside Longhurst would also win Players’ Player of the Season in 2015.
Following the expiry of her contract in 2018, Longhurst returned to London, this time with her childhood club, West Ham United. The Hammers would join the WSL that season with Longhurst scoring the club’s first-ever goal in the division during a season where the East London side would reach the Women’s FA Cup final.
Longhurst’s five-year stint at West Ham came to an end in 2023 and in her final appearance for The Hammers, she equalled the league’s all-time appearance record in her 182nd game in the Women’s Super League.
Charlton Athletic announced the signing of Longhurst in July 2023 as co-captain, in a season where The Addicks narrowly missed out on promotion to the WSL by a single point. Longhurst now arrives on Trentside ahead of The Reds’ 2024/25 campaign in the Northern Premier Division.
Nottingham Forest Women Head Coach, Carly Davies, said: “We are thrilled to have a player of Kate’s calibre and experience at the Club.
“To have a player in our ranks who has two Women’s Super League winner medals, is a two-time FA Cup runner-up and currently sits amongst the top all-time appearance makers in WSL history – we are over the moon to have her here.
“Kate’s game understanding, combative playing style and competitive nature will serve us well this season and certainly supports the ambition of the Club.”
Longhurst spoke on her signing: “It’s really exciting being at the start of an adventure when the team is turning professional with the plans that the Club have in place. To be one of the first players to join since the news, with the players already here, I’m excited to get started.”
