Emily Murphy named Newcastle United Women’s PFA Community Champion 2025/26

Newcastle United Women’s Emily Murphy has earned the Professional Footballers’ Association Community Champion award 2025/26, celebrating her charitable work off the pitch.

Nominated by Newcastle United Foundation, the PFA Community Champion award recognise players committed to enriching the community around them, going above and beyond to support their club’s charity work throughout the season.

Murphy is a familiar face for children on wards at the Great North Children’s Hospital engaged by the Foundation’s United for Health programme with Newcastle Hospitals Charity, supporting children living with various medical conditions who are receiving treatment.

The Republic of Ireland international regularly takes time out of her schedule to spend time on the wards, often unpublicised, to meet young patients.

PFA Player Services Executive for Women’s Football and former Canada international Kylla Sjoman presented Murphy with the award on behalf of the Professional Footballers’ Association.

On receiving the PFA Community Champion award 2025/26, Murphy said: “It’s an honour to receive this award and I’m grateful to Newcastle United Foundation and the PFA for this recognition.

“It’s important for me to create impact off the pitch and it’s been special to spend more time in the community this season, especially at the Great North Children’s Hospital.”

She added: “I’m an avid volunteer with the Newcastle United Foundation, and I love everything that they do and what they stand for. Going to see the children and the parents provides them with a sort of distraction and removal from what is going on in their lives.

“When I go there, it’s about just being a friend to them all, being someone they can play games with, do activities, and just supporting them in any way that I can.

“As footballers, we’re role models for so many young people regardless of the situation they’re in, and when we have our afternoons and evenings off, it’s good to give back a bit.”

United for Health offers free, weekly adaptive sports sessions, designed specifically for chronically ill children, allowing them to re-engage with physical activity in a way that is safe, inclusive and supportive of their varied medical needs.

Melissa Scott, Project Coordinator in the Great North Children’s Hospital for Newcastle United Foundation, said: “Collaborating with Newcastle United Women is incredibly important for the young people we engage with who see their heroes getting involved and supporting their community here in the Newcastle.

“It can be transformational to have inspirational role models like Emily Murphy spending their time with young people and helping them to create positive memories – especially when the young people we support are often experiencing a very physically and emotionally challenging time in their life.

“It’s been fantastic to see the encouragement players like Emily provide for our participants who can get to know their heroes through activities on the ward, question and answer sessions and multi-sport activity days. Emily has had a profound impact on young people through the United for Health programme and shows genuine care and commitment for the community.”

United for Health is a Players’ Project Pilot, supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association. The Players’ Project Pilot aims to build stronger connections between players, communities and football clubs by putting players at the heart of local projects that help to address important societal issues.

This season, 17 projects are being delivered across England and Wales by professional football club charities and player foundations supported by the Premier League and PFA in their local communities.

Projects are developed in collaboration with current and former professional football players and scholars, to enhance the impact on participants. Funding is distributed by the Premier League Foundation.

A Newcastle United PFA Community Champion will be announced in due course.

For more information about the Newcastle United Foundation and programmes near you, follow Newcastle United Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and X for regular news and updates.