Rianna Dean: A Striker’s Journey of Resilience, Reinvention, and Revival in Suffolk
When Rianna Dean steps onto the pitch for Ipswich Town Women, you notice her immediately. It’s not just because she’s the number nine or because of her sharp eye for goal. It’s also her look — the oversized shirt she always wears, hanging well past her shorts, almost like a nod to football’s street game roots. But more than just a fashion statement, it’s about comfort. “I don’t like playing in tight clothing or anything that’s too tight for me,” she says. “It does look big and sometimes you can’t see my shorts, but I prefer things to be oversized because I just feel more comfortable on the pitch.”
Comfort on the pitch is something Dean has earned through experience — and plenty of it. Now 26 years old, she’s already lived the rollercoaster of a professional football career that many only dream of, playing at top academies, scoring goals across the Women’s Championship, experiencing promotions, battling injuries, and finding fresh starts in different cities. Today, at Ipswich Town, she’s found a new home — and with three goals in her last two games, a new chapter is underway.
But her journey to this point wasn’t a straight line. It started, like so many others, not on a pristine pitch or under the lights of a stadium, but on the sidelines of her brother’s football matches in Hillingdon, west London.
The Early Years: Football, Family, and Determination
“I was quite young to join in,” she recalls. “So I just played with the other young brothers on the side and I just really enjoyed it, before they set up a younger team which I joined.”
Those early days laid the foundation for what would become a lifelong pursuit. Football wasn’t just a weekend activity — it was a way of life. Dean admits her early motivation was competitive, even a little sibling rivalry. “I wanted to be better than my brother,” she says. “So I used to go and train with the boys all the time, play in tournaments and I loved it.”
Soon, Dean joined the QPR girls team, where she found herself in extraordinary company. Future England international Chloe Kelly, now a household name after scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2022 final, and Welsh international Anna Filbey were teammates. The talent pool was deep — and it pushed Dean to improve.
Next came trials at the top clubs. First was Chelsea — the team she grew up supporting — where she impressed enough to earn a place. But her journey took a surprising turn. “I then had a trial at Arsenal and got in there too,” she recalls. “My mum thought I should go to Arsenal as it was the place to be at the time. I declined Chelsea and went to Arsenal — which was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
Arsenal: Training with the Future of English Football
At the Arsenal Centre of Excellence, Dean stepped into a high-performance environment that nurtured some of the biggest names in today’s game. Teammates included not only Chloe Kelly again, but England captain Leah Williamson, defenders Lotte Wubben-Moy and Anna Patten, and future professionals like Lucy Parker. It was a breeding ground for elite talent.
Originally a midfielder, Dean’s natural eye for goal saw her gradually evolve into a striker. At youth level, she became prolific — a consistent threat in front of goal. Her hard work paid off with a senior debut for Arsenal at just 16 years old in a WSL Cup match against London Bees.
“It was on my mum’s birthday, so that was nice,” she says. “But I was very nervous because I was only 16, but just to play with the players that were there at the time was incredible.”
Despite that debut, first-team opportunities were limited. Pedro Martínez Losa, Arsenal’s manager at the time, had a squad brimming with internationals. And like many young players in elite academies, Dean faced a difficult decision: stay and fight for minutes, or leave to play regularly elsewhere.
“Looking back, I actually think maybe I should have left there earlier than I did,” she admits. “Training is really good with those players, but it’s the minutes and the matches that actually help you improve the most.”
Millwall and Tottenham: Breaking Through in the Championship
In 2017, Dean signed with Millwall, a move that marked the beginning of her rise in the second tier of English football. At Millwall, she found the one thing she’d been lacking — consistent minutes. She performed well enough to earn a move to Tottenham Hotspur, and that’s where her career truly caught fire.
In her first season with Spurs, Dean became one of the league’s standout strikers, finishing joint-second in the goalscoring charts and helping the team earn promotion to the Women’s Super League for the first time in their history.
“I loved it there, it was really good,” she says. “I joined at an age when I was trying to adapt to the women’s game and playing every game for them allowed me to do that. I was really happy there.”
Her impact at Spurs was immediate, and her time there also coincided with her studies. Dean was studying Sports Science at Brunel University, juggling the physical and mental demands of football with academia. It was a crucial period in her development — both on and off the pitch.
Liverpool and Injury Setbacks: A Test of Resilience
After her successful spell at Spurs, Dean made a big move to Liverpool, who were at the time pushing to return to the WSL. It was also the first time Dean had moved away from home, leaving London behind to settle in the North West.
“It was the first time I actually moved away from home and I was quite young as well, which took me out of my comfort zone,” she says.
Dean started brightly, scoring two goals in three games. But soon, injury struck — and not the kind you can quickly shake off. She developed a plantar fascia issue — a problem with the tissue under the foot that lingered and refused to go away.
“I loved every second there, but the injury absolutely killed the experience,” she says. “It was no big injury, it was just sort of the tissue under my foot, but I couldn’t get rid of it. Liverpool really tried to fix it and they gave me everything to help.”
It wasn’t just the pain — it was the psychological toll. “Even when I was walking my dogs — I couldn’t anymore. It was horrible. Not only does it affect your football, it affects your personal life as well. It was a low time but I just thought I know I have so much more to give.”
Her time at Liverpool, though blighted by injury, left a lasting impression because of the leadership of manager Matt Beard. His sudden passing at the age of 47 last month hit Dean and many others in the game hard.
“He was incredible,” she says. “For me, he was like a father figure. He was so kind to us all. He said to us, ‘you’re all like my daughters.’ He had that soft side to him, but also that really serious side. I was very lucky to have played under him and he’ll always be up there as one of the best managers I’ve had.”
Crystal Palace, Southampton, and the Road to Ipswich
Following her time on Merseyside, Dean moved to Crystal Palace, and then on to Southampton. At the Saints, she found stability again — regular minutes, a good environment, and, crucially, her goal-scoring touch. She spent two seasons there, rebuilding both her confidence and fitness.
This summer, a new opportunity presented itself: Ipswich Town. It meant reuniting with former Saints teammate Paige Peake and assistant manager Lauren Phillips — familiar faces who helped ease the transition.
When Ipswich manager Joe Sheehan called, his vision struck a chord.
“Joe was really good,” she says. “The way he was describing things to me — the style of play, the ambition, the history of the club — it made me feel this was the place to be.
“He said it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be a challenge. But for me, all my injuries have been a challenge — so why not add to the challenge as well?”
Sheehan’s faith has been repaid early. Dean has hit form, scoring three goals in two matches, and giving Ipswich fans hope that their number nine can lead the line in their first WSL 2 campaign.
Life in Suffolk: A New Chapter Begins
Off the pitch, life in Suffolk is proving to be a good fit. Having lived near the docks in Liverpool and by the marina in Southampton, she now finds herself by the water again in Ipswich.
“I like it,” she says. “Especially living in London before, where it’s manic all the time — but here it’s nice and peaceful, a good area. I’m really happy.”
After years of ups and downs — from early promise at Arsenal, to starring at Spurs, to battling injuries at Liverpool — Rianna Dean has arrived at a place that feels right. She’s settled, motivated, and back among the goals.
And while her oversized shirt might billow in the Suffolk breeze, it’s what lies beneath — resilience, belief, and hunger — that defines Ipswich’s new number nine.