Cambridge United Women’s captain, Gisela Otten, has reached a landmark 100 appearances for the U’s…
The weekend’s 0-2 win over Sudbury Town marked the 100th appearance in Gisela’s career at Cambridge United, spanning over the past five seasons. Gisela made the appearance after being called into action as centre-back Abbie Jackson was substituted off in the 21st minute due to injury.
Gisela’s spell with the U’s began when she signed on 9 October, early into the 2019/20 season, brought in by now-assistant coach, Ben Yeomans as a central midfielder. Gisela remained in the midfield position until the current 2024/25 season, where she has been utilised as a centre-back, bringing plenty of experience to the back line.
The five seasons and hundred performances has seen Gisela net herself 8 goals, with the highlight coming from a header in the local derby game against Cambridge City during the 2021/22 season. Gisela’s goal helped the U’s earn a 2-1 victory over their rivals.
Speaking about the milestone, Cambridge United Women Manager Darren Marjoram said, “The positive impact Gisela has had on this team and club is hard to measure."
He added, “Making 100 appearances in a league with only 24 fixtures in this current season, shows her dedication and commitment over many years, and I am extremely grateful for the time and effort she has given during my time at the Club.”
During her time as Club Captain, Gisela has had a remarkable impact on the U’s, taking the team to a number of landmark achievements for the Club. In the 2022/23 season, Gisela led Cambridge to victory in the Cambridgeshire Invitational Cup, where the final saw them earn a 3-1 victory at the Cledara Abbey Stadium.
The following season, Gisela continued her success as skipper as United reached their first national final (pictured above), where they faced Derby County in the FA WNL Plate Final at Broadhurst Park in Manchester. The U’s put up a respectable performance against a strong side but were unable to win it all.
Speaking on Gisela’s captaincy credentials, Marjoram said, “As Club Captain, Gisela has had a big part to play in creating a culture that we benefit from constantly, and will do for many years to come.”
In an emotional interview after Gisela’s 100th appearance, she stated, “It’s been five incredible years, meeting really cool people, making friends, and playing the game I love."
“It’s been a privilege.”
See below for some photos of Gisela in action throughout her 100 games:
