After every match, Toone knew to expect a call from her dad, Nick. He and her mum, Karen, were regulars in the stands, and he’d also record the games at home so he could rewatch them and ring her later for a full post-match breakdown.
At 26, Toone describes her dad as utterly devoted to the women’s game—more so than men’s—someone who knew the players, followed her progress closely, and spoke passionately about her team and their style. He’d happily walk into any pub and chat about women’s football and about his daughter.
She calls him the driving force behind her career, the one who ferried her across the country for club fixtures and abroad for England duty. Football was their shared bond, and he was among the first to believe she had real potential.
The day after she scored in England’s 2-1 win over Germany in the Euro 2022 final, she still didn’t know he’d just been diagnosed with prostate cancer; he had told only his wife and brother because he didn’t want anyone worrying. He’d been unwell throughout the tournament—a fact she’s learned more about since his passing.
She didn’t find out he was ill until the day after Manchester United won the FA Cup at Wembley in May 2024. It felt, she says, like every high was followed by a low.
Nick died in September 2024, three days short of his 60th birthday and five days after Toone turned 25. She was back in training the next day, returning to football because she knew that’s what he would have wanted. Starting the opening game at Old Trafford was incredibly hard, but playing felt necessary—better than sitting at home dwelling on grief. She felt he would have been there, watching.