After picking up an injury just two matches into her first pre-season with Wolves, Layla Proctor has found an alternative way to make the most of her less-than-ideal start to life in the West Midlands.
Six weeks on from undergoing surgery on ankle ligament damage sustained at Bristol City in August, Proctor can now regularly be found around Compton Park with a camera in hand, complementing her rehabilitation by capturing morning arrivals and training sessions for the Women’s first team.
It is a role the 21-year-old has embraced during a frustrating period on the sidelines, having discovered an opportunity to combine her recovery with a passion she has held since childhood.
“I got my first camera when I was 14 years old for Christmas and I’ve always loved taking photos. It’s something I’ve done for a while now,” the 21-year-old said.
A new item on the @layla_proctor rehab schedule 📸
— Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) September 12, 2026
Layla’s shot’s dropping later 👀 pic.twitter.com/hmCJKLVRnU
With Proctor unable to train alongside her teammates, she admits rehabilitation can sometimes feel isolating.
“It can be quite lonely in the gym or other parts of rehab – we’ve been lucky we haven’t had too many injuries – so I mentioned to Russ, our Head of Women and Girls that it was something I had an interest in and he mentioned the media team had a camera that I could use.
“We don’t always have a photographer at training every day and I know some of the girls mentioned they would like a few more pictures, so I thought ‘why not’ and started shooting.
“I didn’t think I’d ever be doing something like this in this environment, but I took a few and our media guy loved them so posted some shots on social media.
“The club are happy for me to keep doing it alongside my recovery for as long I’m not on the pitch, which hopefully won’t be too much longer.”
Her photographs have since become a regular feature around the team, giving Proctor a different perspective on life at Wolves while she continues to work towards a return to action.
That return is now edging closer. It is hoped that Proctor will be back in training by November, with her rehabilitation progressing well enough for her to come out of her protective boot and leave her crutches behind.
“I feel human again walking around with two shoes! I’m in high spirits and I can’t wait to smash out the next six week and get back on the pitch. I came to the club buzzing to get going in a new league, so it was devastating and tough mentally, but that’s football. I’ll be back on the grass in a couple of weeks.
“I’ll be so excited when the moments comes to play, but I don’t think the girls will be too happy that their photos will stop!”
While she has been unable to contribute on the pitch, Proctor has continued to play her part from the sidelines, regularly watching on at the SEAH Stadium as Wolves embark on their debut WSL 2 season. She has been impressed by what she has seen from the side in the early stages of the campaign.
“I think the girls have been great and played some really good football and it has been so exciting to see what they can do. In this league we know we’ll have to take the tough hits, learn and be better for them.
“This is a really amazing group of people, not just as footballers but as people.”
For now, Proctor’s focus remains on completing the final stages of her rehabilitation and returning to the pitch. Until then, she has found another way to stay close to the action has perhaps unexpectedly become one of the people helping to capture the story of Wolves Women’s first WSL 2 campaign.