York-born Staniforth was one of a handful of Lionesses who developed in the academies of the north east of England and went on to successful careers.
She broke into Sunderland’s first team at the age of 16 and was close friends with Lucy Bronze, sharing lifts to training with her former team-mate and current England defender.
A midfielder known for her intelligent movement and passing range, Staniforth ends her career at Villa having made more than 50 appearances in all competitions.
It has not been a smooth ride, however, as she has suffered back-to-back anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in 2014 in different knees, which caused her to miss almost three seasons.
“I feel so lucky to have been able to go to the places I’ve been to and to have met the people I have,” added Staniforth.
“Football has ultimately been my life. It’s made me who I am and it’s all I’ve known. It’s huge and I’ve loved it. I’ve also hated it at times because it’s really hard!
“There’s so many times when you question your worth. That’s something I have struggled with throughout my career, knowing who I am away from the pitch.
“I’m excited now because I’m not ‘Lucy the footballer’ anymore. It might be hard to come to terms with down the line, but at the moment, it just excites me.”
Staniforth hopes to “discover a new part” of herself away from the game and learn to celebrate her achievements.
“I’ve probably been so hard on myself throughout my whole career. I always wanted to achieve great things and be this wonderful player with a list of honours,” she added.
“I’ve learned that while everything has been so hard, I’ve been so resilient. I just need to be like, ‘Fair play, it’s not easy’.
“I can get through anything and I’m really proud that I’ve been able to do that and still reach the peak of my career.
“I have tried not to take life too seriously. I’ve always tried to be a great team-mate and lift everyone’s spirits. Hopefully those skills lead me into success after football.”