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Sue Smith (footballer)

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Sue Smith
Smith in July 2009
Personal information
Full name Susan Jane Smith[1]
Date of birth (1979-11-24) 24 November 1979 (age 44)
Place of birth Prescot,[2] England
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[2]
Position(s) Winger, Forward
Youth career
Rainhill United
St. Helens
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–2002 Tranmere Rovers
2002–2010 Leeds United
2010–2011 Lincoln Ladies 14 (2)
2011–2016 Doncaster Rovers Belles
International career‡
1997–2012 England 93 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 August 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:08, 6 March 2012 (UTC)

Susan Jane Smith (born 24 November 1979) is a former English international footballer who last played for Doncaster Rovers Belles and England as a winger.[3]

Club career

Smith played for Tranmere Rovers since she was a teenager, but after years of fielding several offers from top clubs around the country, she signed on for Leeds United (known as Leeds Carnegie from 2008 until 2010) in the summer of 2002.[4]

Following the failure of Leeds' bid to join the FA WSL, Smith signed for Lincoln Ladies in August 2010.[5] In December 2011 Smith joined Doncaster Rovers Belles, who had tried to sign her on two previous occasions. Belles manager John Buckley described the capture of Smith as "a tremendous coup for the club".[6] Smith scored on her Belles debut in a 2–1 FA Women's Cup win at Barnet, but was later carried off with damaged cruciate and medial ligaments. When she was subsequently ruled out for at least nine months, Buckley rued "a disaster for Sue and a disaster for the club."[7]

After some injuries she left Doncaster before the 2017 season.[8] She never announced her retirement from football, but has not played since the end of the 2016 season.

International career

Smith made her England debut as a 17–year–old substitute in February 1997, scoring in a 6–4 friendly defeat to Germany at Deepdale in Preston.[9] One of her brightest England moments was scoring a hat-trick of tremendous goals in a home friendly against Spain in March 2001.[10]

She has twice won the Nationwide International Player of the Year award – in 1999 and 2001.[11] In 1999 she was also voted Players' Player of the Year.[12]

Before winning the 1999 awards, Smith represented her country when she was picked to play in a FIFA XI against the USA in a showpiece match in San Jose.[4][12]

She made her domestic comeback at the start of the 2002–03 season after suffering a broken leg and torn ligament damage after a training ground accident in February,[4] and after featuring in the series of friendlies in the build-up to Euro 2005, narrowly missed selection in the final 20.

Smith bounced back, scoring against Austria in the first World Cup qualifier of the campaign, and was twice runner-up in the FA Women's Cup with her club Leeds United.

In May 2009, Smith was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by The Football Association.[13] In June 2011 she was surprisingly left out of England's 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup squad.[14]

Smith was allotted 118 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.[15][16]

International goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Result Competition
1 27 February 1997 Deepdale, Preston  Germany 4–6 Friendly
2 30 October 1997 Boleyn Ground, London  Netherlands 1–0 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup qual.
3 13 September 1998 Stadionul Poiana, Câmpina  Romania 4–1 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup qual.
4 17 October 1999 Sportanlagen Trinermatten, Zofingen  Switzerland 1–0 2001 UEFA Women's Championship qual.
5 20 February 2000 Estádio do Sport Grupo Sacavenense, Lisbon  Portugal 2–2 2001 UEFA Women's Championship qual.
6 23 April 2000 Oakwell, Barnsley  Portugal 2–0 2001 UEFA Women's Championship qual.
7 13 May 2000 Memorial Ground, Bristol  Switzerland 1–0 2001 UEFA Women's Championship qual.
8 28 November 2000 Brisbane Road, London  Ukraine 2–0 2001 UEFA Women's Championship qual.
9 22 March 2001 Kenilworth Road, Luton  Spain 4–2 Friendly
10
11
12 13 March 2005 Estádio Fernando Cabrita, Lagos  Mexico 5–0 Algarve Cup
13 1 September 2005 Ertl-Glas Stadion, Amstetten  Austria 4–1 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qual.
14 20 April 2006 Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham  Austria 4–0 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qual.
15 9 March 2011 Dasaki Stadium, Akhna  South Korea 2–0 Cyprus Cup
16

Honours

2009–10
1995–96
  • FA Players' Player of the Year Award: 1
1998–99
  • FA International Player of the Year Award: 2
1998–99, 2000–01

Media career

In 2000, Smith and her Tranmere teammates featured in a television advert for Daz washing powder alongside Julian Clary.[17] Smith was later a regular contributor to the Yorkshire Evening Post's women's football section, and also offered her views and commentary skills for BBC sport. Most recently Smith appeared alongside Manchester United's Wayne Rooney in his three-part Sky1 show 'Street Striker'.

In July 2009 Smith was awarded an honorary degree by Edge Hill University.[18] In November 2010 she opened Chipping Sodbury Secondary School's sports centre.[19]

She has also appeared as a co-presenter on EFL on Quest, an EFL highlights show on Quest.[20]

She currently works as analyst and colour commentator for many platforms, often seen in Sky Sports for Women's Super League games.

In 2023, she was added as a commentator on EA Sports FC 24, commentating alongside Guy Mowbray.

Personal life

Throughout her career Smith has been recognisable by her hairstyles.[21] She is an Everton F.C. supporter.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Player Statistics". FIFA. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Biography". The Official Sue Smith Website. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  3. ^ Sue Smith signs for Lincoln She Kicks, 4 August 2010
  4. ^ a b c "Smith's shock move to Leeds". The Football Association. 17 July 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  5. ^ Lincoln Ladies sign England winger Sue Smith BBC Sport 4 August 2010
  6. ^ "Sue Smith signs for Doncaster". She Kicks. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  7. ^ Goodwin, Paul (15 March 2012). "Injury heartache for Doncaster Rovers Belles star Sue Smith". Doncaster Free Press. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Former England star Sue Smith leaves Doncaster Rovers Belles". doncasterfreepress.co.uk. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  9. ^ Hadfield, Dave (28 February 1997). "England exposed by Muller". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  10. ^ Sue Thearle (23 March 2001). "Smith triple fires England to victory". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  11. ^ Sue Thearle (19 June 2001). "Award is timely boost for Smith". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  12. ^ a b "F.A. WOMEN'S FOOTBALL AWARDS SPONSORED BY AXA 1998/1999". PR Newswire. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
  13. ^ "England Women awarded contracts". BBC Sport. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  14. ^ Glenn Moore (11 June 2011). "Smith is the surprise omission in Powell's squad for Germany". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  15. ^ "England squad named for World Cup". The Football Association. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  16. ^ Lacey-Hatton, Jack (18 November 2022). "Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present". mirror. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  17. ^ Sue Thearle (8 December 2000). "Smith is England gem". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  18. ^ "England women's footballer Sue Smith receives honorary degree from Edge Hill University". Ormskirk Advertiser. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  19. ^ "Sue kicks off sports facilities". Bristol Evening Post. 30 November 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  20. ^ "Discovery+ | Stream 55,000+ Real-Life TV Episodes".
  21. ^ Small Talk: Sue Smith The Guardian, 28 April 2006
  22. ^ "Behind the scenes". The Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
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