Joanne Broadhurst
Encyclopedia
Joanne "Jo" Broadhurst is a former English female footballer. She represented England
at full international level and played for the leading English clubs Doncaster Belles, Arsenal
and Croydon/Charlton Athletic
.
. While playing for the all-conquering Belles, Broadhurst worked as a forklift truck
driver for Royal Doulton
in Stoke
.
As a playmaker, Broadhurst was a key component of the side which wrested the League title
back from Arsenal and completed a domestic double in 1994. Belles manager Paul Edmunds
said of Broadhurst "the more she gets the ball, the better we play."
In 1995 Broadhurst moved to Arsenal
and was given a job in the club's mail order department. In summer 1996 she underwent surgery on a knee injury, but finished the season as top goalscorer.
By 1997–98 Broadhurst was playing for Croydon
, scoring the opening goal in a 3–2 defeat to Arsenal in that season's FA Women's Cup
final. Croydon won a League and Cup double in 2000, clinched when they beat Aston Villa
6–0 to win the league. Broadhurst scored twice in that game. When Croydon came under the auspices of Charlton Athletic, Broadhurst returned to Doncaster Belles. However, she was back with Charlton in 2001–02.
From 2003–2005 Broadhurst featured in three successive FA Women's Cup finals with Charlton. She played in a 3–0 loss to the professionals of Fulham
in May 2003, then in another defeat—again 3–0—to former club Arsenal the following year. In 2005 Broadhurst was on the winning side as Charlton beat Everton
1–0 at Upton Park
. It was Broadhurst's eleventh appearance in the domestic women's game's showpiece event.
Broadhurst retired after hitting the winning goal as Charlton reserves beat Millwall Lionesses
3–2 in the 2006 Kent County Cup final.
debut aged 16.
Along with Kirsty Pealling
, Broadhurst was controversially dropped from the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, with manager Ted Copeland
saying "They are not international footballers at this level."
Copeland had first excluded Broadhurst in August 1994 after taking exception to an interview Broadhurst and Mandy Lowe gave to The Guardian
. "He only picks boring bastards, he doesn't like personality. So what can I do?" was Broadhurst's response.
Broadhurst was later recalled by Copeland and scored a hat-trick against Scotland
in March 1997.
England women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
at full international level and played for the leading English clubs Doncaster Belles, Arsenal
Arsenal L.F.C.
Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...
and Croydon/Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic L.F.C.
Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club play in the FA Women's Premier League National Division in England. Between 2000, the year it was founded from Croydon Women's F.C. and 2007, Charlton had one of the most successful women's teams in England...
.
Club career
Broadhurst began playing for Sheffield FC Ladies, coached by her father Brian, at age 12. She moved to Doncaster Belles at 18 after studying Leisure and Recreation at college and spending a summer working for Pontin'sPontin's
Pontins is a British holiday business which was originally founded in 1946 by Fred Pontin. It specialises in offering half-board and self-catering holidays with regular entertainment on offer. Accommodation is usually in the form of chalets. The company once grew to be a major operator of...
. While playing for the all-conquering Belles, Broadhurst worked as a forklift truck
Forklift truck
A forklift is a powered industrial truck used to lift and transport materials. The modern forklift was developed in the 1920s by various companies including the transmission manufacturing company Clark and the hoist company Yale & Towne Manufacturing...
driver for Royal Doulton
Royal Doulton
The Royal Doulton Company is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton...
in Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
.
As a playmaker, Broadhurst was a key component of the side which wrested the League title
FA Women's Premier League National Division
The FA Women's Premier League National Division is the second level of the English women's football league pyramid. From 1991 until the introduction of the summer competition FA Women's Super League the National Division functioned as the top league in England. Below it are simultaneously the...
back from Arsenal and completed a domestic double in 1994. Belles manager Paul Edmunds
Paul Edmunds (footballer)
Paul Edmunds is an English former professional footballer and manager.-Playing career:A pacy winger, Edmunds trained as a teacher in Sunderland and was called into Great Britain's 1979 World Student Games squad...
said of Broadhurst "the more she gets the ball, the better we play."
In 1995 Broadhurst moved to Arsenal
Arsenal L.F.C.
Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...
and was given a job in the club's mail order department. In summer 1996 she underwent surgery on a knee injury, but finished the season as top goalscorer.
By 1997–98 Broadhurst was playing for Croydon
Charlton Athletic L.F.C.
Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club play in the FA Women's Premier League National Division in England. Between 2000, the year it was founded from Croydon Women's F.C. and 2007, Charlton had one of the most successful women's teams in England...
, scoring the opening goal in a 3–2 defeat to Arsenal in that season's FA Women's Cup
FA Women's Cup
The Football Association Women’s Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England – designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier...
final. Croydon won a League and Cup double in 2000, clinched when they beat Aston Villa
Aston Villa L.F.C.
Aston Villa Ladies Football Club is an English women's football team affiliated with Aston Villa F.C., currently playing in the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division. The club has been in existence under several names since 1973. Originally titled Solihull FC, the team became officially...
6–0 to win the league. Broadhurst scored twice in that game. When Croydon came under the auspices of Charlton Athletic, Broadhurst returned to Doncaster Belles. However, she was back with Charlton in 2001–02.
From 2003–2005 Broadhurst featured in three successive FA Women's Cup finals with Charlton. She played in a 3–0 loss to the professionals of Fulham
Fulham L.F.C.
WFC Fulham, previously known as Fulham LFC, was a Ladies Football Club formerly associated with Fulham Football Club. The team were dissolved as of 16 May 2006, but were later re-established with independence from Fulham F.C....
in May 2003, then in another defeat—again 3–0—to former club Arsenal the following year. In 2005 Broadhurst was on the winning side as Charlton beat Everton
Everton L.F.C.
Everton Ladies Football Club are a semi-professional women's association football team from the city of Liverpool, who compete in the FA WSL. They were runners-up to Arsenal in the 2009–10 Premier League National Division season. They have won the title once in 1998 and the FA Women's Cup on...
1–0 at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
. It was Broadhurst's eleventh appearance in the domestic women's game's showpiece event.
Broadhurst retired after hitting the winning goal as Charlton reserves beat Millwall Lionesses
Millwall Lionesses L.F.C.
Millwall Lionesses Ladies Football Club were founded in March 1972 by Patricia Maslin and Rita Bullions. In a time when women's football was almost unheard of the group of women who made up the Lionesses were at first snubbed by Millwall FC but went on to became the first women's football team to...
3–2 in the 2006 Kent County Cup final.
International career
Broadhurst made her EnglandEngland women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
debut aged 16.
Along with Kirsty Pealling
Kirsty Pealling
Kirsty Pealling is a former footballer who spent her entire club career with Arsenal Ladies. She also represented England at full international level.-Club career:...
, Broadhurst was controversially dropped from the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, with manager Ted Copeland
Ted Copeland
Ted Copeland is an English former football coach. He managed the England women's side between 1993 and 1998, leading them to a quarter-final appearance in the 1995 World Cup....
saying "They are not international footballers at this level."
Copeland had first excluded Broadhurst in August 1994 after taking exception to an interview Broadhurst and Mandy Lowe gave to The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. "He only picks boring bastards, he doesn't like personality. So what can I do?" was Broadhurst's response.
Broadhurst was later recalled by Copeland and scored a hat-trick against Scotland
Scotland women's national football team
The Scotland women's national football team represents Scotland in international women's football. They have yet to qualify for the final stages of the World Cup or European Championships and are currently ranked 23rd in the world and 14th in Europe....
in March 1997.
External links
- Profile at CAFC.co.uk