Marieanne Spacey
Encyclopedia
Marieanne Spacey is an English former international women's footballer
. Having played 91 times for England
, Spacey is considered one of the greatest English footballers of all time.
and was reported to have signed for Italian club Roi Lazio as a 19-year-old in 1985. Spacey also played for the women's section of HJK Helsinki
in Finland
. She returned to England and scored 12 goals in the first five games of the 1991-92 season for her old club, who became known as Wimbledon Ladies in 1991.
Spacey then spent eight seasons with Arsenal
from 1994, before moving to Fulham
on a professional contract in the 2002 close season. She had missed the second part of 1995-96 due to pregnancy. In her final season with Arsenal she was the leading goalscorer and FA Players' Player of the Year, also winning a Sport Relief
special achievement award. Throughout her Arsenal career Spacey had enjoyed great success as a deep-lying forward player, helping The Gunners win numerous trophies.
In 2002-03 Spacey won a domestic treble with Fulham. She became manager of the team in 2003, but left in 2006 after Fulham
scrapped their women's team. Later that year she became a senior coach for AFC Wimbledon Ladies. Spacey later coached the England
U-16, U-17 and U-19 teams as well as working in the coaching departments of Arsenal and Charlton Athletic.
In November 2006 she was appointed girls and women's football development officer for the Worcestershire
FA.
against Belgium
in 1984. She played in all four of England's games at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup. Having finished playing for England with a respectable 76 appearances, Spacey was later recalled by Hope Powell
to add experience in midfield. She went on to play a total of 91 times for her country, scoring 28 goals before retiring in 2001 aged 36.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. Having played 91 times for England
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...
, Spacey is considered one of the greatest English footballers of all time.
Club career
Spacey played for Friends of FulhamA.F.C. Wimbledon Ladies
AFC Wimbledon Ladies are the women's football team representing Wimbledon, London. The team currently competes in the London and South East Regional Women's Football League....
and was reported to have signed for Italian club Roi Lazio as a 19-year-old in 1985. Spacey also played for the women's section of HJK Helsinki
HJK Helsinki
Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi , internationally known as HJK Helsinki, is a Finnish football club, based in the capital Helsinki...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. She returned to England and scored 12 goals in the first five games of the 1991-92 season for her old club, who became known as Wimbledon Ladies in 1991.
Spacey then spent eight seasons with 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...
from 1994, before moving to 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....
on a professional contract in the 2002 close season. She had missed the second part of 1995-96 due to pregnancy. In her final season with Arsenal she was the leading goalscorer and FA Players' Player of the Year, also winning a Sport Relief
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries...
special achievement award. Throughout her Arsenal career Spacey had enjoyed great success as a deep-lying forward player, helping The Gunners win numerous trophies.
"Marieanne was one of the most feared forwards in the game. She had good technique, ability on the ball, pace and power, and she was capable of scoring goals from all over the pitch - many of them from distance." – Vic AkersVic AkersVictor David Akers, OBE is a former football player and manager. He played as a left back and is currently Arsenal's kit manager...
speaking about Spacey's career in 2009.
In 2002-03 Spacey won a domestic treble with Fulham. She became manager of the team in 2003, but left in 2006 after Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
scrapped their women's team. Later that year she became a senior coach for AFC Wimbledon Ladies. Spacey later coached the England
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...
U-16, U-17 and U-19 teams as well as working in the coaching departments of Arsenal and Charlton Athletic.
In November 2006 she was appointed girls and women's football development officer for the Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
FA.
International career
Spacey made her debut for 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...
against Belgium
Belgium women's national football team
The Belgium women's national football team represents Belgium in international women's football. They are currently 33rd at the FIFA Women's World Rankings.-World Cup record:- UEFA Women's Championship Record :*1984 : did not qualify...
in 1984. She played in all four of England's games at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup. Having finished playing for England with a respectable 76 appearances, Spacey was later recalled by Hope Powell
Hope Powell
Hope Patricia Powell, CBE is the coach of the England women's national football team. Powell is an ‘A’ License coach and in 2003 became the first woman to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence - the highest coaching award available.-Early life:Powell was educated at Bethany School and went on to take A...
to add experience in midfield. She went on to play a total of 91 times for her country, scoring 28 goals before retiring in 2001 aged 36.