Rachel Brown
Encyclopedia
Rachel Laura Brown is an English
footballer
, currently playing as goalkeeper for Everton Ladies
and England Women
. She is also the goalkeeper on Five's Superstars and works for Everton
's Community Project.
, Lancashire
, attending St Christopher's CE High School
in Accrington
. She began playing football at primary school, in a boys' team.
and soon after made her first team debut. One of Brown’s early career highlights saw her take part in the 1996 FA Women’s Cup Final at 15 years old with Liverpool.
She remained with Liverpool while completing her A-levels, after which she moved to the United States where she initially played for the University of Alabama
. In 2000 she transferred to the University of Pittsburgh Panthers
while she completed a degree in Sports Science at the University of Pittsburgh
. She was named Goalkeeper of the Year for the Eastern Conference every year and also holds the Panthers' record for the least goals conceded in a season.
On returning to Liverpool she qualified as a PE Teacher at Liverpool John Moores University
and joined Everton Ladies
in January 2003. She spent the 2003 summer season playing in Iceland
, returning to Everton in August 2003. In December 2003 she suffered a serious knee injury that kept her out of the game until June 2005.
In May 2009, Brown was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by the Football Association.
. After impressing at her hometown club Burnley
, where she had been a season-ticket holder as a child as England beat Australia 1-0 in September 2003, she was asked to turn on the Christmas lights in Burnley – but she had to cancel as she was playing for England as they beat Scotland
5-0 in November at nearby Preston
. After a long spell out with injury, Brown returned to the England team against Sweden
in the last group game of Women’s Euro 2005
. Rachel started every game of England's women's 2009 campaign.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
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...
, currently playing as goalkeeper for Everton Ladies
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...
and England Women
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...
. She is also the goalkeeper on Five's Superstars and works for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
's Community Project.
Early Life
Rachel was born in BurnleyBurnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, attending St Christopher's CE High School
Accrington St Christopher's C of E High
St Christopher's C of E High is a voluntarily aided Church of England High School located north of Accrington in Lancashire, north-west England. The school was founded in 1958 and in 2005 earned Technology College status....
in Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
. She began playing football at primary school, in a boys' team.
Club
After a few years of not playing in a team, due to FA rules on mixed teams, Brown joined Accrington Stanley L.F.C.. Just after her 15th birthday she joined Liverpool LadiesLiverpool L.F.C.
Liverpool Ladies Football Club is a semi–professional women's football club affiliated with Liverpool Football Club and playing in the FA WSL...
and soon after made her first team debut. One of Brown’s early career highlights saw her take part in the 1996 FA Women’s Cup Final at 15 years old with Liverpool.
She remained with Liverpool while completing her A-levels, after which she moved to the United States where she initially played for the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. In 2000 she transferred to the University of Pittsburgh Panthers
University of Pittsburgh Panthers
The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams of University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, faculty, and students...
while she completed a degree in Sports Science at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. She was named Goalkeeper of the Year for the Eastern Conference every year and also holds the Panthers' record for the least goals conceded in a season.
On returning to Liverpool she qualified as a PE Teacher at Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
and joined Everton Ladies
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...
in January 2003. She spent the 2003 summer season playing in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, returning to Everton in August 2003. In December 2003 she suffered a serious knee injury that kept her out of the game until June 2005.
In May 2009, Brown was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by the Football Association.
International
Brown played eight times for the England Under-18 side before making her senior debut in February 1997 against GermanyGermany women's national football team
The German women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football and is directed by the German Football Association . The team – informally called West Germany in English – played its first international match in 1982...
. After impressing at her hometown club Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, where she had been a season-ticket holder as a child as England beat Australia 1-0 in September 2003, she was asked to turn on the Christmas lights in Burnley – but she had to cancel as she was playing for England as they beat 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....
5-0 in November at nearby Preston
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
. After a long spell out with injury, Brown returned to the England team against Sweden
Sweden women's national football team
Sweden women's national football team are a football team officially representing Sweden in women's football. They won the unofficial European Championships in 1984, a success the team has not managed to repeat, it has however won one World Cup-silver as well as three European Cup-silvers...
in the last group game of Women’s Euro 2005
2005 UEFA Women's Championship
The 2005 UEFA Women's Championship, also referred to as WOMEN'S EURO 2005 , was a football tournament for women held from 5 June to 19 June 2005 in Lancashire, England. The UEFA Women's Championship is a regular tournament involving European national teams from countries affiliated to UEFA, the...
. Rachel started every game of England's women's 2009 campaign.
External links
- Rachel Brown at the FA website