ENGLAND manager Mark Sampson selected six North-East-born players in his squad to face Germany at Wembley Stadium tomorrow. Sports Writer Steph Clark profiles the region's representatives
Steph Houghton
The South Hetton defender, 26, became the poster girl for women’s football overnight after hitting the winner for Team GB against Brazil during the London Olympics, and her rise to prominence has continued ever since. She spent five years at Sunderland Ladies before moving on to Leeds United and then Arsenal before signing for Manchester City at the start of last season. Captain of both club and country, Houghton will join an exclusive club of North-East footballers to lead England out at Wembley.
Jill Scott
Sunderland-born Scott has been part of the international set-up for almost ten years and she will pick up her 86th cap if she plays against Germany tomorrow. After two years with her hometown club, Scott moved to Everton in 2006, where she established herself as one of the best midfielders in the country’s top flight. She joined Houghton at Manchester City last year and was also part of the Team GB squad that reached the quarter-finals in 2012.
Lucy Bronze
The centre-back grew up in Holy Island, Northumberland, and was part of the Sunderland team that reached the 2009 FA Cup final. A stint at the University of North Carolina, USA, followed, but when Bronze returned the Lady Black Cats’ application to be part of the inaugural Women’s Super League was rejected and she left to join Everton. An Injury-plagued two-year spell ended when she swapped Merseyside blue for Liverpool and there, the 23-year-old became an integral part of the Reds’ back-to-back title-winning side. She was recently voted the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Player of the Year and played in nine of England’s ten World Cup qualifiers.
Jordan Nobbs
Despite her diminutive 5ft 2in frame, Nobbs is one of the most talented midfielders England has produced and after years at Sunderland she was snapped up by Arsenal at the age of 17. The 21-year-old captained her country at an Under-17 World Cup and her displays in European and domestic matches saw her named the FA Young Player of the Year award in 2010. Despite sustaining a bad injury last year, she has come back stronger and cemented her place in the England squad. In last season’s WSL, she scored five times in 14 appearances for the Gunners.
Carly Telford
A former student at Gateshead College, goalkeeper Telford, who hails from Stanley, County Durham, received her first senior international cap against Iceland in 2009 having played at Under-17, 19, 21 and 23 levels, and has played three times since. Now 27, Telford has enjoyed spells at Sunderland Ladies, Leeds Carnegie, Chelsea Ladies, Perth Glory and currently plays for WSL 1 outfit Notts County.
Demi Stokes
A relative newcomer to the squad, 22-year-old Stokes, from South Shields, also played in Sunderland Ladies’ 2-1 FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal in 2009. In 2010, she accepted a four-year scholarship at the University of South Florida, USA, and her performances there haven’t gone unnoticed by England manager Mark Sampson. She received her first call up to the senior side in January and played in the 4-0 win over Sweden at Hartlepool’s Victoria Park in August. A versatile player, who can play in defence, midfield and attack, Stokes also captained Great Britain to a gold medal at the World University Games in 2013.
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