Caroline Thorpe

Caroline Thorpe
Personal information
Date of birth2 August 1981
Place of birthRepublic of Ireland
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Raheny United
Number4
Youth career
Redlake
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1999–2000St. Catherine's
2000–2001Arsenal Ladies
2001St. Catherine's
2001–2003Leeds United Ladies
2002Memphis Mercury
St. Catherine's
2011–2012Peamount United
2012–Raheny United
National team
Republic of Ireland
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Caroline Thorpe (born 2 August 1981) is an Irish international football midfielder who plays for Raheny United in the Women's National League. She has also represented English Premier League clubs Arsenal Ladies and Leeds United Ladies, as well as Memphis Mercury in America.

Club career

Thorpe began her career with Redlake before moving to St. Catherine's in 1999.[1] After helping the club to promotion,[2] she joined Arsenal Ladies in August 2000 along with compatriots Susan Heapes and Yvonne Tracy.[3] Thorpe was one of seven Irish players then in the Arsenal squad,[4] and with Emma Byrne and Ciara Grant, one of three who were regulars in the first team.[4] On her debut Thorpe scored two goals in a 5-0 win over Tranmere Rovers.[5] She won the domestic treble in her first season, and was an unused substitute as Arsenal beat Fulham in the 2001 FA Women's Cup final at Selhurst Park.[6]

Despite this success Thorpe returned to St. Catherine's in May 2001.[7] She was back in the FA Women's Premier League in 2001–02, but with newly promoted Leeds United.[8] In summer 2002 Thorpe played in the American W-League with Memphis Mercury,[9] before returning to Leeds for 2002–03.[10]

Thorpe and her ex-Arsenal team-mate Susan Heapes both played in St. Catherine's 1-0 FAI Women's Cup final defeat to St. Francis in July 2009.[11] A third Arsenal player from that era, Grainne Kierans, was on the opposing side.[11]

International career

Thorpe's first representative games for Ireland came as a 16-year-old.[9] In September 2000 Thorpe scored against Scotland and Northern Ireland as the Republic won the Celt Cup, a quadrangular tournament also featuring the Isle of Man.[2] That year she was nominated as the FAI Under-18 International Player of the Year,[2] and won the award.[9]

She later featured in the qualifying tournaments for the 2003 World Cup[12] and 2005 European Championship.[13] In October 2004 Thorpe scored Ireland's winner in a 2-1 friendly win in the Faroe Islands and then played in a 5-1 loss to the United States at Soldier Field.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Declan Hughes (27 October 2000). "Opel's Ireland Player of the Year nominees". Womens Soccer World. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
  3. ↑ Jennifer O'Neill (2000-08-05). "Charlton bid to kick off new era in style". The Times.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pat Nugent (8-4-2001). "The women behind the greening of the Gunners". The Tribune. Retrieved 2010-05-22. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ↑ Wilf Frith (2000-08-21). "Belles leave it late for victory". The Times.
  6. ↑ Eric Beauchamp (2001-05-08). "Banks has measure of Fulham". The Independent. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Ladies Soccer: Dull Opening For Benfica". Waterford News and Star. 2001-05-23. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  8. ↑ David Shannon (2002-09-09). "England (Women) 2001/02". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Memphis To Add PDL Team". Southern Soccer Scene. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  10. ↑ David Shannon (2003-08-20). "England (Women) 2002/03". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "St. Francis retain FAI Umbro Women's FAI Senior Cup title". Football Association of Ireland. 2009-07-25. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  12. ↑ "Caroline Thorpe". FIFA. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  13. ↑ Sébastien Duret and Neil Morrison (2005-06-19). "European Women Championship 2005 - Match Details". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  14. ↑ Sébastien Duret (2005-04-05). "International Matches (Women) 2004". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 2010-10-04.

External links