Faye White

Faye White

Faye White at the Emirates Stadium, London, August 2006
Personal information
Full nameFaye Deborah White[1]
Date of birth2 February 1978
Place of birthHorley,[2] England
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Playing positionDefender
Youth career
Horsham Ladies
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1996–2013Arsenal Ladies
2007Ottawa Fury [4]8(1)
National team‡
1997–2012England90(12)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:39, 7 March 2011 (GMT).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 July 2011

Faye Deborah White, MBE (born 2 February 1978) is a retired English footballer who last played for Arsenal Ladies in the FA Women's Super League and the England women's national football team as a central defender. One of the most recognised and respected players in the women’s game, Faye was a commanding presence at the heart of the Arsenal and England defences since the late 1990s until her retirement in 2013.[5]

Personal life

White was born and grew up in Horley, Surrey and attended Horley Infants School, Yattendon Middle School and Oakwood School, Horley.[2]

She attended Reigate College,[2] and later returned to open the new sports centre in 2010.

In April 2012, White announced that she was expecting her first child. This meant that she would miss the London 2012 Olympics and left her playing career in considerable doubt.[6] On 2 October 2012, she gave birth to a boy weighing 8 lbs, named Lukas.[7]

Club career

Her football journey began when, aged ten, she joined in the training sessions of her brother’s team Horley Town. After three years of playing with her brother and his team-mates Faye decided to go to an all-girls coaching session and it was here that her path to the Arsenal Ladies team began, as she met Jim Muir, the coach of a local girls’ side Horsham Ladies. Faye very quickly worked her way into the reserves and became a first-team player aged just 14.

In the 1996–97 season Faye joined Arsenal Ladies and it didn’t take her long to make another big impact, earning her first international cap vs Scotland.[8] White broke into the first team, cementing a position at the heart of Arsenal's central defence. She collected her first trophy that year, the FA Women's Premier League.

In 1997–98, due to White's performances in north London she was named the Premier League Player of the Year. Arsenal won the FA Women's Cup and Premier League Cup.

White has amassed 31 winners' medals at club competition level to date, winning the inaugural FA Women's Super League in 2011, the FA Women's Premier League 10 times (including seven consecutive years from 2003–04 to 2009–10), the FA Women's Cup nine times and the League Cup six times.

Whilst captaining the club the team has completed one "quadruple" (Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup & the UEFA Women's Cup), two "trebles" (all three major domestic competitions) and four "doubles" (League title & FA Cup).

Retirement

In March 2013, Faye announced her retirement from football after 17 years as a professional.[9]

International career

White made her England début against Scotland in 1997, aged 19, followed by her full début against France in 1998 when she was named player of the match. White went on to represent her country in her first major tournament at UEFA Euro 2001 in Germany.

In 2002, she was named as England captain against Nigeria, during the qualification campaign for 2003 World Cup in USA, for which England narrowly failed to qualify, losing in a play-off over two legs versus France.

She captained England at UEFA Euro 2005 in England, 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China, UEFA Euro 2009 in Finland & 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.

In 2009, White, in her fourth major championship finals, led England to the final of Euro 2009 in Finland, where the team lost out 6–2 to reigning World and European Champions, Germany. She wore a protective face mask in the final after breaking her cheekbone in the quarter-final win over Finland.[10]

In the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Quarter Final penalty shoot-out versus France, White missed England's fifth penalty, seeing the French win 4–3 and progress to the Semi-Finals.

White was one of the first female players to be given a central contract by The Football Association[11] and also served as an ambassador for England's 2018 World Cup bid.

White announced her retirement from international football in April 2012.[12]

International goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Scored
1 21 April 1998 The Hawthorns, West Bromwich  Italy 1–2 Friendly 1
2 14 May 1998 Boundary Park, Oldham  Norway 1–2 1999 FIFA World Cup Qual. 1
4 14 November 2003 Deepdale, Preston  Scotland 5–0 Friendly 2
5 6 March 2008 Mourneview Park, Lurgan  Northern Ireland 2–0 2009 UEFA Championship Qual. 1
6 8 May 2008 Darida, Minsk  Belarus 6–1 2009 UEFA Championship Qual. 1
7 11 February 2009 Larnaca  Finland 4–1 Friendly 1
8 31 August 2009 Veritas Stadion, Turku  Sweden 1–1 2009 UEFA Championship 1
9 25 October 2009 Bloomfield Road, Blackpool  Malta 8–0 2011 FIFA World Cup Qual. 1
10 1 March 2010 GSP Stadium, Nicosia  Italy 3–2 Cyprus Cup 1
11 20 May 2010 Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali  Malta 4–0 2011 FIFA World Cup Qual. 1
12 19 June 2010 Aranda de Duero  Spain 2–2 2011 FIFA World Cup Qual. 1

Non-playing career

White has worked as a football commentator for the BBC, Sky Sports, Eurosport & ESPN.[13] She works for Arsenal as a Development Officer for Ladies' football.[13] She is also a qualified sports massage therapist.

Honours

2009.
2006–07.
2011
1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10.
1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11.
1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2008–09
1999-00, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2005–06.
1997–98.

References

  1. ↑ "Faye White". UEFA. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "My Best Teacher". Times Educational Supplement. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  3. ↑ "Fury defence adds Gunner". Slam Sports. 15 June 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  4. ↑ http://www.ottawafury.com/fullstory.php?id=523[]
  5. ↑ "Faye White: Ex-England and Arsenal captain retires". 20 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Arsenal and England captain White expecting baby". UEFA. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  7. ↑ "Faye White Has First Child". She Kicks. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  8. ↑ Dan Pope. "Faye White – from the playground to the World Cup". Club Newsletter. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  9. ↑ "Faye White: Ex-England and Arsenal captain retires". 20 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  10. ↑ "Faye White to play against Germany in face-mask". The Telegraph. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "England Women awarded contracts". BBC Sport. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  12. ↑ "Pregnant England captain Faye White quits internationals". BBC News. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Faye White profile". Ottawa Fury. Retrieved 10 June 2011.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Karen Walker		 England captain
2003-2012 		Succeeded by
Casey Stoney