Sheila Parker

Sheila Parker
MBE
Personal information
Full name Sheila Parker
Date of birth 1947 (age 77–78)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1961–1965 Preston
Fodens
St Helens
Chorley
International career‡
1972–1983 England 33 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 June 2013

Sheila Parker MBE (née Porter; born 1947)[1] is an English former international football defender. In November 1972 she captained the England women's national football team in their first official match, a 3–2 win over Scotland in Greenock. Parker was announced as an inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in May 2013.[2]

Early and personal life

Parker grew up in Chorley, Lancashire and played football with the boys at school.[3] Parker's granddaughter, Chloe, plays for Fleetwood Town.[4]

Career

Club

In June 1961, 13-year-old Parker played her first match for Dick, Kerr's Ladies.[3]

In 1974 Parker helped Fodens, originally a works team from the Edwin Foden, Sons & Co. lorry manufacturing plant in Sandbach, shock Southampton in the final of the Women's FA Cup. Teammate Sylvia Gore recalled:[5]

It was the first time Southampton had ever lost in a cup game in the three seasons the national cup had been in existence. We were determined to beat them. We weren't frightened of them — even though they had six international players on their side, compared to our four. It was close though, but I think we deserved our 2–1 win.

She later played for Chorley Ladies.[4] Parker played for St Helens in the 1983 WFA Cup final which they lost 3-2 to Doncaster Belles.[6]

International

When the Women's Football Association (WFA) tasked Eric Worthington with constructing the first official England national team in 1972, he selected Parker as his captain after a series of trials. She was 24, already married and returning from the birth of her son earlier that year.

Parker, a centre half, retained the captaincy until 1976, when she was left out of the squad for a Home Nations tournament against Wales and Scotland. Carol Thomas assumed the captaincy. Parker returned to the team in November 1977, scoring the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Italy at Plough Lane. Wendy Owen reported that her central defensive partner Parker played for England until 1980.[7]

England manager Martin Reagan selected veteran Parker in his squad for the 1984 European Competition for Women's Football final against Sweden. After her retirement as a player in 1984, Parker wanted to remain involved in football and trained as a referee under the Lancashire County Football Association.[8]

Fifty years after first representing England, Parker received various honours. A "Where Greatness is Made" plaque was installed at Chorley F.C.,[4] and Parker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to women's football and charity.[9][10]

In November 2022, Parker was recognized by The Football Association as one of the England national team's legacy players, and as the 5th women's player to be capped by England.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ Lopez 1997, p. 12
  2. ^ "Sheila Parker Amongst Hall of Fame Newcomers". She Kicks. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  3. ^ a b O'Neill, Jen (5 July 2010). "Gillian Remembered". She Kicks. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Hall, Mike (31 March 2022). "England great Sheila Parker honoured 50 years after making football history". ITV Granada.
  5. ^ Lopez 1997, p. 25
  6. ^ Slegg Chris, Gregory Patricia (2021). A History of the Women's FA Cup. thehistorypress. pp. 80–84. ISBN 9780750996594.
  7. ^ Owen 2005, p. 54
  8. ^ Lopez 1997, p. 199
  9. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N23.
  10. ^ "New Year Honours: First England women's football captain gets MBE". BBC Lancashire News. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  11. ^ Gerty, David (31 May 2023). "England squad named for World Cup". The FA. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Legacy numbers introduced for England women's team". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 June 2023.

Bibliography

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