Lucy Staniforth

Lucy Elizabeth Staniforth (born 2 October 1992) is an English footballer who plays as a central attacking midfielder, for Birmingham City and England. She has been described by former England coach Mark Sampson as: "one of the best young players in Europe".[4]

Lucy Staniforth
Personal information
Full name Lucy Elizabeth Staniforth[1]
Date of birth (1992-10-02) 2 October 1992
Place of birth York, England[2]
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.66 m)[3]
Playing position(s) Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Birmingham City
Number 37
Youth career
0000–2007 Blyth Town Ladies
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Sunderland
2010–2012 Notts County 28 (6)
2012–2014 Bristol Academy 3 (1)
2014–2015 Liverpool 11 (0)
2016–2018 Sunderland 37 (4)
2018– Birmingham City 27 (3)
National team‡
2008–2009 England U17 8 (1)
2009–2010 England U19 12 (2)
2010 England U20 2 (0)
2012–2015 England U23 6 (1)
2018– England 12 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 January 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18:41, 3 September 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Whilst only 16, Staniforth began playing for the Sunderland first-team. In her first season in senior football, Staniforth was instrumental in helping Sunderland win the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division and reach the 2009 FA Women's Cup final, where they were beaten 2–1 by Arsenal. The following season, Staniforth figured prominently as a key player in Sunderland's success as they finished fifth in their first season back at the top level.

Staniforth in September 2010

Upon Sunderland's failed bid to join the FA WSL in 2010, Staniforth joined successful applicant, Lincoln Ladies. She started every game in her first season at the club, netting three times. The most notable of her goals in her first season in the Women's Super League came in the away fixture at Doncaster Belles. Staniforth helped her side reach fourth place in the league.

In the 2012 season, Staniforth bettered her goalscoring tally substantially, scoring on a further 6 occasions in all competitions. In the two ultimate games of the season, she scored winning goals for Lincoln: an extravagant lob from 35 yards against Everton Ladies, and against Chelsea Ladies, lifting the side to fifth in the table.

In December 2012, it was announced that Staniforth would be joining Bristol Academy, against whom she had scored twice in the preceding 2012 FA WSL season.[5] Staniforth scored her first goal for the club in the home fixture against Doncaster Rovers Belles, with a 22-yard drive. In her first season at the Stoke Gifford Stadium, Staniforth reached the second FA Women's Cup final of her career. During the match she suffered a serious knee injury and was stretchered off. After only a short time at the club, Staniforth subsequently spent the remainder of the season sidelined, with plans to return in time for the 2014 season. Bristol ended the season runners-up, losing 2–0 on the final day of the season to champions Liverpool.

In February 2014, Staniforth joined reigning FA WSL champions Liverpool for a reported five-figure fee.[6][7][8] Staniforth sustained an injury during pre-season, this time to the anterior cruciate ligament in her other leg, which put her out of action for the entirety of the 2014 season.[9] Despite not seeing any playing time because of injury, Staniforth's Liverpool went on to win the FA WSL title for the second consecutive year.

In January 2016 it was announced that Staniforth had left Liverpool and returned to Sunderland on a two-year contract.[10]

At the beginning of the 2017 season, Lucy was awarded penalty-taking responsibilities for her club. In both the fifth and sixth round of the FA Women's Cup, against Aston Villa and Chelsea respectively, Staniforth scored from the penalty spot. She then scored on two further occasions in the league, from the spot against her old club Bristol City and directly from a corner against Yeovil Town with the outside of her foot.

Following Steph Bannon's departure from the club, Staniforth was named club captain of Sunderland in July 2017.[11] Staniforth's rich vein of form continued into the 2018 season, scoring against both Sheffield and Liverpool and netting a brace against Aston Villa. In the Fourth Round of the FA Cup against Brighouse Town L.F.C, Lucy scored a second half hat-trick - the first hat-trick of her senior career.[12] In Staniforth's inaugural season as captain, she was awarded Player of the Season for her club and nominated for Goal of the Season at the FAWSL Awards.[13][14]

In 2018, she joined Birmingham City.[15]

International career

Staniforth featured for England in their fourth-place finish at the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand, scoring an excellent goal against Japan in the quarter final.

In July 2009 Staniforth also took part in the 2009 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Belarus, which England won. In her time with the U-19s, she scored twice. In 2010 Staniforth helped England reach the final of the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in FYR Macedonia, where they lost their title to France. Later that summer Staniforth played in two of England's games at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany.

Staniforth subsequently joined the ranks of the U-23s, making her debut against Norway in February 2012. Staniforth scored an impressive 25-yard drive in the first game of the Under-23 Four Nations La Manga Tournament, helping her team beat Sweden 2–0.

She received her first call up to the senior England squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying match against Russia at Sapsan Arena in Moscow on 8 June 2018. She gained her first cap on 4 September 2018 in a 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying match against Kazakhstan, scoring on her debut in the 66th minute.[16] Staniforth scored the opening goal in the ultimate game of the 2019 SheBelieves Cup, helping the Lionesses beat Japan 3-0 and win the international tournament for the first time.[17]

On 8 May 2019, Staniforth was called up to the England 23-player squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

International goals
As of match played 6 June 2019. England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Staniforth goal.
International goals by date, venue, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 4 September 2018Ortaliq Stadion, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan4–06–02019 FIFA World Cup qualification[18]
2 5 March 2019Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, United States Japan1–03–02019 SheBelieves Cup[19]

Personal life

Staniforth comes from a footballing family, where both her father and brother were professionals. Gordon Staniforth, her father, played for York City and Hull City, his hometown club, as well as a host of other clubs. Her brother, Tom, also played for Sheffield Wednesday but died at the age of 20. Throughout her career Lucy has worn the number 37 — Tom's old Sheffield Wednesday squad number. After hitting the first goal in Lincoln's 3–0 WSL win at Doncaster Rovers Belles, Lucy revealed a T-shirt paying tribute to Tom on the tenth anniversary of his death.[20][21]

Staniforth is openly lesbian, and is in a relationship with a woman.[22][23][24][25]

Honours

Club

Liverpool[26]

Bristol Academy[26]

  • FA WSL runner-up: 2013
  • FA Women's Cup runner-up: 2013

Sunderland

  • FA Women's Cup runner-up: 2009
  • Sunderland Ladies' Player of the Year: 2018[13]

International

England

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2018 and 31/07/2018" (PDF). The FA. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  2. Flett, Dave (4 September 2018). "York-born Lucy Staniforth set to make full England debut". The York Press.
  3. "FIFA Women's World Cup France 2019™ List of Players - England" (PDF). FIFA. 27 May 2019. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  4. "Bristol Academy: Manager Mark Sampson sees squad ambition". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  5. "Bristol City Women". Bristol City. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  6. Daily Press, Western. "Academy boss landed job in Skype interview". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  7. Staff, FA. "England U23 midfielder Lucy Staniforth joins Liverpool". Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  8. "Lucy Staniforth: Liverpool sign England Under-23 midfielder". 5 February 2014 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  9. "Staniforth suffers injury setback". Liverpool L.F.C. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  10. "Ladies capture Staniforth and Sjoman". Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  11. "Lucy Staniforth Named Captain". Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies. 13 July 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  12. "FA Cup Magic". Sunderland A.F.C. Ladies. 5 February 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  13. Chamberlain, Oscar (26 April 2018). "Supporters hold annual event - SAFC". Sunderland AFC.
  14. "The Telegraph Goal of the Year". The Football Association. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  15. "Lucy Staniforth: Birmingham City Women sign Sunderland captain". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  16. "Kazakhstan Women's 0-6 England Women's". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  17. "Japan Women 0-3 England Women: Lionesses win SheBelieves Cup". BBC Sport. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  18. Whalley, Mike (4 September 2018). "Kazakhstan 0-6 England - Women's World Cup qualifier". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  19. Wrack, Suzanne (6 March 2019). "England outclass Japan to lift SheBelieves Cup for first time". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  20. "Footballer Lucy Staniforth pays tribute to late brother, Tom Staniforth". York Press.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Meet the 41 out gay and bi soccer stars in the Women's World Cup 2019". Gay Star News. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  23. "Lucy Staniforth". OK! (47 (2019)). 18 June 2019.
  24. Max, John. "Lucy Staniforth Biography". Playerswiki. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  25. Ufedo. "Lucy Staniforth Bio, Family, Soccer Career, Salary And Net Worth, Height". Richathletes.com. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  26. "L. Staniforth". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  27. "England record statement win over Japan to clinch prestigious SheBelieves Cup". The Football Association. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
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