- Claire Utley
-
Claire Utley Personal information Date of birth 11 February 1979 [1] Place of birth South Elmsall, England Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Playing position Defender Club information Current club Whitley Bay Ladies Youth career Doncaster Rovers Belles Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1994–2002 Doncaster Rovers Belles 2002–2003 Leeds United Ladies 2003–2010 Doncaster Rovers Belles 2010 Whitley Bay Ladies National team 1998– England 5 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:58, 12 August 2009 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).Claire Utley (born 11 February 1979) is an English female footballer. She currently plays for Whitley Bay Ladies after a long association with Doncaster Rovers Belles. She has represented England at full international level.
Club career
In summer 1994 three players from Doncaster Belles' double-winning team left for Liverpool Ladies. As a result Minsthorpe High School pupil Utley was drafted into the first team as a fifteen-year-old centre-back, making her debut in a 7–1 home win against Millwall Lionesses on the opening day of the 1994–95 season. In October 1994 she featured in the FA Women's Premier League Cup final, held over from the previous season, as the Belles were beaten 4–0 by Arsenal Ladies.
Utley was nicknamed Des after Des Walker. She suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury in April 2001[2] and missed a year of action, returning for the Belles' 2–1 defeat to Fulham in the 2002 FA Women's Cup final.[3] She then spent a short spell at Leeds United in 2002–03.[4]
In 2004 Doncaster Belles suffered an exodus of players after a financial crisis, however, Utley and Vicky Exley chose to remain loyal to the club.[5]
She joined Whitley Bay ahead of season 2010–11.[6]
International career
After breaking through at Doncaster Belles, Utley was thought likely to play for England "as sure as the sun shines on the Sahara."[7]
Utley eventually won five caps for the senior England team.[8]
References
- ^ "England - Claire Utley". Soccerway. http://www.soccerway.com/players/claire-utley/20420/. Retrieved 2011-04-19.
- ^ "TITLE HOPES SUFFER SETBACK". Doncaster Free Press. 2001-04-19. http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/title_hopes_suffer_setback_1_515807?action=logout. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ Tony Leighton (2005-05-07). "Fulham too professional for battling Belles". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/fulham-too-professional-for-battling-belles-650449.html. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
- ^ "Doncaster Belles – Meet The Squad". Doncaster Free Press. http://www2.doncastertoday.co.uk/belles/belles.htm. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
- ^ "BELLES DEFY THE ODDS". Doncaster Free Press. 2004-08-26. http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-sport/BELLES-DEFY-THE-ODDS-.844896.jp. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
- ^ "Pen Pics 2008–2009". Whitley Bay FC. http://www.whitleybayfc.com/women/players.htm. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
- ^ Davies, Pete (1996). I Lost My Heart To The Belles. London: Mandarin. p. 9. ISBN 0749320850. "[...] merely fifteen years old – a centre-half who, if she stayed fit and keen would play for England one day as sure as the sun shines on the Sahara."
- ^ "Claire Utley". Doncaster Rovers Belles. http://www.doncasterroversbelles.co.uk/home.php?section=ope&category=fte&subcat=players&action=full&id=33. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
Categories:- 1979 births
- Living people
- English women's footballers
- England women's international footballers
- Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C. players
- FA Women's Premier League players
- English women's football biography stubs
- English football defender, 1970s birth stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
