Sue Smith » Career

One-to-one

Gary Taylor — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:43:34 +0000

Which female players do you admire/have learnt from?

At England Mo Marley really helped me when I first got into the team; she gave me a lot of good advice. Also for similar reasons, Julie Chipchase for her consistent inspiration and guidance. I also learnt a lot from some of the USA players, Kristine Lilly & Mia Hamm they made me realise what was needed to play at the top level i.e. Fitness, talking to the media etc.

Have you any routines for preparing for a match?

Before a game I always put my left sock and left boot on first.

What are your future career aims?

To reach 100 caps for England and to play in another World Cup, and to play in the 2012 Olympics. And at club level to win the FA Cup.

What’s your most treasured football moment to date?

Being selected to play in the Fifa All Stars Team.

What has been your favourite club moment?

Reaching the League Cup Final with Tranmere.

And your worst experience so far?

Getting injured, I dislocated my ankle and was out for 6/7 months.

Sue’s Faves

Gary Taylor — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:36:19 +0000

Your first ever pair of boots?

A pair of Golas, I loved them!

Boots you currently wear?

Umbros

Fave female footballer?

Birgit Prinz

Fave male footballers?

It’s always been Zidane and Ryan Giggs; they can do amazing things with a football. At the moment I like Steven Pienaar being a blue like myself and also Wayne Rooney (for the same reasons) they’re all exciting to watch.

Which mens football team do you support?

Everton

What’s the best stadium you have played at?

Goodson Park! No really it’s the Veledrome in France, 80,000 capacity crowd and after our game France men’s team played against an All Star Team.

Your favourite international match you have played in?

It was when we played against Spain and I scored a hat trick!

FIFA All-Stars

Gary Taylor — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:59:26 +0000

USA v Rest Of The World – Feb 1999 San Jose Stadium, USA

Getting Selected

I heard that I had been selected when a letter came through my door a couple of months before the game, arranged to celebrate the World Cup in 1999 in the USA and involving 18 players from around the world playing against the USA team.

I read the letter a few times because I thought that a few England players were going over but when I realised it was just me I couldn’t believe it!! I was so honoured to be chosen and didn’t tell anyone apart from my family. I was just going to tell the Tranmere girls I was going away for the weekend but it ended up being in the FA Bulletin so I couldn’t escape people knowing. People were delighted and the Tranmere girls were brilliant sending good luck cards. I felt bad that I hadn’t told them but it’s not the sort of thing you bring up in conversation.

Biography

Gary Taylor — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:55:06 +0000

Sue started playing football for Rainhill United and then joined St Helens until she moved to Tranmere Rovers aged 14. Sue played at Tranmere Rovers for many years, but after years of fielding several offers from top clubs around the country, she signed for Leeds United in the summer of 2002. Sue now plays for Lincoln Ladies in the new WSL.

Sue made her England debut in 1996 against Germany and scored!. She has played for England from an early age and one of her brightest England moments was scoring a hat-trick of tremendous goals in a home friendly against Spain in February 2001.

She has twice won the Nationwide International Player Of The Year award in 1999 and 2001.

Before winning the 1999 award, Sue represented her country when she was picked to play in a FIFA XI against the USA in a showpiece match at the San Jose Stadium, USA.

She made her domestic comeback at the start of the 2002-03 season after suffering a broken leg and torn ligament damage after a training ground accident in February.

In 2006 got to the FA Cup Final in with Leeds United.

Sue is also a regular on BBC television and Sky Sports.