Page 3 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No. 15 2020-21

The end of the Barclays FA WSL season will also bring the
end of an era in women’s football with the news that Fara
Williams, England’s most capped player of all time, will
retire from the game.
The 37-year-old made the announcement on
Twitter this week to bring the curtain down on a stellar
career in the women’s game, spanning more than 20 years
and saw her win 172 caps for her country, scoring 40 times
- only Kelly Smith has scored more.
Fara’s career began with Chelsea before moving to
Charlton Athletic in 2001 and in November of that year,
she won her first England cap against Portugal at the age
of 17. Her first start, also against Portugal the following
February at Fratton Park, also saw her score her first goal
via a free kick.
After winning the Premier League Cup with Charlton in 2003-04, she joined Everton at
the end of the season and spent eight years with the Toffees, winning another League Cup in
2008 and two years later, she helped Everton win the FA Women’s Cup.
In 2012, Fara made the move to Liverpool and the following year - after seven second
place finishes with Charlton and Everton - she won her first Championship when the Reds beat
Bristol Academy in a title decider in the final game of the WSL season. Liverpool then retained
the title a year later in dramatic fashion, Fara having scored a vital goal against Birmingham City
from the halfway line in their penultimate game.
A two-year spell with Arsenal was followed by a move to Reading FC Women in 2017,
where she remained for the remainder of her career.
In international football, Fara played in an astonishing seven major Finals for England as
well as Team GB in the 2012 Olympic Games. She played in the Euro 2009 Final in Sweden,
where England lost to Germany, and in 2015 scored a penalty in a World Cup semi final against
Japan, where England were beaten before going on to win the bronze medal match 1-0 against
Germany - again, courtesy of a Fara Williams penalty.
As well as her record breaking career for her country, Fara has won many awards during
her career. In 2002 she was FA Young Player of the Year and was named as FA Player’s Player of
the Year in 2009, the year Everton narrowly missed out on the title by losing the last game of the
season to Arsenal. She was also recognised at England level by winning the FA International
Player of the Year in both 2007 and 2009. In 2016, she was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s
honours list for services to women’s football and charity.
A precocious talent as a youngster, Fara could light up a match with a moment’s brilliance
and often popped up with a crucial goal. Blessed with a great range of passing and a powerful shot
on goal, Fara possessed a razor sharp football brain - the aforementioned goal against
Birmingham being a prime example - capable of unlocking defences at any moment. It was also
no surprise that throughout her career, she gained a reputation for scoring free kicks that she
fully justified on many occasions.
Though often shy when dealing with the media, but always polite, friendly and helpful,
Fara became a very popular person both on and off the pitch and someone who was always worth
listening to.
In December it was announced that Fara would be a part of the FA’s Elite Coach
Placement Programme and would work with the England Under-17s alongside then Head C0ach
Gemma Grainger.
Next season, it is going to seem strange without seeing the great Fara Williams out on the
pitch, with that range of passing and shooting. She will be greatly missed. Happy retirement Fara,
and thank you.
Issue no. 15 - 29 April 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk