Loren Dykes
Welsh footballer (born 1988)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Loren Dykes MBE (born 5 February 1988) is a football coach and player who is the assistant coach for Bristol City and a player for Cardiff City and the Wales women's national football team.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 February 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Morriston, Wales | ||
| Position | Right back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cardiff City | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Llanelli Reds | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Cardiff City | |||
| 2008–2020 | Bristol City | 101 | (2) |
| 2020–2021 | Cardiff City | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007–2021 | Wales | 105 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020–2021 | Bristol City (first team coach) | ||
| 2021–2022 | Wales (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2022 | Wales U17 | ||
| 2022–2023 | Wales U16 | ||
| 2023– | Bristol City (first team coach) | ||
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 July 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 March 2020 (UTC) | |||
Dykes began her playing career as a winger or forward before being converted into a full-back.[2] She won her 100th cap for Wales on 4 April 2019, in a friendly against the Czech Republic, at Rodney Parade in Newport.[3]
Early life
Dykes attended Cwmtawe Community School[4] and also played for Llanelli Reds.[5]
Club career
Dykes started with Cardiff City Ladies and featured in the UEFA Women's Cup with the Bluebirds,[6] before signing for Bristol Academy during 2008–09.
Dykes played in the 2011 FA Women's Cup final as a winger, then in the 2013 final having retrained as a right-back.[7] Bristol lost both finals to Arsenal.
In July 2020, Dykes announced that she would retire from playing club football and transition into her coaching career; however, she would remain available for selection for her national team.[1] Dykes retired from playing professional football in February 2021.[8]
International career
Dykes won 17 caps and scored four goals for Wales at U-19 level.[5] She made her senior debut, aged 19, in a 2–1 defeat by the Netherlands in August 2007.[5][9] She played her 100th match for Wales in a friendly against Czech Republic on 4 April 2019.[10]
While attending UWIC, Dykes was called up to represent Welsh universities in the Home Nations championship.[11]
Dykes was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to women's football in Wales.[12]
Coaching career
Dykes became an assistant coach for her former club Bristol City in July 2020.[1]