Natasha Harding

Welsh footballer (born 1989) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Natasha Marie Harding (born 2 March 1989) is a retired Welsh footballer. Harding began her career with Cardiff City and has also played in the FA WSL for Bristol Academy and Manchester City.

Full name Natasha Marie Harding
Date of birth (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989 (age 37)
Place of birth Caerphilly, Wales
Position(s)
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Natasha Harding
Personal information
Full name Natasha Marie Harding
Date of birth (1989-03-02) 2 March 1989 (age 37)
Place of birth Caerphilly, Wales
Position(s)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2012 Cardiff City 1 (0)
2012–2014 Bristol Academy 39 (8)
2015 Manchester City 10 (1)
2016–2017 Liverpool 29 (11)
2018–2022 Reading 84 (4)
2022–2023 Aston Villa 4 (0)
International career‡
2008–2022 Wales[1] 103 (26)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 April 2024
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Club career

Harding began her career at Cardiff City and made her first team debut in January 2007, during a 4–0 Welsh Women's Cup quarter final win over Newport Strikers. Harding came on as a second-half substitute for Gwennan Harries.[2] She subsequently represented the club in the 2007–08 UEFA Women's Cup.[3]

She went on to captain Cardiff City,[4] then joined Bristol Academy ahead of the 2012 FA WSL campaign. Bristol manager Mark Sampson said of Harding: "Tash will really bring another dimension to our forward play, a striker who can play off the shoulder and with great speed was something we were missing last season so it will give us far more variation to our play going forward."[5] At the end of the 2014 season Harding signed for the Washington Spirit,[6] but her move fell through over visa issues and she signed instead for Manchester City.[7]

In January 2016, Harding was sold by Manchester City, who had signed Swedish forward Kosovare Asllani.[8] Later that week she signed for Liverpool.[9] Harding left Liverpool Ladies in December 2017.[10] Reading Women snapped up the Welsh international on a free transfer in January 2018[11] Since joining the Royals in 2018, Harding has been named captain. On 3 May 2022, Reading announced that Harding would leave the club at the end of the season.[12]

On 16 September 2023, Harding announced her retirement from football.[13][14]

International career

Harding played five times for the Wales Under-19 team in season 2007–08.[1] She made her senior international debut, aged 19, as a late substitute in a 2–0 defeat to Switzerland in Oberdorf on 8 May 2008.[15]

Harding scored her first goals for Wales on 20 June 2012 in a UEFA Qualifying match against Israel at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. She scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win to cap a fine evening both personally and for her country.[16]

As a student at UWIC, Harding was called–up to represent Great Britain at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China.[17]

On 12 April 2022, she played her 100th match for Wales in a 3–0 win over Kazakhstan in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification.[18]

International goals

More information No., Date ...
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.20 June 2012Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales Israel1–05–0UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
2.2–0
3.3–0
4.7 April 2013East End Park, Dunfermline, Scotland Scotland1–11–2Friendly
5.4 April 2014Eskişehir Atatürk Stadium, Eskişehir, Turkey Turkey5–05–12015 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
6.9 April 2014Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales Ukraine1–11–1
7.19 June 2014Traktor Stadium, Minsk, Belarus Belarus1–03–0
8.2–0
9.3–0
10.26 November 2015Bridge Meadow Stadium, Haverfordwest, Wales Kazakhstan1–04–0UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
11.1 December 2015Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel Israel1–12–2
12.2–1
13.5 April 2017CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach, Wales Northern Ireland3–13–1Friendly
14.12 June 2018Newport Stadium, Newport, Wales Russia3–03–02019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
15.29 August 2019Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands Faroe Islands1–06–0UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
16.3–0
17.5–0
18.22 October 2020Rodney Parade, Newport, Wales Faroe Islands2–04–0
19.3–0
20.1 December 2020 Belarus1–03–0
21.17 September 2021Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales Kazakhstan2–06–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
22.21 September 2021Pärnu Rannastaadion, Pärnu, Estonia Estonia1–01–0
23.26 October 2021Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales Estonia3–04–0
24.26 November 2021Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales Greece5–05–0
25.16 February 2022Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain Scotland3–13–12022 Pinatar Cup
26.12 April 2022Astana Arena, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan2–03–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
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Allegations of financial impropriety

In November 2024, BBC News reported allegations against Harding (now using her married name of Allen-Wyatt), of taking payments for undelivered football coaching, unpaid loans and unfulfilled sponsorship deals. Up to 70 parents and businesses claimed losses totaling nearly £70,000.[19][20]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 27 May 2023[21]
More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bristol Academy 2012 WSL 1430041--184
2013 1440020--164
2014 111005342-206
Total 3980011442--5414
Manchester City 2015 WSL 1010010--111
Liverpool 2016 WSL 1630020--182
2017 8400----84
2017–18 540030--84
Total 29110050----3410
Reading 2017–18 WSL 130--00--130
2018–19 1913050--271
2019–20 802020--120
2020–21 2231043--266
2021–22 2202020——260
Total 84480123----1047
Aston Villa 2022–23 WSL 400020——60
Career total 166248031742--20932
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    Honours

    Individual

    References

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