Sheila Parker
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1947 (age 77–78) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1961–1965 | Preston | ||
| Fodens | |||
| St Helens | |||
| Chorley | |||
| International career | |||
| 1972–198? | England | 33 | (5) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Sheila Parker MBE (née Porter; born 1947)[1] is an English former international football defender. In November 1972 she captained the England women's national football team in their first official match, a 3–2 win over Scotland in Greenock. Parker was announced as an inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in May 2013.[2]
Parker grew up in Chorley, Lancashire and played football with the boys at school.[3] Parker's granddaughter, Chloe, plays for Fleetwood Town.[4]
Club career
In June 1961, 13-year-old Parker played her first match for Dick, Kerr's Ladies.[3]
In 1974 Parker helped Fodens, originally a works team from the Edwin Foden, Sons & Co. lorry manufacturing plant in Sandbach, shock Southampton in the final of the Women's FA Cup. Teammate Sylvia Gore recalled:[5]
It was the first time Southampton had ever lost in a cup game in the three seasons the national cup had been in existence. We were determined to beat them. We weren't frightened of them — even though they had six international players on their side, compared to our four. It was close though, but I think we deserved our 2–1 win.
She later played for Chorley Ladies.[4] Parker played for St Helens in the 1983 WFA Cup final which they lost 3–2 to Doncaster Belles.[6]
