Claire Scanlan

Claire Josephine Scanlan (born 21 February 1972) is an Irish soccer coach and former midfielder for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team. She played for clubs in the American W-League, the Japanese L. League and the English FA Women's Premier League.

Claire Scanlan
Personal information
Full name Claire Josephine Scanlan[1]
Date of birth (1972-02-21) 21 February 1972
Place of birth Rush, Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1995 Mercyhurst College
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Rush Athletic
Swords Celtic
Rush Athletic
1996–1997 OKI F.C. Winds
1997–1998 Shelbourne
2000 Springfield Sirens
2001–2004 Leeds United
2001–2002 Memphis Mercury
2003 Boston Renegades
2004–2008 Bristol Academy
International career
1989–2009 Republic of Ireland 57 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:16, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Club career

Scanlan began playing with Rush Athletic as an 11-year-old. While attending St. Joseph's Secondary School Scanlan also played camogie and cricket.[2] She became the first female to play hurling at Croke Park with the school team, and marked the occasion with a goal.[3]

After six seasons with Rush Athletic, Scanlan moved to Dublin rivals Swords Celtic. She returned to Rush Athletic and won Leinster Senior League Division Two honours with the club in 1990–91.[2] In 1992 Scanlan took up a soccer scholarship to Mercyhurst College in Pennsylvania. She was selected to the All-American team in 1994 and 1995 and was named both Division II Player of the Year and Conference Player of the Year.[4]

After graduating Scanlan signed a full-time professional contract to play for OKI F.C. Winds, a club in Japan's L. League.[2][4] She returned to Ireland for a brief spell with Shelbourne, before heading back to America in August 1999.[5] She won a W-League title with Springfield Sirens in 2000, before turning out for Memphis Mercury (2001 and 2002) and Boston Renegades (2003). Meanwhile, Scanlan had joined Leeds United and was playing for the Yorkshire club in the FA Women's Premier League National Division during the winter season.[6]

After three seasons at Leeds, Scanlan joined Bristol Rovers as player-assistant manager to Gary Green.[7]

International career

Scanlan made her debut for the Republic of Ireland in an Under–18 fixture against Northern Ireland in 1989. She scored both goals in the Republic's 2–0 win at Tolka Park.[8]

In February 2000 Scanlan was named the 1999 FAI Women's Senior International Player of the Year.[5]

She won a total of 57 senior caps and scored seven goals before retiring in 2009. In February of that year a half-time presentation during the Irish men's national team World Cup qualifier against Georgia at Croke Park recognised Scanlan's contribution to Irish football.[9]

Coaching career

While playing for Bristol Academy, Scanlan was employed as the head coach of the Female Football Development Centre at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. She left to take up a post as assistant coach at Troy University,[9] where she had previously worked as a graduate coach between 1999 and 2001 while completing a Master's degree in Education.

Scanlan is also on the coaching staff of the FAI and was an assistant coach of the Irish team who reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[8]

References
  1. "RCD Espanyol 6-1 Bristol Academy WFC". International Women's Cup. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
  2. Hubert Murphy (12 August 2005). "Claire Scanlan has turned full circle from a devoted student to an expert soccer coach". Fingal Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  3. "Praise for Managers". Fingal Independent. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  4. "Claire Scanlan Assistant Coach". Troy University. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  5. Noel Ward (3 March 2000). "Top soccer award for Rush star Claire Scanlan". Fingal Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  6. Hubert Murphy (1 November 2002). "Claire now in colours of Leeds". Fingal Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  7. "Gas Girls Won't Burn Out". FemaleSoccer.net. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  8. "Irish legends behind U17 World Cup success". FAI.ie. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  9. Hubert Murphy (11 February 2009). "Big match will honour star". Fingal Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
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