Kirsty Pealling

Kirsty Pealling (born 14 April 1975) is a former footballer who spent her entire club career with Arsenal Ladies. She also represented England at full international level.

Kirsty Pealling
Personal information
Full name Kirsty Pealling
Date of birth (1975-04-14) 14 April 1975
Place of birth Hackney, England
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–2006 Arsenal Ladies
National team‡
1993–2004 England 15 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 October 2010

Club career

Pealling attended Haggerston School and was spotted by Arsenal Ladies manager Vic Akers during a five-a-side tournament when she was 13.[1] At the time of her retirement in 2006,[2] Pealling was the club's longest serving player, the record appearance holder and had won the most trophies.[3] She won domestic trebles with Arsenal in 1993[3] and 2001.[4]

Pealling worked as a sports development officer for Camden Council and since 2004 has coached at Hampstead FC.[5]

When Jayne Ludlow retired in July 2013, the legendary Welsh midfielder paid tribute to "unsung hero" Pealling in an interview with the Arsenal website: "I should really thank Kirsty because when I was scoring 30 goals a season, it was mostly because of her crosses from the right wing."[6]

International career

Eighteen-year-old Pealling made her England debut in a 3–0 Euro 1995 qualifying win in Belgium in November 1993.[3] She also featured in the eventual semi-final defeat to Germany. However, Pealling and Joanne Broadhurst were controversially dropped from the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, with manager Ted Copeland saying "They are not international footballers at this level."[7]

After a long spell out of international football, Pealling returned as a substitute against Denmark in August 2001.[4] In May 2004 she played the first half of a 1–0 friendly win over Iceland at London Road, Peterborough.[8]

References
  1. Nick Oliver (December 2003). "Hackney Marshes to Highbury". N16online. Archived from the original on 11 April 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  2. "Review of the 2005/06 Season" (PDF). Arsenal Holdings Plc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  3. Sarah Garrett (August 2008). "Sporting Heroes". G3 Magazine. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  4. "England women Fixtures and Results, 2004/05". Cresswell Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  5. "Kirsty Pealling". Hampstead FC. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  6. Brumsack, Nik (11 July 2013). "'I've enjoyed every single minute'". Arsenal.com. Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  7. Mike Rowbottom (6 June 1995). "Women boldly go where no men have been of late". The Independent. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  8. "International Matches (Women) 2004". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 26 May 2010.


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