Rebecca Spencer

Rebecca Leigh "Becky" Spencer (born 22 February 1991) is an English female football goalkeeper for FA WSL club Tottenham Hotspur. After coming through the ranks at Arsenal, she had spent short spells with French club ASJ Soyaux and Birmingham City before returning to Arsenal ahead of the 2013 FA WSL. She spent two-and-a-half more years with Birmingham City, before joining Chelsea in January 2016. Spencer has represented England at Under-19 and Under-20 level.

For the American singer and actress, see Rebecca Spencer (singer).

Rebecca Spencer
With Tottenham in September 2019
Personal information
Full name Rebecca Leigh Spencer[1]
Date of birth (1991-02-22) 22 February 1991
Place of birth Northwick Park, England
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Tottenham Hotspur
Number 22
Youth career
Watford Ladies
2001–2006 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2011 Arsenal
2009 → Nottingham Forest (loan) 1 (0)
2010–2011 → Gillingham Ladies (loan)
2011–2012 ASJ Soyaux 3 (0)
2012 Birmingham City 8 (0)
2013 Arsenal 0 (0)
2013–2015 Birmingham City 30 (0)
2016–2018 Chelsea 8 (0)
2018–2019 West Ham United 12 (0)
2019– Tottenham Hotspur 12 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:00, 05 July 2019 (UTC)

Early life

Born in Northwick Park, Spencer attended Rooks Heath College and in January 2009 was a fitness student in St Albans.[2]

Club career

Spencer began her career as a junior with Watford Ladies before joining the Centre of Excellence at Arsenal Ladies in 2001.[2] She progressed through the centre of excellence age groups and joined the senior team in 2006, where she was primarily the understudy to first choice keeper Emma Byrne. She made her FA Women's Premier League debut and in April 2008 was in goal as Arsenal beat Millwall Lionesses 3–1 in the London Cup Final,[3] having been in the Arsenal side beaten by Charlton Athletic Ladies in the 2006 final.[4]

Spencer was an unused substitute in the 2008 FA Women's Cup Final as Arsenal beat Leeds Carnegie[5] and in the 2009 final as Arsenal beat Sunderland.[6] She has also won an FA Women's Premier League Cup winners' medal having been an unused substitute for Arsenal's win against Leeds in March 2007.[7]

Spencer joined Gillingham Ladies on loan for 2010–11. She said "I have had a frustrating few years regarding getting regular game time and Gillingham has been the right choice of club to do this."[8] In December 2011 Spencer left Arsenal for French Division 1 Féminine club ASJ Soyaux.[9][10] She returned to England in March 2012 for family reasons.[11] Spencer then signed for Birmingham City, making her debut in a 4–0 FA Women's Cup win over Sunderland.[12]

Spencer left Arsenal for a second time in July 2013.[13] She returned to Birmingham City. In January 2016, Spencer announced her transfer from Birmingham to WSL champions Chelsea.[14] Birmingham described the transfer fee banked from Chelsea as "an extremely good deal for the club".[15]

Spencer moved to West Ham United in June 2018.[16] She made 12 league appearances and four in the FA Women's League Cup.[17] She was an unused substitute in the side that played against Manchester City in the 2018–19 FA Women's Cup final.[18] In June 2019, it was announced that Spencer would leave West Ham upon the expiration of her contract.[19]

International career

Spencer has represented England at Under–15,[2] Under–19[20] and Under–20 level.[21] She was the first choice for the Under–20s World Cup side in 2008.[22] In 2009, she was a key player as England's Under–19s side won the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Belarus, keeping clean sheets throughout the tournament,[23] and was named as one of ten 'emerging talents' from the tournament on the UEFA website.[24] She was called up to Mark Sampson's senior England squad in 2016 and was an unused substitute against Estonia.[25]

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/10/2009 and 31 October 2009" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  2. Tim Edwards (22 January 2009). "Rebecca aiming to stay top of her game". Harrow Observer. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  3. "Arsenal retain London Cup". Fair Game. 17 April 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  4. "Charlton retain London Cup". Fair Game. 23 March 2006. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  5. David Ornstein (5 May 2008). "FA Cup win secures Arsenal double". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  6. Gareth Davis (4 May 2009). "Report:Arsenal 2 Sunderland 1". Derby County F.C. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  7. "Arsenal clinch League Cup glory". BBC Sport. 4 March 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  8. "Spencer: Keeping clean sheets is my main priority". Gillingham Ladies media. 15 December 2010. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  9. "Rebecca Spencer and Fiona O'Sullivan move to France". CWF Football. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  10. O'Neill, Jen (24 January 2012). "Rebecca Spencer/ ASJ Soyaux Charente". She Kicks. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  11. "D1 : Rebecca Spencer rentre au pays..." ASJ Soyaux Charente. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  12. "BLUES 4 SUNDERLAND 0". Birmingham City Ladies. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  13. "Beattie and Spencer Leave Arsenal". She Kicks. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  14. "Jade Bailey and Becky Spencer join Chelsea Ladies". BBC Sport. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  15. "Statement: player movements in transfer window". Birmingham City L.F.C. 26 January 2016. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  16. "Rebecca Spencer: West Ham Ladies sign former Chelsea goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  17. Rebecca Spencer at Soccerway. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  18. "Women's FA Cup final 2018-19: Manchester City Women 3-0 West Ham United Women". BBC Sport. 4 May 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  19. "Visalli and Spencer to depart West Ham United". West Ham United F.C. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  20. "Sweden deny England semi spot". Fair Game. 13 July 2008. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  21. "England U20s bow out to USA". Fair Game. 1 December 2008. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  22. "13. Rebecca Spencer". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 22 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  23. "England are UEFA U19 Champions!". Fair Game. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  24. "England dominate emerging talents". UEFA. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  25. "England vs. Estonia - 15 September 2016". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
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