:Claire Skinner (footballer)
{{short description|Welsh footballer (born 1997)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Claire Skinner
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1997|2|17}}
| birth_place = Guildford, England
| height = 5 ft 8 in
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Guildford Saints
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Chelsea
| youthyears3 =
| youthclubs3 = Fulham
| youthyears4 =
| youthclubs4 = Reading
| years1 = 2014–2016
| clubs1 = Reading
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2016
| clubs2 = Cwmbran Celtic
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 2016–2017
| clubs3 = Cyncoed
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 2017
| clubs4 = Aston Villa
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 2017–2018
| clubs5 = Oxford United
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| years6 = 2018–2020
| clubs6 = Cardiff City Ladies
| caps6 =
| goals6 =
| years7 = 2020
| clubs7 = Cardiff City
| caps7 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| clubs8 = Swansea City
| years8 = 2020
| caps8 = 0
| goals8 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2015–
| nationalteam1 = Wales
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 6 February 2016
| nationalteam-update = 6 February 2016
}}
Claire Skinner (born 17 February 1997) is a footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Wales national team{{cite news|last1=Jones|first1=Dave|title=Wales Women 1 Slovakia Women 2: Jayne Ludlow's side slip to loss in Euro 2017 friendly|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/wales-women-1-slovakia-women-9008633|accessdate=6 February 2016|publisher=North Wales Daily Post|date=9 April 2015}} and Welsh Premier Women's Football League club Swansea City.
Club career
Skinner was born in Guildford, and started playing locally with Guildford Saints. Despite starting her game playing as a striker, at the club she replaced the goalkeeper who was unavailable, and played as a goalkeeper since then. She then joined Chelsea's summer camp, resulting in her trialling and playing for the Chelsea under-12 side.{{cite web|url=https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/2019/february/women--claire-skinner-my-story-so-far|title=Skinner: My story so far |publisher=Cardiff City|date=February 2019}} As well as Chelsea, she played at youth level for Fulham and Reading. Skinner has played for Cwmbran Celtic and Cyncoed in the Welsh Premier Women's Football League (WPWL). In 2017, Skinner spent some time with Aston Villa,{{cite web|url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2017/march/oxford-united-women-draw-with-villa/|title=Oxford United Women Draw With Villa|publisher=Oxford United|date=13 March 2017}} and in July 2017 joined Oxford United.{{cite news|url=https://shekicks.net/oxford-united-women-sign-wales-keeper/|title=Oxford United Women Sign Wales Keeper|first=Wilf|last=Frith|newspaper=She Kicks|date=24 July 2017}} In August 2020, Skinner signed with WPWL side Cardiff City.{{cite web|url=https://clwbpeldroed.org/2020/08/25/four-join-cardiff-city-wpwl-season/|title=Four join Cardiff City ahead of new WPWL season|first=Jordan|last=Jones|publisher=Y Clwb Pel-Droed|date=25 August 2020}}
International career
Skinner's grandfather is from the district Mumbles, and through him she is eligible to represent Wales. In April 2016, she made her international debut against Kazakhstan, coming on in extra-time of the second half, replacing Laura O'Sullivan. A couple of months later, in June 2016, she made her first start, playing the full ninety minutes of a 2–0 loss to Norway during the Euro 2017 qualifiers.{{cite news|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/14547049.cwmbran-celtic-ladies-keeper-claire-skinner-goes-through-the-emotions-on-first-wales-start/|title=Cwmbran Celtic Ladies keeper Claire Skinner goes through the emotions on first Wales start|first=David|last=Williams|newspaper=South Wales Argus|date=9 June 2016}} She was then called-up for the remaining qualifiers, against Israel and Austria,{{cite web|url=https://www.faw.cymru/en/news/wales-squad-names-final-womens-euro-qualifiers/|title=Wales Squad Named for Final Women's EURO Qualifiers|publisher=Football Association of Wales|date=31 August 2016}} playing the full match in the 3–0 victory over Israel.{{cite news|url=https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2016/09/15/womens-football/695631-euro-2017-qualifying-wales-3-0-israel.html|title=Wales 3-0 Israel - Euro 2017 Qualifying: Continued improvement gives hope for upcoming campaigns|first=Sophie|last=Lawson|newspaper=Vavel|date=15 September 2016}} In February 2017, she was called up for the 2017 Cyprus Women's Cup.{{cite web |title=CYPRUS WOMEN'S CUP SQUAD ANNOUNCED |url=https://www.faw.cymru/en/news/cyprus-womens-cup-squad-announced/ |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=13 February 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/38959660|title=Wales Women announce their squad for Cyprus Cup competition|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 February 2017}} In February 2018, she was called up for the 2018 Cyprus Women's Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.faw.cymru/en/news/wales-squad-announced-cyprus-cup/|title=Wales squad announced for Cyprus Cup|publisher=Football Association of Wales|date=13 February 2018}} In October 2019, she was called up for the Euro 2021 qualifiers.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49830240|title=Women's Euro 2021 Qualifiers: Wales captain Sophie Ingle out injured for Belarus|publisher=BBC Sport|date=3 October 2019}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{UEFA player|250082866}}
- {{Soccerway|claire-skinner/409200}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skinner, Claire}}
Category:Reading F.C. Women players
Category:Aston Villa W.F.C. players
Category:Oxford United W.F.C. players
Category:Cardiff City Ladies F.C. players
Category:Wales women's international footballers
Category:Welsh women's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportswomen
Category:FA Women's National League players
Category:Women's Super League players