Claire Rafferty

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Claire Rafferty

| image = Claire Rafferty Lewes FC Women 0 West Ham Utd Women 5 pre season 12 08 2018-244 (29081543697) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Rafferty with West Ham United in 2018

| fullname = Claire Lauren Rafferty{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/FWWC/2015/pdf/FWWC_2015_SquadLists.pdf |title=FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015: List of players: England |publisher=FIFA |page=10 |date=6 July 2015 |access-date=1 June 2019}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|1|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Orpington, London, England

| height = {{convert|1.64|m|order=flip}}

| position = Left back/Left winger

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Kent Magpies

| years1 = 2003–2007

| clubs1 = Millwall Lionesses

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2007–2018

| clubs2 = Chelsea

| caps2 = 101

| goals2 = 12

| years3 = 2018–2019

| clubs3 = West Ham United

| caps3 = 13

| goals3 = 1

| nationalyears1 = 2008

| nationalteam1 = England U19

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2010

| nationalteam2 = England U23

| nationalcaps2 = 3

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2010–2017

| nationalteam3 = England

| nationalcaps3 = 18

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalteam4 = Great Britain

| nationalyears4 = 2012

| nationalcaps4 = 1

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| pcupdate = 28 May 2019{{cite web|url=https://full-time.thefa.com/DisplayStatsForPlayer.do?id=809910869|publisher=The FA|access-date=14 June 2017|title=Claire Rafferty}}{{cite web|url=http://uk.women.soccerway.com/players/claire-rafferty/59317/|publisher=Soccer Way|access-date=14 June 2017|title=Claire Rafferty}}

| ntupdate = 14 June 2017

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{fbw|ENG}}}}

}}

Claire Lauren Rafferty (born 11 January 1989) is an English pundit and retired professional footballer. She made over 100 appearances as a left back or left winger for Chelsea in the FA WSL and also spent time at Millwall Lionesses and West Ham United. Rafferty also represented England internationally and played at the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain.

Club career

File: Claire Rafferty 2014 (cropped).jpg

Rafferty became a first team regular with Millwall Lionesses as a 14-year-old.{{cite news|url=http://mobile.millwallfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10367~595008,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626123618/http://mobile.millwallfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10367~595008%2C00.html|archive-date=26 June 2010|title=Congratulations Claire|publisher=Millwall FC|date=29 November 2004|access-date=10 August 2009|url-status=dead}} After recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, she signed for Chelsea Ladies in 2007{{cite web|url=https://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1127776 |title=Chelsea Ladies Start Season |publisher=Chelsea FC |access-date=20 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606200052/https://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1127776 |archive-date=6 June 2014 }} and became a regular on the left of midfield.{{cite web|url=https://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1151739|title=Claire Rafferty |publisher=Chelsea FC|access-date=17 May 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606200037/https://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/1151739| archive-date=6 June 2014| url-status=dead}}

In August 2011 Rafferty suffered another ACL injury.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14663747.stm|title=Injured Kelly Smith missing from England squad|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=28 August 2011|date=25 August 2011}} She returned to the Chelsea team as a substitute in their televised 2012 FA WSL opening game against Doncaster Rovers Belles. Earlier in April 2012 Rafferty had been appointed as one of eight digital media ambassadors, one from each team, who wear their Twitter account name on their sleeves to raise the profile of the WSL.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17608531|title=Women's Super League launches Twitter kit initiative to raise profile|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=10 April 2012|date=4 April 2012}}

In 2014 Rafferty helped Chelsea to second place in the FAWSL. There was a dramatic final day of the season which saw Chelsea narrowly missing out on the title by one goal difference.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29552164|title=Liverpool Ladies pip Chelsea to WSL title on dramatic final day|date=12 October 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}}

Rafferty left Chelsea Ladies at the end of the 2017–18 season. In June 2018, she joined West Ham United Ladies.{{Cite web | title = Claire Rafferty: West Ham United sign England left-back | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 15 June 2018 | access-date = 15 June 2018 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44325025}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-48138881|title=FA Cup: How I prepare for a big game|work=BBC News|date=4 May 2019}} She retired at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{cite web |title=Claire Rafferty to retire at the end of the season | West Ham United |url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2019/may/10-may/claire-rafferty-retire-end-season |website=www.whufc.com |language=en}}

International career

=England=

Rafferty was involved with England at U15 development, U17, U19, U20 and U23 level. She had been called into the U19 squad at the age of 15. Her full debut came on 25 March 2010 against Austria.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/England/All-Teams/Players/R/Claire-Rafferty|title=Claire Rafferty |publisher=TheFA.com|access-date=17 May 2010}}

In June 2011 Rafferty was named in the 21–player squad for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. At the quarter-final stage of the competition against France, she was substituted on for regular left back Rachel Unitt in the 81st minute, to make her World Cup debut. England coach Hope Powell considered Rafferty better equipped to cope with the pace of Élodie Thomis.

When the match finished 1–1 after extra-time, Rafferty missed England's fourth penalty in the shootout, sending her spot kick wide of the post.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14094533.stm|title=Women's World Cup: England 1–1 France (France win 4–3 on pens)|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 July 2011|author=Chris Bevan|access-date=10 July 2011}} Although England were knocked out when Faye White also missed, Hope Powell praised Rafferty for stepping forward when other, more experienced team mates were exhibiting "cowardice."{{cite news|url=http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/106937|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528091336/http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/106937|archive-date=28 May 2012|title=Powell blasts England 'cowards'|publisher=Morning Star|date=11 July 2011|author=Greg Leedham|access-date=11 July 2011}}

Rafferty's international career has been plagued with injury having ruptured her ACL three times, most recently in 2013. After overcoming this for the third time Rafferty was recalled to the England squad in late 2014 for the friendly against Germany at Wembley Stadium.{{cite web|url=http://www.fawsl.com/news/sampson_names_final_qualifier_squad.html|title=Sampson Names Final Qualifier Squad|website=fawsl.com| publisher=The FA|date=4 September 2014|access-date=15 June 2018}} Rafferty made her first England appearance in two and a half years in March 2015 as England won the Cyprus Cup.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2015/mar/11/cyprus-cup-final-canada-larnaca-match-report|title = England seal Cyprus Cup victory after Canada run dry}} Rafferty was selected for the 2015 World Cup and was first choice left-back as England reached the semi-finals and achieved third-place. Rafferty was unfortunate to concede a penalty in the semi-final against Japan for a push which was outside the box.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2015/may/11/world-cup-canada-2015-squad-announcement|title=England squad named for FIFA Women's World Cup}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33397931|title=England's Women's World Cup ratings|work=BBC Sport}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20150623025626/http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/matches/round=268018/match=300269493/report.html FIFA.com]

Rafferty was allotted 175 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.{{Cite web |title=England squad named for World Cup |url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/May/31/england-womens-senior-squad-named-for-world-cup-2023-20233105 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=The Football Association |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lacey-Hatton |first=Jack |date=2022-11-18 |title=Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/lionesses-introduce-legacy-numbers-players-28529161 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=mirror |language=en}}

=Great Britain Olympic=

In June 2012 Rafferty was named in the 18–player Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18592483|title=Team GB women's squad for London 2012 announced|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 June 2012|access-date=26 June 2012}}

Retirement

Rafferty now makes regular media appearances. In the summer immediately following her retirement, Rafferty made numerous television and radio appearances as a pundit during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.{{cite web |title=Tongue Tied Media — Claire Rafferty |url=https://www.tonguetiedmedia.co.uk/claire-rafferty |website=Tongue Tied Media}}{{cite web |title=Women's World Cup: Claire Rafferty on England's chances, players to watch, and more |url=https://talksport.com/football/554417/womens-world-cup-2019-england-west-ham-claire-rafferty/ |website=talkSPORT |date=7 June 2019}}

In July 2019, Rafferty returned to Chelsea in a commercial role. Chelsea Commercial Director, Chris Townsend OBE commented on Rafferty's "extensive experience in elite-level sport combined with her business and analytical skills accumulated working at an investment bank" which made her an important asset to the club.{{cite web |title=Claire Rafferty returns to Chelsea in a commercial role | Official Site | Chelsea Football Club |url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/07/12/claire-rafferty-returns-to-chelsea-in-a-commercial-role |website=ChelseaFC}}

Personal life

Rafferty attended Colfe's Schoolhttps://web.archive.org/web/20170225211059/http://www.colfes.com/former-student-is-colfes-own-football-olympian until 2008. She studied economics at Loughborough University, and graduated in 2011.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13807358.stm|title=Who's who in the England women's squad?|publisher=BBC Sport|date=20 June 2011|access-date=10 July 2011}} As well as her football commitments she is a part-time Analyst at Deutsche Bank.{{cite news|url=https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/claire-rafferty/24/694/861|title=Claire Rafferty's linkedin profile|date=9 July 2015|access-date=9 July 2015}} During the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Rafferty was named 43rd in the ZOO Magazine "Hot 101" issue.{{cite web|title=@clrafferty1 You're in ZOO's Hot 101 issue! RT and let your followers know!|url=https://twitter.com/ZOO/status/618389432207589376|publisher=Zoo Weekly|access-date=18 July 2015|date=7 July 2015}}

Rafferty married her partner Erica Cleary in May 2023.{{cite web |last1=Rafferty |first1=Claire |title=She said yes 💍 ❤️ |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CrygTLHoSuE/ |website=Instagram |access-date=11 November 2023 |date=3 May 2023}}

Honours

=Club=

Chelsea{{cite web|title=C. Rafferty|url=https://uk.women.soccerway.com/players/claire-rafferty/59317/|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=13 July 2019}}

FA WSL: 2015, 2017–18
FA Women's Cup: 2014–15, 2017–18

=International=

Cyprus Cup: 2015{{cite web |last1=Lavery |first1=Glenn |title=England 1–0 Canada: Cyprus Cup final match report |url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2015/mar/11/cyprus-cup-final-canada-larnaca-match-report |publisher=The Football Association |date=11 March 2015}}
FIFA Women's World Cup third place: 2015{{Cite web |url=http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/02/66/09/64/eng_51_0704_ger-eng_fulltime.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706175120/http://resources.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/02/66/09/64/eng_51_0704_ger-eng_fulltime.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 July 2015 |date=4 July 2015 |title=Match for third place – Match report |publisher=FIFA |access-date=7 July 2019}}

References

External links

{{FIFA player}}
{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127010842/http://www.thefa.com/England/All-Teams/Players/R/Claire-Rafferty |date=27 November 2015 |title=Claire Rafferty at The Football Association}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Olympics.com|claire-rafferty}}
{{Team GB|claire-rafferty|archive=20150416144051}}

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Category:English women's footballers

Category:Millwall Lionesses L.F.C. players