Pauline Cope
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Pauline Cope
| image = Pauline Boanas.jpg
| fullname = Pauline Cope-Boanas
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1969|02|16}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=419/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813021740/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=419/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 August 2009|title=England:Pauline Cope|publisher=FIFA|access-date=2009-12-15}}
| birth_place = Lambeth, England
| position = Goalkeeper
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| years1 = 1982–1990
| clubs1 = Millwall Lionesses
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1990–1991
| clubs2 = Arsenal Ladies
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1991–1993
| clubs3 = Millwall Lionesses
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 1994–1995
| clubs4 = Arsenal Ladies
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 1995–1998
| clubs5 = Millwall Lionesses
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
| years6 = 1998–2000
| clubs6 = Croydon
| caps6 =
| goals6 =
| years7 = 2000–2006
| clubs7 = Charlton Athletic
| caps7 =
| goals7 =
| nationalyears1 = 1995–2004
| nationalteam1 = England
| nationalcaps1 = 60
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| pcupdate =
| ntupdate =
}}
Pauline Cope (born 16 February 1969), whose married name is Pauline Cope-Boanas, is an English former football goalkeeper. She won 60 caps for the England women's national football team between her debut in 1995 and retirement from international football in 2004. Cope was England's first choice goalkeeper at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup and UEFA Women's Euro 2001. Ted Copeland, England's coach at the former competition, described Cope as the best female goalkeeper in the world.
Having started playing with Millwall Lionesses in her native South London, Cope remained until 1998. Her time at the club was interspersed with two separate spells with Arsenal and a season out of football in 1993–94. She moved on to Croydon, who came under the auspices of Charlton Athletic in 2000. Cope finished her club career playing for Charlton under the management of partner and future husband Keith Boanas, retiring in 2006. A League champion on three occasions, Cope won the FA Women's Cup four times and was a losing finalist twice.
Club career
At club level Cope won the FA Women's Cup with, Arsenal, Millwall Lionesses and Croydon. Her first success came in the 1995 final when Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-2 and her second came in 1997 when Millwall beat Wembley 1-0 with Cope as captain in her second triumph.{{cite book |last1=Slegg Chris |first1=Gregory Patricia |title=A History of the Women's FA Cup Final |date=2021 |publisher=thehistorypress |isbn=9780750996594}}
In the 2000 FA Women's Cup Final at Bramall Lane, Cope saved a penalty kick from her England teammate Karen Walker as Croydon beat Doncaster Belles 2–1. As Croydon celebrated their win, Cope revealed a T-shirt bearing the legend: "I love my Keith."{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/814681.stm|title=Women's FA Cup 2000|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=2012-09-05 | date=2000-07-12 }} The following week Croydon beat Aston Villa 6–0 to win the league and clinch a domestic double.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/may/08/newsstory.sport1|title=Gallant Calais deprived by controversial penalty|first=Simon|last=Burnton|work=The Guardian|access-date=2012-11-13|date=2000-05-08}}
In 2003 Cope was employed as a full-time girls' development officer with Charlton Athletic. The position allowed her to improve the way she trained: "I'm in the best position in women's football in Europe. Maybe even the world, because I get to train day-in day-out with Dean Kiely, who's one of the best keepers around."{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/2996239.stm|title=Coping with the pressure|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=2 May 2003|access-date=2012-11-08|first=Phil|last=Harlow}} She played in Charlton's 3–0 defeat to full-time professional Fulham in the 2003 FA Women's Cup Final.
In May 2004 Cope played in goal for Charlton in their 3–0 final defeat against Arsenal.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3672565.stm|title=Live: FA Women's Cup Final|publisher=BBC|date=3 May 2004|access-date=2009-07-22}} She won her fourth Women's FA Cup in 2005 when Charlton beat Everton 1-0 at the Boleyn Ground.
A fortnight after helping Charlton beat Arsenal 2–1 in the 2006 Premier League Cup final, 37-year-old Cope produced a vintage performance in the FA Women's Cup semi final but Charlton lost 2–1 to the same opponents. Having watched his side score a late winner in extra time, Arsenal manager Vic Akers declared: "Pauline Cope was absolutely outstanding."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/mar/20/womensfootball.sport|title=Gunners have their revenge|work=The Guardian|date=20 March 2006|access-date=13 November 2012|first=Tony|last=Leighton}} Cope then retired from club football at the end of the 2005–06 season.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/4903520.stm|title=Addicks keeper nets monthly award|publisher=BBC|date=12 April 2006|access-date=2009-07-22}} After her final game, a 1–0 defeat at Everton which consigned Charlton to third place in the table, club captain Casey Stoney said of Cope: "If I'm honest I don't think she can be replaced. She's the best goalkeeper I've ever seen."{{cite news|url=http://cafc.digital-ink.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=23972&newstype=l|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420021157/http://cafc.digital-ink.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=23972&newstype=l|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 April 2013|title=Cope a one-off|publisher=Charlton Athletic F.C.|date=17 May 2006|access-date=13 November 2012|first=Gary|last=Haines}}
International career
Cope played 60 times for the senior England women's national football team, making her debut in a 1–1 friendly draw with Italy in Florence on 26 January 1995.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ital-wom-intres-det.html|title=Italy - Women - International Results - Details 1994-2013|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|date=25 July 2013|access-date=30 July 2013|first=Roberto|last=Di Maggio}} By the time of the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, held in Sweden during June 1995, she had displaced former Millwall teammate Lesley Higgs as England's first choice goalkeeper. At the tournament it was reported that Cope's performances in comprehensive defeats by Norway and Germany had averted "hideous embarrassment" for the outmatched English team.{{cite book |title=I Lost My Heart to the Belles |last=Davies |first=Pete |year=1996 |publisher=Mandarin |location=London |isbn=0-7493-2085-0 |page=319}} National coach Ted Copeland described her as "the best keeper in the world."{{cite book |title=I Lost My Heart to the Belles |last=Davies |first=Pete |year=1996 |publisher=Mandarin |location=London |isbn=0-7493-2085-0 |page=317}}
In October 2000, goalkeeping understudy Rachel Brown played in the UEFA Women's Euro 2001 qualification play-off in Ukraine when Cope was struck down with a stomach complaint on the morning of the game.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1000552.stm|title=England progressing well|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Tony|last=Leighton|date=31 October 2000|access-date=30 July 2013}} Cope was restored to the team for the final tournament and played in all three games as England went out in the group stage.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eur-women01det.html|title=European Women Championship 2001 - Final Tournament Details|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|access-date=30 July 2013|date=19 May 2002|first=Sébastien|last=Duret}}
In April 2004 Cope unexpectedly retired from international football.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3646045.stm|title=Cope ends England career|publisher=BBC|date=2004-04-21|access-date=2009-07-22}} In 2008, she was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/pages/fame/Inductees/paulinecope.htm|title=Pauline Cope|access-date=2009-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606020348/http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/pages/fame/Inductees/paulinecope.htm|archive-date=2011-06-06|first=Robert|last=Galvin|publisher=National Football Museum}}
She was allotted 106 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.{{cite press release |url=https://www.englandfootball.com/england/womens-senior-team/Legacy?tab=Players |title=ENGLAND PLAYER LEGACY AND RESULTS ARCHIVE |date=18 November 2022 |access-date=27 April 2023 |publisher=The Football Association}}{{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}}
Coaching career
In September 2015 Cope joined Gillingham Ladies as a goalkeeper coach.{{cite news|title=Gills Ladies Welcome England Legend To Coaching Set Up|url=http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/article/gills-ladies-welcome-england-legend-to-coaching-set-up-2688852.aspx|access-date=26 January 2016|publisher=Gillingham F.C.|date=14 September 2015|archive-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203052000/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/article/gills-ladies-welcome-england-legend-to-coaching-set-up-2688852.aspx|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Cope is the wife of former Estonia women's team coach Keith Boanas{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/stevewilson/2009/10/keith_bonas_qa.html|title=Keith Bonas Q&A|publisher=BBC|date=2009-10-16|access-date=2009-12-15}} and stepmother to Sonny and Kari Boanas. Despite her long association with Millwall's female section, Cope remains a West Ham United supporter.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/may/01/newsstory.sport6|title=Cope hopes to keep lock-up Duffy at bay|work=The Guardian|date=2005-05-01|access-date=2012-11-08|first1=Anna|last1=Kessel|first2=Gemma|last2=Clarke}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{FIFA player|419}}
{{English Football Hall of Fame}}
{{Navboxes
| title = England squads
| bg = white
| fg = #0B0B3F
| bordercolor = #0B0B3F
| list1 =
{{England squad 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2001}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cope, Pauline}}
Category:English women's footballers
Category:English Football Hall of Fame inductees
Category:England women's international footballers
Category:Millwall Lionesses L.F.C. players
Category:Arsenal W.F.C. players
Category:Charlton Athletic W.F.C. players
Category:FA Women's National League players
Category:1995 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Category:Women's association football goalkeepers