Stef Curtis
{{short description|Irish association football player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Stef Curtis
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1983|12|5}}
| birth_place = Bristol, England
| height =
| position = Midfielder/Forward
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = South Bristol Wanderers
| years1 = 1999–2009 | clubs1 = Bristol Academy | caps1 = | goals1 =
| years2 = 2009–2010 | clubs2 = Chelsea Ladies | caps2 = | goals2 =
| years3 = 2011 | clubs3 = Birmingham City Ladies | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2012 | clubs4 = Bristol Academy | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2003–2009
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland
| nationalcaps1 =2 | nationalgoals1 =0
}}
Stefanie Leanne Curtis (born 5 December 1983 in Bristol, United Kingdom){{cite web |url=http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bmd%2fb%2f1983%2f4%2faz%2f000327%2f110 |title=England & Wales births 1837-2006 Transcription |via=Findmypast |publisher=General Register Office for England and Wales |access-date=16 April 2016 |url-access=subscription }} is a former international women's association footballer who played for Bristol Rovers Women (later renamed Bristol Academy, and now known as Bristol City), Chelsea Ladies and Birmingham City Ladies. She was also a senior Republic of Ireland international. Curtis, a prolific goalscorer, played mainly as a forward, but also spent time playing as a midfielder.
Club career
Curtis began her footballing career playing for South Bristol Wanderers as a teenager before joining Bristol Rovers Women in 1999.{{cite web |url=http://www.bristolacademywfc.co.uk/player_profile.php?profile=328&team=3 |title=Stephanie Curtis |work=Bristol Academy Women's Football Club |access-date=20 November 2008}}{{dead link|date=March 2020}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10328~349189,00.html|title=Gas Girls Head for the Algarve |work=Bristol Rovers Football Club |date=17 November 2004|access-date=4 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314020759/http://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10328~349189,00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012}} The club (which is now known as Bristol City W.F.C. and not to be confused with an entirely new Bristol Rovers W.F.C. which has been founded since then) was still in its infancy at this point, having been launched just a year earlier, and was playing in the South West Combination Women's Football League.{{cite news |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2019-08-16/we-re-just-out-there-to-enjoy-it-bristol-rovers-women-s-fc-look-forward-to-their-first-football-game/| title='We're just out there to enjoy it' - Bristol Rovers Women's FC look forward to their first football game |date=16 August 2019 |publisher=ITV News |access-date=4 March 2020}}
She quickly established herself as a prolific goalscorer and by 2004, still aged only 19, had established herself as one of the top scorers in English women's football. As well as a talent for finding the back of the net Curtis showed remarkable adaptability, moving into midfield later in her career and providing cover in other positions, even playing as an emergency goalkeeper on one occasion.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/7143594.stm |title=Arsenal grab late win at Bristol |publisher=BBC Sport |author=Tony Leighton |date=13 December 2007 |access-date=4 March 2020}}
Bristol Rovers Women had changed their name to Bristol Academy in 2005 due to the Bristol Rovers men's club no longer being able to cover their running costs and the Bristol Academy of Sport stepping in to fund them,{{citation |title=In the Visitors Corner Bristol Academy WFC |journal=Bristol City WFC Matchday Programme (Vs Bristol Academy, FA Women's Cup) |volume=2006–07 |date=27 January 2007 |page=13}} but financial problems were never far away and by the summer of 2009 the need to cut costs led to the departure of Manager Gary Green and several leading players. Corinne Yorston left for Arsenal, Gwennan Harries for Everton, and Curtis for Chelsea after having spent a decade at her home town club.{{cite web |title=Green loses Bristol Academy job amid funding worries |url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Green-loses-Bristol-Academy-job-amid-funding-worries/article-1145270-detail/article.html |date=8 July 2009 |work=Bristol Evening Post |access-date=20 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505093830/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Green-loses-Bristol-Academy-job-amid-funding-worries/article-1145270-detail/article.html |archive-date=5 May 2013 }}
She made an immediate impact with her new team, even scoring a hat-trick against her former club in Chelsea's fourth game of the season.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/8309913.stm |title=Watford triumph to move joint top |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 October 2009 |access-date=4 March 2020}} In December 2010, after spending a year with the Blues, Curtis was named as a member of Birmingham City's squad for the brand new FA WSL, which replaced the Women's Premier League as the top level of Women's football in England in 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/2210|title=Exciting Blues news!|publisher=She Kicks|access-date=20 December 2010|date=20 December 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726143422/http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/2210|archive-date=26 July 2011|df=dmy-all}} After a campaign disrupted by injury, during which she made just four league appearances, her return to Bristol Academy was announced in March 2012,{{cite news|url=http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Vixens-signing-spree-increases-firepower-big-kick/story-15430073-detail/story.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505090000/http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Vixens-signing-spree-increases-firepower-big-kick/story-15430073-detail/story.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 May 2013|title=Vixens' signing spree increases their firepower for the big kick-off|work=Bristol Evening Post|access-date=10 March 2012|date=8 March 2012}} however she failed to make any further appearances after returning to Bristol.{{cite web |url=https://womenscompetitions.thefa.com/en/PlayerStats |title=FA WSL player stats |publisher=The Football Association |access-date=4 March 2020}}
International career
Curtis played international football for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team.{{cite web |url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=86 |title=Republic of Ireland: Women – Squad Profile |publisher=Football Association of Ireland |date=21 March 2006 |access-date=4 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005105035/http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=86 |archive-date=5 October 2006}} In October 2009 she suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury during a 2011 Women's World Cup qualifier in Kazakhstan.{{cite web |url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=42|title=Senior Women Player Profiles |publisher=Football Association of Ireland |date=16 January 2009 |access-date=4 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126112614/http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=42 |archive-date=26 November 2010}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717135319/http://www1.sv.uefa.com/womensworldcup/teams/player=63253/index.html Stef Curtis] at the UEFA website. (archived version)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Stef}}
Category:Footballers from Bristol
Category:English people of Irish descent
Category:Republic of Ireland women's association footballers
Category:Bristol Academy W.F.C. players
Category:Chelsea F.C. Women players
Category:Birmingham City W.F.C. players
Category:Republic of Ireland women's international footballers
Category:FA Women's National League players
Category:Women's Super League players
Category:Women's association football midfielders