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Fern Whelan

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Fern Whelan
Whelan in 2017
Personal information
Full name Gabriella Fern Whelan[1]
Date of birth (1988-12-05) 5 December 1988 (age 35)
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Liverpool Feds
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Liverpool
2005–2014 Everton 22 (1)
2015–2017 Notts County 18 (2)
2017 Everton
2017–2019 Brighton & Hove Albion 23 (2)
International career‡
2011– England 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:05, 21 May 2017 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:05, 21 May 2017 (UTC)

Gabriella Fern Whelan (born 5 December 1988)[2] is an English former professional footballer who played for Brighton & Hove Albion W.F.C.[3] She previously played for both Liverpool and Everton in her native Merseyside and Notts County. She has represented England women's national football team at youth and senior level. A quick central defender, Whelan was named the FA Women's Young Player of the Year in 2008.[4]

Personal life

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Whelan attended St Pascal Baylon School in Court Hey.[5] She was in a relationship with fellow footballer Aileen Whelan as of 2021.[6]

Club career

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Whelan started playing football for her school's boys' team.[5] Her school teacher played for Liverpool Feds and signed Whelan up to play for their junior side.[5] She progressed to the Liverpool Ladies senior side before leaving to join Everton Ladies during the 2005 close season.

After playing in every round of the 2007–08 FA Women's Premier League Cup, Whelan missed Everton's 1–0 final win over Arsenal when she injured her cruciate ligaments in January 2008.[7] Despite missing half the season with the injury, she was named the FA Young Player of the Year for 2007–08.[2][8]

In the 2010 FA Women's Cup Final, Whelan came on as a second-half substitute for Rachel Unitt as Everton beat Arsenal 3–2 in extra time.[9] After aggravating her previous knee injury, Whelan underwent surgery which saw her miss the entire 2012 and 2013 seasons. She declared a "brilliant feeling" in returning to the squad for 2014.[10] Whelan was a late substitute in Everton's 2–0 2014 FA Women's Cup final defeat by Arsenal.[11] When the 2014 season culminated in Everton's relegation, Whelan signed for Notts County on a two-year contract.[12]

In March 2017, Whelan agreed an extension to her Notts County contract,[13] only for the club to fold on the eve of the FA WSL Spring Series season. Instead she agreed to rejoin Everton on a free transfer.[14] She transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2017.

Whelan announced her retirement from professional football in October 2020, due to injury.[15]

International career

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Whelan has represented England at Under-15, Under-19 (as captain),[16] Under-20 and Under-23[17] levels. Whelan was named UEFA's "golden player" after inspiring England to the final of the 2007 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship.[18] She recovered from a serious knee injury to captain England at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile in November 2008.[19]

National coach Hope Powell gave Whelan a first call-up to the senior England squad in October 2009, replacing Anita Asante who was withdrawn after the initial announcement of the squad.[20] In May 2011 Whelan received another senior call-up when Fara Williams withdrew from the squad for a home friendly with Sweden. She won her first cap as a late substitute for Casey Stoney in England's 2–0 win.[21]

Powell did not select Whelan for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, but she made her first competitive appearance in England's 4–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying win over Slovenia at the County Ground, Swindon on 22 September 2011. At the 2012 Cyprus Cup Whelan won another cap as England beat Switzerland 1–0. During the tournament she suffered a recurrence of her cruciate ligament injury and underwent surgery which kept her out for nearly two years, causing her to miss the 2012 Olympic Games and UEFA Women's Euro 2013.[22]

Whelan was allotted 177 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.[23][24]

Post-football career

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As well as being a professional footballer, Whelan is a qualified physiotherapist.[25][26] Following her retirement from football, Whelan became an executive for equality, diversity and inclusion in women's football at the Professional Footballers' Association.[27]

References

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  1. ^ "List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Fern Whelan". Everton F.C. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  3. ^ "Fern Whelan". Brighton & Hove Albion. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Whelan named young player of year". BBC Sport. 26 May 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Lisa Dawson (25 October 2005). "England Under 19's Fern Whelan". BBC Liverpool. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  6. ^ "Brighton's Aileen Whelan: 'I'll concentrate on child psychology after retiring'". The Guardian. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  7. ^ "It didn't cross my mind – Fern". Women's Soccer Scene. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  8. ^ "Whelan named young player of the year". BBC Sport. 26 May 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  9. ^ Leighton, Tony (3 May 2010). "Everton upset Arsenal to win FA Women's Cup". BBC. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  10. ^ Polley, Victoria (10 April 2014). "WSL club profile: Everton Ladies". BT Sport. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  11. ^ "Arsenal Ladies 2 Everton Ladies 0 match report: Arsenal Ladies give Shelley Kerr triumphant send-off with Everton win". The Independent. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  12. ^ "Notts County Ladies sign defender Fern Whelan". Nottingham Post. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 January 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  13. ^ "Fern Whelan: Notts County Ladies and England defender agrees new deal". BBC Sport. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  14. ^ "Whelan Happy To Be 'Home'". Everton F.C. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Fern Whelan announces retirement". Latest News. Professional Footballers' Association. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Skipper salvages point for England". Women's Football News. 19 July 2007. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  17. ^ "Germany level late with Lions". The Football Association. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  18. ^ "2007: Fern Whelan". UEFA. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  19. ^ "England – Fern Whelan". FIFA. Archived from the original on 23 November 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  20. ^ "Women's squad named for Malta Qualifier". The Football Association. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  21. ^ Antonia De Feo (19 May 2011). "Whelan eyes more caps". Everton FC. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  22. ^ Bessley, Chris (17 February 2014). "Physio Whelan charts her recovery; Blues defender has inside knowledge on own injury". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  23. ^ "England squad named for World Cup". The Football Association. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  24. ^ Lacey-Hatton, Jack (18 November 2022). "Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present". mirror. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Whelan praises Women and Girls Programme". Premier League. 27 March 2014. Archived from the original on 9 April 2015. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  26. ^ "Member Profiles". Rushcliffe Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  27. ^ Sanders, Emma (15 March 2023). "Canada, France and Spain turmoil: Why some players are shunning their national teams". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
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