Joan Whalley (18 December 1921[1][2] – 10 January 1998[3]) was a female footballer who played for Dick, Kerr's Ladies F.C., making her debut for them aged just 15 in May 1937.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joan Whalley | ||
| Date of birth | 1921 | ||
| Place of birth | Preston, England | ||
| Date of death | 10 January 1998 (aged 76–77) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1937–? | Dick, Kerr's Ladies | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Whalley was born in Preston and was encouraged by her father to play football and join the local team.[1] She was compared with male footballer Tom Finney and described as one of the "two greatest right wingers in the world", with him as the other.[1]
Whalley played in rare international matches, once for England against Scotland and one for Wales against France.[1]
Whalley also worked full-time as a nurse and then as a bus conductor. A disagreement with the Dick, Kerr Ladies manager Alfred Frankland after oversleeping from a late shift on the buses led to Whalley leaving for Manchester Ladies in 1953, only returning when he died in 1958. She then retired a few years later.[1]
In 1992, Whalley reunited with former team-mates to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Dick, Kerr Ladies. In 1996, she became the first female footballer to feature in a Nike national advertising campaign, alongside Michael Jordan, Ian Wright and Eric Cantona.[4][2]
In 2007, Whalley was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.[2]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Football Pioneers: Joan Whalley". lcfc.com. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Robert Galvin. "Joan Whalley". National Football Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
- ^ a b "Dick, Kerr Ladies FC 1917-1965: Post-war players". dickkerrladies.com. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
- ^ "L – R, Joan Whalley and Florrie Redford footballers for the Preston..." Getty Images. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
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