Courtney Sweetman-Kirk

Courtney Sweetman-Kirk

With Sheffield United in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Courtney Alexandra Sweetman-Kirk [1]
Date of birth	(1990-11-16) 16 November 1990 (age 35)
Place of birth	Leicester, England
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) [2]
Position	Forward
Youth career
	Leicester City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2011	Leicester City	54	(33)
2011–2013	Coventry City	35	(15)
2013–2014	Lincoln/Notts County	9	(1)
2014–2017	Doncaster Rovers Belles	43	(40)
2017–2018	Everton	18	(5)
2018–2020	Liverpool	30	(10)
2020–2023	Sheffield United	60	(25)
International career
2013	England U-23		(5)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12:22, 3 July 2023 (UTC)

Courtney Alexandra Sweetman-Kirk (born 16 November 1990) is an English football pundit and former player. She played as a forward, most recently in the FA Women's Championship. She has also previously played for Liverpool, Everton, Notts County and Lincoln Coventry City, Leicester City and Sheffield United. She also represented England at under-23 level.

Since retiring in 2023, Sweetman-Kirk has worked as a pundit and commentator.

Club career

With Sheffield United in 2021

Lincoln / Notts County, 2013–2014

Sweetman-Kirk signed with FA WSL 1 club, Lincoln Ladies in July 2013. ^[3] During her first season with the club, she made seven appearances and scored one goal during a 2–0 win over Chelsea L.F.C. ^{[4] [5]} Notts County finished in sixth place during the regular season with a 2–8–4. ^[6]

Doncaster Rovers Belles, 2015–2017

In July 2014, Sweetman-Kirk signed with FA WSL 2 club, Doncaster Rovers Belles. ^{[7] [8]} She scored 20 goals in 20 matches during the 2015 FA WSL 2 season, helping lift the team to FA WSL 1 the following year. ^[9] She was subsequently named FA WSL 2 Players' Player of the Year. ^[10] During a match against Everton in August 2015, Sweetman-Kirk scored a hat trick after subbing in during the second half of the match when Everton was up 2–0. Her hat trick resulted in a 3–2 win. ^[11]

In 2016, she signed a full-time professional contract with Doncaster, ^[9] only to suffer a broken leg in a pre-season friendly. ^[12] Although Doncaster were relegated in her absence, in the subsequent FA WSL Spring Series resurgent Sweetman-Kirk scored nine goals in nine games to finish as WSL 2 top goalscorer. ^[13]

Everton, 2017–2018

With Everton in 2018

Everton signed Sweetman-Kirk from Doncaster after their promotion to the WSL 1, on a two-year contract and paying an undisclosed fee. ^[14] She was Everton's top-goalscorer in her first season with nine goals in all competitions

Liverpool, 2018–2020

Sweetman-Kirk in 2019

Sweetman-Kirk transferred to local rivals Liverpool in July 2018. ^[15] On 23 May 2020, while the league was still suspended indefinitely during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sweetman-Kirk announced she had left the club following the expiration of her contract earlier in the month. ^[16]

After the 2022–23 season, Sweetman-Kirk announced her retirement from football, aged 33. ^[17]

International

Sweetman-Kirk made her debut for the England under-23 national team in June 2013. ^[18] Her five goals during the tournament (including a hat trick against Ireland) helped Great Britain win the 2013 World University Games in Russia. ^{[19] [20]}

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 23 May 2023 ^[21]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup [a]		League Cup [b]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Leicester City	2008–09 [22]	WPL Northern	12	4			3	0	15	4
	2009–10 [23]		21	14			2	1	23	15
	2010–11 [24]		21	15			3	2	24	17
	Total		54	33	0	0	8	3	62	36
Coventry City	2011–12 [25]	WPL National	17	6			3	1	20	7
	2012–13 [26]		18	9			5	1	23	10
	Total		35	15	0	0	8	2	43	17
Lincoln / Notts County	2013	WSL 1	7	1	0	0	2	1	9	2
	2014		2	0	2	0	3	0	7	0
	Total		9	1	2	0	5	1	16	2
Doncaster Rovers	2014	WSL 2	13	10	0	0	0	0	13	10
	2015		18	20	1	0	5	5	24	25
	2016	WSL 1	3	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
	2017	WSL 2	9	10	1	0	0	0	10	10
	Total		43	40	3	0	5	5	51	45
Everton	2017–18	WSL 1	18	5	2	3	5	1	25	9
Liverpool	2018–19	WSL	19	10	3	1	4	2	26	13
	2019–20		11	0	1	0	4	1	16	1
	Total		30	10	4	1	8	3	42	14
Sheffield United F.C.	2020-21	Women's Championship	17	5	1	0	3	0	21	5
	2021-22		22	11	2	0	4	2	28	13
	2022-23		21	9	1	0	4	0	26	9
	Total		65	25	4	0	11	2	75	27
Career total			254	129	15	4	50	17	318	151

1. Includes the Women's FA Cup
2. Includes the National League Cup, WSL Cup

Honours

Coventry City

• Birmingham FA County Cup: 2013

Individual

• FA WSL 2 Players' Player of the Year: 2015
• FA WSL 2 Spring Series Top Goalscorer: 2015

Punditry and commentary

Sweetman-Kirk has been an occasional match reporter for Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports. She also commentates on games on Amazon Prime ^[27] and for E4 during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

References

1. "Eesti universiaadikoondis mängib kohtadele" (in Estonian). Põlva FC Lootos. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
2. "Athlete Information". Universiade Kazan 2013 Russia. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
3. "Lincoln Ladies sign Coventry's Courtney Sweetman-Kirk". BBC. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
4. "Courtney Sweetman-Kirk". Soccer Way. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
5. "Lincoln Complete Chelsea Hat-Trick". Notts County Ladies FC. Archived from the original (29 September 2013) on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
6. "2013 FA WSL 1". Soccer Way. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
7. "Interview: Sweetman-Kirk on Joining". Doncaster Rovers Belles. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
8. "Doncaster Belles: Sweetman-Kirk capture delights Staniforth". South Yorkshire Times. 27 June 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
9. Ruszkai, Amee (25 December 2015). "Courtney Sweetman-Kirk goes full time with Doncaster". Vavel. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
10. Trehan, Dev (6 December 2015). "Lucy Bronze aims to push on after winning England Player of the Year award". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
11. "Courtney Sweetman-Kirk treble inspires Doncaster to Everton win". BBC. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
12. "Courtney Sweetman-Kirk: Doncaster Rovers Belles striker suffers broken leg". BBC Sport. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
13. Frith, Wilf (9 September 2017). "The FA Women's Football Awards Winners Revealed". She Kicks . Retrieved 16 September 2017.
14. "Ladies Land Sweetman-Kirk". Everton F.C. 14 September 2017. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
15. "Crossing the divide". The FA. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
16. "Liverpool FC Women confirm Courtney Sweetman-Kirk departure". www.liverpoolfc.com. 23 May 2020.
17. https://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/news/23945891.sweetman-kirk-insists-time-right-retire-prolific-career/
18. "Lincoln sign Sweetman-Kirk". England FA. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
19. Smith, Matthew (15 August 2013). "Stars of Universiade Aiming for The Premier League". The Daily Touch. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
20. "Interview with Courtney Sweetman-Kirk". The Footy Site. 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
21. "Courtney Sweetman-Kirk player profile". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
22. "Leicester City – Player Season Totals 2008–09". fulltime-league.thefa.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
23. "Leicester City – Player Season Totals 2009–10". fulltime-league.thefa.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
24. "Leicester City – Player Season Totals 2010–11". fulltime-league.thefa.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
25. "Coventry City – Player Season Totals 2011–12". fulltime-league.thefa.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
26. "Coventry City – Player Season Totals 2012–13". fulltime-league.thefa.com. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
27. Potts, Michael. "Amazon Prime Video presenters and commentators for Premier League games". Radio Times.

External links

• Courtney Sweetman-Kirk at Soccerway