Laura Rafferty

Laura Rafferty

Rafferty competing for Chelsea LFC, August 2014
Personal information
Full name	Laura Marie Rafferty [1]
Date of birth	(1996-04-29) 29 April 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth	Southampton, England
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Southampton
Number	6
Youth career
	Southampton
	Hampshire Centre of Excellence
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2016	Chelsea	16	(1)
2016	→ Oxford United (loan)	9	(0)
2017–2021	Brighton & Hove Albion	30	(2)
2020–2021	→ Bristol City (loan)	17	(0)
2021–	Southampton	44	(6)
International career‡
2013–2015	Northern Ireland U19	9	(1)
2013–	Northern Ireland	33	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:50, 25 February 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:00, 25 February 2024 (UTC)

Laura Marie Rafferty (born 29 April 1996) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Southampton in the FA Women's Championship and the Northern Ireland national team. She previously played for Chelsea F.C. Women

Early life

Rafferty began playing football for a local team at the age of eight. ^[2] After scoring 50 goals in 8 games, she reported being "chucked out of the league." ^[2] She played for eight years with the Southampton F.C. Academy as well as the Hampshire Centre of Excellence before moving to Chelsea F.C. Women ^[3]

Club career

Rafferty started her senior career in 2014 at Chelsea F.C. Women. She spent part of 2016 on loan at Oxford United. After three seasons with Chelsea F.C. Women with limited game time, Rafferty signed with Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA WSL 2 in January 2017 for the 2017 Spring Series. ^{[4] [5]} The team has since moved up to England's top flight, the FA WSL.

In September 2020 Rafferty joined Bristol City on loan for the 2020–21 season. Bristol finished bottom of the WSL table and were relegated to the FA Women's Championship. ^{[6] [7]}

On 5 July 2021 Rafferty joined third-tier, Southampton after being released by Brighton. ^[8] Saints were promoted in the 2021–22 season to the FA Women's Championship, Tier 2 of the English football pyramid.

International career

Rafferty made her debut for the Northern Ireland national team on 6 March 2013 in a match against the Republic of Ireland. ^[9]

Career Statistics

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chelsea F.C. Women	2015	FA Women's Super League	15	1	0	0	-		15	1
	2016		1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		16	1	0	0	0	0	16	1
Oxford United W.F.C. (loan)	2016	FA WSL 2	9	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
	Total		9	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.	2017-18	Women's Championship	17	1	0	0	5	0	22	1
	2018-19	FA Women's Super League	13	1	0	0	3	0	26	1
	2019-20		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		30	2	2	0	8	0	38	2
Bristol City (loan)	2020-21	FA Women's Super League	13	0	0	0	4	0	17	0
	Total		13	0	0	0	4	0	17	0
Southampton F.C. Women	2021-22	FA Women's National League	24	3	4	0	5	0	33	3
	2022-23	Women's Championship	11	1	1	0	1	0	13	1
	2023-24		9	0	3	0	3	0	15	0
	Total		44	7	10	0	9	0	63	4
Career total			112	7	10	0	21	0	143	4

-References

1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/08/2018 and 31/08/2018". The FA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
2. Fullerton, Gareth (26 May 2017). "Northern Ireland footballer Laura Rafferty hoping to inspire a future generation of stars". Belfast Live. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
3. "Brighton and Hove Albion Player Profiles". Archived from the original on 8 October 2018.
4. Hollis, Steve (23 January 2017). "Albion Women snap up Chelsea duo Laura Rafferty and Jenna Legg". The Argus. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
5. "Northern Ireland women's international Laura Rafferty has signed for FA Women's Super League 2 side Brighton and Hove Albion". Irish Football Association. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
6. Goulding, Georgia (5 September 2020). "Laura Rafferty Joins Bristol City on Loan". Her Football Hub. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
7. The Athletic Staff. "Bristol City Women relegated from the WSL". The Athletic. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
8. Bunting, Josh (5 July 2021). "Laura Rafferty returns to girlhood club Southampton". Her Football Hub. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
9. "Senior Women". Irish Football Association. Retrieved 21 January 2018.

External links

• Laura Rafferty – UEFA competition record ( archive )
• Laura Rafferty at Soccerway
• Chelsea player profile (archive) at the Wayback Machine (archived 26 January 2016)