Naz Ball

Last updated

Naz Ball
Personal information
Full name Naldra Ball [1]
Place of birth Pwllheli, Wales
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
0000–1995 Arsenal
1995–1997 Wembley
International career
Wales 5 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Naldra "Naz" Ball is a Welsh former football striker. She represented the Wales women's national football team and the English FA Women's Premier League clubs Arsenal and Wembley.

Contents

Club career

In 1991–92, the first season of England's national women's league structure, Ball scored 23 goals as Arsenal pipped Abbeydale to promotion into the National Division. [2] She also headed the winner in the inaugural Premier League Cup final in May 1992, as Arsenal beat Millwall Lionesses 1–0. [3]

The following season Arsenal won a domestic treble. Ball scored in every round of the WFA Cup, [4] and her headed goal in the 3–0 final win over Doncaster Belles was the 38th of a prolific campaign. [5]

In April 1995, Ball, by then reduced to bit-part status, came on for the final two minutes of Arsenal's 3–2 FA Women's Cup final win over Liverpool Ladies. [6] In 1995–1996 Ball played for Wembley Ladies – and won a last minute penalty kick as Wembley ultimately beat Doncaster Belles in the Premier League Cup final on 10 March 1996. [7]

Ball featured for Wembley in the following season's 1–0 FA Women's Cup final defeat to Millwall Lionesses. She emerged from retirement to do so, aged 35, while working as an RAF stewardess. [8]

International career

Ball was capped at international level by Wales. [9] In 1995 UEFA Women's Championship qualification Ball scored twice in her five appearances for Wales. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hope Powell</span> English football player and manager

Hope Patricia Powell, CBE is an English former international footballer and former women's first-team manager of Brighton & Hove Albion. She was the coach of the England women's national football team and the Great Britain women's Olympic football team until August 2013. As a player, Powell won 66 caps for England, mainly as an attacking midfielder, scoring 35 goals. She made her England debut at the age of 16, and went on to play in the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, England's first World Cup appearance. She was also vice-captain of her country. At club level Powell played in four FA Women's Cup finals and captained Croydon to a League and Cup double in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doncaster Rovers Belles L.F.C.</span> Womens association football club in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England

Doncaster Rovers Belles Ladies Football Club, previously Doncaster Belles, is an English women's football club that currently plays in the FA Women's National League Division One Midlands, the fourth tier of women's football in England. The club's administration is based at the Eco Power Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, while home matches are played at nearby Thorne Colliery F.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayne Ludlow</span> Welsh footballer and coach

Jayne Louise Ludlow is a Welsh football coach and former player who is currently the technical director of Manchester City Girls' Academy. In 2018, she was inducted on to the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame Roll of Honour along with Roy Francis, Lynne Thomas, Kelly Morgan (Badminton) and Becky James (Cycling).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katie Chapman</span> English association football player (born 1982)

Katie Sarah Chapman is an English former footballer who last played for English FA WSL club Chelsea Ladies and was a member of the England women's national team. She primarily played as a central midfielder, although she was also deployed in central defence while playing for England. Chapman has been described as "a physical player who handles a brunt of the dirty work in the middle of the pitch." Her playing ability, profile and influence have drawn comparisons to former England captain David Beckham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jody Handley</span> English footballer

Jody Handley is an English former footballer from Stafford, who most recently played for FA WSL 2 club Doncaster Rovers Belles. A pacy and intelligent attacking player, she featured as both a wide midfielder and striker for England as well as clubs including Wolves Women, Liverpool Ladies and Everton Ladies. She has featured in four FA Women's Cup finals with three clubs, losing the first three but captaining Everton Ladies to their win in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Bampton</span>

Deborah Bampton, MBE, is an English former international footballer who played as a midfielder. During her career Bampton won a treble at Arsenal and two doubles with Croydon. She also was capped a sum of 95 times for England, scoring seven goals all in all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pauline Cope</span> English footballer

Pauline Cope, whose married name is Pauline Cope-Boanas, is an English former football goalkeeper. She won 60 caps for the England women's national football team between her debut in 1995 and retirement from international football in 2004. Cope was England's first choice goalkeeper at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup and UEFA Women's Euro 2001. Ted Copeland, England's coach at the former competition, described Cope as the best female goalkeeper in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Grant</span> Scottish footballer

Suzanne Winters is a former Scottish footballer, who played as striker. She made 104 appearances for the Scotland national team between 2000 and 2013, making her international debut aged 16 despite not playing for a senior women's team. Her twin sister, Shelley Grant, has also played for Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanne Broadhurst</span> English footballer and coach

Joanne Broadhurst is an English football coach and former player. As an attacking midfielder or forward she represented England at full international level. Broadhurst also played for English clubs Doncaster Belles, Arsenal and Croydon/Charlton Athletic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 FA WSL</span> First season of the top English womens association football league

The 2011 FA WSL was the inaugural season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 13 April 2011 and ended on 28 August 2011. The league also took a break between 12 May and mid-July to allow preparation for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Justine Joanna Lorton is an English footballer, and former England international player. A deep–lying forward player, Lorton enjoyed two spells at Arsenal Ladies as well as playing in Iceland and Sweden.

The 1994 FA Women's Cup Final was the 24th final of the FA Women's Cup, England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. The showpiece event was played between Doncaster Belles and Knowsley United Women at Glanford Park in Scunthorpe on 24 April 1994. Knowsley United made its first final appearance, after losing the previous season's FA Women's Premier League Cup final at Wembley. Doncaster Belles entered their 11th final in 12 seasons, having won the trophy on five of those occasions.

The 1992–93 season of the WFA National League Premier Division was the second season of national top-flight league women's football in England. The competition was organised by the Women's Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 FA Women's Cup final</span> English football cup final

The 2010 FA Women's Cup Final was the 40th final of the FA Women's Cup, England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. It was the 17th final to be held under the direct control of the Football Association (FA). The match was contested by Arsenal and Everton at the City Ground on 3 May 2010. Arsenal entered their fifth consecutive final having won the last four. Already the most successful team in the competition's history with 10 wins from 10 finals, Arsenal sought an 11th victory overall. Everton had one previous final appearance, losing 1–0 to Charlton Athletic in 2005. An earlier incarnation of the club, known as Leasowe Pacific, had lost the 1988 final and won in 1989.

Ayala Truelove is an Israeli international football striker. She has also represented Great Britain in the sport of gliding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 FA Women's Cup final</span> Football match

The 1997 FA Women's Cup Final was the 27th final of the FA Women's Cup, England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. The showpiece event was the fourth to be played directly under the auspices of the Football Association (FA) and was known as the UK Living FA Women's Cup Final for sponsorship reasons. Millwall Lionesses and Wembley contested the match at West Ham United's Upton Park in London on 4 May 1997. Millwall Lionesses made their second final appearance, after winning the trophy in 1991 with a 1–0 win over Doncaster Belles at Prenton Park. Wembley appeared in the final for the first time, having won the previous season's FA Women's Premier League Cup competition.

The 2014 FA WSL was the fourth season of the FA WSL, the top-level women's football league of England. The season began on 30 March and ended on 12 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992–93 WFA Women's National League Cup</span> Football tournament season

The 1992–93 Women's National League Cup was a football competition in England organised by the Women's Football Association. It was the second edition of the competition, which was later run by the Football Association as the Women's Premier League Cup and is now known as the FA Women's National League Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Chipchase</span> British footballer and football club manager (1961–2021)

Julie Chipchase was an English football player and manager. Commonly known as Chippy, she is regarded as a pioneering female football coach who played an important role in the development of women's football in England.

References

  1. 1 2 "1993-95 EM für Frauen - Wales - Frauen" (in German). UEFA . Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  2. "1991–1992". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  3. "Sport in Short: Football". The Independent. London. 25 May 1992.
  4. Sam Elliott (25 April 1993). "Football / Women's FA Cup Final: Arsenal on trail of the treble: Shipp stands firm as the Belles rue lack of a finishing touch: Sam Elliott reports from Oxford" . The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  5. Henry Winter (26 April 1993). "Football: FA forging links to create a permanent partnership: Henry Winter reports on the interest created by the women's FA Cup final in which Arsenal defeated Doncaster Belles 3–0" . The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  6. Alyson Rudd (1 May 1995). "Highbury Ladies conjure up great cup final escape". The Times.
  7. "Belles are beaten". The Times. 11 March 1996.
  8. Mike Rowbottom (5 May 1997). "Football: Lionesses bring pride to Millwall" . The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  9. Barnet FC Ladies – A History Barnet FC