Rachel Not So Retiring (Rachel Brown-Finnis interview)

Rachel Brown-Finnis reflects on retiring after some twenty years in the game, describing the reaction as like attending her own funeral and having the eulogy read out. She explains that a group of senior players recognised that long-serving internationals get no send-off or recognition, and that she volunteered as the trial run for a proper acknowledgement procedure from clubs and the FA. She traces a career from playing in boys’ teams and an Accrington club so poor it gave her constant practice, through a Bob Wilson goalkeeping camp where she was the only girl among 92 boys, to Sylvia Gore inviting her to Liverpool. She rates Team GB at London 2012 above everything, names Kelly Smith the best player she played with, and credits Pauline Cope as her mentor.