Twenty Players for Twenty Years (SK20 Top 20)

The magazine’s ranked list of the twenty best players in the United Kingdom across its twenty years, compiled by Tony Leighton and the anniversary editorial team, who explain the criteria: whether a player played enough within 1996 to 2016, whether she did it for club and country, and whether she influenced those around her and could control or turn a match. No positional restrictions applied, several names narrowly missed out, and the compilers admit they disagreed and probably still do. The order runs Kelly Smith first, then Julie Fleeting, Kim Little, Karen Carney, Fara Williams, Marieanne Spacey, Faye White, Pauline Cope, Jess Fishlock, Karen Walker, Anita Asante, Katie Chapman, Gill Coultard, Steph Houghton, Jayne Ludlow, Alex Scott, Rachel Yankey, Rachel Unitt, Casey Stoney and Sue Smith.