View source for Rachel Unitt

{{Short description|English footballer (born 1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Rachel Unitt 
| image = File:London Bees v Tottenham Hotspur LFC, 10 February 2019 (02).jpg
| fullname = Rachel Elizabeth Unitt<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/index.htmx?pn=unitt&cp=c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111011553/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/index.htmx?pn=unitt&cp=c|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2012|title=Player Statistics|publisher=FIFA|access-date=13 October 2010}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1982|6|5}}
| birth_place = [[Walsall]], England
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=6}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=soc-wwc/2007/bio.aspx?pid=2070|title=#14 Rachel Unitt|publisher=The Sports Network|access-date=8 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622082313/http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=soc-wwc%2F2007%2Fbio.aspx%3Fpid%3D2070|archive-date=22 June 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| position = [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|Left-back]]
| currentclub = 
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = 
| years1 = 1998–2000 
| years2 = 2000–2001 
| years3 = 2001–2004 
| years4 = 2004–2011 
| years5 = 2005 
| years6 = 2010
| years7 = 2012–2013
| years8 = 2014–2016
| years9 = 2016–2017
| years10 = 2018–2020
| clubs1 = [[Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C.|Wolves Women]] 
| clubs2 = [[Everton L.F.C.|Everton Ladies]] 
| clubs3 = [[Fulham L.F.C.|Fulham Ladies]] 
| clubs4 = [[Everton L.F.C.|Everton Ladies]] 
| clubs5 = [[New Jersey Wildcats]] 
| clubs6 = [[Leeds City Vixens L.F.C.|Leeds City Vixens]]
| clubs7 = [[Birmingham City L.F.C.|Birmingham City]]
| clubs8 = [[Notts County L.F.C.|Notts County]]
| clubs9 = [[Solihull Moors L.F.C.|Solihull Moors]]
| clubs10 = [[London Bees]]
| caps1 = 
| goals1 = 
| caps2 = 
| goals2 = 
| caps3 = 
| goals3 = 
| caps4 = 
| goals4 = 
| caps5 = 3
| goals5 = 2
| caps6 = 
| goals6 = 
| caps7 = 11
| goals7 = 1
| caps8 = 5
| goals8 = 0
| caps9 = 
| goals9 = 
| caps10 = 5
| goals10 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2000–2013
| nationalteam1 = [[England women's national football team|England]]
| nationalcaps1 = 102
| nationalgoals1 = 8 
| pcupdate = 09:08, 19 December 2018 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 12:54, 30 January 2014 (UTC)
}}
'''Rachel Elizabeth Unitt''' (born 5 June 1982) is a former English [[Association football|footballer]] who last played for [[FA Women's Championship]] club [[London Bees]]. After beginning her club career with [[Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C.|Wolves]], Unitt began a long association with [[Everton L.F.C.|Everton]] in 2000. This was intersected by a three-year spell at [[Fulham L.F.C.|Fulham]] between 2001 and 2004 and a summer on [[Loan (sports)|loan]] to [[New Jersey Wildcats]] in 2005. She left Everton in 2012 for a two-year stint at [[Birmingham City L.F.C.|Birmingham City]] and later played for [[Notts County L.F.C.|Notts County]] in 2014. A sturdy [[left back]], Unitt has won over 100 [[Cap (sports)|caps]] for the [[England women's national football team]] since her debut in August 2000. She represented England at the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2001|2001]], [[UEFA Women's Euro 2005|2005]] and [[UEFA Women's Euro 2009|2009]] editions of the [[UEFA Women's Championship]] as well as at the [[FIFA Women's World Cup]] in [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup|2007]] and [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup|2011]]. She was ruled out of both the [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013|2013 UEFA Women's Championship]] and the [[Great Britain women's Olympic football team|Great Britain]] squad for the [[Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 London Olympics]] due to injury. In 2004 and 2006 Unitt was named [[The Football Association]]'s (FA) International Player of the Year. In 2016, she was inducted into the [[English Football Hall of Fame]] at the [[National Football Museum]].<ref>{{cite web|title=England legends inducted into Museum's Hall of Fame|url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2016/Jun/06/england-aces-inducted-into-national-football-museum-hall-of-fame-070616|publisher=England Football Association|access-date=8 December 2016|date=7 June 2016}}</ref>

==Club career==

Unitt started her footballing career with [[Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C.|Wolves Women]] as a 14-year-old.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2006/09/12/junior_football_rachel_unitt_feature.shtml|title=Rachel Unitt|publisher=BBC Dorset|author=Matt Newsum|date=12 September 2006|access-date=1 January 2011}}</ref> She joined Everton Ladies for 2000–01, before signing a professional contract with [[Fulham L.F.C.]] the following season. After a successful spell at Fulham, she returned to Everton in 2004. Her achievements to date include winning the [[domestic treble]] with Fulham in the 2002–03 season and the [[2010 FA Women's Cup Final|2010 FA Women's Cup]] with Everton.

In July 2005, Unitt joined American [[USL W-League (1995–2015)|W-League]] side [[New Jersey Wildcats]] for the last seven games of their season, teaming up with England and former Fulham teammate [[Rachel Yankey]]. The Wildcats eventually won the W-League championship, beating the [[Ottawa Fury Women|Ottawa Fury]] by 3–0 in the championship match with Unitt scoring the first goal. Unitt also trained with [[FC Rosengård|Malmö FF]] in December 2005, but, fearing burn-out, rejected a contract offer from the Swedish club.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://int.soccerway.com/news/2006/February/4/malm-ff-giving-up-hope-on-unitt-transfer/|title=Malmö FF giving up hope on Unitt transfer|publisher=Soccerway|date=4 February 2006|access-date=1 January 2011}}</ref>

With Everton dormant ahead of the 2011 [[FA WSL]] season, Unitt played for [[Leeds City Vixens L.F.C.|Leeds City Vixens]] in the [[FA Women's Premier League Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/1563|title=Premier League Cup Results|publisher=She Kicks|date=30 October 2010|access-date=1 January 2011}}</ref>

At the end of the [[2011 FA WSL]] season, Unitt put in a transfer request after eight years at Everton.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/2012/02/08/unitt-exits-everton|title=Unitt exits Everton|publisher=Everton FC|date=8 February 2012|access-date=8 February 2012|author=Matthew Gamble}}</ref> Following negotiations a move to [[Birmingham City L.F.C.|Birmingham City]] was announced in February 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bcfc.com/page/LadiesNews/0,,10412~2603358,00.html|title=STRENGTH IN UNITT-Y|publisher=Birmingham City FC|date=8 February 2012|access-date=8 February 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630224407/http://www.bcfc.com/page/LadiesNews/0,,10412~2603358,00.html|archive-date=30 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> After her time at the club was disrupted by injury, Unitt rejected Birmingham's offer of a contract extension in January 2014 and left the club as a [[free agent]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/9238|title=Unitt to leave Birmingham|publisher=[[She Kicks (magazine)|She Kicks]]|date=27 January 2014|access-date=30 January 2014}}</ref> She signed for [[Notts County L.F.C.|Notts County]] on 30 January 2014,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/9253|title=Three more join Notts County|publisher=[[She Kicks (magazine)|She Kicks]]|date=30 January 2014|access-date=30 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202211639/http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/9253|archive-date=2 February 2014}}</ref> only to suffer an injury to the cruciate ligament in her other knee during the [[2014 FA WSL]] season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rachel Unitt: England and Notts Ladies defender injures knee|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29461344|access-date=15 February 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=2 October 2014}}</ref> In December 2014 she agreed to stay with Notts County, combining her rehabilitation with a place on the club's coaching staff.<ref>{{cite news|title=Unitt to aid Notts County coaching team|url=http://www.shekicks.net/news/view/10982|access-date=15 February 2015|publisher=[[She Kicks]]|date=3 December 2014}}</ref>

In 2016, Unitt played for [[Solihull Moors L.F.C.]], a women's football club in the West Midlands, which at the time was in the FA Women's Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|title=Solihull Ladies enjoy FA Women's Cup success|url=http://www.solihullmoorsfc.co.uk/m/newsdetails.php?news_id=12452|publisher=Solihull Moors FC|access-date=8 December 2016|date=17 November 2016}}</ref>

==International career==

Unitt first played for England in 2000, after 16 appearances for the U18s. Her senior debut came in August 2000, in a 1–0 friendly defeat to [[France women's national football team|France]], before 50,000 spectators at [[Stade Vélodrome]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefa.com/England/womens-seniors/News/2000/2652|title=England learn lessons in defeat|publisher=TheFA.com|date=5 August 2000|access-date=15 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mega+Mirror%3A+Football+crazy.-a071826188|title=Mega Mirror: football crazy|work=The Mirror|date=17 March 2001|access-date=17 February 2011}}</ref> She scored her first international goal in England's victory over the [[Netherlands women's national football team|Netherlands]] in September 2004,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/3677016.stm|title=Unitt sees off Holland|work=BBC Sport|date=22 September 2004|access-date=1 January 2011|author=Tony Leighton}}</ref> and scored twice more in her home town of [[Walsall]] during England's 4–1 friendly win over the [[Czech Republic women's national football team|Czech Republic]] in May 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/4585713.stm|title=England 4–1 Czech Republic|work=BBC Sport|date=27 May 2005|access-date=1 January 2011}}</ref>

Unitt was named the Nationwide International Player of the Year at the 2004 [[The FA Women's Football Awards]]. She won the same award in 2006, voted for by the fans on the FA website.<ref>[http://www.thefa.com/Womens/EnglandSenior/PlayersAndCoaches/Postings/2004/10/RachelUnitt_profile.htm FA website Rachel Unitt profile]</ref>

In May 2009, Unitt was one of the first 17 female players to be given central contracts by [[The Football Association]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/8050189.stm|title=England Women awarded contracts|work=BBC Sport|date=14 May 2009|access-date=29 July 2009}}</ref>

At the [[2007 FIFA Women's World Cup]] in [[China]], Unitt was the only outfield member of the England squad who remained unused. On the occasion of her 90th cap, she eventually made a World Cup debut in June [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup|2011]], starting England's 1–1 draw with [[Mexico women's national football team|Mexico]] in [[Wolfsburg]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.shekicks.net/flog/blogs/post/346|title=Speedy Mexican Recap|publisher=She Kicks|date=28 June 2011|access-date=28 June 2011|author=Tony Leighton}}</ref> In March 2012 a [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying – Group 6|Euro 2013 qualifier]] in [[Croatia women's national football team|Croatia]] saw Unitt win her 100th international cap. [[Captain (association football)|Captain]] for the day, Unitt scored England's third goal in a 6–0 victory, with a diving header.<ref>{{cite news |first=Glenn |last=Lavery |title=Lions on course in Croatia |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/womens-seniors/News/match-centre/2012/croatia-england/310312.aspx |work=TheFA.com |publisher=The Football Association |date=31 March 2012 |access-date=31 March 2012 }}</ref>

A foot injury kept Unitt out of contention for a place in the [[Great Britain women's Olympic football team|Great Britain]] squad for the [[Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|2012 London Olympics]]. During her absence [[Steph Houghton]] became the first choice left–back for the national team.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Garrity |title=Rachel Unitt to miss rest of season and Euro 2013 with knee injury|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22623735  |publisher=[[BBC]]|date=22 May 2013 |access-date=22 May 2013 }}</ref> In May 2013 Unitt suffered an [[anterior cruciate ligament injury]] in Birmingham's 1–1 [[FA WSL Cup]] draw with [[Lincoln Ladies F.C.|Lincoln]], which ruled her out of [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Garrity |title=England lose Unitt for finals|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0209-0e1408b93607-fd85a1a4be7d-1000--england-lose-unitt-for-finals/ |publisher=[[UEFA]]|date=22 May 2013 |access-date=22 May 2013 }}</ref>

She was allotted 135 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England’s inaugural international.<ref>{{Cite web |title=England squad named for World Cup |url=https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2023/May/31/england-womens-senior-squad-named-for-world-cup-2023-20233105 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=The Football Association |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lacey-Hatton |first=Jack |date=2022-11-18 |title=Lionesses introduce 'legacy numbers' for players past and present |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/lionesses-introduce-legacy-numbers-players-28529161 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=mirror |language=en}}</ref>

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list England's goal tally first.''
{| class="wikitable"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition !! Scored
|-
| 1 || 22 September 2004 || Sportcomplex Hollandia, [[Tuitjenhorn]] || {{fbw|NED}} || 1–0 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]] || 1
|-
| 3 || 26 May 2005 || [[Bescot Stadium]], [[Walsall]] || {{fbw|CZE}} || 4–1 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]] || 2
|-
| 4 || 9 February 2006 || [[Dasaki Stadium]], [[Achna]] || {{fbw|SWE}} || 1–1 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]] || 1
|-
| 5 || 25 October 2009 || [[Bloomfield Road]], [[Blackpool]] || {{fbw|MLT}} || 8–0 || [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA)|2011 FIFA World Cup qual.]] || 1
|-
| 6 || 26 November 2009 || [[Buca Arena]], [[İzmir]] || {{fbw|TUR}} || 3–0 || [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA)|2011 FIFA World Cup qual.]] || 1
|-
| 7 || 19 June 2010 || [[Aranda de Duero]] || {{fbw|ESP}} || 2–2 || [[2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification (UEFA)|2011 FIFA World Cup qual.]] || 1
|-
| 8 || 31 March 2012 || Sajmište, [[Vrbovec]] || {{fbw|CRO}} || 6–0 || [[UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying – Group 6|2013 UEFA Championship qual.]] || 1
|-
|}

==Later life==
After retiring as a player, Unitt became a [[firefighter]] in [[Stoke-on-Trent]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Knapper |first1=Dave |title=Hanley firefighter is Lioness with 102 caps for England |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/hanley-firefighter-lioness-102-caps-7408132 |access-date=1 August 2022 |work=StokeonTrentLive |date=1 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Her younger sister Shelly is engaged to former footballer [[Jill Scott (footballer)|Jill Scott]].

==Honours==
* '''[[FA Women's Premier League National Division]]''': 1
:2002–03
*'''[[FA Women's Cup]]''': 4
:2001–02, 2002–03, [[2009–10 FA Women's Cup|2009–10]], [[2011–12 FA Women's Cup|2011–12]]
*'''[[FA Women's Premier League Cup]]''': 3
:2001–02, 2002–03, 2007–08
* '''[[FA Women's Premier League Southern Division]]''': 1
:2001–02
* '''[[FA Women's Community Shield]]''': 2
:[[2003 FA Women's Community Shield|2002–03]], [[2004 FA Women's Community Shield|2003–04]]
*'''[[The FA England Awards|FA International Player of the Year Award]]''': 2
:2003–04, 2005–06

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thefa.com/England/All-Teams/Players/U/Rachel-Unitt Profile at the English FA Women's Football website]
*[http://www.evertonfc.com Everton FC official website]

{{FA Women's International Player of the Year}}
{{English Football Hall of Fame}}
{{Navboxes
| title = England squads
| bg = white
| fg = #0B0B3F
| bordercolor = #0B0B3F
| list1 = 
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2001}}
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2005}}
{{England squad 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
{{England squad UEFA Women's Euro 2009}}
{{England squad 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unitt, Rachel}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English women's footballers]]
[[Category:Everton F.C. (women) players]]
[[Category:Notts County L.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Fulham F.C. Women players]]
[[Category:London Bees players]]
[[Category:Birmingham City W.F.C. players]]
[[Category:England women's international footballers]]
[[Category:FA Women's National League players]]
[[Category:Women's Super League players]]
[[Category:2011 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 FIFA Women's World Cup players]]
[[Category:USL W-League (1995–2015) players]]
[[Category:Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:FIFA Women's Century Club]]
[[Category:English Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Footballers from Walsall]]
[[Category:Women's association football fullbacks]]
[[Category:New Jersey Wildcats players]]
[[Category:Leeds City Vixens L.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C. players]]
[[Category:British firefighters]]
[[Category:21st-century English sportswomen]]
[[Category:British women firefighters]]
[[Category:English expatriate women's footballers]]