Natasha Dowie

Natasha Khalila Dowie (born 30 June 1988) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Italian Serie A club AC Milan. She represented the England women's national football team at the youth level before making her senior international debut in 2009. Dowie played for the London teams Watford, Fulham and Charlton Athletic, and then spent five years with Everton before transferring to FA WSL clubs Liverpool Ladies in November 2012 and Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2016. She also spent three periods on loan with Melbourne Victory of the Australian W-League in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and played for Boston Breakers in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2016 and 2017.

Natasha Dowie
Dowie playing for England in 2014
Personal information
Full name Natasha Khalila Dowie[1]
Date of birth (1988-06-30) 30 June 1988
Place of birth Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates[2]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Milan
Number TBA
Youth career
Watford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 Watford
2004–2006 Fulham 14 (1)
2006–2007 Charlton Athletic 17 (12)
2007–2012 Everton
2010 → Barnet (loan)
2012–2015 Liverpool 67 (46)
2013–2016 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 7 (3)
2016 Doncaster Rovers Belles 3 (1)
2016–2017 Boston Breakers 30 (10)
2016–2017 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 12 (9)
2017–2018 → Melbourne Victory (loan) 12 (6)
2018 Linköping 11 (10)
2018–2020 Melbourne Victory 24 (16)
2019 → Vålerenga (loan) 18 (11)
2020– Milan 0 (0)
National team‡
2008 England U-19 4 (1)
2010–2011 England U-23 5 (2)
2009– England 14 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13:00, 15 July 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18:55, 1 March 2018 (UTC)

Club career

Dowie attended Roundwood Park School and began her career with Watford Ladies. After starting the 2004–05 season with five goals in five matches for Watford, she was signed by Fulham Ladies. Dowie joined Charlton Athletic Ladies in the 2006 close season[4] and played in the FA Women's Cup final that year, with Charlton losing 4–1 to Arsenal.[5] When Charlton Athletic scrapped their women's team in the 2007 close season,[6] Dowie joined Everton Ladies[2] in preference to several other interested clubs including Arsenal. She stated her intention to "knock Arsenal off their pedestal in women's football".[7]

While commuting from London to Liverpool,[8] Dowie was a member of Everton's League Cup winning side in her first season with the club.[9] On 3 May 2010 she scored two goals, including the 119th minute extra-time winner, to give Everton a 3–2 victory over Arsenal in the 2010 FA Women's Cup Final.

Dowie (right) with the 2013 FA WSL trophy

With Everton dormant ahead of the 2011 FA WSL season, Dowie played for Barnet in the 2010–11 FA Women's Premier League National Division.[10] She continued to play for Everton in European competition and netted in The Blues' UEFA Women's Champions League quarter–final defeat to FCR 2001 Duisburg.[11] Dowie then scored two goals for Everton in their first FA WSL match, including a stoppage-time equaliser, to rescue a 3–3 draw at local rivals Liverpool.[12]

In November 2012 Dowie and Fara Williams left Everton for ambitious local rivals Liverpool, who were building a squad to challenge Arsenal's dominance of English women's football.[13]

Dowie finished the top scorer in the 2013 FA WSL with 13 goals in 14 games for champions Liverpool. She was voted the FA Players' Player of the Year and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Team of the Year.[14]

Liverpool retained their title in 2014, but were much less successful in 2015. They finished seventh of eight teams amidst an injury crisis[15] and coach Matt Beard departed for American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Boston Breakers. Dowie agreed a two-month loan to Australian W-League club Melbourne Victory in November 2015.[16] Upon her return she transferred to newly promoted Doncaster Rovers Belles.[17]

Doncaster lost their four opening games and were marooned at the foot of the WSL 1 table, when Dowie left the club by "mutual consent" in the mid-season break.[18]

On 17 July 2016, Boston Breakers announced her signing.[19] Dowie finished the 2017 season as the top goal-scorer for the Breakers with 7 goals.[20] She also wore the captain's arm band for the Breakers in matches on 23 and 30 September 2017 when Julie King was out with an injury.

When Boston Breakers folded in January 2018, Dowie was not selected in the 2018 NWSL Dispersal Draft which was hastily arranged to assign displaced Breakers players to other NWSL clubs.[21] Instead she agreed to join Swedish Damallsvenskan champions Linköpings FC, on an initial six-month contract.[22] On 26 June, it was confirmed that Dowie would be leaving Linköpings after her 6-month contract expired, as they were unable to agree on a long term contract.[23] Dowie rejoined Melbourne Victory for a fourth time in September 2018, signing a two-year permanent deal.[24] She was loaned to Vålerenga of the Toppserien in March 2019.[25]

International career

Dowie was called into an England training camp while still a year ten pupil at Roundwood Park School.[26] She has since represented England at Under-17, 19, 20 and 23 levels, playing in the FIFA Under-20's World Cup Finals in Chile in November 2008.[27] She was included in coach Hope Powell's squad for the pre-Euro 2009 friendlies against Iceland and Denmark,[28] but did not play and was left out of the final Euro 2009 squad.

She finally made her debut in a World Cup qualifier against Turkey in İzmir on 26 November 2009. Dowie was an 84th-minute substitute for Everton Ladies teammate Jody Handley.[29] Six months later she won another cap as a substitute in a 6–0 win over Malta. Dowie remained on the fringes of the squad and her next appearance was not until September 2011. She was substituted at half time in a 2–2 draw with lowly Serbia.[30]

Dowie was not selected for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, for the Great Britain squad at the 2012 London Olympics, or for UEFA Women's Euro 2013. Her exclusion from the latter tournament was controversial as she was the WSL's leading goalscorer at the time.[31]

When Hope Powell was sacked after England's Euro 2013 failure, interim coach Brent Hills immediately recalled Dowie. She came on as a substitute in England's first 2015 FIFA World Cup qualifier and scored her first national team goal in a 6–0 win over Belarus at Dean Court in Bournemouth.[32][33] Dowie's continuing good form at club level meant it was something of a surprise when she was left out of England's 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup squad. Almost two years after her last cap in September 2014, she remained keen to play for England and hoped to win a recall from Hope Powell's successor Mark Sampson.[34]

International goals
Scores and results list England's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentResultCompetitionScored
121 September 2013Dean Court, Bournemouth Belarus6–02015 FIFA World Cup Qual.1
226 September 2013Fratton Park, Portsmouth, England Turkey8–02015 FIFA World Cup Qual.1
35 April 2014Amex Stadium, Brighton, England Montenegro9–02015 FIFA World Cup Qual.1
58 May 2014Greenhous Meadow, Shrewsbury, England Ukraine4–02015 FIFA World Cup Qual.2

Coaching career

Dowie has a Uefa B FA Football coaching qualification and has worked as a coach with Watford, the Middlesex Centre of Excellence[35] and Stevenage Borough.[7]
Dowie is soon to begin coaching with ESAF – Elite Schools Academy of Football.[36]

Personal life

Dowie is the daughter of Bob Dowie[7] and the niece of former Northern Ireland international footballer, Iain Dowie.[37] She was a player with Charlton Ladies whilst her uncle managed the men's side.[38] Natasha's 2010 FA Women's Cup final goals against Arsenal Ladies came two hours after Hull City, managed by uncle Iain, were relegated from the Premier League.[39] On 26 May 2016, she married former teammate Becky Easton.[40]

Honours

Everton

Liverpool

Melbourne Victory

Individual

  • FA Women's Cup Final Player of the Match: 2010[41]
  • Everton Player of the Year: 2011[44]
  • FA Women's Players' Player of the Year: 2013
  • FA WSL 1 Top Scorer: 2013
  • WSL 1 PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14[45]
  • Liverpool Supporters' Player of the Year: 2015[46]
  • Liverpool Goal of the Season: 2015 (v. Sunderland)[46]
  • W-League Player of the Month: November 2016[47]
  • W-League Golden Boot: 2018–19[48]
gollark: Troubling.
gollark: I would support a UBI which provides enough money to at least live off, if it wouldn't cause horrible inflation.
gollark: You never help friends somewhat?
gollark: You never do personal programming projects?
gollark: It is, at least, not one which you could consider remotely coercive.

References
  1. "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/02/2012 and 29/02/2012". TheFA.com. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  2. "Natasha Dowie". Everton F.C. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  3. "List of Players England" (PDF). FIFA. 19 November 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  4. "Addicks unveil signings". theFA.com. 18 August 2006. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  5. Stuart Mawhinney (7 May 2007). "Arsenal clinch quadruple". Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  6. "Charlton shut down women's team". BBC Sport. 23 June 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  7. Mark Hemmings (22 January 2010). "England and Everton football ace Natasha Dowie to visit Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  8. "Everton striker Natasha Dowie happy to put the miles in". BBC Sport. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  9. "Everton stun Gunners to win cup". BBC Sport. 28 February 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  10. "Black Cats swot Bees". She Kicks. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2011.
  11. Emmanuel Hingant (17 March 2011). "Second-half Duisburg surge hits Everton". UEFA.com. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  12. Liam Chronnell (15 April 2011). "Reds boss praises battling spirit". TheFA.com. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  13. Garrity, Paul (14 November 2012). "Liverpool sign Everton's Fara Williams and Natasha Dowie". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  14. Frith, Wilf (28 April 2014). "PFA's WSL team of the year". She Kicks. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  15. Currie, Jo (13 October 2015). "Liverpool Ladies: Injuries 'impacted' on season, says Beard". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  16. "Natasha Dowie: Liverpool striker loaned to Melbourne Victory". BBC Sport. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  17. "Natasha Dowie: Doncaster Rovers Belles sign England striker". BBC Sport. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  18. "Doncaster Rovers Belles: Natasha Dowie and Becky Easton leave club". BBC Sport. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  19. "Breakers sign forward Natasha Dowie". Boston Breakers. 17 July 2016. Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  20. Ltd, Simplestream. "National Women's Soccer League". www.nwslsoccer.com. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  21. "Spirit trade up to take Lavelle in Dispersal Draft; McCaskill No. 2 to Sky Blue". The Equalizer. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  22. Fagerlund, Frida (28 February 2018). "LFC värvar engelsk landslagsanfallare" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  23. "Avslöjar: Stjärnan inte kvar i LFC". 26 June 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  24. "Melbourne Victory confirm re-signing of W-League star Natasha Dowie". 27 September 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  25. "Jeg elsker å score mål". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  26. Marc Dodd (9 January 2003). "England come calling at Roundwood Park". Watford Observer. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  27. "England – Natasha Dowie". FIFA. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  28. "Powell picks party for final friendlies". UEFA. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  29. "Turkish delight for Women". the FA.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  30. "POTY: Natasha Dowie". The Football Association. 17 December 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  31. Kessel, Anna (22 August 2013). "Hope Powell's ruthless brilliance will not be missed by England's players". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  32. Sheringham, Sam (21 September 2013). "England women thrash Belarus in World Cup qualifier". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  33. "Dowie's Delight". The Football Association. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  34. "Dowie continuing family tradition". FIFA. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  35. "Apex Multisports Coach Profile" (PDF). Apex Multisports. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  36. "Ground breaking Garston academy gives a whole new meaning to the term soccer school". Liverpool ECHO. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  37. Anna Kessel (28 February 2008). "Everton eye an upset against unbeatable Arsenal". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  38. Peter Dixon (6 February 2007). "Uncle Tiger taking enormous pride in emergence of chip off old Woods block". London: The Times. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
  39. "Monday football as it happened". BBC News. 3 May 2010.
  40. Twitter : wedding photographs, friends evoking clearly their marriage, "Wedding" says Natasha; Instagram : best post wedding photograph
  41. Khaleeli, Homa (4 May 2010). "Natasha Dowie: 'It's like a dream'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  42. Leighton, Tony (28 February 2008). "Everton stun Gunners to win cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  43. ""It tops it with Liverpool": Dowie rates Victory alongside English giants ahead of Semi-Final". W League. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  44. "Awards Winners". Everton F.C. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  45. Frith, Wilf (28 April 2014). "PFA's WSL Team of the Year". She Kicks. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  46. "Doncaster Rovers Belles sign England striker Natasha Dowie from Liverpool". Sky Sports. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  47. "Natasha Dowie". Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  48. "The winners from your Westfield W-League club's end of season awards night". W League. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
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