Rachel Brown

Rachel Brown (born 2 July 1980) is an English former football goalkeeper who played for Liverpool from 1995 to 1998, spent five years from 1998 playing varsity soccer for Alabama Crimson Tide and Pittsburgh Panthers in the US college system, and played for Everton from 2003 until 2014.

Brown's Liverpool debut came against all–conquering Arsenal on the opening day of the 1995–96 season.

Liverpool lost the match, staged at Anfield, 6–0.

A decade later, Brown recalled the occasion: "It was very, very daunting – yeah we lost big time! Being thrown in the deep end was an understatement – I was only small and it was hard enough playing against women never mind some of the best players in the whole country."

The first season culminated in one of Brown’s early career highlights; participation in the 1996 FA Women's Cup Final at 15 years old with Liverpool.

After a 1–1 score with Croydon at The Den, Liverpool, with Brown carrying an injury, ultimately lost on penalties after extra time.

Brown remained with Liverpool while taking A Levels at Nelson and Colne College.

Ahead of the match she told the Liverpool Echo: "I wouldn't say I'm in the twilight of my career but it's been a long time since 1996, so I'm very determined to put things right."

She collected her first winner's medal as Everton beat Arsenal 3–2 after extra time.

Since making her debut for the England women's national football team in 1997, Brown won over 80 caps.

In October 1997 she saved three times in a penalty shootout as the Reds eliminated Doncaster Belles in the first round of the FA Women's Premier League Cup.

In that season's FA Women's Cup Liverpool were thrown out after Jody Handley played in a 3–1 quarter final win over Millwall Lionesses without international clearance.

In 1998, Brown moved to the United States where she attended the University of Alabama and played for the Crimson Tide soccer team.

The Sunday Mirror reported in February 2000 that Brown had signed a two-year sponsorship deal worth £100,000 with Uhlsport.

In the same article Brown explained that she had left England because Americans had a more positive attitude towards women's football.

Dissatisfied with aspects of the culture in the Deep South, Brown transferred to the University of Pittsburgh where she played for the Panthers soccer team and completed a degree in Sports Science.

She was named Goalkeeper of the Year for the Big East Conference every year and also holds the Panthers' record for the fewest goals conceded in a season.

"Brown on the culture in the Deep South: There was quite a lot of racism and that didn't sit easy with me. It's where the marches and riots were, where Rosa Parks was, and it still felt really raw. They were only a generation away from black toilets and white toilets. There were Afro-American players in the sport but I felt quite awkward. I couldn't get my head around why people didn't hang out together. And the religion – there was hypocrisy with what people preached and what they then did. I did rebel. I told the coach that morally they weren't right. I was outspoken."

On returning to Liverpool, Brown found her old club relegated and languishing in the Premier League Northern Division.

She also spent the 2003 season on loan in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild, playing for ÍBV.

She qualified as a PE Teacher at Liverpool John Moores University and joined Everton Ladies in January 2003: "Everton were in the top division so I thought, 'change codes here, go to the Blues.'" She spent the 2003 summer season playing in Iceland, returning to Everton in August 2003.

In December 2003 Brown suffered a serious knee injury that kept her out of the game until June 2005.

Danielle Hill played in goal for Everton in their 1–0 FA Women's Cup final defeat to Charlton Athletic in May 2005.

She understudied Pauline Cope in her first years with the national team, then served as England's first choice goalkeeper at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

Hill also played as Everton shocked Arsenal in the final of the 2008 Premier League Cup.

Brown played in her second FA Women's Cup final in 2010.

Due to injuries, Brown was displaced in the team by Karen Bardsley for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

She was also selected in the Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics.

Brown was the goalkeeper on Channel Five's Superstars and is employed by Everton FC's Community Project.

She married professional golf caddie Ian Finnis in 2013 and has since been known as Rachel Brown-Finnis.

Brown was born in Burnley, Lancashire, and attended St Christopher's CE High School in Accrington.

She began playing football as a goalkeeper at primary school, in a boys' team.

She said: "They were reluctant to let me join in. It was a case of, 'OK, if you must play you'd better go in goal.'" After a few years of not playing in a team, due to The Football Association (FA) rules prohibiting mixed gender teams, Brown joined Accrington Ladies.

Being younger than the required 14, Brown played local open age football for the club.

In December 2014, guest player Brown was taken to the 2014 International Women's Club Championship in Japan by wild card entrants Arsenal Ladies.

Just after her 15th birthday, Brown joined Premier League National Division team Liverpool Ladies.

She was scouted at an Easter holidays goalkeeping camp run by Bob Wilson in London, where Brown was the only female of 48 attendees.

After applying for the camp through Match magazine, Brown was presented with the Player of the Camp award by David Seaman.

Having expected to understudy Liverpool's experienced former England goalkeeper Tracey Davidson, Brown became first choice when Davidson quit football approximately three weeks later.

In January 2015, Brown decided to retire from football, citing that her body was telling her that it was time to stop.