Keira Ramshaw (born 12 January 1994) is a former English footballer who played as a midfielder or striker for FA Women's Championship club Sunderland. Ramshaw had spent her entire senior career with Sunderland, making her debut for the club in 2010, and was part of the club's promotion to the FA Women's Super League in 2014. Ahead of the 2018–19 FA Women's National League season, Ramshaw was made club captain.[1] In October 2023, she had to medically retire due to an ankle injury.[2]

Keira Ramshaw
Keira Ramshaw on 26 October 2014
Personal information
Full name Keira Ramshaw
Date of birth (1994-01-12) 12 January 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Sunderland, England
Position(s) Midfielder, Striker
Team information
Current team
Sunderland
Number 7
Youth career
Sunderland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2023 Sunderland 244 (67)
International career
2012 England U19 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2019

Club career

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Ramshaw made her first team debut on 18 April 2010, coming on as a substitute in a 4–0 defeat to Everton in the FA Women's Premier League National Division.

She made her full debut away to Watford in the second game of the following season, in September 2010, going on to start 17 of her 19 games in all competitions in 2010–11, a season which saw the club crowned champions.

Ramshaw scored double figures in all competitions in both 2011–12 and 2012–13, with the club winning the FA Women's Premier League National Division in both seasons, seeing them total three titles in a row.

After the club's election to the newly formed FA Women's Super League 2 ahead of 2014, Ramshaw hit double figures in league play for the first time, as Sunderland ended the season as 2014 FA WSL 2 champions. Her 10 goals in 18 games made her the club's joined top scorer, with Beth Mead also scoring 10 league goals.

Ramshaw played less as a striker following promotion to the FA Women's Super League 1, playing across the midfield and as a wing-back. Despite regular game time, she failed to score a FA WSL 1 goal until the 2017-18 season, scoring the winner away at Yeovil Town in October 2017. She also scored a late winner against Aston Villa in February 2018 to send Sunderland into the Women's FA Cup quarter-finals. Ramshaw scored the club's last away goal in WSL 1, scoring in a narrow 2–1 defeat at Chelsea in May 2018.

Following the club's demotion to the FA Women's National League,[3] Ramshaw was one of only four first team players to remain with the club for the 2018–19 season.[4] She was officially announced as club captain on 14 August 2018.[5] She scored her first of the season in the club's first win of the season, a 2–1 victory at Bradford City on match-day two.

She scored her first goal of the 2021-22 season in a 1-1 draw away at Crystal Palace.

On 13 October 2023, Sunderland announced that Ramshaw had been forced to retire due to injury.[2][6]

International career

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Good form in Sunderland's league winning 2011–12 season saw Ramshaw, along with team-mate Beth Mead, be called up to the England women's under-19 squad for the 2012 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. She played in two 2nd round qualifiers as well as all three Group Stage games at the finals in Turkey.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 30 April 2020.
Club League Season FA Cup League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sunderland FA WPL National Division (Tier 1)* 2009–10 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
FA WPL National Division (Tier 2)* 2010–11 17 4 0 0 2 0 19 4
2011–12 19 8 0 0 3 3 22 11
2012–13 17 9 4 3 7 2 28 14
FA WSL 2 2014 18 10 0 0 5 0 23 10
FA WSL 1 2015 14 0 0 0 5 1 19 1
2016 12 0 4 0 1 1 17 1
FA WSL Spring Series 2017 8 0 1 0 9 1
FA WSL 1 2017–18 15 3 1 1 5 0 21 4
FA WNL North 2018–19 23 24 0 0 3 1 26 25
FA WNL North 2019–20 12 8 0 0 0 0 12 8
Career Total 157 66 10 4 31 8 198 79

* The FA Women's Premier League National Division became the second tier of English Women's Football following the foundation of the FA Women's Super League for the 2011 season.

Honours

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Sunderland

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Captain Keira Ramshaw wants to lead Sunderland Ladies back to where they belong". www.sunderlandecho.com. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Keira Ramshaw medically retires from football". Sunderland Association Football Club. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Sunderland Ladies demoted two divisions after losing FA appeal". Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  4. ^ "Revealed! The key players Sunderland Ladies have retained for the 2018/19 season". Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Sunderland AFC Ladies on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  6. ^ Smith, Phil (13 October 2023). "'Most important player ever': Sunderland pay tribute as club legend forced to retire through injury". Sunderland Echo. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Player of the Season accolades awarded". Sunderland Association Football Club. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
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