Emma Byrne

Emma Anne Byrne (born 14 June 1979) is an Irish football goalkeeper who played for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team on a record 134 occasions and served as captain of the team. She spent almost 17 years with Arsenal before being released on 30 December 2016 and joining Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2017.

Emma Byrne
Byrne in 2014
Personal information
Full name Emma Anne Byrne
Date of birth (1979-06-14) 14 June 1979
Place of birth Leixlip, Ireland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Leixlip United[2]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
St Patrick's Athletic Ladies
1999 Fortuna Hjørring
2000–2016 Arsenal Ladies
2017 Brighton & Hove Albion Women 9 (0)
National team‡
1996–2017 Republic of Ireland 134 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:46, 28 August 2017 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17:46, 28 August 2017 (UTC)

Club career

Byrne started playing as a schoolgirl for Leixlip United before moving to as a goalkeeper to St Patrick's Athletic in the Dublin Women's Soccer League and then agreed to join professional Danish Elitedivisionen club Fortuna Hjørring after completing her schooling. After spending one year in Denmark, Bryne returned to Ireland because she was homesick and took a job as a secretary with the Health Board.[3]

When Arsenal Ladies' goalkeeper Lesley Higgs was injured, the club's Irish midfielder Ciara Grant alerted Arsenal manager Vic Akers to her friend Bryne's availability. Byrne joined Arsenal in January 2000 and quickly became their first choice goalkeeper. She won a domestic treble in her first full season with Arsenal, saving a penalty in the 2001 FA Women's Cup final win over Fulham,[4] and was voted club Players' Player of the Year in 2003 and 2005.

She became a European champion with Arsenal in April 2007, when they beat Umeå IK in the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup Final 1–0 on aggregate, a tie in which she made numerous vital saves in the home and away games.[5] In 2008 she rejected an offer to join American Women's Professional Soccer franchise Boston Breakers, who failed to match her salary expectations.[6]

Byrne was given a free transfer by Arsenal in December 2016 on the expiry of her contract, after being supplanted in the team by Sari van Veenendaal.[7] She agreed to join FA WSL 2 club Brighton & Hove Albion Women for the FA WSL Spring Series. On 4 August 2017, 38-year-old Byrne announced her retirement from football on Twitter.[8]

In August 2019 it was announced that Byrne had come out of retirement to join Spanish club Terrassa FC.[9][10]

International career

Byrne made her first appearance for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team on 31 March 1996 against Belgium. She won her 100th cap against Croatia on 26 September 2013.[11] Following the retirement of Ciara Grant, coach Sue Ronan named Byrne the team captain in March 2013.[12] In April 2017 a player revolt led by Byrne secured substantially improved working conditions for Ireland's female national team players.[13]

Personal life
Byrne after the 2007 FA Women's Cup final

Bryne grew up in Leixlip, County Kildare, and attended secondary school at Coláiste Chiaráin.

She previously worked in the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) ticket office[2] and was later employed as a coach in Arsenal's academy.[1] She married former professional footballer Marcus Bignot in June 2013.[14]

Honours

Club
Arsenal[15][16][17][18]

Individual
  • Arsenal Ladies Player of the Year: 2003 & 2005[19]
  • Eircom International Player of the Year: 2008[20]
  • FAI Senior Women's International Player of the Year: 2012[21]
  • PFA Ireland Merit Award: 2017[22]

References
  1. Paul Croughton (28 October 2008). "Emma Byrne: C'mon, take your best shot, boys". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  2. "Emma Byrne Interview". NI Goalkeeping. Archived from the original on 7 August 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
  3. Nolan, Larissa (29 December 2013). "This is what I do" (Paywall subscription). The Times. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  4. "Fulham fail to dethrone Arsenal". BBC Sport. 7 May 2001. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  5. "UEFA Women's Champions League 2006/07 - Spirited Arsenal outgun rivals". UEFA. 2007.
  6. Malone, Emmet (20 May 2009). "Arsenal goalkeeper is settled and thriving". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  7. "Arsenal Ladies: Rachel Yankey and Emma Byrne released". BBC Sport. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  8. "Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne retires". RTÉ Sport. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  9. "El Terrassa FC fitxa l'exportera de l'Arsenal Ladies FC Emma Byrne" (in Catalan). Terrassa FC. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  10. "Emma Byrne comes out of retirement to join Terrassa". RTÉ Sport. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  11. "Emma Byrne set to join Ireland 100 club in qualifier against Croatia". RTÉ Sport. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  12. "Emma Byrne appointed Senior Women's Team captain". Football Association of Ireland. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  13. "Ireland captain Emma Byrne hails 'victory' after players and FAI come to agreement". The Irish Independent. Independent News and Media. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  14. "Arsenal's Emma nets herself a husband". The Irish Independent. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  15. "Emma Byrne". Soccerway. Perform Group.
  16. Mary Hannigan (9 May 2007). "Byrne to the fore as Arsenal complete quadruple". The Irish Times.
  17. "Emma Byrne leaves Arsenal Ladies". Arsenal F.C. 30 December 2016.
  18. "Albion Sign Arsenal Legend". Brighton and Hove Albion FC. 21 January 2017. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  19. "Sixty seconds with Emma Byrne". The Irish Times. 11 May 2009.
  20. Barbara Harding (13 March 2008). "In the net: Emma Byrne". The Irish Independent. Independent News and Media.
  21. "Andrews is named FAI Player of the Year". RTÉ Sport. 3 February 2013.
  22. PFA Ireland (18 November 2017). "Congratulations to Emma Byrne". @PFAIOfficial – via Twitter.
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