Tara Proctor

Tara Proctor (born 31 January 1971) is a former English footballer, and former England international captain. An inspirational central midfielder, Proctor featured for Croydon/Charlton Athletic on the club level.

Tara Proctor
Personal information
Full name Tara Proctor
Date of birth (1971-01-31) 31 January 1971[1]
Place of birth England
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Maidstone
0000–2001 Charlton Athletic Ladies
2002–2003 Brighton & Hove Albion Women
National team
1995–2002 England 20 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Proctor represented England at tennis as a youngster, but decided to play football after a break from sport as a teenager.[2]

With Croydon, Proctor won the Premier League three times and the FA Women's Cup twice, before Croydon came under the auspices of Charlton Athletic in 2000. She quit Charlton for Brighton in December 2001, in the aftermath of a huge squad bust-up.[3] However, Charlton invoked a ruling which left a "distraught" Proctor unable to play for Brighton until the following season.[4]

The move to struggling Brighton – Proctor was the England captain at the time – was reported as evidence of the enduring amateurism in English women's football.[5] Proctor clarified that her decision was related to her career outside football, having secured a job in the leisure industry which required weekend working.[6] She returned to action for Brighton in 2002–03,[7] but The Seagulls were relegated after winning just one game all season.[8]

International career

Although not selected for the FIFA Women's World Cup 1995, Proctor played for England in the 1997 UEFA Women's Championship qualification campaign.[9] In September 1996, Proctor started both legs of England's play-off defeat to Spain.[10]

Proctor was selected for the 2001 UEFA Women's Championship.[11] She was named captain for England's final group game against Germany, when regular skipper Mo Marley was dropped following the 4–0 defeat to Sweden.[12] After the retirement of several senior players, Proctor retained the captaincy for England's 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification campaign. Manager and former Croydon teammate Hope Powell valued Proctor's experience, stating "She is a good motivator and she has a very good relationship with the youngsters."[13]

Proctor had missed a friendly against Denmark in August 2001 as she was on holiday on a Greek Island.[14] In the run-up to England's first qualifier in Germany, Proctor had slept in a t-shirt commemorating the England male team's famous 5–1 win in Munich in a bid to bring luck.[15] Despite a strong individual performance, Proctor's England were beaten 3–1 in Kassel.[13]

She started qualifiers against the Netherlands and Portugal,[16] before dropping out of the side due to a recurring knee injury.[2] For the return fixture with Portugal, an 18-year-old Fara Williams replaced Proctor in the line-up and scored a free-kick on her first international start.[17] It was also reported that Proctor's protracted transfer from Charlton Athletic to Brighton had placed her international future in doubt.[6]

In July 2002 Proctor was recalled for a friendly with Nigeria at Carrow Road,[18] winning her 20th cap.[19] She subsequently withdrew from the squad from the qualification play-off games against Iceland and France due to the death of her mother.[20]

References
  1. "European Women Championship 2001 - Final Tournament Details". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  2. "READ UP ON TONIGHT'S ENGLAND STARS". Norwich City F.C. 23 July 2002. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  3. Tony Leighton (23 December 2001). "Charlton set to lose England duo". London: BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  4. Tony Leighton (10 February 2002). "Proctor saga takes new twist". London: BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  5. Paula Cocozza (4 February 2002). "Women's football". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  6. Tony Leighton (29 January 2002). "Proctor's England jeopardy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  7. Paula Cocozza (14 October 2002). "Women's football". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  8. David Shannon (28 August 2003). "England (Women) 2002/03". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  9. "England buckle under pressure". The Independent. 18 March 1996. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  10. "Women's match data 1996 - 1999". EnglandFC.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  11. "England Women's player profiles". BBC Sport. 19 June 2001. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  12. Trevor Hayle (30 June 2001). "European Womens' Championship: Germany again too good for England". Telegraph. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  13. Sophie Brown (26 September 2001). "Hope springs eternal for England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  14. Brian Viner (26 September 2001). "Germany again – but don't mention the men". The Independent. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  15. Tony Leighton (28 September 2001). "Early blows leave England too big a task to overcome". The Independent. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  16. Sébastien Duret (8 December 2002). "European Qualifying for Women's World Cup 2003 - Details". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  17. Emma Stoney (2 February 2002). "Williams drives England forward". TheFA.com. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  18. "Powell names squad for Nigeria". TheFA.com. 3 July 2002. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  19. "Albion Ladies Sign England International". Brighton and Hove Albion FC. July 2002. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  20. Tony Leighton (6 October 2002). "Powell names squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
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