Jo Fletcher
Encyclopedia
Josephine 'Jo' Fletcher (born 31 December 1980) is an English female football goalkeeper. She played at full international level for England
. She hails from the Wirral
.
as an under-18 player.
Fletcher spent the US 2001 and 2002 seasons playing for Oregon State
in the Pac-10 league, playing 39 times In January 2003 she was selected as available to be drafted at the 2003 Women's United Soccer Association
player draft.
On returning to England
, she re-joined Tranmere Rovers Ladies
, where she was coached by Tranmere Rovers
' keeper John Achterberg
.
She moved on to Doncaster Rovers Belles, leaving them to join Birmingham City
in June 2004. She left City on joining the Army in 2005, but returned after initial training in October 2005.
In the 2006 close season, Fletcher joined Charlton Athletic Ladies
.
Fletcher then joined the police in Surrey. But she later made a single appearance for OOH Lincoln Ladies in October 2009, deputising for Kay Hawke
who was suspended.
and made her senior debut in February 2005, against Italy
. She played eight further games for England, the last being against Denmark
in June the same year, having been included in the Euro 2005 Squad. She played in place of the injured Rachel Brown
at the start of the tournament, but was replaced by Brown on her return from injury. Her international career effectively ended when she joined an Army Officer Training Scheme, although she was later selected for a training squad.
fan, majored in Biology
at Oregon State University
, having transferred from the University of Kentucky
, both times on football scholarships She returned to the UK after graduating and briefly worked for a pharmaceutical company before joining the Royal Military Academy
where she marched in Prince Harry
's commissioning parade. In 2005 she graduated with an MSc
in Exercise Science and Nutrition from the University of Chester
. Her mentor while at Chester was Wendy Owen who had played in England's first national women's football team.
England women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
. She hails from the Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
.
Club career
Fletcher join Tranmere Rovers LadiesTranmere Rovers L.F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Ladies Football Club are an English team founded in 1990, based in the Wirral, and affiliated with Tranmere Rovers F.C. Between 1996 and 2004 they competed in the FA Premier League National Division, then the top tier of the English women's football pyramid. Since 2011, they have...
as an under-18 player.
Fletcher spent the US 2001 and 2002 seasons playing for Oregon State
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in the Pac-10 league, playing 39 times In January 2003 she was selected as available to be drafted at the 2003 Women's United Soccer Association
Women's United Soccer Association
The Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
player draft.
On returning to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, she re-joined Tranmere Rovers Ladies
Tranmere Rovers L.F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Ladies Football Club are an English team founded in 1990, based in the Wirral, and affiliated with Tranmere Rovers F.C. Between 1996 and 2004 they competed in the FA Premier League National Division, then the top tier of the English women's football pyramid. Since 2011, they have...
, where she was coached by Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
' keeper John Achterberg
John Achterberg
John Achterberg is a retired Dutch footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for NAC Breda, FC Eindhoven and Tranmere Rovers. He is now the goalkeeping coach for Liverpool....
.
She moved on to Doncaster Rovers Belles, leaving them to join Birmingham City
Birmingham City L.F.C.
Birmingham City L.F.C. is a semi-professional English Women's football club who are affiliated to Birmingham City F.C.. They play their home games at Knights Lane, the home of Stratford Town F.C., and were named as founder members of the FA Women's Super League which started in 2011.-History:The...
in June 2004. She left City on joining the Army in 2005, but returned after initial training in October 2005.
In the 2006 close season, Fletcher joined Charlton Athletic Ladies
Charlton Athletic L.F.C.
Charlton Athletic Women's Football Club play in the FA Women's Premier League National Division in England. Between 2000, the year it was founded from Croydon Women's F.C. and 2007, Charlton had one of the most successful women's teams in England...
.
Fletcher then joined the police in Surrey. But she later made a single appearance for OOH Lincoln Ladies in October 2009, deputising for Kay Hawke
Kay Hawke
Kay Joyce Hawke is an English footballer, currently playing as goalkeeper for Lincoln Ladies and England.-Club career:Hawke joined Lincoln from Blackburn Rovers Ladies in the summer of 2007...
who was suspended.
International career
Fletcher played at junior level for EnglandEngland women's national football team
The England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
and made her senior debut in February 2005, against Italy
Italy women's national football team
The Italy women's national football team represents Italy in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation .- Performances in the World Cup :...
. She played eight further games for England, the last being against Denmark
Denmark women's national football team
The Denmark women's national football team represents Denmark in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Danish Football Association .-World Cup:*1970 : Winner *1971 : Winner...
in June the same year, having been included in the Euro 2005 Squad. She played in place of the injured Rachel Brown
Rachel Brown
Rachel Laura Brown is an English footballer, currently playing as goalkeeper for Everton Ladies and England Women. She is also the goalkeeper on Five's Superstars and works for Everton's Community Project.-Early Life:...
at the start of the tournament, but was replaced by Brown on her return from injury. Her international career effectively ended when she joined an Army Officer Training Scheme, although she was later selected for a training squad.
Personal life
Fletcher, a Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
fan, majored in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
at Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
, having transferred from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, both times on football scholarships She returned to the UK after graduating and briefly worked for a pharmaceutical company before joining the Royal Military Academy
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
where she marched in Prince Harry
Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
's commissioning parade. In 2005 she graduated with an MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in Exercise Science and Nutrition from the University of Chester
University of Chester
The University of Chester is a public research university located in Chester, United Kingdom. The University, based on a main campus in Chester and a smaller campus in Warrington, offers a range of foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as undertaking academic research.Chester...
. Her mentor while at Chester was Wendy Owen who had played in England's first national women's football team.