Michelle Marie Hickmott (born 20 February 1985) is an English female football full-back. She currently plays her club football for Birmingham City Ladies

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...

 and has represented England

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...

 at senior international level.

Club career

Hickmott's first experience of team football came after a successful trial as a 13-year-old with Birmingham City Ladies

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...

. After just one season in the under-14s team, then manager Marcus Bignot

Marcus Bignot

Marcus Bignot is an ex-English professional footballer, currently manager of Solihull Moors.-Playing career:...

 promoted Hickmott to the senior side, with her debut coming against Garswood Saints in the Midland Combination. Although initially a midfielder, Bignot switched Hickmott to left-back and she was a regular in the side that won first the Midland Combination and then the FAWPL Northern Division, and with it promotion to the FA Women's Premier League

FA Women's Premier League

The FA Women's Premier League is the second tier of women's football in England. It previously formed the top tier prior to the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011. The Women's Premier League has been run by The Football Association since the 1992–93 season...

. She remained with Birmingham for their first season of Premier League football, including an appearance in the League Cup finalist side. In September 2002 she joined the FA National Player Development Centre at Loughborough University

Loughborough University

Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...

.

On leaving Birmingham at the end of the 2002-2003 season, Hickmott joined Fulham Ladies

Fulham L.F.C.

WFC Fulham, previously known as Fulham LFC, was a Ladies Football Club formerly associated with Fulham Football Club. The team were dissolved as of 16 May 2006, but were later re-established with independence from Fulham F.C....

, playing in Europe for Marieanne Spacey

Marieanne Spacey

Marieanne Spacey is an English former international women's footballer. Having played 91 times for England, Spacey is considered one of the greatest English footballers of all time.-Club career:...

's side. Fulham had reverted back to semi-professional status at the time of Hickmott's arrival, causing the departure of high profile players such as Rachel Yankey

Rachel Yankey

Rachel Abba Yankey, MBE is an English football player. She plays for the English side Arsenal, and for the England national team. She plays as a left-winger or forward, and wears the number 11 for Arsenal and England. She is of Ghanaian descent, from her father's side.Yankey is the most-capped...

, Rachel Unitt

Rachel Unitt

Rachel Elizabeth Unitt is an English football player. She currently plays as a left back for England Women and Everton Ladies.-Club career:...

 and Katie Chapman

Katie Chapman

Katie Sarah Chapman is an English footballer who plays for English club Arsenal Ladies in the FA WSL and is a former member of the England women's national team. She primarily plays as a central midfielder, although she has also been deployed in central defence while playing for England. Chapman...

. Hickmott remained with Fulham initially, but a month into the following season, left to join Northern Division

FA Women's Premier League Northern Division

The FA Women's Premier League Northern Division is a league in the third-level in the women's football pyramid in England, along with the Southern division. These two divisions are below the FA Women's Super League and National Division....

 Coventry Ladies, where she was employed as a coach within their centre of excellence and also worked for the Birmingham FA. With Coventry relegated back to the Midland Combination, Hickmott joined Charlton 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...

 where she played in the League Cup winning side against Arsenal

Arsenal L.F.C.

Arsenal Ladies Football Club are an English women's association football club affiliated with Arsenal F.C.. Founded in 1987, they are the most successful club in English women's football having won 34 major trophies to date; which are 12 FA Women's Premier League titles, 11 FA Women's Cups, ten...

 and was an unused substitute for their FA Cup win.

In June 2007 she returned to Birmingham Ladies.

International career

Within a season of starting her career, Hickmott was selected for the England Under-14 side, quickly progressing to the Under-16 side. She went on to win 49 caps at youth level for England

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...

, captaining England in the Under-23's Nordic Cup. Hickmott's senior debut came when she replaced Corinne Yorston

Corinne Yorston

Corinne Louise Yorston is an English female international football defender. She plays her club football for Bristol Academy. Although primarily a left-back, she has played in midfield at club level and has won most of her England caps playing in central defence...

 during a 4-1 win over Finland

Finland women's national football team

The Finland women's national football team represents Finland in international women's football. The team, controlled by the Football Association of Finland , reached the semi-finals of the 2005 European Championship, surprising the female football world having drawn with Sweden and beaten Denmark...

 in Larnaca

Larnaca

Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...

 in February 2009. In June 2009, Hickmott was included in England coach Hope Powell

Hope Powell

Hope Patricia Powell, CBE is the coach of the England women's national football team. Powell is an ‘A’ License coach and in 2003 became the first woman to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence - the highest coaching award available.-Early life:Powell was educated at Bethany School and went on to take A...

's 30-player squad for the friendlies against Iceland

Iceland women's national football team

The Iceland women's national football team represents Iceland in international women's football. It is currently ranked as the 15th best national team in the world by FIFA...

 and 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...

.

Personal life

In addition to playing football, Hickmott is employed as a fire fighter with the Warwickshire

Warwickshire

Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...

Fire Service. Prior to joining the fire service she had been a coach with the Birmingham Football Association.