Keira Ramshaw (born 12 January 1994) is a former English

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...

who played as a

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

or striker for

FA Women's Championship The Women's Championship (formerly The FA Women's Championship) is the second-highest division of women's football in England. The division was established in 2014 as the FA Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2). WSL 2 replaced the previous level 2 d ...

club

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

. 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 The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...

in 2014. Ahead of the

2018–19 FA Women's National League The 2018–19 FA Women's National League is the 27th season of the competition, and the first since a restructure and rebranding of the top four tiers of English football by The Football Association. Began in 1992, it was previously known as the ...

season, Ramshaw was made club captain. In October 2023, she had to medically retire due to an ankle injury.

Club career

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 The FA Women's Premier League National Division (originally WFA National League Premier Division) was a football division in England. From 1991 until 2010, the National Division functioned as the top league in English women's football. During ...

. She made her full debut away to

Watford Watford () is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Hertfordshire, England, 15 miles northwest of Central London, on the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne. Initially a small market town, the Grand Junction Canal en ...

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 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...

, a season which saw the club crowned champions. Ramshaw scored double figures in all competitions in both 2011–12 and

2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...

, with the club winning the

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 The Women's Championship (formerly The FA Women's Championship) is the second-highest division of women's football in England. The division was established in 2014 as the FA Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2). WSL 2 replaced the previous level 2 d ...

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 Bethany Jane Mead (born 9 May 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Women's Super League club Arsenal and the England national team. A creative and prolific forward, she holds the all-time most assists a ...

also scoring 10 league goals. Ramshaw played less as a striker following promotion to the

FA Women's Super League 1 The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...

, playing across the midfield and as a wing-back. Despite regular game time, she failed to score a

FA WSL 1 The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...

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 Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa P ...

in February 2018 to send Sunderland into the

Women's FA Cup The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship re ...

quarter-finals. Ramshaw scored the club's last away goal in WSL 1, scoring in a narrow 2–1 defeat at

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament const ...

in May 2018. Following the club's demotion to the

FA Women's National League The FA Women's National League, formerly WFA National League and FA Women's Premier League (WPL), is a group of six football divisions run by the English Football Association. Founded in 1991 by the Women's Football Association, the League includ ...

, Ramshaw was one of only four first team players to remain with the club for the 2018–19 season. She was officially announced as club captain on 14 August 2018. She scored her first of the season in the club's first win of the season, a 2–1 victory at

Bradford City Bradford City Association Football Club is an English professional football club in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system and are currently managed by Mark Hughes. ...

on match-day two. She scored her first goal of the 2021-22 season in a 1-1 draw away at

Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...

. On , Sunderland announced that Ramshaw had been forced to retire due to injury.

International career

Good form in Sunderland's league winning 2011–12 season saw Ramshaw, along with team-mate

, be called up to the England women's under-19 squad for the

2012 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship The UEFA Women's U-19 Championship 2012 Final Tournament was held in Antalya, Turkey between 2 and 14 July 2012. Players born after 1 January 1993 were eligible to participate in this competition. Tournament structure The regulations make up fo ...

. She played in two 2nd round qualifiers as well as all three Group Stage games at the finals in Turkey.

Career statistics

Club

* The

became the second tier of English Women's Football following the foundation of the

for the 2011 season.

Honours

Sunderland *

, 2011–12,

FA Women's Premier League Cup The Women's National League Cup is an annual English football cup competition, founded in 1991 by the Women's Football Association (WFA). It was renamed the FA Women's Premier League Cup from 1994 to 2018. The first edition of the Cup include ...

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

FA WSL 2 The Women's Championship (formerly The FA Women's Championship) is the second-highest division of women's football in England. The division was established in 2014 as the FA Women's Super League 2 (WSL 2). WSL 2 replaced the previous level 2 d ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

Individual *

Women's Player of the Year: 2021–22

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ramshaw, Keira 1994 births Living people Sunderland A.F.C. Women players English women's footballers Women's Super League players FA Women's National League players Women's association football midfielders Footballers from Sunderland