| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1945-09-01)1 September 1945 (age 80) | ||
| Place of birth | Southampton, England | ||
| Position(s) | Left winger,forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Royex | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1966–1971 | Southampton W.F.C. | ||
| 1971 | Roma CF | ||
| 1971–1985 | Southampton W.F.C. | ||
| International career | |||
| 1973–1979 | England | 22 | (6) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1995–1996 | Wales | ||
| 2003–2005 | Southampton Saints | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11:26, 18 February 2012 (UTC) | |||
Susan Melody LopezMBE (born 1 September 1945)[1] is an English formerfootballer who played as aleft winger. She spent her entire club career withSouthampton, except for a season in Italy'sSerie A withRoma CF in 1971. A leading advocate of the women's game in England, Lopez has also worked as a coach, administrator and writer since her retirement from playing.
At the age of 21, in 1966, Lopez made her debut forSouthampton. She was a regular in the side for almost twenty years until her retirement from playing in 1985. It was in the 1970s, when women's football was in its infancy, that Lopez and her Southampton dominated theWomen's FA Cup. She played forRoma CF in 1971 where she helped the club win the Italian League Cup. She returned to Southampton in order to improve her chances of playing forEngland.[2]
Southampton won the WFA Cup eight times between1971 and1981, appearing in ten finals in that period, including the first nine in a row. Lopez scored in the winning finals of1972 and1978 against Lees Ladies andQueen's Park Rangers respectively. The 1981 final was the last that Lopez appeared in. Held atKnowsley Road, her side beat defending championsSt Helens 4–2.[3]
Lopez also won 22caps as an England international, between 1973 and 1979. She has England legacy number 18. The FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England's inaugural international.[4][5] Lopez played in the unofficial Women's World Cups held in Italy and Mexico respectively, where England finished in fourth place in 1970,[6] and in sixth place in 1971.[7]
On retirement, in 1986, Lopez used her experience and knowledge of the game to coach women's football. This led to Lopez gaining theFA Advance Licence in 1991. In 1996, she gained theUEFA 'A' Licence conversion. Lopez was part-time manager of theWelsh national women's team from 1995 to 1996. Lopez then served as theHampshire Football Association's Coaching and Development Officer until 2000.
Lopez was appointed director of women's football atSouthampton in 2001. She took over managing theSouthampton Saints first team as part of the role in 2003.[8] In 2005, the Southampton men's team were relegated and scrapped their women's setup to save money, making Lopez redundant in the process.[9]
Lopez was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to women's football in the2000 Birthday Honours.[10]
In 2001, she becameThe Sunday Times Sportswomen of the Year Coach of the Year.[11] In 2004, Lopez was inducted into theEnglish Football Hall of Fame.[12]
In 2022, Lopez was awarded asSouthampton's "Forever Saint" to honour her achievements.[13]
In 2020, Lopez became the first women to publicly state that she believed herdementia diagnosis was as a direct result of heading footballs throughout her career. This has been a hot topic of debate in recent years sinceJeff Astle's family campaigned for research into links between heading and a possible increase in the risk of being diagnosed with dementia later on in life. Lopez has called for youngsters to be stopped from heading the ball to help protect them.[14]
In 1997, Lopez publishedWomen on the Ball, a women's football handbook tracing the history and development of the game in England and abroad.
Southampton W.F.C.
England
Individual
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
