The National Football Museum has formally welcomed Manchester City icon Steph Houghton into its Hall of Fame.
The 36-year-old, who announced her retirement at the end of the season, will be honored at the Manchester venue together with a select number of other football players in appreciation of her enormous contribution to the women’s game both nationally and internationally. On June 12, at a unique celebration of Houghton’s career and a fund-raiser for the Darby Rimmer Foundation and City in the Community, the inductee was officially announced.
Houghton remarked, “It’s an honor to be inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame so soon after declaring my retirement.” “I am really humbled because it is a prestigious list with less than 200 players, managers, and teams inducted.”
“Without my teammates, managers, coaches, family, and club support staff, who have all given me so much throughout my career, I could not have succeeded and enjoyed myself as much as I have in football,” the player said.
Houghton, who was up in Durham, started her professional career in the Northeast, spending five years at her home club, Sunderland, where she assisted the Black Cats in winning promotion from the Northern Division. After that, in 2007, the center back joined Leeds Carnegie, where she won the Women’s Premier League Cup in 2010.
After signing with Arsenal, Houghton continued to win awards; before moving to City in 2014, she had two WSL trophies, two FA Women’s Cups, and three League Cups. She established herself as one of the best defenders in women’s hockey throughout her ten-year tenure with the Blues, and with eight titles under her belt, she leaves the team as the most decorated player.
Her leadership abilities translated to the national team, as she led the Lionesses to third place in the 2015 Canada World Cup and amassed 121 caps for England throughout a 14-year career. Houghton was also among the initial group of players that the Football Association (FA) awarded a central contract to.
“Steph’s induction into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame is a testament to not only her career in football, but how she has carried herself through it,” stated Tim Desmond, CEO of the National Football Museum. a leader both on the field and for everyone she came in contact with along the path.
“Despite setbacks along the way, she has left an enduring impression on the game and has been at the center of some of the most moving and significant events in the development of women’s football in this country. The National Football Museum reopened the Hall of Fame in 2019 with the goal of having 50% more women in the game. We are proud to be a part of this celebration of legacy, and we are honored to have Steph among the honorees.
Houghton is among a long list of distinguished entrants who have supported women in football, such as Jill Scott, a former midfielder for City.