Sunderland vs Lincoln in the Women’s National League, 2002. Details about the game – the score, the attendance (if any), the weather – are hard to come by. But the history books show one thing: a 14-year-old girl called Steph Houghton made her competitive debut.
Twenty-two years later, in front of an emotional capacity crowd at Manchester City’s Joie Stadium, a guard of honour forms for South Hetton’s finest export. Leah Williamson, Alessia Russo, Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead and Lauren Hemp, among others, stand tall in unanimous applause for Houghton, who is hanging up her boots. As one of the first female players to fight for and secure a central contract from the FA in 2009, the debt owed is not lost on those forming the guard of honour.
“I want to learn how to play golf properly,” Houghton tells me a couple of weeks later; her sights already set on a new goal. “I know I can hit it but I've never really had time to go and do stuff like that.”
Playing a pivotal role in Manchester City Women winning eight trophies in the past 10 years, she’s also captained England on 72 of her 121 appearances – a total only bettered by Billy Wright and Bobby Moore. She’s been too busy impacting the trajectory of women’s football to swing at golf balls. Until now.
GQ: As someone who’s lifted a lot of trophies in your time, any tips on doing it right?
Steph Houghton: Yeah, I do a few bicep curls before a final… Joking! When I first won the FA Cup with Arsenal [in 2011], I remember one of the girls going, just make sure you have your thumbs on top of the lid, especially when you win it at Wembley, so it doesn’t fall on anyone when jumping around like a mad woman.
Any trophies you wish you’d won?
The ideal one would've been to win a trophy with England. But I know I played a big part in us getting up to [Euro 2022] success. For City, we should have won more leagues but when people say, Do you have any regrets? I'm like, ‘No, absolutely not.’ I can be proud of what I've achieved and what I've done for the game.
When you handed over the Lionesses captaincy to Leah Williamson, what words of wisdom did you offer?
The advice I was given was to be myself and do things the way I wanted to. I said the same to Leah. I was like, Don't forget the player that you are and what's made Sarina [Wiegman] think of you as a captain. You have qualities that are seen every single day in the way you play, so don't ever change that.
When it comes to the ‘L word’, legacy, what do you see yours being?
My legacy is being someone who was able to push boundaries and ask questions of people. Like, Why do we want to feel valued? Why do you want us players to be full-time? Why do we want to be on TV? Why do we want to have the right commercial deals? I'm proud because we've had to be brave in challenging the people who have the power to answer these questions.
Was there a pinch-me moment where you thought the fortunes of women’s football were turning?
For the World Cup 2015, we had a sticker book for the first time ever and I remember my cousin buying it and going, Oh my God, we need to get you. Now you’ll find women’s sticker books in every local newsagent. They've done the WSL one, they did the Euros, and the World Cup too. It's so significant because we're on par with the men now. Everything that the men are doing, we are doing the same. Give people opportunities to see us, that’s how we grow the game.
What can be done to continue to level the playing field?
It's quite scary that we could do so much more. Even though we've done so much in the last 15, 20 years, we are growing at a really fast pace so it's important that not just the top league, but those leagues below are getting that support too. We need to make sure that is sustainable over a longer period of time. It's great to be on TV but we need more people to come to the games because when there are people in the stadium, it drives the players on and you get better quality football.
You’ve done a few coaching badges. Is that where your future lies?
Everybody said to us a few years ago, well you're going to coach and I'm like, Absolutely not. But then I was like, If I can get them, there's something I can fall back on just in case. So I did some and I actually really enjoyed it. It's the start of a journey. I am not sure whether it'll be something I'd be like, Oh yeah, I want to coach. I feel as though even if I don't go into it, I can learn a lot from coaching in terms of working with people. Maybe something will come of it, I don't know.
If you pass your UEFA licensed coaching badge, that’s quite a big deal, no?
The fact that 10 women were selected to take that badge is big but I don't want to be given something because I'm female, I want people to see what I can bring as a person or as a coach or whatever that might be. That said, it is important we encourage more females to get into coaching. I've worked with a lot of male coaches and they're desperate for us to get over and be part of the men’s game because we see things differently and it can help them as well.
Outside of football, you must be looking forward to spending more time with your family and friends?
Probably my biggest learning since my husband [former Liverpool player Stephen Darby] got diagnosed with motor neurone disease is to live each day as it comes and put every bit of energy into each other. For me now, I can have more time to influence Stephen’s Darby Rimmer MND Foundation. I can help them and participate in walks, which I'm looking forward to. For everything football has given us, it is important to keep that balance between family and football. The key is perspective.
See Steph Houghton at GQ Heroes in Oxfordshire, from 3-5 July, in association with BMW UK. For more information and tickets, visit GQHeroes.com.
